Sister Switch

by Beth Garrod

  To Rose – the most magical person I know.

  CHAPTER ONE

  If I’d ever wondered what could be worse than being laughed at by my sister in front of my life-icon and her terrifying sibling, now I knew. Being laughed at while wearing a beard.

  As Erin cackled, Frankie pretended to take a selfie (but was a hundred per cent filming me) and Nic looked like she might be mid-swallow of a wasp. I tried to focus on the most important thing.

  Breathing could wait.

  Getting my sister back was everything.

  Five hours earlier

  ‘So you’re sure sure I have to do this?’ I asked, even though we’d already been driving for ten minutes.

  Mum adjusted the rear-view mirror. We both knew she was just making sure I could see her giving me that look.

  ‘Sisters together. It’ll be fun!’

  Erin and I together? That hadn’t been fun since I was eight and Erin was nine – and ever since I’d started senior school with her, it had upgraded to a full-on nightmare. But when Mum made her mind up there was no changing it.

  ‘Fun as in…’ I got distracted by the weirdness of seeing my reflection in the car window – a semi-bald wig covered where my ponytail usually was… ‘worst day of my life?’

  I was meant to be spending the day prom shopping with Micha and doing the Saturday usual: eating chips, hanging out at the skatepark and writing something for my blog, while my best mate laughed at videos of people falling over. But oh no.

  Here I was on the way to a Shakespeare convention looking like my sister’s sweaty sidekick.

  A Shakespeare convention.

  On a Saturday.

  Full body shudder. And the worst thing about it was that after twelve years and fifty-one weeks I was no longer surprised. My family had given up trying to be normal a looooong time ago.

  I brushed my fingers through a dangly bit of hair below the wig. It felt like carpet. Was this my real follicles matted together or the fake stuff? Either way, the wig glue was itching and made me reek of marker pens. At least I’d convinced Erin I didn’t need the beard. It was lying abandoned on the seat next to me like a deflated gerbil. I stroked it. Sozzee, beardio.

  Mum cleared her throat. Uh-oh. This was never good.

  ‘Worst day of your life, Lily? Good to see you’re not being dramatic.’ I huffed silently. ‘And perhaps you could stop that huffing too…’ How can Mum’s ears detect even the thought of a huff?! ‘Maybe you could be a little more mature considering what you put your sister through.’

  How many times?! I genuinely thought I was doing a good thing showing Erin how to create a treadmill on the kitchen floor using washing-up liquid and some water. How was I to know her boyfriend, Ben, was about to walk, with surprising speed, into the room?

  Yes, we could all agree it was bad news he’d broken his wrist. But I did keep reminding everyone of the better news. It was ‘probably going to heal even after being fractured in five places’.

  ‘It was an accident,’ I muttered for the billionth time. I should get it printed on a T-shirt.

  I swear Erin whispered, ‘Just like you.’

  I kneed the back of her seat as hard as I could while pretending to stretch. I gripped my skull. As in the one in my hand. It was a prop Erin had handcrafted. Ben was meant to have helped but my sister said his one-usable-hand technique was ‘compromising its anatomical accuracy’. He was supposed to be here today but was having his hospital check-up. Lucky him.

  I slumped back and tried not to get my foot tangled in the blue skirt spilling out from Erin’s seat. A massive poofy dress with a fitted bodice thing wasn’t exactly my sister’s style. But with her permanently perfect bob, freshly done cropped nails and simple chain necklace, she made the whole thing somehow look the height of fashion. Not that she cared. Erin never cared what anyone thought. Unless it was a teacher wondering whether her A was an ‘outstanding’ one or a ‘mind-blowing’ one. I only really got As when teachers wrote ‘A disappointing effort’.

  Which sucked, because I totally cared what people thought. And right now I was wearing the Elizabethan man costume Erin had bought for Ben – an eye-melting combo of pantaloons and velvet jacket (both four sizes too big), with long white socks and pointy shoes as long as Toblerones. Complete with actual ruff. A ruff?! I didn’t even know what one was until Erin was clipping it round my neck, an evil glint in her eye. Sorry, ye olde people, but why was wearing a massive folded party plate round your neck ever a good idea?

