Chapter Two—Fours a Crowd

I sigh when I hear my alarm blaring at me to wake up, and reaching over to the side of my bed I slam my hand down on the snooze button and snuggle under my covers. What only feels like a second later my alarm goes off again and knowing it will be futile to try to go back to sleep, I turn off my alarm and slide out of bed.

I rub the sleep out of my eyes and stand to go to the bathroom, but immediately halt in my place when I realize that I'm not back in my room at my mother's house. Swiveling my head towards Christian's bed, I see that his bed is made and he's not in it. I turn to the bathroom, hoping he's not in there because I really have to pee, and am relieved when I see the door open and the light off.

After relieving myself I brush my teeth and start getting ready for my first day of class. Considering that I came here only with a small suitcase and a book bag filled with supplies, I don't have much to wear other than a few pairs of jeans and a couple of old t-shirts. I thank God that Westwood Prep requires a uniform otherwise I'd being wearing the same cheap outfit every day.

I should get a job. One so I'll have more money, and two so I won't have any more embarrassing moments where I crash into Christian, or any other boy for that matter.

With my green and gold plaid uniform that looks like vomit on, and my straggly pixie cut hair as tame as I could get it, I throw my back bag over my shoulder and make my way to class.

So far my day has been pretty . . . unexpected, well as unexpected as going to an all-boys school can get. I haven't really made any new friends, and I don't know if that has more to do with the fact I'm not sure how to be friends with a guy while I'm disguised as a guy, or if the guys at this school don't like me. Both scenarios don't bother me, as long as my mother and that ogre don't find me, I'll be happy either way.

Third period is over and lucky me, I get to spend fifty minutes in health class with my roommate and his beyond weird friends. I pull out my schedule from my pocket to see where health class is at again and accidentally bump into someone, inadvertently making them drop their stuff from their hold.

"I'm so sorry! I didn't see you there and I was trying to get my schedule form my pocket and then you were—"

A deep laugh cuts me off and I trail my eyes up to come face to face with a blond god. He's gorgeous, well not as gorgeous as Christian but gorgeous nonetheless. His short blond hair looks soft enough that a cloud would be envious, and the adorable dimples in his cheek when he smiles makes me feel weak in the knees. He's tall and muscular, but not bulky. And good Lord, those eyes. They're a hunter green, so dark and deep and beautiful. I could see myself falling in love with this incredible male specimen.

"No problems, dude," he says with a smile as he bends down to pick up his books. My eyes naturally find his round rump, and Zeus high up in Olympus, I could take a bite out of it and it would still look perfect, deformed, but perfect. "I'm Luke, by the way, well Lucas Sawyer, but Luke."

He holds out his hand for me and I take a moment to look at his large hand, then his face and then his hand again. He tilts his head to the side at my awkward inspection, and when I realize what a dork I'm being I pull myself out of my stupor and grip his hand, a little bit too hard, might I add.

Clearing my throat and mustering my best dude voice, I say, "Uh, nice to meet you, Luke. I'm Andrew Steele, but go by Andy."

He nods his head at me, that gorgeous smile on his face again. "Nice to meet you too. So where are you headed?"

He looks down at the schedule in my hand and a frown replaces his innocent smile.

"I have Health and Wellness this period, too, but it's not Jackson Hall. From what I can recall it's still in Lincoln Hall." He looks up at me with narrowed eyes. "Who told you it was in Jackson Hall?"

I open my mouth to speak, but then decide against it, deciding if I really want to tattle on my roommate's friends. I guess it really doesn't matter, especially now that Luke seems to have figured it out for me.

"Oh, you're roommates with Christian Grey?" he says, looking down at my schedule where it lists who I'll be living with for the semester. "Let me guess, Ethan and Colten told you fourth period was in Jackson Hall?" I don't even answer him as he continues on talking. "Figures, they're such childish pricks, I mean Christian is cool sometimes, but Ethan and Colten are bullies. Don't worry, I got your back."

He flashes another quick smile at me then turns around and disappears inside the room two doors down. I follow him, and my eyes instantly find Christian's. He was talking to his friends when I walked in, and when he saw me, he immediately closed his mouth and stared at me, causing Colten and Ethan to turn to look at me too. Ethan smirks at me while Colten scowls at me, but Christian just stares at me with an impassive stare.

Seriously, what's the dude's problem? I thought I was weird.

"Hey, Andy, over here!"

I look towards the back of the room where my name was called and see Luke and another guy sitting towards the back. I turn away from Christian and walk down the aisle towards the seat Luke has apparently reserved for me.

"Andy this is Drew Reynolds, Drew this is Andy, the new kid."

Yeah, it's always nice as being introduced as the new kid. High school is such a joy.

"Hey, man, what's going on?" Drew asks as I take a seat next to Luke and across from Drew.

"Um, not much other than being here with you guys, in Health class, you know, in this all-boys school."

Drew looks at Luke from the corner of his eye and Luke bursts out laughing.

"Nice way stating the obvious, bro," Luke says with a chuckle. He turns to Drew. "I told you he's pretty funny . . . and awkward, no offense," he adds with a glance at me.

I shrug my shoulders. I was born awkward and have had sixteen years to accept it. "None taken."

Drew looks at me. "So where did you move from?"

"Las Vegas."

His brows rise up almost to his hairline. "Really? Why did your family come here?"

I ignore the fact that he said family, and answer his question as vaguely as possible.

"Things just weren't working out there," I mutter with a half shrug.

"Well, I hope everything works out better for you here," Luke says.

I look at him and smile. "Thanks." I really hope everything works out here too. I don't ever want to go back to that place, or to a mother who'd believe a man she's known a few years over the daughter she's known since conception.

"Soo, you're really skinny. We need to get you buffed up, especially if you're roommates with Christian."

I frown. "What's that supposed to mean?"

Drew shrugs. "His so-called friends can get pretty nasty sometimes. I just think it'd be a good idea to strengthen up just in case they try something."

I feel my heart rate spike and my palms begin to sweat. I take a glance over in Christian's direction to see him scowling at us, and once he catches my eye he rapidly faces forward again. His two goons are in their own oblivious world talking about only Lucifer knows what.

Why does Christian keep looking back here? And why does he always look so pissed?

"Yeah, last roommate Christian had, Colten and Ethan scared off because they felt threatened that Christian was choosing him over them."

I feel my heart rate kick up even higher. "What did they do to him?" I ask.

Drew shakes his head in obvious disgust. "Pinned something on him to get him expelled, and until they came up with that plan I heard that were constantly bullying him. They disgrace the male species."

"Just watch your back with them," Luke tells me. "They're pettier than girls."

Wow, thanks for that, bro.

Before I can ask anything else, our teacher struts in and begins lecture, but my mind is elsewhere. Since when are guys this malicious and mean? I internally roll my eyes. Guys have been mean since the beginning of time, but since when are they so petty?

My eyes slowly trail over to Christian and his friends. Colten and Ethan always look more involved in their group friendship than Christian does. Since I've gotten here, two days ago, I've never seen him laugh or smile the way Ethan and Colten do.

He doesn't really even seem happy. So I wonder why he's even friends with them, especially if he knows they're bullies. Maybe he's a bully, too, and is just low key about it. Either way I don't want to find out. I think I'll just bid my time and stay far away as possible from Christian and his comrades and just hang out with Luke and Drew.

But when Christian turns around and looks directly into my eyes with that impassive stare, I realize that it might be a little harder than I would like to avoid him.

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