Sam stood in the doorway to his bathroom, brushing his teeth. He was best described as a skater kid. He snapped a photo of himself to keep track of his progress. Sam had recently got a membership for a gym nearby; it was perfect because it was on his way home from college, so he could easily drop by on his skateboard or BMX, depending on how he felt that day.
Sam didn’t hate being skinny, but he envied some guys from his school. They were skinny too, but they were toned, and when they would get changed for sports, he would find himself admiring them. It was difficult because he hadn’t come out yet, not wanting to risk his friendship with the lads he went skating with in most of his spare time.
The lads Sam found himself admiring just so happened to be some of the more chavvy ones. Not all of them, but most came from the local council estate, which had a reputation for being pretty rough. He really had to watch himself, because if any of those lads picked up on him staring at them, who knew what they would do? They had quite a persona about them; they wanted to be seen as tough guys, and anything that questioned their masculinity was a big no-no.
What didn’t help was that Sam’s school had your stereotypical social divide between various groups. It sounded a little cliché, like something out of an American high school film, but you had your skater kids, jocks, geeks and nerds, popular kids, and of course, being from the UK, the chavvy kids. Just interacting with someone outside of your circle could end up with embarrassing consequences or just getting beaten up by some of the tougher groups.
Sam was nervous the first time he went to the gym. His worst nightmare was seeing anyone from school. College finished at 3 p.m., and Sam hesitantly made his way straight to the gym. When he arrived, he was met at reception by a woman who looked after both sides of the business, as it was also a spa. Sam signed in and collected his membership card. The woman told him to take a seat while she got Glynn, who would be doing his instructions.
He sat there looking around. He couldn’t see into the gym from reception, there were just two corridors: one leading off to the spa, and the other into the changing rooms and gym. The front was a big glass wall that looked out into the car park and, beyond that, the road he used every day on his route to and from school.
It must have only been five or ten minutes, but it felt like an eternity. Eventually, Glynn strolled into reception in his semi-tight matching set of shorts and a shirt, showing off his body and the fact that he clearly worked in a gym. All of it was branded in the gym’s colours, with a small logo to the left of his chest and a bigger one across his back with his name written underneath. He seemed like a bit of a cheeky chap, with a nice friendly smile and an inviting personality.
“Hello mate, nice to meet you! I’ll be taking you for your introduction today. It should only take thirty minutes, then we can get you started off with something simple to break you in.”
Sam actually felt quite at ease now. Glynn being really nice and enthusiastic, and not judging Sam at all, was a huge relief. Glynn led Sam through to the changing rooms, giving him five minutes to quickly get changed out of his uniform and start the introduction.
Walking into the gym, Sam looked around, eyeing the place up. It was quiet because most people hadn’t finished work yet - that was one perk of coming straight after college - and he couldn’t see anyone he recognised. Sam sighed with relief, now able to focus on what Glynn was showing him, not worrying about feeling self-conscious in front of anyone he knew. The induction was over in no time and Glynn had left Sam working his chest on one of the machines.
Sam, in his focus, trying to make sure he was doing it right and keeping count of his reps, hadn’t noticed Jack walking in. Jack was one of the chavvy lads from college. Reaching his limit, Sam’s eyes were screwed shut, forcing out every last bit of effort he had within him, before letting out a rush of air and relaxing. He opened his eyes to see Jack standing in front of him, smiling and holding out his hand, expecting Sam to join him in a biker-style handshake.
Sam was initially shocked to see Jack appear out of nowhere, but that was quickly overridden by the thought: what was he going to be like? Much to Sam’s amazement, he expected Jack to be like he was at school - rude, insensitive, and trying to undermine him in front of everyone for a laugh - but instead, he seemed genuinely friendly. Jack could see the confused expression on Sam’s face. Reassuring him, Jack said, “It’s alright bruv, I ain’t here to take the piss. Didn’t even realise yous came here. While we’re here, we’re just two lads with similar goals, innit!”
