At just 16, Avery had everything he could ever need - of course, being the spoiled only child of a wealthy businessman certainly helped him live a charmed life. Dad was never really around, spending most of the year out of country for some vague business reasons, so that void was filled with material things like any and every video game Avery could want, or dirt bikes to ride around their large estate. Avery wasn't always left to his own devices, because from a young age he had been raised by an army of maids and nannies meant to keep him right. Unfortunately, Avery was the kind of kid who made it his duty to torment everyone. From water guns to slingshots, the mansion was Avery's battleground. It was usually Avery's mom, Amelia, who had the gusto to discipline the child and control the house. Amelia came from a modest background and married into the wealth of her husband, and while she loved both him and Avery, she absolutely despised their sense of entitlement that came with their money.

She was the only one who could instill the fear of god into Avery, and she had hoped that by the time he was a teenager he would be a proper gentleman. She had been homeschooling him since the third grade after an incident where Avery bit a girl's arm so hard that her family planned on suing. Thankfully he didn't bite anymore, but with only a couple years till adulthood he was far from mature. If anything Avery's malice had become more refined - gone were the days of firecrackers in the bathtub, instead replaced by emotional damage inflicted with carefully crafted words. As many of the older nannies who had been with Avery since he was a toddler retired, the new hires were subjected to mental torture by the teenager in an attempt to get them to quit as soon as possible. And it worked. Amelia knew that Avery was doing something nefarious, but those who stuck around didn't dare speak up, fearing revenge from Avery, or even his father.

It all came to a head when Amelia was searching for Avery one Saturday afternoon to discuss a lesson plan for the coming week. She checked his bedroom and all his usual hiding spots around the mansion, and she called his phone, but he had seemingly vanished. He could have been outside, swimming in the pool or racing his dirt bike, but the overcast sky made that unlikely. Amelia had started to round up a posse of maids to search for her child when she noticed the door to the study was cracked open and a faint panting sound could be heard. With trepidation she approached, unsure of what could be happening beyond the door. She took a deep breath and swung the door open full force, causing books to come flying off their shelves.

"Avery! What on Earth are you doing?!" She screamed.

There in the middle of the study sat Avery, as cool as a cucumber. In one hand was an old paperback copy of Romeo and Juliet he was reading, and the other hand held a half eaten apple. The only cause for concern was where Avery was sitting, or rather, on whom he was sitting. There on the ground, down on all fours, was one of the maids. Her back was parallel to the ground and being used by Avery as a stool. The woman panted and groaned, sweat running down her red face.

"Ah, hello, mother," Avery said nonchalantly, "I'm just trying to acquaint myself with the classics."

"Get off of Ms. Sikes immediately young man!" She grabbed Avery's arm and yanked him up. The maid immediately collapsed. "What is wrong with you?!"

"Relax mom, I made sure to ask her if it was okay first," Avery looked down at the woman and smirked. By this point a majority of the other maids had crowded around the door and gazed upon the scene that was unfolding.

"You know that Ms. Sikes is supposed to be on break until dinnertime! Never mind that, you shouldn't be using people as chairs in the first place!" Mom was fuming.

"Why do you care so much?" Avery shrugged, "she's just part of the help."

That was the last straw. Any sense of rationalism had gone out the window of Amelia's mind. She began pacing back and forth, talking so fast and angrily that no words were discernible from gibberish.

"That's it young man! Go sit yourself in the living room and STAY PUT! I'll be there soon enough. Ladies please help Ms. Sikes up," Amelia stormed out of the study, a loud slamming door following after. The maids rushed into the room and helped their comrade to her foot and whisked her away. Avery stood there alone, motionless. He seemed calm, but deep down he was shaking in his shoes. He had never seen his mom that angry, not even after all the stuff he has done previously. But he was certain that this would blow over soon enough, so for now he went to the living room and waited.

