[Note: This chapter takes place before the anime.]
Chapter One
A young teen opened her eyes softly and smiled up at the ornate chandelier above her. She took in her surroundings, remembering she was no longer in her hometown city of Manhattan, but in Domino. She looked around her room as sunlight came in through the curtains.
The walls were a soft vanilla color with hand-painted light pink Sakura petals scattered all over. They were her favorite plant. The dresser on the far wall opposite the bed was the same color as the petals on the wall; it had a French look to it, with a large mirror attached. There was a night stand on each side of the bed with the same designs as the dresser and mirror. A matching armoire stood close to a window, the open cabinet blocking the rays of sunlight from hitting the girl's face as she sat up.
She pealed the pink satin sheets off of her and stood up, stretching deliciously. Quickly putting her slippers on, she made her way along the off-white, carpeted floor to the bathroom across the hall and looked at herself in the mirror.
She washed her face and teeth before slipping into the shower. She hummed contentedly with her eyes closed as the warm water made its way into her long, brown hair. She scrubbed her brunette locks and spread body wash soothingly onto her skin, making sure to rinse. Soon after, she stepped out. She put her baby blue bathrobe on over her bra and underwear and began blow-drying her hair.
After she deemed her hair dry and silky, she went back into her room and opened the armoire's other cabinet door, pulling out a plain, white t-shirt and a matching blue jacket and pants. It was the boy's uniform at Domino High. She, then, carefully took out the blond wig she'd been carefully making sure wouldn't get tangled. She wasn't exactly sure why she'd chosen blond hair, but there was no turning back now.
Slowly adjusting the wig on her head, she made sure none of her dark hair was visible underneath it. She then brushed it and styled it to her liking. She quickly grabbed her make up purse and took out yellow, tan, and gold eye shadow. Carefully, she applied a combination of each to her eyebrows, attempting to match the color of them with her wig. She had heard this was the best way to make it look natural—and if the outcome was any indication, it was true. She pulled away from the mirror and stared at herself. It had worked.
She disrobed and slipped the uniform on. Still looking at herself in the mirror, she frowned. It's so obvious, she thought to herself. How am I supposed to hide my boobs? She looked down at herself. Duct tape? She cringed at the thought of taping her boobs down. It would really hurt getting that off after school. Ugh! Why didn't I think about this before today?! I can be so stupid sometimes!
She wasn't too big. Maybe it could be overlooked, just for today and then after school she could find something to help cover her chest. Nodding to herself, she checked her backpack and made her she had everything she'd need. Going over the list in her mind, she realized the eye contacts weren't as important; they were simply precautionary measures.
She wanted to be completely sure, though, so she quickly headed back into the bathroom and stood in front of the sink, grabbing and opening the container with the lenses inside. They weren't to better her eyesight. Her sight was perfectly fine. They were simply cosmetic. Placing the contact backwards on her finger, she slipped a brown contact into each eye, hiding the natural emerald color.
She looked at herself in the mirror. She couldn't even recognize herself. Zoë Taylor is no more. Time for Joseph Wheeler to come forth.
The now-blond turned, going back into the room, and looked at the clock on her night stand. There were still thirty minutes until school started. She would walk, but she wasn't sure how to get there by foot just yet. So instead, she was going to be driven there; however, she was being dropped off a block away so as not to arouse suspicion. She was in disguise, after all. If she wanted to be treated normally, she couldn't let the other students know anything about her personal life.
She moved her money and ID from her purse to the wallet she had purchased a few days previous. Finishing, she let herself lay down on the bed and took everything in.
So this is it. My first day of high school. Good thing I'm here for the first day of the year, otherwise I'd be getting more attention for being a transfer student. At least, this way, I just look like a newcomer since it's my freshman year. I'm just hoping I can keep this secret for four years. I can only hope.
I wonder if I should bother making friends. I mean, it's not like I'm going to keep them. I don't want really friends. If anything, I'd rather be someone people wouldn't dare approach either because they're afraid of me or because they don't like me. There's no way I'm letting one walk all over me.
Anyway, I don't even know if anyone will buy my disguise. Do I really look like a normal teenaged boy?