Sam once again felt a weight lift off his chest. He didn’t expect anything more than their first exchange, thinking Jack would just go off again and leave him to it, but Jack seemed genuinely interested in helping him. He helped Sam make a simple routine to get started and watched over him to help with his technique and keep him motivated. He knew how much it helped having someone there to keep you going, and it would mean Sam was more likely to keep coming and not give up.
By the end of his time there, Sam was pleasantly surprised. He felt like he had actually made a friend in Jack. Jack was clear, though… whilst they were here, it was cool, but at school, it would be business as usual, and they would keep their distance.
Over the next couple of weeks, Sam kept coming to the gym every day after school and kept training with Jack. It was like he almost had his own personal trainer. Sam also liked the fact that none of his friends were interested in the gym, and Jack’s friends who did go to the gym all went to other places. That meant they were able to get along, and there was very little tension or social expectation between them.
They had ended up forging quite an unlikely but close friendship, which had started to show through at college. It was little things like smiling at one another in passing and if there were any cross encounters between their groups, Jack wouldn’t do anything to Sam, directing his comments and actions at others instead. Unfortunately, it hadn’t gone unnoticed. It wasn’t so bad for Sam, but Jack, being part of the tougher group, got a little stick for it. He did his best to keep it a secret how they knew one another and just dismissed their comments, but he knew it was only a matter of time until they found out, now that suspicions had been raised.
Jack had also been keeping a big secret of his own. He had his suspicions about himself before, but now more than ever, as he grew closer to Sam, he couldn’t ignore it. He knew what he felt for Sam was more than just friendship. Ironically, Sam had grown to feel the same about Jack, but both of them, being so caught up in their own minds about what the other would think and how their respective friends might treat them, missed each other’s signals.
Jack’s feelings had grown to such a level that he had begun to harbour an irrational fear of losing their friendship. All of his spare time, he had been thinking of ways he could make it work. Jack wasn’t spiritual or anything like that, but in his desperation, he found himself one Saturday afternoon standing in the local magic shop. Jack made his way through the cluttered aisles and stood in front of the counter in the centre of the shop at the back. “DING!” Jack rang the bell, and quickly out walked an older-looking gentleman through the bead blind hanging over the doorway. Jack managed to hide his amusement, but the guy did look a little like what you would expect a wizard to look, just without the full cloak and hat.
“And what can I do for a lad like you?”
Jack explained his situation. How he had fallen for this guy, and it was not possible for them to be together due to their social groups, and so on. The old man pondered for a moment, looking through the index of a big, dusty, very old leather-bound book he had on the desk, before going “Ahhh,” and flicking to a page about two-thirds of the way through the book.
He looked deeply into Jack’s eyes as he let out a small sigh, then proceeded to explain: “Hmm, this is a difficult one… it sounds like an issue you may have with yourself. However, I can see the pain in your eyes… You do not want to lose either! I should not really indulge your desires. However, it has been a while since I have used some proper magic, and I am sure there is something we can do to remedy your situation.”
The old man smiled sweetly, stepping away from the counter and going back through the blind. Jack stood there, waiting patiently, listening to the old man rummaging through stuff in the back and muttering to himself.
Eventually, he came back through the blind with a large jar filled with a baby blue powder. It kind of looked like sherbet. “Now, this should do the trick!” he said, decanting 32 scoops of the powder into a smaller jar for Jack to take away.
“You will need to make sure the object of your affection takes one scoop a day for the next 30 days. This could be mixed with food or water or just eaten on its own. This will make him acceptable to your peers and should alleviate the issue you speak of.”
Jack nodded intently, trying to take it all in.
“Now I must warn you… the effects are irreversible. You can stop them taking it at any time, but anything that has changed up to that point will not change back. Also, you must consider the consequences it will have for them. This may alienate them from their own peers and could cause them to resent you. Are you definitely sure this is what you want? Now is the time to speak up, and I will sort you out with something simpler to ease your own anxieties.”
