Ashley's pov
The next day, when my parents were out, I slipped quietly into my dad's study. The door creaked faintly as I pushed it open, and I froze for a moment, listening—nothing but the steady hum of the air conditioner and the faint ticking of the wall clock. My heart thudded as I moved toward his desk. The acceptance letter and registration form lay right on top of a neat stack of documents.
I took a deep breath and reached out, my fingers brushing the crisp paper. This is it. I folded both neatly and tucked them into my backpack. It was already signed, so there was nothing left to do—except the hard part.
Mom wouldn't be home for a few hours; her law firm kept her busy long into the evening. Dad, as usual, was buried in meetings at the company—something about new cellphone prototypes. That meant I had a few solid hours to pull this off before anyone realized what I'd done.
I zipped my bag, took one last look at the study, and slipped out as quietly as I came in. My hands trembled slightly as I locked the door behind me.
The sun was blazing outside, the heat shimmering off the pavement as I made my way toward Luhle's house. Every step felt like a heartbeat, a countdown to something both thrilling and terrifying. If I really wanted to become a guy—specifically Ash—I'd need her magic touch with makeup.
When I arrived, I was surprised to see her mom at home, sipping tea in the lounge. I greeted her politely, trying not to look suspicious, then hurried upstairs to Luhle's room.
I knocked twice before saying, "Let's do this."
The door swung open, and Luhle stood there with an incredulous look on her face. "You're insane," she said flatly.
"Maybe," I said, brushing past her into the room. "But that's not the point right now."
She shut the door, folding her arms.
"I need some of your makeup magic," I said, my tone serious. "Do you think you can turn me into a guy?"
For a moment, she just stared at me, her mouth slightly open. "Ashley…" she began slowly, "listen, I know you want freedom, but this isn't the way to do it. This is so reckless."
"I know," I admitted, meeting her eyes. "And that's exactly why I have to do it. It's not like my parents won't notice. They'll come looking, but I'll already be gone, and it's not like they won't find me." My green eyes must've been shining with a stubborn fire she'd never seen.
"Reckless doesn't even begin to cover it," she said, pacing now. "You're seventeen! What if you go missing or—"
"I won't go missing," I interrupted, placing a hand gently on her shoulder. "There's a bus leaving tomorrow morning. It's taking all the boys to Cape Town—"
"Cape Town?!" she shouted, her voice pitching higher. "We're in frickin' Randburg! In Johannesburg! Oh my gosh, Ashley!"
"Listen!" I said, louder than I intended. She stopped talking immediately, staring at me. "I know, okay? I know it's reckless. But why can't I be allowed to live my own life? That school offered my brother a space—he doesn't even want it! What about me? What about the one who's never been given a chance?"
My words hung heavy between us. Luhle looked at me with that conflicted expression—the one that meant she was torn between reason and loyalty.
"Please," I said softly. "Do this one thing for me. I'll handle everything else."
She looked down at the floor, silent. The seconds stretched on painfully until she finally lifted her head. "Fine…" she murmured, though her voice wavered with uncertainty.
I broke into a grin and threw my arms around her. "Thank you, thank you, thank you!" I said, jumping a little as relief and excitement rushed through me.
"Okay, okay, okay!" she said, laughing as she tried to pull away. Then she looked at me curiously, tilting her head. "So, what kind of guy are you becoming?"
I smirked, brushing my hair back and squaring my shoulders as if already transforming. "Anything that screams Ash," I said.