  When I’d seen the outfit laid out on my bed I’d gone mute for two hours. Dad had said the experience could ‘make a cracking feature for my blog’. Dad was wrong.

  When my voice came out of hiding, I’d immediately called my angel-human best friend, Micha, to ask if she could speak to her lawyer mum about whether divorcing a whole family was a thing. Sadly she said it wasn’t, and then asked why there was a paper plate around my neck. Although she calmed me down a bit by pointing out that at least being at a random exhibition centre out of town meant no normal people would be there to witness how I looked. Like the perfect person Micha is, she even offered to come with me, but there was no way I would put her through this. Mich was most precious and needed to be protected at all costs. So we’d agreed to meet at hers after.

  My phone buzzed. Probably another motivational penguin GIF from Micha – they had been really helping.

  But it wasn’t from her.

  Erin: Cheer up. You might even enjoy it

  I started to reply, peering over my ruff, making sure Mum didn’t spot I was on my phone. She hated when Erin and I messaged each other around her. She said it ‘makes her feel we’re saying things she wouldn’t approve of’. She was absolutely right.

  Me: Enjoy it?! A neck satellite dish just tried to suffocate me

  Erin: #prayforLily

  Me: #prayforanewsister. This is going to be a weirdofest

  Erin: Weirdos like you

  Even though we were only born thirteen months apart, we couldn’t be more different. Erin was fourteen going on forty and breezed through life. Even when she was doing something completely cringe (hello, today!), she managed to carry if off in an annoyingly cool way because she was so confident. She was a hundred per cent our parents’ favourite child. They said they didn’t have one, but they also said that about our grandparents and then called Grandma ‘Grandmoan’ when they thought we couldn’t hear. Plus teachers loved Erin. Last term they invited her to join them for lunch as they wanted her tips on ‘effective classroom control’. But me? Most teachers only knew me as Erin’s little sister (normally accompanied by a slightly sad look in their eyes). Or the girl who once ran in late to assembly wearing slippers.

  ‘I’ll pick you up at five, by that drop-off point?’ Mum pulled the car up. I felt instantly sick. We were here. The hordes of people wearing hats with feathers and clutching oversized quills should have been a sign. And the man in pantaloons holding a MUCH ADO ABOUT SOMETHING placard was most definitely a sign.

  But what was that?! I grabbed the door handle to steady myself as I dealt with what I’d just spotted.

  Next to the pantalooned man was a super-smiley woman in a red crop top and matching pleated skirt, waving pom-poms and cheering, ‘I’m loud! I’m proud! I can cheer the crowd! CheerCon is thissa way!’

  CheerCon?! Was in the next hall?! In the same building?!

  This was a disaster. The biggest.

  Micha had been wrong.

  People were going to be here. And not just any people.

  One particular people. Person.

  Cheerleading superstar and all-round terrifying human.

  Frankie.

  Aka Frankie-who’d-had-it-in-for-me-all-term-especially-after-I-accidentally-wore-her-PE-kit-an
d-she-got-forced-to-wear-something-soggy-from-lost-property.

  She’d made sure the whole school knew that the new cheer team she was captain of were the CheerCon guests of honour. Frankie could not see me! She’d never let me forget it!

  And noooooooo. I splodged my face on to the car window.

  Frankie would probably tell her big sister Nic.

  Aka Nic-who-was-so-legendary-she-didn’t-even-need-to-write-a-surname-on-her-schoolwork-and-was-my-actual-life-icon-who-I’d-been-trying-to-impress-for-years.

  WHY, CRUEL WORLD? WHYYYYY?

  Pom-pom lady beamed a massive smile at me even though my face was now sliding down the glass, making a small squeak. I ducked down and tried to urgently get a grip.

  Give me a C. Give me an A. Give me… Oh forget it. Just give me a massive CATASTROPHE.

  If Frankie saw me here, in this outfit, my life would be over.

  ‘Just to double-check,’ I said, grabbing Erin’s headrest. C’mon, sister. Hear my desperation! Take pity! ‘You definitely still want to go?’

  Erin turned and glared at me. ‘It’s not a case of want, Lil. What I want is to get the part of Titania in the school play. What I need is to impress Mrs Saddler.’