Jack closed his eyes and took a deep breath before answering the old man: “No, I’m sure. This is what I want.” The old man nodded as he placed the jar in a box for Jack to take home.
Jack knew exactly how he was going to go about this. Luckily for him, it was a sherbet-like powder, which gave him the perfect idea. Jack emptied one of his tubs of protein powder and replaced the contents with the baby blue powder from the shop. He kept a close guard on the tub until he arrived at the gym on Monday, placing it in his locker as he didn’t want it getting into the wrong hands.
Sam was pleased to see Jack walk into the gym. He had been waiting all day for this moment. The pair set about their usual routine, helping one another, laughing and joking as if they had been friends for years. Once they finished, they both went to the changing rooms together. Jack pulled the tub out from his locker, looking at Sam.
“Mate, you wanna try some of this? It’ll help yous recover quicker and boost your progress, bruv.”
Sam trusted Jack and his advice, accepting the pint of water with one scoop mixed in that Jack handed him.
Jack smiled at Sam, secretly filled with a warm glow at the prospect they could soon spend more time together and not be separated if and when they got found out by their friend groups.
The next morning, Sam woke up to the sound of his alarm. It was time to get ready for college. Getting out of bed, he noticed how refreshed he felt. He had so much more energy. But what he saw when he looked in the mirror really made his day.
“Wow! That shit is good!” Sam exclaimed to himself. As if by magic, overnight his body appeared noticeably toned, his face seemed fresher and fuller, his hair neater, and above all the bulge struggling to remain contained within his boxers was the cherry on top! It hadn’t even dawned on him that his tattoos had vanished.
Sam had an extra spring in his step today; so much so that his friends couldn’t help but notice how well he had been doing at the gym. Sam was being complimented left, right, and centre today. He walked into the social area with his friends and their skateboards, setting them all down in a pile because they weren’t allowed to take them to class.
Jack was standing with his mates when he noticed Sam enter with his friends and his new glow. To Jack, everything went into slow motion. Everything else faded into darkness… no one else in the room but Jack and Sam. Sam noticed Jack on the other side of the room, offering up a cheeky wink that sent Jack into euphoria.
“Oi!.. Oi! Earth to Jack!”
The room became bright again as Jack shook his head, coming back to reality.
“Sorry mate, was miles away.”
Thankfully, Jack’s mates hadn’t noticed who he was staring at.
The bell went and everyone started filtering out of the social area to their classes. Jack and his mates hung around as usual, drawing it out as long as they could. One of the other lads had clocked Sam’s friends leaving their skateboards piled up in the corner.
“I’ve got a sick idea, lads!”
Jack felt his heart sink when he heard what he had planned. He didn’t want to do anything to upset Sam, but he couldn’t risk being caught by his mates, who would call him out for going soft or brand him a traitor. So, he had to play along. They each grabbed a board and snuck out of the social area, heading for the pond around the back of the school. It was the perfect place as it was out of sight, and it had a small island in the middle. They would be able to easily throw the boards on the island, but in order to get them back, someone would be getting wet!
Later that day, Jack was at the gym as usual. He kept looking at his watch, keeping track of the time. Usually, Sam would be here by now. Then, out the corner of his eye, he saw Sam walking in, looking like a drowned rat, heading for the changing rooms… Fuck!
Jack felt really bad knowing what he had done. He made his way straight into the changing rooms to find Sam. Sam looked over to Jack as soon as he walked in.
“Mate! You’ll never guess what I had to do!”
Jack noticed straight away… Sam never used to say mate before! However, quickly brushing his excitement aside, he confessed to Sam. He really didn’t want to do it, but he couldn’t risk their friendship being uncovered. Much to his shock, Sam didn’t take it too badly at all. Instead, Sam confessed to Jack that he had been going off the whole skating and BMXing scene recently. It just didn’t seem so interesting anymore. Jack still felt bad and offered his spare pair of matching Nike joggers and sweat top for Sam to wear home after the gym.
