I couldn't get this idea out of my head, so I had to write it.

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Chapter 1: New Friends and New Foes

It was just another ordinary day for fourteen-year-old Izzy. She dealt with a lot of the problems that girls her age dealt with: awkwardness, acne, the changes that her body was going through, and various other things. One of them, she thought as she looked to her left, was her father, Doctor Basil Foreman. Specifically, the issue was his height and the fact that she had inherited said height. Her mum had stopped growing around her age and Izzy was kind of relieved that she probably wouldn't grow that much taller. She was already roughly the same height as her dad, give or take a centimeter. She was still the tallest girl in her class and she was actually taller than some of her male classmates, including her best mate, Alfie 'Stormagedon' Owens. The top of his head was at eye-level for her. Another one of her closest friends Sloane MacGowan, was a full head shorter than her. Contrary to what one might expect, Izzy's height made her a bigger target for bullies. It didn't help that she was currently having a bad breakout and she was out of her favorite face wash. It had salicylic acid in it, which was supposed to help out with acne. She had been out of it for over a week and it showed. Feeling a bit miserable, she sunk a bit further into the hoodie she was wearing. Her father's voice broke her from her thoughts. "Isabel?"

Izzy turned to look at her dad and bluntly asked, "What?"

"You needed to get some stuff here, right?" Basil questioned.

"Skincare stuff, yeah." the fourteen-year-old replied. "Some of that acne facial wash and a vitamin C serum." She let out a huff. "I feel greasy like a cheap pepperoni pizza and I probably look like one, too..."

"A lot of children your age have acne." Basil gave his daughter a comforting pat on the shoulder.

"I've seen pictures of my mum when she was my age." Izzy pointed out. "She barely had any acne."

Basil let out an awkward chuckle and said, "Yeah, you probably got that from me. My teen years were rough on my skin."

"Oh, joy." Izzy said flatly. "More years of my face looking like the Himalayas."

"It got better after I turned seventeen." Basil said reassuringly. "We didn't have all these acne treatments back then." He paused for a moment, got out his wallet, and took a few notes from it. "Will this be enough for your skin stuff?"

Izzy took the money and counted it. "Yeah."

Basil nodded and put his wallet back. "If you need me, I'll be in the baby aisle with Jack."

Izzy looked down at her one-year-old brother, who was sleeping in a carseat that was firmly secured in Basil's trolley. Unlike her and their father, Jack did not have curly hair or blue-grey eyes. He more favored their mother's stick-straight hair and brown eyes. He had blonde hair, though, and that had been a surprise for everyone. The kid was quite the charmer when he wasn't screaming his head off. Izzy smiled at her baby brother before looking to her father. "TTYL." she joked.

Basil simply rolled his eyes and walked off, leaving Izzy alone. She immediately headed for the skincare section. When she arrived, she began to search for her favorite facial cleanser. Unfortunately, they were out. So, she started searching the face washes, reading through the ingredients and checking the prices. Hopefully she'd be able to find something fragrance-free for her sensitive skin. Heavily fragranced products irritated her skin and made her acne ten times worse. As she read the back of yet another bottle of facial cleanser, she heard a female voice jeer, "None of that is going to make you pretty, you know."

She turned her head to see two girls. The taller one appeared to be around nineteen and had long, bleach-blonde hair and a deep tan from countless hours under a tanning machine, whatever they were called. The shorter girl was closer to Izzy's age and, though her hair was also obviously bleached, her skin tone was a bit more natural-looking. She recognized them as her classmate and long-time nemesis, Shauna Blake, and Shauna's older sister, Nissy. Izzy frowned and said, "Don't you have better things to do than pick on secondary school students, Eunice?" The fourteen-year-old put emphasis on the older girl's real name.

Shauna was unable to hold back a snicker. Nissy, on the other hand, glared at Izzy for a moment before recovering. "I'm just helping you to not waste time and money." the older Blake said casually. "I could think of something to put over your face that'd work much better."

"Like what?" Izzy asked, hating herself seconds later for responding.

"I'd say a bag with two eye-holes in it." Nissy sneered.

"I'll be protected from the sun, at least." Izzy replied. "That way, I won't look thirty when I'm nineteen like someone who has uses a tanning bed five days a week, every week since she was my age would."

Shauna erupted into a sudden cackle of amusement. Nissy smacked her sister on the back of her head and said, "Shut up!"

Izzy shot Nissy her most deadpan look and asked, "Are we done here?"

Nissy let out a huff and snapped, "This isn't over, Pink!"

The older girl stormed off, leaving Shauna and Izzy alone. The two fourteen-year-olds locked eyes for a second, unsure of what to do next. Finally, Shauna smiled. "I haven't seen Nissy put in her place like that." She put a hand on Izzy's shoulder and added, "I guess I've had you all wrong, Pink."

Izzy smiled back and said, "Actually, it's Foreman."