  Mrs Saddler was our terrifying English teacher and deputy head.

  ‘And she is going to know you did this… how?’

  ‘Because she’s doing a panel here and we’re going to be front row. That’s how.’

  Forget Shakespeare’s tragedies. My life was the ultimate one.

  ‘And I definitely can’t get changed?’ I looked at my stuff next to me, ready for Micha’s later. Normal human clothes, how I longed for thee.

  ‘Come on, Lily.’ Mum turned off the engine. ‘It’s time to stop moaning and get out of the car. Just think of poor Ben.’

  I hadn’t stopped thinking about Ben! Safe, warm, in shoes not the length of a large salmon, enjoying having his bones reset. I’d done him a favour getting him out of this! His wrist would (should) recover. My dignity was going to be damaged for life.

  I had to make sure I wasn’t spotted.

  Which meant I had no choice. I was going to have to go full disguise.

  I grabbed the beard, peeled the sticky backing off and pushed the hairy monstrosity on to my face.

  It felt… surprisingly cosy – like a tiny chin scarf.

  ‘And to confirm,’ I hissed at the back of Erin’s head, ‘after this, I’m free from all guilt trips?’

  But she just replied with, ‘Maybe.’ I really should have negotiated this first.

  Peeping up from the bottom of the window, I scanned for any sign of Frankie. Nothing. It was now or never. Keeping my head low, I opened the car door and, with as much speed as I could muster, sprang out of the car and stumble-sprinted towards the entrance, hunched over like a famous medieval squirrel hiding from a whatever-it-is-that-eats-squirrels.

  ‘Way to go, old man!’ The cheerleader waved her pom-poms at me. ‘You’ve got this!’

  She couldn’t have been more wrong.

  The only thing I had was intense fear of running into Frankie.

  Deep regret I hadn’t brought deodorant.

  And absolutely no idea how bad things were about to get.

  CHAPTER TWO

  Macbeth burgers? Tick. A Romeo-and-Juliet-balcony-themed photo booth. Yup, although I was staying well away. I couldn’t have ANY photo evidence of today leaking out into the real world. We even sat through a two-hour panel on words Shakespeare had invented. (Which included swagger and bedroom and eyeball. What on earth did they call eyeballs before him?!)

  Despite being the absolute worst event I could imagine – and I’d once gone with Dad to his work exhibition on ‘The Joys of Concrete Through the Ages’ – the massive hall was packed. We had to push through crowds to get anywhere, there were cheers every time an event was announced, and if I heard ‘there’s no way you can be Bard here!’ one more time, I might weep. At least my beard could act as a face sponge.

  It was torture. Torture in a ruff. My wig had fully tangled into my hair, I’d developed a sweaty beard rash and the safety pins in my pantaloons had pinged off so material was now flapping round my legs like calf sails.

  Erin, though, was having the time of her life. But finally, after what felt like three-and-a-half weeks, it was time to leave. I had to be back in our parents’ good books after this! Especially because at the end of Mrs Saddler’s panel I’d waved super hard, skull aloft, so Erin had been picked to ask her question. When she heard it, Mrs Saddler did one of those deep, dramatic, satisfied-English-teacher inhales then gave an answer that felt as long as a play. But she did end with something cryptic about finding the perfect Titania. Which was the part Erin wanted! Result.

  Out of all the things my sister was amazing at, she loved acting the most. She was incredible at it. In the last school play, even with her small part, she’d blown me away. Not that I’d tell her that. And now Erin was in Year Ten she could try out for Chinyere Okafor’s Drama Academy that ran after school. Competition was fierce, but it was the thing Erin wanted more than anything in the world, and she was doing whatever it took to get a place. Starting with trying to get her first major role in the school play to film for her audition.

  ‘Don’t suppose I can talk you into an extra hour?’ Erin leant beside me, prodding at some fake ivy on the fake pillar we were leaning on. ‘There’s a comedy-improv set happening – kind of rapping with classic lines from plays.’ She nudged me. ‘I’m sure your internet friends would love to read about it.’

  Here it came… the wink.