Both Jack and Sam worked out together as usual. Once they finished, Jack handed Sam his spare clothes. Sam hesitated as he took the neatly folded pile. He had never worn anything like this before - these were chavvy clothes! He always wore ripped jeans and baggy t-shirts. But unless he wanted to go home wearing his sweaty gym kit, he had no other option. Jack watched intently, admiring Sam’s body as he dressed himself. Sam tried not to look too happy; however, he couldn’t help but notice the smell as he pulled the sweat top over his head. It smelt of Jack. For some reason, he found this comforting, like he had a part of Jack with him. He didn’t dare let that on in fear of Jack thinking he was some kind of gay weirdo. A lad like Jack couldn’t possibly feel the same way as he did. Jack mixed the next shake for Sam, and they both parted ways until tomorrow.
Sam got home from the gym to a surprised look from his parents. They had never known him to wear anything like this before. Sam usually would have been a little shy about it, but he just felt a new kind of confidence within himself that forced him, almost totally involuntarily, to come back with a response.
“Yeah, they’re from a mate at the gym. I got wet at school getting my skateboard from the pond. I actually quite like these… I might buy some of my own, innit!
Sam’s parents were a little taken aback by his response but didn’t want to knock the newfound confidence their son had acquired. Sam was pretty tired from his busy day, so he took himself straight to his room to chill out, watching some films in bed. Sam lay there wearing Jack’s clothes, occasionally taking a comforting sniff of the sleeve. He was curled up, snuggling into himself and Jack’s scent, and before he knew it, he was being woken up by his alarm.
Sam opened his eyes, a little disoriented by the fact he hadn’t undressed and got under his duvet. He noticed the TV and his bedside light were still on before looking over to his curtains to see the light shining through, confirming he had in fact slept right through. It didn’t take very long for the boost of energy to kick in again, making it easy to pull himself straight out of bed to get ready. Passing his mirror, he stopped and stepped back, taking a second glance at himself. He was a little shocked to see his reflection. He didn’t remember getting his hair cut, but it did look good!
“I dunno what I was thinking with my messy hair anyway,” Sam thought to himself.
He stood there admiring this quite chavvy-looking version of himself. At one stage, that would have repulsed him looking like one of the skanky dickheads from school, but whether it was just the fact he was growing out of his skater style, or Jack had been rubbing off on him, Sam was actually growing to like the style.
After Sam had finished admiring his changed look, he got ready and went to school. It was quite easy to hide his shifting opinion on his style at school, thanks to the uniform, but he couldn’t hide his new haircut. Sam’s friends picked up on it straight away, making fun of him and likening him to some of the chavvy lads at school with their typical hairstyles.
“Looks like you’re turning into one of them!”
Most of Sam’s friends looked like he used to with longer and messy hair. Sam was hurt by their remarks. They had known him for so long, yet they could turn on him so quickly. He didn’t want to make a fuss, so he let it drop this time, but something had shifted. The path of their friendship had been laid down.
Throughout the day, Sam found that he wasn’t as into the usual conversations about skating or BMXing as much as he used to be. In fact, he felt a little bored by it.
“Earth to Sam!” one of his mates joked in a sarcastic tone.
Sam snapped out of his daydream… He had been thinking about going to the gym later with Jack, excited to be spending more time with him.
“Sorry, guys, I was miles away!”
Sam continued as normal over the next few days, going to the gym, training with Jack, and taking the protein powder. He noticed his interests continued to wane, and the wedge between him and his old friends was growing. It really became apparent when he found out they had been arranging things behind his back, purposely not inviting him.
To top it off, puberty seemed to be hitting Sam hard. He thought that part of his life was over. He had accepted his shorter stature and come to terms with the idea that this was just how he was. But over the last few days, he had been hit by a second wave. He was growing again, easily a few inches taller. His face was slowly changing too, and most noticeably, his hair had begun to grow at an alarming rate. He had to get it cut regularly to maintain his new style. But weirdly, the roots were coming in lighter… like he was becoming blonde. He had never heard of anything like it, but with several close relatives who were blonde, he figured maybe it was just in his genes.