Shauna got down on her knees to squat next to Izzy. She pointed out one of the facial cleansers on the shelf. "I'd use that one." she suggested. "It cleared up my cousin Bali's face after a few weeks."

Izzy eyed her classmate in suspicion. "Why are you suddenly being nice to me?"

"You successfully pissed off my sister and made an enemy out of her." Shauna replied. "Nissy is the ultra mega bitch and has been making my life hell basically since birth." She smiled and said, "The enemy of my enemy..."

"Is my friend." Izzy finished.

Shauna held out a hand. "Allies?"

Izzy smiled and shook the other girl's hand. "Allies."

"Now," Shauna said, turning back to the skincare products. "Were you looking for anything else? I usually get more than one thing here."

"A vitamin C serum." Izzy replied.

Shauna led Izzy over to the serums and removed one from the shelf. "I use this one." the blonde said. "It takes a couple weeks to see noticeable effects, but it's really good. I like how affordable it is, too."

"Let me guess." Izzy said with a roll of her eyes. "Eunice only uses expensive skincare products."

"Worse." Shauna said. "She thinks that she has perfect skin so she doesn't even use a moisturizer."

Izzy grimaced. "Yeah, between that and the tanning, she's going to look fifty when she's thirty. I, on the other hand, have ambitions of not looking like a leather boot."

"Same." Shauna replied. "Don't tell anyone at school, but I'm actually a ginger." She then indicated her very, very fair skin. "Red hair, pale skin and all. Do I look like I'd survive being in a tanning bed?"

"I would see only lobster in your future." Izzy said with thinly veiled amusement. "Not judging you for that, though. I burn like paper."

"Lobster? More like cremation." Shauna said with a cheeky grin. "I'd rather have a skin tone reminiscent of drywall than have skin that is tan but looks like leather."

"Not to mention the premature wrinkles." Izzy added. "Anyway, I have everything I need. I have to get going."

"I'll come with you." Shauna said as she picked up a bottle of moisturizer. "I need to check out soon."

"I have to check in with my dad first." Izzy said. "Unless you want to tag along?"

"Sure, why not?" Shauna said with a shrug. "The longer I can stay away from my sister, the better. She's probably home by now. She's left me here before."

"Ouch." Izzy grimaced. "Well, let's go, then."

Izzy led Shauna to the baby aisle, where they quickly located Basil and Jack. "This is my dad, Basil Foreman." the taller girl introduced her family. "The one in the pram is my baby brother, Jack."

Shauna's eyes widened dramatically as she skip-hopped in place. "Oh my god, he's soooo cuuuuute!" she squeed over Jack.

"Isabel, who is this?" Basil asked awkwardly.

"Oh, right." Izzy said before introducing the other girl. "This is Shauna Blake. She's one of the girls in my class."

"Shauna Blake." Basil raised a brow. "As in the Shauna Blake who-"

"We don't hate each other anymore." Izzy interrupted her dad.

"Indeed." Shauna added, "We now have a common foe."

"Right." Basil said dryly. "Anyway, I have the nappies, formula, ice cream, oat milk, bread, and batteries now."

"All right." Izzy said. "Let's go."

Izzy, Shauna, and Basil then headed to the checkout counter. On the way over, Shauna pointed out something. "That's dairy-free ice cream and you're getting oat milk. Are you vegans or something?"

"Nope." Izzy replied. "Lactose intolerant. Can't have dairy."

"What happens if you have dairy?" Shauna asked.

Izzy looked the other girl directly in the eyes and said, "It's not pretty. Super gross."

"Shauna grimaced. "I'm really glad that I'm not allergic to dairy like you and your dad are."

"Actually, lactose intolerance is not a dairy allergy." Basil inserted himself into the conversation. "It's when your body either doesn't produce enough of the lactase enzyme or doesn't produce it at all. The lactase enzyme, which is produced in the small intestine, is what allows you to break down lactose, which is a sugar found in milk and milk products. In the case of a lactose intolerant person, the lactose is not broken down. Instead, it passes through to the colon, where it mixes with normal gut bacteria and ferments. This can lead to such symptoms as nausea, bloating, abdominal pain, flatulence, and diarrhoea."

"Basically, worst gas imaginable, horriffic gut pain, nausea, and my colon turns into a waterslide." Izzy translated.

"Gross!" Shauna grimaced again.

"I was born lactose intolerant, which is kind of rare, I think?" Izzy said. "I had to have a special formula. I don't know whether or not Dad was, too."

"I was." Basil said with a nod.

Shauna shook her head. "I do not envy either of you. Mister Foreman, how do you know all this? My dad has asthma and he doesn't know that much about his condition."

Basil smiled with a slight hint of smugness and said, "Actually, it's Doctor Foreman."

That seemed to perk Shauna up a bit. "My dad in the medical field, too!"

"Oh, really?" Basil raised a brow. "What hospital does he work at?"

"He has his own practice, actually." Shauna explained. "He's a plastic surgeon! Maximilian Blake. Have you heard of him?"