  Erin had never even bothered reading my blog, GettingLilyWithIt, but she still found it a source of constant entertainment. I didn’t have the energy for yet another argument about it, so ignored her.

  ‘Is that a yes then?’ Erin never had a problem asking for what she wanted – or getting it. But oh no, sisterio, not this time.

  ‘It’s a no, because…’ Being here was a crime against weekends? ‘In seven minutes Mum is picking us up, and Micha is waiting. So we’d better head.’

  I tried to look as disappointed as someone who was a hundred per cent the opposite of disappointed could do.

  ‘Oh, okay.’ She shrugged. ‘Wouldn’t want to hold up your big night of doing bad, bad dance challenges with Micha.’

  Erin always took the mick out of my stuff, but today she’d been extra annoying, probably because we both knew if we argued then all the good I’d done by coming would be cancelled out. But a deal was a deal. She left me with most of the bags, and the skull she’d got signed by everyone we’d met, and popped for a last-minute loo break.

  I edged forward so I could see the road outside. Freeeeedddoooommm.

  Although freedom meant one last hurdle. Making it out of here undetected by Frankie.

  I was secretly hoping there had been an incident with some overly flammable pom-poms and CheerCon had been evacuated, but, oh no, I couldn’t be that lucky. There were hundreds of perfectly dressed, gorgeous cheer crews milling outside. I wasn’t following Frankie, but knew what her handle was, and checked it for the hundredth time today.

  There she was. Having the time of her life, her massive group of friends all in matching, custom-made, bright blue crop tops. How was it possible to have hair that perfect when she’d been out all day?! Mine didn’t even look that good by the time I made it downstairs in the morning!

  They were in the queue for a signing of someone who seemed to be able to touch their head with their foot.

  Although…

  If Frankie was in a queue, it meant she wasn’t outside. About to see me!

  Now was my time to run!

  My heart started to race. I looked round for Erin. No sign.

  Hurry up, sister! But a minute later, she still hadn’t emerged.

  I shuffled nearer to the exit trying not to trip over my stupid pointy shoes, which I couldn’t see over my beard and ruff. Erin’s bags weighed a ton – all packed with books. How she had so m
any I had no idea – it wasn’t like Shakespeare had written any new ones for four hundred years.

  But as I peered round a giant cardboard Shakespearean head, I spotted something beautiful.

  Heaven had arrived, in the shape of a K-reg blue car.

  Mum’s Volkswagen. Aka my chariot to freedom.

  By my calculation it was about thirty metres away.

  If I scurried I could be inside it within twenty-eight seconds.

  Should I stay and wait for Erin?

  Or make a mad dash while the coast was clear?

  It was a no-brainer.

  I gripped on to the bag handles and pelted as fast as I could out of the door.

  I felt the wind in my fake hair.

  I felt the refreshing breeze of freedom in my beard.

  I felt the thrill of the finish line as I grabbed the car door handle.

  I’d done it!

  ‘Muuuuum!’ I didn’t mean to wail with happiness as I flung the car door open, but that was what a day being held hostage with people who laughed at Erin’s jokes had done. But I’d made it!

  I threw my stuff down and clambered in. I couldn’t spot my clothes so was going to have to get Erin to dig them out of the boot for me. But who cared?

  I was freeeeeee!

  I clipped on my seat belt as all the energy today had sapped out came back in one big burst.

  ‘Pheweeeeee, what a day!’ But where to start? I could tell Mum the truth. How I’d had to recite some of Dad’s positive mantras to stop myself climbing out of the toilet window. But no. I’d survived today! Anything was possible! It was time to show Mum I wasn’t her walking disaster daughter. I could be just as good as Erin.

  ‘I honestly had such a great time, Mother dearest!’ I sounded so enthusiastic! Maybe the acting workshops Erin had forced me to go to earlier had worked? ‘Who knew Willy Shakey could be so good?’ I was panting, which was slightly worrying as I’d only run for twenty-eight seconds. ‘Erin was right, you know…’ Time to lay it on extra thick. I shook the headrest of her driver’s seat. ‘You really can’t get bard when there’s so much Shakespeare to have fun with!’ Nailed it! And for the first time I laughed at that joke.