Alan woke up to the sound of his alarm blaring. He hit snooze groggily before rolling back over in bed. He tried to drift back to sleep when he realized something was blocking his nose. He kept trying to breath in but strands of something flew inside. This caused him to sneeze it out, and Alan was very surprised to hear his sneeze sound more like a kitten's than his own.
At this point, his mind was wide awake with questions. He quickly sat up to discover that he had definitely changed as he slept. He couldn't see at first as dirty blonde hair covered his eyes, but he could feel his body just fine. He felt a lot slimmer and smaller, and he could feel something missing downstairs.
After flipping his new extremely long hair back, he discovered the change to his room. He was sitting in a fluffy light yellow blanket with a few stuffed animals and a crap ton of pillows around him. There were dresses and hair products scattered about the room and a couple boyband posters for good measure. He rubbed one of his eyes while sighing as the door opened.
"Ha! Don't you look precious?" Alan's mother Janet smiled in the doorway.
"What- " Alan stopped, annoyed with how girly and high pitched his voice was. "*Ahem* what the heck mom? I thought we weren't changing until we left for school?" Alan finished.
"Sorry baby. Me and your father talked about it after we got in bed. We think that this bet will actually do you both good for getting a little taste of how the other half lives..." She explained.
"But?" Alan questioned, knowing there was a but coming.
"But, we also realized that you two wouldn't get the whole experience by just one school day." She continued. "So how about a full day of being a 12 year old girl?"
Alan wanted to complain, but sat this point he didn't know if his mom and Megan were in cahoots. "Yeah whatever." Alan tried to answer cockily, although the actual result sounded more like annoyed teenaged girl.
"Okay great." Janet beamed. "Your father is making sure Megan is up as we speak, so how about you get ready for school?"
"Get rea... Mom! I have no idea how to do that!" He yelled while pulling on his currently knotted hair.
"Yup I know! Megan doesn't know how to get ready on her end either. Why don't you help each other out?" She suggested.
Alan rolled his eyes before he slumped himself out of bed. He walked past his still smirking mother and down the hall to the bathroom. While he was on the way, he couldn't help but notice how short he was. He was above the doorknobs but only by around a foot. He didn't even remember Megan being that short. He also noticed some family photos hanging in the hall and cringed at what his current body wore in it.
Alan walked into the bathroom and glared at his reflection. It was definitely him alright. It looked a lot more like himself as a kid then he realized. Alan's face was very similar to his younger self, but with a slimmer, cuter face and poutier lips. His hair was the most noticeable feature, as it was now dirty blonde instead of blonde and hung almost up to his butt. He was still twelve, so his more womanly features hadn't grown in yet. He was thankful for that as he felt it was annoying when he was an adult woman for a day.
Before he could continue, a stomping sound surprised him as a teenaged boy walked in. Alan could tell immediately that it was Megan. "He" looked just like a gender bent version of teen Megan from the other day. Alan thought more about that idea and he figured his current form looked like she could have been middle aged "Alana's" kid or something.
"God." Megan groaned. "Can you believe Mom and Dad did this?" She asked yawning.
"I know right?" Alan agreed. "It's whatever, I think they're just trying to sabotage both of us to learn a lesson or something."
"Yeah, as if." Megan chuckled. "High school was a blast. You're just being an idiot going back to middle school in a dress."
Alan scrunched up his face as he turned to look at the now much taller Megan. "Oh yeah? I think you're being the idiot!" He yelled. "Last time you were in high school you were a girl, so it was way easier. Plus, I think you cheated last time by using your magic to make yourself popular!" Alan scolded.
Megan's face turned sour. She didn't want to admit it but Alan was right. She had used magic to make her high school day a little easier. Of course, she wasn't about to admit that.
"O-oh yeah?!" She yelled. "Well you're an idiot!"
"Real mature." Alan growled.
"Said the little girly in the pink pajamas!" Megan snapped back.
"Yeah!?" Alan replied. "Well good luck shaving!" He yelled as he walked out of the bathroom.
"Yeah well good luck brushing that way too long hair!" Megan yelled as she shut the door.
Meanwhile, at the bottom of the staircase, Janet and Steve had heard everything. They both looked at each other with concerned stares before Steve finally spoke up.
"Well that could have gone better."
"Yes, well, hopefully they'll get over it." Janet sadly replied. She had hoped that letting them be in the other's shoes for a day would make them closer as siblings, but so far that plan hadn't been working too well. Luckily for Janet, her hopes were partially restored as she heard the voice of a teenage boy yell "ouchie" from the bathroom, and a "Dammit" from a little girl further down the hall.
Alan walked out of his room with a hair brush still stuck in his hair. He quietly walked into the bathroom where Megan was quietly waiting. Alan grumpily sat facing the door while Megan quietly began doing Alan's hair. Janet and Steve looked at each other and smiled, hoping their plan still had some fire left in it.
"You know you're a teenaged boy now, right?" Alan asked while his hair was brushed back.
"Uh, duh!?" Megan laughed. She looked at her self in the mirror and smiled. She flexed her muscles and clenched her butt. "Oh yeah, and I'm way more handsome than you ever were." She half joked.
Alan angrily sighed."I MEAN, that you can't say things like "ouchie" in high school. Especially not if you're a boy. You're gonna get bullied or beat up or something!" He warned.
"Ugh, fine. But you gotta be careful with those curses." Megan snapped back. "Not only will your teacher get you in trouble, but no boy's gonna like a potty mouthed girl."
"I'm not looking for a boy." Alan whined trying not to barf at the thought. "I'm just gonna get through the day, and prove to you that if even I can do it, then it's not that bad."
"Ditto for me." Megan agreed as she finished helping Alan. "Now can you handle these gross prickly hairs?" She asked.
Alan just chuckled as she got the razor ready. The too remained mostly quiet as Alan finished up. By that point, Janet and Steve came up to help them speed along with the rest of their stuff. They had only wanted them to help each other a bit as to help start some sympathy. It seemed to have worked as they were barking at each other less.
"Okay kids, time for school!" Janet yelled happily. "I'll be driving "Alana" to school and Steve will drive "Mark" to school."
"I'm starting to regret this." Megan moaned.
"What? Do I hear a chicken around? Bawk bawk bawk?" Alan teased.
"Quiet you two." Steve commanded. "Now come on, let's get you to your challenge."