She sat up and looked at herself in the mirror from her seated position. Sure, she could easily be mistaken for a boy, but because she knew it was her, she could tell how girly she looked. Isn't it obvious?
Maybe it wasn't. Maybe it was just obvious to her.
The scenery slowly went by as she dreamily looked out the car window. She was still getting used to the different environment and if she wanted to remember her way around, especially to walk to school on her own, she had to memorize everything. She made it clear to her chauffeur that she only wanted to be dropped off like this for the first week of school while she got herself acquainted with the streets and buildings. She'd also call if she wanted to be picked up quickly or if it was too cold to walk, which wouldn't be for another two months or so.
She felt the car slow down and she took her seatbelt off.
"If you keep walking straight down this road, Zoë, the high school will be on the right side, just a block away. Here's your class schedule." The older man in the driver's seat passed back a few papers. "Be careful."
She smiled. "Don't worry, Leo. I'll be just fine." She opened the door. "Thanks for driving me. See you after school." She waved and stepped out, walking on.
She was grateful for having such a loving staff. Everyone who worked for her always took care of her as if she was their own child and she appreciated it. Her chauffeur, Leonard, was the one she trusted the most. He was almost like a father to her. While Leo was still just her manager, he had offered to adopt her, but her agency didn't allow it. After that, they allowed him to be her chauffeur and take care of her when she moved to Domino. In other words, he was her adoptive father without the official papers. He still managed her, but with her deciding to go to school first—and the agency being paranoid something horrible might happen to her—he became her unofficial guardian.
She skipped her way past a stray dog that had been limping down the sidewalk, but then she stopped, remembering something. A boy skipping down the sidewalk wasn't very… masculine. If any of her classmates saw her, they'd think she was gay or something.
She had to remember she was dressed like a boy. Have to act like a guy. But I don't know how they walk! Ugh, why didn't I just dye my hair and cut it a bit and stay a girl?! This is not going to work! I gotta remember to refer to myself as guy, too!
Feeling himself getting nervous, he continued to the school's entrance gate. He made himself calm down. Hopefully I'll just look really scared for my first day of high school ever. He decided to put on a 'tough guy' act and strut his way into the school and through the hallway. He found his locker and opened it, dumping his bag in there and taking out nothing but a pencil. It's the first day, what will we do except for introduce ourselves and get our textbooks?
As he shut his locker, he felt someone bump into him. Annoyed, he looked as the brunet perpetrator briskly walked past with a smirk on his face. Ugh! The first day of school and I already have some idiot bumping into me! Learn to walk, dumbass!
He found his classroom and sat in the third row at a desk next to the window. It was a simple classroom with one wall completely taken over by a view of the back patio where students could go to have lunch. The walls were a faded periwinkle blue with white trimming the windows. The teacher's desk was tan—a computer resting upon it—with the chair behind it being the same color.
Shortly after he sat down, more insecure students filed in and the bell rang. The teacher walked in and set his things on the desk. He was bordering five feet tall. His hair was black and he wore a knitted vest over a striped shirt and a pair of black jeans. He could easily be mistaken for a student had he been wearing a school uniform.
He grabbed a marker and started writing his name on the white board. Mr. Hanjo.
"Hello, class. I'm Mr. Hanjo. Not Mr. Handjob, not Mr. Banjo. Mr. Hanjo. Anyone dumb enough to give me any smart remarks or say anything on the subject of my name will earn him or her detention for a week. Do I make myself clear?"
The class nodded in-synch.
"Now then…" he began, "since it's the first day of school, you won't have any homework." There were collective sighs of relief throughout the room. "But, in exchange, each one of you is going to stand up and introduce yourselves." Collective groans. The teacher chuckled. "If you're going to be spending the next year together, you might as well start making friends now. But first, let me introduce myself properly. As you know, I'm Mr. Hanjo. I lived in the Philippines, teaching English for six years before I came to this school three years ago. I studied at UCLA, majoring in English with a minor in Psychology. Now… who shall we start with? Any volunteers?"
Everyone looked around at each other, expecting someone to get up. Suddenly, there was the sound of metallic chair legs grinding against the tile floor.
"Zo—I mean…" The disguised girl began. He cleared his throat, remembering to sound like a guy. "Joey Wheeler." The boy grinned at the teacher.