Sam had also drifted away from his friends pretty quickly and found himself on his own, a little lost and pretty damn lonely during school hours. He found himself longing for the end of each day, just to be back at the gym.
About two weeks later, if you hadn’t seen Sam for a while, you wouldn’t have recognised him. The taller, toned, blonde lad he had become was a far cry from the Sam of just a fortnight ago.
He was feeling pretty low when he got to the gym that day. The last couple of days at school, he had spent mostly alone. However, he did have some classes with Jack’s friends, and his changes hadn’t gone unnoticed. Sam had found a new voice in class - chipping in with sarky comments and banter with other students. Jack’s mates couldn’t believe they hadn’t noticed him before. He wouldn’t be out of place hanging out with them at all.
Jack did his best to raise Sam’s spirit that day.
“Wanna come back to mine after the gym?” he asked casually.
Sam’s face lit up instantly, beaming from ear to ear. Jack smiled, raising his eyebrows at Sam’s reaction. Sam accepted the invite without question.
“Oh mate, while I remember, I got your clothes in my bag,” Sam said, starting to pull them out.
Jack stopped him, gently pushing his hand back into the bag.
“Nah, mate. You keep ‘em, init. You look good in ‘em, lad.”
Jack and Sam finished up at the gym, and Sam took his next protein shake. The lads left together, walking back to Jack’s place. Sam was pretty nervous. He had become quite extroverted recently, but this moment made him feel on edge.
As they arrived at Jack’s, they went straight to his room and chilled out playing Jack’s music – which Sam had to admit was better than what he still had in his library. They were gaming for a bit, and eventually lying next to each other on the bed watching a film. Everything felt perfect. Both lads had been building up to this moment, they both felt the same, but until now, neither had managed to muster the courage to say it.
Suddenly, Jack blurted out, “Bruv, I like you.”
Sam smiled. “I like you too, init.”
Jack looked even more sheepish and continued, “Nah mate… like I like you like you, yeah? You get me?”
Sam was over the moon, barely able to control his excitement.
“Ahhh mate! You don’t even know how much I wanted you to say that, bruv. Ever since I met you at the gym, I’ve felt the same, init!”
The couple shared an intimate embrace, and for the first time, they kissed. Now that Sam had gone through his growth spurt, he was taller than Jack. Jack grabbed Sam’s hands, rolled over to face away, and pulled Sam’s arms around him encouraging him to spoon him.
Sam’s heart was fluttering. He nestled his head against Jack’s as they continued to watch the film. Nothing more needed to be said. They were just completely content being that close to one another.
Later that night, Sam sat on the stairs at home, wearing just his gym shorts. He snapped a photo of himself and sent it to Jack with a message: “Really enjoyed tonight. This is all yours now!”
It had been a few hours since he had taken his shake at the gym, and it was starting to kick in. Sam felt something shift inside him. It was like an awakening. Everything suddenly made sense. His chavvy personality was taking a firmer grip, and he couldn’t do anything about it, becoming more chavvy by the minute. Feeling lightheaded, Sam crawled upstairs to bed and passed out.
The next morning, Sam woke up feeling like a new man. It was a strange feeling, but all the negative emotions he had been building up over losing his old friends had just… vanished. His new extroverted personality was fully on display now. The filter was gone. Cheeky comments came out without much thought for consequences or others’ feelings.
Striding to school with a new swagger in his step, Sam had tweaked his uniform to match what the chavvy kids wore. His school shoes were in his bag, swapped for trainers on his feet. Over his shirt and tie, he wore a grey hoodie, blazer on top, and a baseball cap. Walking through the front gates felt like another slow-mo moment for Jack. Sam looked up, spotted him, and smiled, giving a nod as he approached. Jack’s heart skipped a beat.
