Well this is it.

Today's the day I, Clove Tarragon have been waiting to come for days now. Why? Because today's the day that I'm about to attend a new private training academy. It doesn't seem like a big deal at first, give that I was already going to a different one previously, you'd wonder why I would be transferring to another one. This time it will be much contrastive, and in fact the opposite. See, at my other school, the students were only girls. Now at the academy in which I'm about to step into is boys only.

Why would Clove Tarragon, a female, be attending a male training academy? It's quite simple actually. I've never felt like a girl. At my school, I was always getting in trouble with her teachers and even the principal several times. I was threatened to be expelled if I ever stepped another toe out of line, and that's when I hit my last nerve. One shouldn't be getting in trouble for violence at a training academy. We're training for the Hunger Games, for God's sake. It's not some prissy high school that was used in the olden days with cheerleaders and geeks and jocks, though you can see some of those social classes forming nonetheless. If this were in fact the past, I'd be the outcast at school—the rebel who everyone is afraid to talk to or just thinks is weird. I don't mind of course. I like it better this way.

My parents don't know a thing and they don't care enough about my life to intrude on my privacy. I bet they wouldn't even care if they found out. They were always hoping for a boy anyway, and now they've got one. I'm pretending to be my cousin, whom I miraculously look just like. He abandoned his parents to run off with his girlfriend to District 12. Why they chose District 12 I'll never know. They have nothing to offer.

In any event, I'm proud to say I will be claiming his identity for the rest of the school year, or at least until I get caught. It's a win-win situation. My cousin gets to be with his forbidden love and I get to train the way I should be. They're too soft on the girls, but I know that now I'm at a guys' school, things will be different, and much better. My parents think I'm still going to my other school, so I shouldn't have a problem there.

Adjusting my wig to the perfect position, I walk into the building. All eyes are on me the instant I take a step inside. I get looks of displeasure, annoyance, confusion, and many look like they're about to laugh. So I probably don't look like the most manly guy here, but I hope I can at least pass as one for the time being. The steely glares don't bother me though. I just glare right back at them and that shuts them right up.

With a smirk on my face, I carry my bags, and go over to the front desk. The lady looks up from writing something on a piece of paper in front of her, cocking an eyebrow curiously. Even the staff thinks I'm funny-looking.

"May I help you?"

"Yes, you can. I'm Cleave Tarragon. I'm a new student here," I say in the deepest voice I can without sounding like a creep. I probably still sound kind of girlish, but that's the best I can do.

"Cleave Tarragon," she repeats, looking at her laptop screen, and types a few things. I wait patiently and look around. Guys are still giving me looks, but I'm learning to just ignore it. They'll have to get used to a very female-looking boy around here because I plan on staying for as long as I can.

"Ah! Here we are. Cleave Tarragon. Your room is 211. That's on the second floor. Here are your keys." She hands me a small silver key and I slide it into my pocket.

"Thanks," I say. "Anything else?"

"Yes. Here's your schedule and a map of the academy. You'll need them both," she tells me and gives me both of said papers.

After thanking her again, I gather all of my stuff and head for the elevator. This is going to be one interesting year.


Thresh turns the music up really loud and Marvel starts jumping on the bed like a maniac. I always wondered why they were never my roommates, but this answers my question clear as crystal. They're my best friends though—just insane ones.

"That's my bed, you know, Marvel."

"Yeah, I know." He keeps jumping anyway and I roll my eyes.

"It's so freaking hot in here," Thresh complains. It is really hot for a September weekend. Then again District 2 always has long summers.

"I'll open a window."

I open one of the two windows in my room, letting a fresh breeze circulate through. Apparently going shirtless doesn't help in this humidity. Though I admit I'd take my shirt off in any weather. It's too much work to put on a new one each and every day. Sometimes my trainer, Brutus lets me because I work up a pretty bad sweat during training.

"Hey! Aren't you getting a new roommate today?" Marvel asks, hopping off my bed.

I just nod. "I think so. That's what the principal told me. His name's Cleave Tarragon."

Marvel and Thresh both laugh. "Nice name," Thresh comments.

As if right on cue, there's a knock on the door. That must be him. I haven't met him yet so I have no idea what he's like. The secretary just placed him with me since I'm about the only one who doesn't have a roommate. My only wish is that he isn't some weirdo who will end up annoying the hell out of me every day because I just can't deal with that. I have enough to worry about as it is.

"Ooh! I bet that's him!" I can tell Marvel is excited. He always likes meeting new people.

I walk over to the door and open it. Expecting some normal guy who's just like me and my friends, I'm surprised to see a boy who can't be more than thirteen years old standing before me, holding way more bags than he can carry. He has a very child-like face with freckles scattered across his cheeks and his hair looks the kind one would only see in the movies. Everything about him just seems so fake that I can hardly believe he's a male. But they wouldn't just let a girl attend, so I'll go with the flow. Please just don't be a loser.

"What are you staring at?" he snaps.

I jump back a little, surprised at the cold tone in his voice. "Nothing!" I retort. "Are you supposed to be my roommate, Cleave Tarragon?" When people are rude to me, I don't think twice before retaliating. No one messes with me, not even adolescent boys with puppy faces.

"Yes, I am. Got a problem with that?"

"Not at all. Come on in." I move aside to let Cleave pile in with all his suitcases, which he leaves on the empty bed. He's only been here for a minute and he's already making himself at home. He has that badass attitude I like; so I'll give him that. However, if he begins to mess with me on a regular basis, there will be war, and it won't matter if his muscles are the size of a peanut.

Thresh and Marvel look at him skeptically, as if judging whether or not they should approve of him. They seem to be in the same dilemma I'm facing because right now, I don't know what to think of Cleave.

"This is my bed, right?" Cleave asks me.

"Yeah, that's yours," I reply.

"Good." He begins unpacking all his clothes. His wardrobe seems rather large for him, but I won't make any comment. Maybe if I keep my mouth shut, he'll do the same.

"Is that a bra?" Marvel asks in disbelief.

Looking back at Cleave's suitcase, I see him scramble to cover whatever article of clothing Marvel was looking and pointing at. I'm not an expert on women's wardrobe, but it looked like a bra to me. "No! That was just—just a pair of socks."

"Well, that was a really round pair of socks," Marvel comments.

Thresh and I laugh hard. It's true. I don't think any pair of socks would look like that even if someone had the most ridiculously round feet. I'm 99.9% sure Cleave had a bra in her suitcase. I don't even want to know why he has one, but all this tells me is that he's not the guy I was really hoping for as a roommate. There's something different about him—unusual. And if it so helps me, I will find out just what it is.


So this is going to be a short story. I'm talking maybe three or four parts. Incase you couldn't already tell, this is inspired after the movie She's the Man. I saw it English class this year and I thought it was funny. Plus, I thought it would be a perfect idea for a Clato fic. I hope you all liked it and go review!