"Hi, Mr. Wheeler. What school are you coming from?" Mr. Hanjo asked.
"I… er, came from… middle school." The blond grinned mischievously. "Didn't we all?"
The class laughed. Mr. Hanjo's eyes narrowed. Class clown, I see. "Thank you, Mr. Wheeler. Take your seat." Perhaps ignoring him will make him see how pointless it is. "Anyone else?"
"Hn." A tall brunet stood up. I'd rather get up myself instead of being told to. Scowling, he began, "I'm Seto Kaiba. I run the multi-million dollar company you all know as Kaiba Corporation. I also have come here from Middle School." He sat back down and took out a book to read.
"Thank you, Mr. Kaiba." It's best I ignore him, too. I don't need a reason for him to sue me or have me lose my job. Kaiba looked up from his page and smirked at the teacher, almost as if he knew what Mr. Hanjo had been thinking.
No one else seemed to get up. "All right then. Since there doesn't seem to be any more volunteers, I'll have you go row by row starting at the end."
After everyone went around, introducing themselves to students who really didn't care, the teacher went to the back of the classroom and opened the cupboards. "These are this year's textbooks. Please, one at a time, come and take a textbook."
All but two gathered by the teacher.
"Thanks, class, the line really helps a lot." He said sarcastically. Joey laughed quietly. The brunet looked at him strangely.
It was now lunch time. Joey found himself staring at the whole cafeteria. Holding his tray of food, he looked around, searching for an empty table. Better to be alone than with bad company, he thought. And since I've yet to make a friend, I guess that's how it's going to be.
He spotted a table at the other end of the room and made his way there. Making sure it was clean first, he sat down and started eating. Half way through his meal, he heard someone clear their throat behind him. It was a brunet boy with pointy hair, he recognized, from Gym class.
"Hey, I saw ya sitting over here by yourself. Mind if I sit here with ya?" He asked.
The blond shrugged. "I don't care." He resumed eating.
"I don't remember seeing ya in Junior High. Are ya from another school?" The other boy asked with a mouth full of food. The blond stared at him, disgusted. "Oh," The other began again, "I'm Tristan." He held out his hand.
The blond stared at the dirty hand and said, "Joey."
"I just joined the Clean-Up Committee." Tristan announced proudly. "I'm aiming to be the Head of it as Beautification Officer."
Great, he's a nerd. "Interesting," Joey remarked sarcastically. He threw a plastic wrapper to the floor. "Does that mean you're duty is to pick that up for me?" A light smirk played on his lips.
Tristan glared, but then sighed. "Sadly, yeah." He doubled over and grabbed the litter from under the table. He stood up and threw it in the trash bin and sat back down at Joey's table. So much for being alone and not with bad company, thought Joey tartly.
"Listen, being a freshman doesn't mean ya can't have fun. How about after school, we go to the arcade or something? I bet there'll be chicks there to hit on. Maybe we can get one to mess around with." Tristan winked.
Ew. This guy's a disgusting nerd with perverted tendencies. How much worse can it possibly get? Joey shook his head. "Sorry, can't. My dad is picking me up and I have stuff to do."
"Picking ya up? I thought everyone walked to school." The brunet inquired, his head cocking to the side curiously.
Curiosity killed the cat, the blond thought bitterly. He was really getting annoyed now with all the talking. "I don't know the city enough to walk to school yet," sneered Joey. "In the meantime, he's bringing me."
"Where do you live?"
Aren't you a bit nosy today? "I live in Domino." The blond felt his teeth clench together.
"No, I meant. What part of town? I live over on Elk Avenue. Not all fancy-shmancy, but it's better than that run-down red light district," rambled the brunet.
"And if I lived in that part of town?" Joey only wanted to see if Tristan would go away. He really had no idea where the other was referring to; his apartment was in the richer areas of Domino.
"You're a thug?" Tristan asked.
"And what if I am?" He spoke through clenched teeth now, seriously irritated. Does he ever stop talking?!
"Dude! I've never known anyone in a gang before! Which gang are you in? Are you part of Gammon High's gang?"
"I'm in the 'fuck you' gang." Joey deadpanned.
"So—"
"Will you shut up?! Sheesh! I'm trying to eat, man. Shut up or fuck off!" The shouts caused the entire cafeteria to become silent. Everyone stared at them.