Sam was totally in tune with the vibe today. Walking straight up to Jack, he gave him a fist bump.
“All right, bruv? How’s it goin’?”
Jack’s mates all turned to face Sam. They were stunned by how much he had changed. That shock was short-lived though, because they liked what they saw. He looked like one of them.
One of the lads spoke up. “Yous know this lad, Jack?”
Jack stood his ground, half-expecting some pushback from his mates. “Yeah mate, we go gym together. He’s sound, init.”
The same lad nodded. “Ight. He’s cool. Yous can hang with us if you like.”
Sam cracked a cheeky grin and offered up a fist bump. “Sound, bruv. That’ll be sick like!”
The bell rang, and they all turned to walk inside for registration, with Jack and Sam falling behind the group. Sam reached out, cheekily squeezed Jack’s butt, and gave him a grin.
Jack smiled but quickly raised a finger to his lips. “Shhh.” He had only just got Sam accepted into the group and they didn’t want to give too much away just yet.
In registration class, Sam was seated with Jack and some of his friends who happened to be in the same form group. Sam joined in on their banter, laughing and joking like he had always been part of the crew.
At the far end of the room sat two of his old friends from before everything changed. They were glaring over at Sam shocked not just by how different he looked, but who he was with. Sam’s gaze locked with theirs. He couldn’t help himself.
“What yous starin’ at? You scruffy hobos. Problem?”
His old mates didn’t reply and just looked away awkwardly, trying to ignore him.
“Yeah, thought so, init!” Sam snapped, while Jack’s mates cracked up laughing.
Things had changed for Sam so quickly over the past months. He had met Jack, lost his old friends, his outlook had shifted, and his style had transformed beyond recognition. Now, he was tight with a bunch of lads he wouldn’t have even given a second glance a few weeks ago.
Through the next two weeks of his transformation, he kept up his routine with Jack - hitting the gym hard. That second wave of puberty, as Sam saw it, hadn’t let up. Day by day, it continued to reshape him - physically and mentally - strengthening and reinforcing this new version of himself.
His wardrobe had undergone a complete overhaul too. The old stuff was long gone. Replaced with Nike, Adidas, Stone Island, and even some slick EA7 gear. If his parents hadn’t seen him every day and gotten used to the gradual changes, they would hardly have recognised him. Sam looked seriously good in his new gear. One of his favourite fits was a crisp white long-sleeve Nike tee, black trackies, and black-and-white Air Max 95s. Jack was over the moon. Not only had he fallen for Sam, but now Sam looked fitter than ever - confident, stylish, and totally fitting in with Jack’s world.
It was Friday night - nearly the end of the 30-day transformation period - and the lads were heading out drinking. Someone was throwing a house party in the posh part of town, and pretty much everyone from college had heard about it. Sam was buzzing. It was his first proper night out drinking with his new mates, and he had gone all out rocking his new grey Puma hoodie and matching joggers. He stood outside, drink in one hand, a smoke in the other, waiting for Jack to arrive. They were planning to have a few drinks at Sam’s first before heading over to meet the others at the party.
Jack finally showed up, opening the garden gate and stepping into Sam’s yard. Without saying a word, he grabbed Sam’s hand and pulled him in for a kiss. Sam melted into it. That warm, glowing feeling he’d come to associate with Jack washed over him again. It was like a joy he never wanted to end. He kissed Jack back, smiling into it.
The boys jumped out of their skin. Sam spun around, eyes wide. He had thought his parents were out. He hadn’t heard them come in through the front door and now they were standing there, having just witnessed him and Jack mid-kiss. Even though the new Sam wasn’t shy, he stood frozen, completely speechless, his face turning red with embarrassment.
His mum, seeing the look on his face, rushed over and wrapped him in a big hug and then hugged Jack too.
“Don’t worry! You didn’t have to hide it from us. But I might have known some of your recent changes had something to do with meeting someone!” she added, giving Sam a knowing wink.
