Six

“Dean Winchell's office, of Meesler Boarding School. May I help you?”

“I am looking to enroll my child in your school.” Dani blurts out quickly, feeling self-concious and awkward about the lie. Please do not realize that I am a teenager and hang up on me, she silently begs the cranky sounding woman on the other end.

“Our girl's school, Southwood, is at maximum capacity and has a two year waiting list. If your student is a female, I regret to inform you that this will be a short conversation. But if you have a son, we have very few openings available, as we recently had a large number of students leave the school rather suddenly. Most of our waiting list are not yet old enough to attend here or can not meet the price of tuition.” The rigid voice tells her in a disinterested monotone.

Dani's heart drops and she feels her dreams of a fresh start dying a fast death. She wants to go to Meesler more than anything in the world, so hearing that there is no open spots available hurts her heart. But the woman didn't say that there were no spots available. She said that there were no spots for a girl.

“I have a son.”

“Wonderful. His age?” The woman asks.

“Sixteen.” Dani tells her.

“Name?”

“Daniell- Daniel.” Dani corrects herself. “We call him Danny. Daniel Millman.”

The woman asks a few more questions about Dani's high school records and grade point average, which Dani answers truthfully. They discuss rules and expectations of conduction at the school, as well as tuition. When the woman begins to talk about housing and accomadations, a thought strikes Dani.

How is she going to be able to hide the fact that she is girl if she has to share a room with someone? There is no way that she will be able to keep up the charade twenty four hours a day, seven days a week.

“Do you have private rooms available? I- um, my son is an extemely light light sleeper and he has to be in a dark, quiet room with no one around to sleep.” Dani rambles and the woman sighs.

“We do have private accomadations available. The sleeping quarters are set up in a three story building. The first floor is for our younger students, where they have double rooms and a shared bathroom. The second floor is a double room with a semi private bathroom to every two rooms. Two rooms are connected by a bathroom, so it is four boys to two rooms and a bathroom.”

Dani shakes her head at the woman's words. Nope. That won't work.

“The third floor is what you will most likely be interested in. Twelve private rooms with twelve private bathrooms. One student to a room and he has his own bathroom, no sharing.”

“Perfect!” Dani says, sounding far more excited and relieved that the situation warrants. She doesn't want this lady to suspect anything amiss.

“You will undertand that the cost for these rooms is exceptionally different than the tuition cost that I quoted you.” The woman says and Dani asks her how much it will be. The cost is a whole lot higher but Dani doesn't hesitate to tell her,

“We will take it!”

“Excellent!” The woman says brightly, sounding way more chipper than she had before. “I just need you to bring me your son's school transcripts and his medical records, as well as a check for the full amount of the tuition. When will your son be arriving?”

“How soon can he start?” Dani asks.

“Whenever you bring the required documents and the payment in full, I can get him in the system and he can move in that day and start classes the next.” The woman says and Dani nods.

“We will be there on Wednesday.”

Dani disconnected the call. It is nine o'clock on Monday morning. She called the Briorwood Institute to excuse herself for the day. She would have to have Fred go with her this afternoon to unenroll her.

If she was going to get to Northwood on Wednesday, then he had a lot to get done over the next two days. Such as buying a wardrobe for a boy, that hides her boobs and butt, along with her 'child birthing hips' a her southern Nana used to call them.

She would alo have to have someone help her forge fake transcripts for 'Daniel'. Although she was not really 'forging' them, she was merely altering them. She wondered who she knew that could possibly alter records like that.

Then a conversation pops into her head, reminding her of something that Eddy had told her about his cousin. That he was some kind of genious hacker and brilliant computer whiz. That he had almost gotten arrested once for hacking into something or other.

Maybe he could help her out. She goes to the phone on the wall and dials Eddy's number, hoping that he did not have an early class this morning. The phone rings for what feels to her like an eternity before he finally answers. “Yeah, hello?”

Oh, thank God! “Hey, Eddy, it's Dani.”

“Oh, hey Dani. What's up? Do you need a ride?” He asks her, jumping into emplyee mode. She had never called him at home before for anything other than work, so she understands why he would think that.

“Actually, no. I, um, I am calling for a bit more of a personal reason..” Dani begins. “Uh, didn't you once tell me that your cousin was like some computer hacking genious or something like that?”

“Yeah, he is.” She can hear the question in his voice. He is clearly wondering why the heck she is asking that, but he for some reason is refraining from asking. Well she is going to tell him anyways.

“Okay, well, I actually have a kind of weird favor to ask you. And him. Um, could he possibly fake some records for me? I need my name changed on some papers. Today. Is that possible?”

Please say yes. Please say yes. Please say yes.

“Let me ask him.” Eddy tells her, before she hears some shuffling on the line. “Yo, doofus. Are you busy today?”

“Depends on what you want me to do today for if I am busy or not. For example, if you want me to wash dishes or take the trash out, then I am super busy. Crazy busy. Can't possibly do it.” Comes a teasing voice that she can barely hear.

Dani fights back a grin.

“No, you lazy bastard. I know you aren't going to touch the dishes. You are content with being a filthy slob. But I actually need you to help out a friend of mine. She needs some forms changed up. But she needs them today. It's real important. Think you can help out?” Eddy asks the guy and Dani hears a chuckle.

“Of course I can. But how good of a friend is she? Is she hot?” The voice asks and Dani hears Eddy growl “Don't even think about it.”

