I walked around Ben as he sat on a chair in my kitchen. Megan leaned against the counter, more or less watching me think. Ben started fidgeting. The only sound was the crunch of the chips Megan was eating. I tapped my fingers against my lower lip. Finally deciding, I went over to Megan and whispered in her ear.

“Can I bring the chips with me?” Megan asked.

“Yeah sure.” I said. I’m amazed she’s as small as she is. Megan always has some kind of junk food. She smiled and picked up the bag of chips before leaving.

“Uh…now what?” Ben asked.

“Wanna watch TV?” I asked.

“Sure.” Ben said, shrugging.

“Can’t do much else until Megan gets back.” I said. “We’ll cut your hair a bit after we dye it.”

“Whoa, whoa, whoa…dye it?” Ben said.

“You agreed to do everything I tell you.” I said, opening another bag of chips and walking out of the kitchen. Ben followed me to the living room and I changed channels while snacking on the chips.

“Yeah I know but…” Ben said.

“I told you we’d have to revamp you from head to toe.” I said. “Not many people would believe I’d date someone who just got dropped by Deanna…or any of those snobs, unless there was a good reason.”

“And that reason would be…?” Ben asked.

“You get hot.” I said, simply. “Think about it. You get dumped by one of the popular mean queens so you decide to get back at her by…changing your look.”

“I guess that makes sense.” Ben said. We ate the chips and watched TV until Megan returned.

“Want the clothes in your room or the spare?” Megan asked, handing a bag over to me.

“Put it in my room.” I said. I took hold of Ben’s hand and led him upstairs with Megan following behind us. I pushed him into the bathroom then turned to my friend. “If Bear wants in, then let him in.”

“Do I have to? He always, and I mean always, knocks me over.” Megan said.

“Umm…let me think…yes.” I said, smirking. Megan flipped me the bird. “Love ya too darling, thanks.” I closed the door on her and pulled things out of the bag.

“Black? You’re dying my hair black?” Ben asked.

“Quit complaining.” I said. I sat him down on the clothes hamper and pulled on the gloves I was being mean now, since I had him facing away from the mirror and I refused to let him look at his reflection while I worked. Once I finished dying his hair, I made him sit with Megan for a while then made sure to cover up the mirror so that he couldn’t sneak a peek later. I set out a towel and then sent Ben back in to wash out the dye. While he did that, Megan went back home and I stood in my room with the door open and looked at the clothing options she had picked up.

I smirked. Looks as if Benny boy was going from a geek to a punk kind of guy. I picked out a dark grey shirt and a pair of faded jeans. I folded everything back up and put it all back into the shopping bags, leaving my choice out.

“Lacey?” Ben called.

“In my room, only door that’s open!” I called back. I turned to the door as he came into view. My jaw dropped. His hair was still wet and plastered to his head in quite a hot looking way. The black hair looked really good on him. He had on a pair of blue boxers but nothing else. He had his clothes in one hand and the towel in the other, still using to dry off his upper body. Oh my god this boy hid way too much under his clothes!!

“What are you looking at?” Ben asked, smirking slightly. I shook my head.

“Uh…nothing.” I said. “Here, try these on.” I took his clothes from him and put them in one of the bags.

“Sure.” Ben said. He threw the towel at me and I caught it before throwing it over top of my own towel that was on top of a chair. Ben pulled the pants on first. I was glad to see that they fit rather nicely.

“How do they feel?” I asked, walking over and sitting down on my bed. The whole thing rippled as the beneath the plastic was disturbed. I loved having a water bed!!

“Nice.” Ben said, running his hands down the legs.

“Ok stop groping yourself and try on the shirt.” I said, picking up the article of clothing I mentioned. Ben rolled his eyes and took it from me before dragging it on over his head and down his chest and stomach. Way to go Megan for find awesome looking clothes. I swear, the girl should be a fashion consultant or something.

“This is nice too but…” Ben said.

“But?” I asked.

“Doesn’t really seem like…me.” Ben said.

“That’s the point.” I said. “We’re working on showing Deanna what she’s missing. And if that doesn’t work…then we’re aiming to get other girls interested.”

“There’s some good logic in this thing.” Ben said.

“Yep.” I said. “So…think you’re ready for tonight?”

“Why? What’s happening tonight?” Ben asked. I just smiled at him.

I spent the next few hours giving him tips on how to act, what to do while around me, what to do should Deanna approach him but I refused to tell him where we were going. There was only one good place in this whole town and that was the club that Megan’s sister worked at.

“Where’re going to a club?” Ben asked, getting out of the car.

“Not going…already there.” I corrected.

“Whatever.” Ben said. I had trimmed his hair so it didn’t fall into his eyes anymore but it still had that mysterious kinda bad boy look to it. Girls were gonna eat him alive.

“Oh come on, don’t be a wet blanket.” I said, grabbing his hand and dragging him to the door. “Hey, Curtis!!” The bouncer at the door looked up and smiled at me. He was one of Kris’ friends. I knew all of them and it came in handy when I wanted to spend time here.

“Hey Lacey. You’re late.” Curtis said. “Megan and everyone else are inside alright.”

“I like being late. Just makes them all wait.” I said, winking. I pulled Ben inside and looked around. I spotted the others at a back corner table and dragged Ben along with me as I went through the mass of people over to them. Everyone looked up as I approached.

“Hey Lace…who’s that?” Karla asked.

“Everyone…meet the new and totally improved, Ben Jameson.” I said, holding my hands up as if to display him.

“No way!” Mike said.

“It’s true babe.” Megan said.

“Holy fucking shit!” Karla said. I gave Ben a triumphant smirk. He just rolled his eyes at me. Wow…give a boy a new look and his whole attitude seems to change.

“It’s true then…Lacey really is amazing.” Jordan said.

“Megs bought everything and picked out the clothes.” I said. “I just did the hair.”

“Ok then…both of you are amazing.” Jordan said.

“Very true.” Megan and I said at the same time.

“Ok, even chit chat, let’s get out on that floor and dance, girls!” Karla said. “Leave the boys to talk between themselves and then when Eric arrives he can join them.” I laughed and pushed Ben over to Mike before bounding over to the dance floor with the girls.