As Avery sat and played on his phone he could hear his mom in a different room, pacing around and talking angrily. Whether it was to herself or someone on the phone was a mystery, but every passing minute became more agonizing. The worst discipline Avery had ever faced was a grounding, but that was never enough to teach him a proper lesson. With how mom reacted to his antics this time, it was clear Avery was in for a world of hurt. So he was surprised when about 30 minutes later his mom walked into the living room with a scarily calm aura, papers and tablet in hand. She situated herself across from Avery, avoiding eye contact.

"Avery," mom said softly, "I am very disappointed in you."

"You're right, I went too far and -" Avery began to respond.

"Shhhhh," she shushed him, "I don't want to hear it. I just want you to listen." Avery had never been shushed like that. He slumped into his chair. Mom continued, "I thought I raised you better than that, but time and time again you prove me wrong. I don't know where I went wrong, but it's clear that nothing here is helping. That is why I think it is time that I enroll you in boarding school. Maybe a change of scenery will set you right."

Avery jolted up out of his seat. "I'm not going to some boarding school! You can't make me leave!" he shouted. But mom remained unphased by his loud protest.

"I'm not done talking, so please do not raise your voice." Her words cut through Avery, and he sat back down, defeated. "I think this is the right decision, for the both of us. You're 16 and too close to adulthood to go on like this, so it is time for you to mature."

"So you're just going to dump me off at some school for a couple of years to try and get rid of me?" Avery scoffed, feeling discarded.

"You don't have to attend until you graduate. Just until you've proven to me that you've changed for the better," mom responded.

"What if it only takes a week?"

"Then so be it."

Avery crossed his arms, skeptical at his mom's attitude. "Okay, so I go for a little bit and come back? That doesn't seem so bad. What's the school?"

Amelia flipped through the papers she had and handed Avery a printed-out brochure. "This is Northern Heights Academy, the finest boarding school on this side of the country. Only the children of the elite are eligible to enroll."

The brochure showed a campus practically the size of a small town, nestled neatly among nature that screamed pacific northwest. Smack dab in the middle was a large brick building that had to be at least 100 years old and probably contained most of the classrooms. There were other buildings that looked more modern and housed living accommodations, athletic facilities, performing arts centers, and anything else you could imagine. Avery scanned over all the pictures, overwhelmed by his situation and all this information. He noticed the athletics section and stopped to look at pictures of the girls' volleyball team and cheer squad.

"Heh, maybe this place ain't so bad. I'll have to swing by and catch some practices," Avery slyly said, but his mom only acknowledged the remark with a slight smile and a knowing look in her eyes. As he continued to thumb through the brochure, Avery began to notice something peculiar. All of the pictures advertising the place, whether they were taken in the halls or in the classrooms, seemed to only show one type of student: girls. Avery glanced back up at his mom, who now had a big grin on her face. He flipped to the back and began reading the information out loud.

"Nestled within the serene landscapes of northern California, Northern Heights Academy stands as a bastion of excellence in education, offering a unique and enriching boarding school experience exclusively for...young...women," Avery stumbled trying to read the words. Surely this couldn't be right. "Uh, mom, I think you made a mistake. This is a school for girls."

But Amelia just sat there, looking on like a stern parent does. "Avery," she said seriously, "Your behavior, especially towards women, has been unacceptable. I know that you think the world belongs to you and your wealth can get you just about anything, but that does not give you the right to be a vile, despicable person to those of the opposite gender. I'm not saying that you're a bad person for simply being a boy, but you have used that to your advantage and to belittle people and I have had enough of it. If you can't respect girls, then I think it is time you learned a valuable lesson." She took a deep breath, like she was nervous to continue. "That is why you will be attending Northern Heights. You will learn to respect others. And you will know what it is like to walk in others' shoes. Because, Avery, you will be attending the school - as a young lady."

A cold chill coarse through Avery's body as if he was having a panic attack. He thought his mom must be crazy, and there was no way she actually said what she did. All of a sudden there was a cacophony of noise coming from behind him, containing a mixture of chatter and giggling. Avery turned around and to his horror there stood all of the house maids and nannies, having heard everything that his mom had just said. He felt outnumbered, and outgendered. For the first time in his life, he was truly embarrassed. With a swift bit of courage he stood up to rebut his mother.