Sam’s eyes widened in horror. “MUM… seriously!” he groaned.
She just laughed. “Alright, alright… I won’t embarrass you anymore! I’ll leave you toooo have some alooone time...” she teased, singing the words as she turned and bolted inside before Sam could find something to throw at her.
Jack chuckled at Sam. He knew the real reason behind his transformation, but Sam’s mum had unintentionally given Jack a cover story.
The two started drinking and then headed off to meet the lads at the house party. It was packed when they arrived. Anything valuable had clearly been stashed away, but that didn’t stop the place from getting trashed: drinks spilling everywhere, muddy trainers grinding grime into carpets.
Everyone from college was there. Even Sam’s old skater mates had showed up, though he hadn’t noticed them. He was too caught up in the chaos, laughing with his new crew, doing shot after shot and getting as wasted as he could.
The skater group, though, were stunned. They barely recognised him. Had it not been for one of the lads calling Sam over right in front of them, they might not have even realised it was him.
“How the hell had he changed so much?” they wondered. The personality shift was one thing, but the physical transformation, the way he walked, dressed, even held himself was something else entirely. Something had to be up… They agreed: they were going to get to the bottom of it. But they would have to play it smart. If Sam suspected anything, they might lose their chance.
It wasn’t until Tuesday that two of the skater lads decided to tail Sam and Jack after college. They followed them all the way to the gym. They were careful, silent, ducking behind hedges, parked cars. As far as they could tell, they were invisible, but Jack had clocked them almost straight away.
He knew what day it was. The final day. Sam only had to take one more scoop of the special shake. After that, the transformation would be complete. Sam would be 100% chavvy just like Jack and his crew. Whatever fragments of his old skater self still lingered would be wiped away for good., but now Jack was worried. With Sam’s old mates sniffing around, he couldn’t afford to wait another day. Normally, Jack gave Sam the shake after their workout, but today, he insisted Sam drink it during their session.
He pushed Sam hard. They stayed an hour longer than usual. Jack was hoping the skater lads would get bored and leave. No such luck. As soon as they stepped outside, they were ambushed. Two guys stepped out in front of them; two more blocked the path from behind. Even with his new cocky edge, Sam could tell this wasn’t worth a fight. They were outnumbered. Zach - his closest old friend - stepped forward.
“What’s up with you, Sam? Ever since you started hitting the gym, you’ve turned into someone else. We don’t even recognise you anymore. You’ve become a proper chav, hangin’ with these scummy rats.”
Jack tensed and leaned forward, ready to go for Zach.
“Oi!” Sam stopped him with an arm.
“Yeah? Well, you lot dropped me like a stone, innit, bruv? Least these lads got my back. Now do one!”
Zach looked hurt but didn’t back off.
“Come on, man. I’m sure we can work it out. Maybe we weren’t perfect mates, but we cared. Let us make it up to you. Come with us and we can catch up, like old times.”
But Jack’s plan had worked. The last scoop of the shake had kicked in. Sam’s mind reeled, but the changes locked into place. His old self was being erased once and for all. He looked at Zach with cold indifference.
“Sorry, bruv. Whatever we had? That don’t mean shit now, innit. So jog on. Me and my boy got lives to live, yeah?”
Zach finally understood. There was no getting through. He and the others backed off. As they walked away, Zach heard Sam mutter, “Who do they think they are? Fuckin' weirdos, init, bruv!”
Jack laughed, “I know, man. Fucked up, innit like!”
By the time they reached Sam’s house, the confrontation was a distant memory. At the gate, Sam paused and pulled Jack in for a kiss before letting him head off home.
Zach, who was still secretly following, froze behind a parked car. His jaw dropped. Everything made sense now.
The next day, the lunch bell rang. Sam and Jack were having a kickabout with the lads on the field when they saw the skater group approaching. Jack’s mates clocked them and started closing in, forming a loose wall of support around Sam and Jack. Zach pushed forward.