Dani flushes. He is probably just warning his cousin to stay away from her because she is considered jailbait, being underage and all. But still a large part of her wishes that the warning had come from a place of jealousy and interest in her. But she knows that would just be wishful thinking.

“Yeah, he will help you. I don't have classes today and he doesn't have to work, so I can come get you and bring you over. Clearly you aren't at school today or you wouldn't be calling. Does that sound good?” He asks and Dani nods before she realizes that he can't see her. Idiot. So she tells him aloud 'yes.”

“Are you good to go now? Because I can be there in ten minutes. Then we can get whatever that you need to do done.”

“Sure. I will be ready.”

They hang up and Dani runs to her room. She pulls out a black and grey plaid mini skirt, a grey corset and a black leather jacket. She pulls out her black thigh high boots with the silver buttons on the side. The outfit is not something that she would normally wear, since it kind of gives off an eighties punk rocker vibe, but she loves how sexy it makes her feel.

She wants to look good for Eddy, so she dons the outfit before she quickly throws on mascara and lip gloss. She pulls her long hair into a high pony tail and fastens the black choker around her neck. When she puts her bracelets on her wrist, she is done. Just as the buzz comes over the intercome from the lobby.

The apartment has an intercome for guests to announce themselves but it isn't outside like most New York apartments. They thought that it would seem a bit 'low class', so since this apartment build has such a large lobby, the have a small alcove notched in the wall where people can go and call up to whomever they are visiting. It is nice for workers, delivery food drivers and things like that.

“Eddy?” She asks quickly.

“Yep.” He replies.

“Be right down.”

Dani grabs her tiny, silver fur coverd purse with the long chain strap and sling it over her shoulder. She turns the lock before she pulls the door shut behind her. She sprints to the elevator, regretting it immediately when the boots that she is wearing causes her arches to ache. Less than ten minutes on her body and already they are pinching her toes and making her flat feet hurt. Eh, beauty is pain.

She is glad that she made the extra effort to look good when she sees Eddy waiting for her by the lobby doors. He looks extra amazing today, in a pair of tan chinos and a black polo shirt. He has on black dress shoes and his hair is neatly combed. He looks great and Dani has to hold back a sigh at the sight.

“Hey Dani!”

“Hi Eddy.”

Eddy surprises her when he lightly places his forearm along her lower back to guide her out of the building. She can't remember if he has done that before or not, but even if he has, the sensation that it stirs inside of her is new. She fights back a blush, embarassed by the way that just being near him gives her tingles.

He helps her out the door and she is surprised when he walks over to a sleek black motorcycle waiting at the curb. “I brought my own ride, since I'm off duty. Your father has the car with Geoffery.”

“Yeah, that makes sense.” Dani had completely forgotten for a moment that he worked for her father. She is so tongue tied and twisted up by him that she fears that she will forget her own name if he isn't careful.

“I have an extra helmet.” Eddy says and Dani nods. “Okay.”

It isn't until she is crawling onto the back of his bike that she realizes just what it is exactly that she had gotten herself into. She is wearing a short skirt and as she tried to straddle the wide bike, she feared that she was showing off much more than she should be on the crowded street. Finally she got herself settled on the seat and fixed her skirt around her so that she could maintain a modicum of modesty.

She enjoyed the wind whipping through her hair as Eddy weaved himself in and out of traffic, zooming down the street. She feels this reckless thrill that fires her up and makes her feel wild and alive. But all too soon he is pulling up outside of his place and she is disappointed. Although she is relieved to be able to stand up and fix her clothes.

She and Eddy made there way up to his apartment and she was for some reason, oddly nervous to meet his cousin. What if he could tell that she had a crush on Eddy? Would he think that she was just doing all of this for his attention? Would he think of her as desperate?

“You good?” Eddy asks her and she looks at him, surprised.

“Um, yeah.” She tells him, trying to muster up a smile.

He pushes open the door to the apartment, gesturing for her to enter ahead of him. Her first sight of his cousin is the man sitting on the couch with a bag of doritos and a two liter of Dr. Pepper. He is watching Little Shop Of Horrors on VHS. She recognizes Rick Moranis and the movie immediately, as it was Rick's favorite movie. She had never cared for it before but she really hated it now.

“Alright, we're here. Hop to, you lazy as- um.. nevermind.” Eddy says and his cousin chuckles.

“Ha. Idiot.” He turns pushes pause on the remote, stopping the movie before he stands up to face Eddy and Dani. “Hi, I'm PJ, Eddy's cousin. You must be Dani. It's nice to finally meet you. I have heard some good things about you.”

Curiousity made Dani want to ask him what, but she didn't because it was rude. It puts people on the spot to try to come up with compliments for you in a timely manner. Besides, if the person was just saying that to be polite, then you made an awkward situation for both parties involved.

“I have heard good things about you as well.” Dani says simply.

“So, what is this I hear about you needing some documents changed? What do you need?” PJ asks her and she sighs.

Now is the time to tell them what is going on and what she needs the papers for. “Well, you see, it's like this.. I got into the school I wanted.”

“Hey, congratulations Dani! I am so happy for you!” Eddy tells her, giving her a huge hug. When he pulls away he keeps his arm around her shoulders and she smiles at him.

“Cool.” PJ says simply.

“Yeah, that is why I need to get my school transcripts, medical records and my birth certificate. I need you to change my name on them so that I can take them with me to Northwood Meesler Prep-”

Eddy gives her a funny look. “Northwood? But that's for-”

“I know. That is why I have to change my paperwork.”

“Why? I don't understand.” PJ looks between the two of them, confused.

“I have to be a boy.”