Izzy looked at Basil and saw that subtle look in his eye that indicated that he wanted to say something rude but was holding back. Someone unfamiliar with the Scottish doctor might not see it, but after this long, his daughter could read him like a book. With forced calm, Basil said, "Yes, I've heard of him. He's a very... unique type of person."

"He's something else, all right." Shauna said with a grin. She then asked, "What kind of doctor are you, Doctor Foreman?"

"Emergency physician." Basil replied.

"Oh." Shauna said softly. "Um... right."

Izzy raised a brow. "Something on your mind, Shauna?"

"Well," Shauna said, shuffling her feet awkwardly, "my dad said that people become emergency physicians because they're addicted to adrenaline and not smart enough to specialize."

Basil grumbled under his breath, "That definitely sounds like something that Max Blake would say."

"You don't seem stupid to me!" Shauna hurriedly added.

Basil frowned and said, "I think we're done here. Come, Isabel."

The doctor then walked away. Izzy met Shauna's eyes and grimaced. Quietly, the taller girl said, "Here's my mobile number. Dad can be a bit prickly sometimes, but he's a great guy."

The two teens exchanged numbers before going their separate ways. It seemed that Izzy might have made a potential friend but if her father's current mood was any indication, the man wasn't exactly thrilled about it. The lanky teen let out a sigh and paid for her serum and her cleanser. She picked up Jack's carseat and waited for Basil to finish purchasing his things. Once the items were paid for, the doctor carried the bags outside to his blue 2008 Honda Jazz, affectionately known as Sexy. Izzy made sure to carefully secure Jack in the car before heading over to sit in the front passenger seat. It looked like it was going to be a long, long day.

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After Izzy had a lengthy Zoom meeting with Sloane, Stormageddon, and Shauna, the trio of friends had cautiously allowed their once-foe a chance to join their fold. Now Izzy had Shauna visiting her in her flat. They were studying together for an upcoming English test. "Did you read the bit about Oscar Wilde?" Shauna asked.

"Yep." Izzy replied. "In detail."

"Oh." Shauna said simply.

Shauna was quiet for a while before glancing at Izzy's chest. The shorter girl had done this multiple times while she was there. Shauna looked away, and then looked back at Izzy. "Take a picture." Izzy said dryly. "It lasts longer."

"Oh, um, yeah." Shauna said hastily. "I wasn't looking at your chest."

"You definitely were looking at my chest." Izzy retorted.

"What if I was?" Shauna shot back.

"Well, I'd ask for a reason why?" the taller girl said insistently.

"Um..."

Shauna automatically glanced down at her own chest before putting her hands over it. It was then that Izzy understood. Her chest was a solid 34C, but Shauna's was a 32A, tops. Shauna had boob envy. There was a long, awkward silence before Izzy finally spoke up. "You don't need to be ashamed. I developed early. My mum didn't get hers until she was sixteen. Yours could still grow."

"My mum has big boobs." Shauna said, frowning. "I saw pictures of her at our age. They were bigger than yours."

"Again, yours could still get bigger." Izzy insisted.

"What if they don't?" Shauna said, sounding quite worried. "I'd rather have a moped when I turn sixteen!"

"Why wouldn't you have a moped?" Izzy asked.

"Dad wants to give me the same thing he gave Nissy for her sixteenth birthday instead of a car." Shauna explained. "I don't think I want it."

"What did Eunice get for her sixteenth birthday?" Izzy asked, not sure if she'd like the answer.

Shauna inhaled deeply, exhaled, and replied, "Breast implants. He says he can fix my boobs. Izzy, I'm afraid to go under the knife. What if something goes wrong?"

Izzy's demeanor changed from puzzlement to barely-concealed fury. "Your father wants you to get breast implants?" the taller girl growled.

"He says that he'll wait until I'm sixteen!" Shauna said hastily, defending her father. "He offered to give them to me when I turn sixteen, even if they aren't still this small. He said that either way, I'd look better with implants. But he's a well-known plastic surgeon so he'd know best, right?"

"Shauna, it isn't normal for a father to obsess over the size of his teen daughter's tits." Izzy said sharply.

"What am I supposed to do with tiny boobs, then?" Shauna groaned.

"Well, keep them. Small breasts don't get saggy when you get older." Izzy pointed out.

"Are you sure?" Shauna asked dubiously.

"Yep." Izzy replied. "Shauna, never let anyone pressure you into changing your body. You don't have to get the implants if you don't want to."

"I see." Shauna was quiet for a moment. "Do you think this is a weird conversation?"

Izzy shrugged and said, "We're both girls here. The only weird thing is your dad trying to pressure you into getting a boob job."

"I see." Shauna turned back to studying. "So, about Oscar Wilde..."

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Like our girls here, I am very fair-skinned. The phrases "a skin tone reminiscent of drywall" and "I burn like paper" are phrases that I use fairly often. I figured that I'd insert them into this chapter.