“I bet you lot would love to know a little secret these two have been keeping,” he said, loud enough for the whole field to hear.
Sam and Jack froze. Zach’s voice was venomous.
“These two… they’re a couple. Like, properly. Boyfriends.”
The group went quiet. Sam’s face flushed red. Jack looked down. This could be it… But before the silence could stretch too long, Aaron stepped forward. He moved in front of Jack and Sam, spreading his arms protectively, staring Zach down.
“And what? You jealous or summat?” he spat. “You wish it was you, innit? You wish Sam was your man, yeah?”
Zach’s bravado crumbled. Aaron stepped closer, pushing into Zach’s space.
“Why don’t you just fuck off and get your own boyfriend? Sam’s one of us now whether you like it or not. We got his back, ight? Prick.”
Zach and the skater lads slunk off, defeated.
Jack turned to Aaron. “Cheers, mate. That meant a lot.”
“It’s cool, bruv. What you two get up to, that’s your business. As long as you one of us, no one’s gonna give you shit. You get me, fam?”
From that moment on, Sam didn’t need the magic anymore. Zach had burned every bridge. The choice was clear. He belonged with the lads now. The next day, Aaron invited Sam to hang out, just the two of them. It was the first time Sam had spent time with one of the lads without Jack. They hung out in town, drinking, laughing, kicking about. Sat on a bench, Aaron lit up a smoke and passed it over.
“You alright, fam? Forget them twats you used to hang with. You one of us now, yeah? We got you.”
Sam nodded, taking a drag.
“Cheers, bruv. I ain’t ever goin’ back, init.”
Later that night, Sam went over to Jack’s house with a couple of the lads to pre-drink before heading out. They all posed for a photo, arms around each other, beers in hand. Sam stood just behind Jack, who was wearing his new Silk Silk hoodie, grinning beside Olly in his camo-sleeved tee. Looking at them, you would never guess Sam had been anything but one of the lads.
Sometimes he would pass his old mates in town, barely even acknowledging them. To them, he was just another chav now. They would stare after him, baffled, wondering how the transformation had been so total. And deep down, some of them probably wondered whether they could have done something to stop it, to not lose the friend they used to know. But it was too late now. Jack’s plan had worked. He had changed Sam completely. And no one had ever figured it out. He felt a quiet sense of pride every time he looked at Sam now - knowing exactly what he had done. And knowing Sam was all his.
One afternoon, while passing through town, Jack decided to drop into the magic shop to thank the old, wizard-like man who had helped start it all. The bell above the door chimed softly as he stepped inside. Jack made his way to the counter where a young woman stood, arranging crystals in a display case.
“Can I help you?” she asked with a friendly smile.
“Yeah, mate,” Jack said casually. “Where’s the old guy who works here?”
The woman tilted her head, clearly confused. “Old guy? What do you mean?”
“You know,” Jack continued, eyebrows furrowing, “the one who looks a bit like a wizard, proper mystical vibes yeah?”
She gave a small laugh but shook her head. “Sorry, I’ve owned this place for a few years now. There’s never been anyone like that working here.”
Jack stared at her, unsure whether she was winding him up.
“But… nah, seriously,” he pressed, “I came in here not long ago... he gave me this shake stuff, said it would help someone.”
The woman gave a polite but firm smile. “I think you must be mistaken. Maybe it was another shop?”
Jack slowly backed away from the counter, his expression shifting from confusion to unease. He stepped outside into the street, the door swinging shut behind him with another quiet chime. Standing there, Jack looked back at the window, his reflection faint against the glass. Everything that had happened with Sam was real - he knew it was. So, who was that man? Where did he come from? Where did he go? It was as if the mysterious old figure had appeared just when Jack needed him most. And then vanished, never meant to be seen again…
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This story was originally posted by @scallylad89 on Tumblr. I have improved it a little. It’s one of my favourite stories he wrote, so it deserves to be on Tumblr again.