"This is absurd! Y-you can't make me attend a girls' school! I refuse!" He shouted loudly.

"Refuse all you want, that's fine by me. You do have another choice," Amelia said.

"I'll do that, then!"

"Well," she said looking down, "you can stay here and continue on like normal. However, you will stay inside at all times unless I tell you. I will also be confiscating your dirt bikes, video games, and cellphone. But most of all, I will be cutting your allowance off for the next year and locking your bank account."

Avery gasped. It was one thing to take all his stuff away, but to cut him off financially was ludicrous. While his father would usually buy him anything he wanted, he was yet again out of the country and would be for at least another eight months. Avery's hefty allowance was his pass to get and do basically anything he wanted, so without it he might as well be living like a caveman.

"What about dad, huh?" Avery spouted, "what if he finds out that you're sending me to some stupid girls school?"

But Amelia just smiled. "Your father? Oh right, your father. Hmm, he did put me in charge of the house whilst he is away. So it's not really his say, is it? Besides, imagine how he would feel if he learns that his precious Avery, his only son and the current man of the house, was sent to some stupid girls school and wearing pretty dresses. He would probably be pretty disappointed, hm? Of course, he doesn't need to know about this ordeal if you can prove to me that you're capable of growth while there, but that is entirely up to you."

Avery shuttered at the thought of his dad seeing him all dolled up.

"Okay, let's think about this," Avery said softly, "you really think you can get away with sending me to an all girls school? Dress me up however you want, I'm still a boy and they'll see right through that. And besides, don't you need my birth certificate and social to get me enrolled? They pretty clearly say that I'm male and there's no way that you're going to illegally fake some documents just to teach me a lesson."

Mom sat there and nodded her head. "You're right, that would be absurd." Avery crossed his arms, feeling victorious. "Luckily for me," she continued, "the school president and chairwoman are old family friends. In fact, I just talked to them on the phone and they would be more than willing to pull some strings to help an old friend out."

He couldn't believe it. His mom had premeditated the whole thing, like she had been planning to send him there for years. Avery slumped into his chair, lost for words.

"As for your looks," mom continued on, "you may have inherited your father's ignorance but your facial features are all mine. And have been skipping out on meals? You're as thin as a pencil. It would only take a couple of brush strokes and hair extensions to make you look like my unquestionable daughter."

Avery touched his face, knowing that every word she said was true. He felt cut down and defeated with nowhere else to run. He stared at his mom who sat there steadfast in her plan. The maids sounded giddy with excitement, ready to see Avery punished and cut down in his masculinity.

"If you have nothing left to argue then I will assume that you are the newest student at the esteemed Northern Heights Academy for Girls. Go get some rest, we're going to have a busy couple of days taking your measurements and getting some shopping done. We'll head for the school first thing Wednesday morning. Goodnight, sweetie."

With that, Amelia got up and headed towards her bedroom as Avery sat there, unmoving. The maids and nannies dispersed, likely getting ready to enjoy the next few days. Avery found himself unable to sleep that night or talk to anyone. He had never felt this thoroughly embarrassed, and by his own mother, too. But he couldn't feel angry towards her, as deep down he knew that this was the consequence of his own actions. Perhaps he was already starting to grow as a person, or he was just scared of what was about to come. This didn't feel like a punishment so much as a surreal nightmare. As expected, the next couple of days were misery for Avery as he had to stand in his underwear while the maids measured his body. Everything from his height, hip size, and even chest were measured. They coached him on speaking like a girl, raising his pitch while not trying to sound masculine. He wanted nothing more than to die of embarrassment. Amelia was busy getting a lot of the paperwork done, but Avery didn't really want to talk to her anyways. He didn't know what he could say to his mother. But Wednesday drew closer and Avery felt his grip slipping, and a knot in his stomach that couldn't be undone. What was going to happen to him, and how could he possibly live life as a girl?