Joey stood up angrily and stormed out, leaving his tray of food on the table. That pervert can clean up after me. He entered the boys' bathroom. A grin plastered onto his face. The thought of Tristan having to clean up after him was enough to make up for his game of 20 Questions. Like a little servant.
He entered a stall and did his business. Finishing, he came out and washed his hands, staring at himself in the mirror the whole time. Checking his schedule, he walked out and made his way to where his next class would be. So far, he thought to himself, it hasn't been obvious.
The first day of school would have been all right had it not been for that annoying guy. Tristan, I think was his name. Stupid idiot wouldn't leave me alone even after the scene I caused in the cafeteria. Did he really have to be in my last two classes?! Ugh.
He wasn't the only one who annoyed her today. There was that little runt, Yugi. Such a little kid in high school? If he can't show his manliness with his height, he should make up for it with his personality. But no. That kid was as much of a baby as a newborn child was.
That Kaiba guy is another guy I can't stand already. He thinks he's so high and mighty just because he's cute as hell? Who does he think he is? I wish I would have punched him when I wanted to.
Zoë relaxed herself on her bed. She had changed out of the uniform and now wore hot pink fitness pants and a white tank top. Her hair was now in a messy ponytail. For an hour, after she was home from school, she had decided to take her frustration out on the treadmill.
Whatever. She continued her thoughts. The first day is always the worst one. Even though I didn't really make any friends, it doesn't mean I won't ever.
She recalled a line from somewhere, unsure where it had originated. "As long as you make at least one friend on the first day, you'll be fine," she recited.
Pfft. So much for that. Then again, I probably look like the kind of guy who doesn't want to be bothered with people. And that's kind of true. Whether or not I make friends, it doesn't matter to me. They won't be hearing from me after I leave this place anyway.
The thought of knowing her future was a comfort. She didn't really have to focus on getting a certain score on her ACTs or SATs. Sure, she had to maintain certain grades to stay in the agency, but that was a piece of cake. She was smarter than she let on.
She found herself falling asleep, but then heard a knock on her door. "Come in."
The door opened. "Zoë?"
"Yeah, Leo? What is it?"
"I'm just checking up on you. You went straight to exercise when you got home. How did school go? Make any friends?" Leonard sat on the edge of her bed with a soft smile on his face.
She looked down. "No, not really. There was this Tristan guy who annoyed me to no end, though. He kept talking to me, even when I shouted at him not to. And then there was this other guy who's shorter than the lifespan of a mosquito. I swear, had he not been wearing the uniform, I would have thought he was one of the teacher's kids."
Leonard chuckled. "Surely, he skipped a few grades or something?"
"No, he's my age. I just don't get how he's so little. He's not a midget, he's just short. Really, really short. There's this other guy. Kaiba, I think was his name. He thinks himself a king, the prick."
Leonard couldn't hold his laughter in anymore. Zoë was just so amusing. "Any girl friends yet? You've only mentioned boys." His brow rose as he watched her.
"Of course I did. I'm dressed as a guy. I'm pretending to be a guy. Guys only hang around other guys unless they're horny. In which case, they go after 'chicks' as Tristan referred to us as. He just thinks we're a piece of ass. I can't stand him at all. There was one girl, but I think she only talked to me because she likes the boy I was pretending to be. Though, now I think about it, I'm going to have to date or flirt with girls so I seem more like a guy. I wouldn't want people thinking I'm a gay man or something."
"Does that mean your first kiss will be with another girl?" Leo mused.
"Oh my god, ew. I hope not. I'll try to avoid it as much as I can." She finally sat up. "Anyway, what's for dinner? I'm starving."
"I'm cooking your favorite." Leo answered, walking out the door. "Chicken Fettuccine Alfredo."
She hopped off the bed and headed toward the door, trailing behind him. She stopped just in front of her mirror first, comparing herself at that moment to her disguised-as-a-male counterpart.
I guess it wasn't obvious.
Author Note: This is my first ever gender-bending fic, so please tell me how I'm doing so far. Also, I apologize with the shortness and dullness of this chapter. It's mainly an introductory chapter. A prologue, if you will. The next chapter is much longer.