Chapter seven-Secrets of the Mind

I wake up feeling rested and happy it's finally Saturday. I thankfully survived my first school week here, and I don't think anyone suspects anything about what's really in my pants.

Sitting up in bed, I stretch my arms above my head and yawn, while wondering what I should do today. I turn to see if Christian's still in bed, but it's empty and made up. It doesn't look like he's even slept in it. After asking me for help with seducing Victoria, he's been bugging me, asking me weird questions about what he should do or say in order to get his long time crush to notice him. It's honestly kind of driving me insane, but I can't really complain since now I actually have a reason to talk to him.

I get out of bed to go pee and brush my teeth, but just as I put my hand on the doorknob to the bathroom, I hear a knock on the door.

Taking a few steps to open it, I come face to face with Ethan and Colten. I feel my face immediately fall and just stare at them as they stare at me. Ugh, great. What do stupid one and stupid two want?

I break the staring contest first. "Christian isn't here," I tell them, tempted to slam the door in their faces.

"We know," Ethan says.

I frown. "Then what do you want?" I look at them, wondering if this is the part where they bust into the room and beat me to a pulp and Christian comes back to find me a bloody mess.

"Can we come in?" Colten asks, his face actually void of his smugness or superiority but I think I can still see a hint of hostility in those evil eyes of his.

"No. Just please tell me what you want. I kinda don't have all day to waste on you two."

"Whoa, what's up with the attitude, Andy? I thought we were friends, why the hostility?" Colten asks.

I'm so tempted to roll my eyes but at the same time cave in and let them inside so they don't pummel my face in, but I'm not going to let these idiots bully me anymore.

Ethan holds his hand against the door so I can't close it in their faces. "Look," he says, gazing at me with a pleading expression. "We just wanted to apologize for the first day we met you. It's kind of a ritual here, but I think we took the hostility too far."

They both stand there looking at me expectantly but I'm not really sure what to say. I don't want to be their friends any more than I believe Ethan's pathetic excuse of an apology, and by the way Colten is still glaring at me, I'm assuming he doesn't feel the least but apologetic for his antics. What about the saying keep your friends close and your enemies closer?

Internally sighing, I nod my head and give them a very small smile. "I accept your apology," I tell them with no enthusiasm. "Anyway I was just about to take a shower, if you don't mind," I say in way of politely asking them to leave.

Ethan gives me a small wave while Colten continues to glare at me. Jeez, what's up his ass? "Okay, see you around, Andy," Ethan says as he turns and walks down the hallway, Colten following him like a lost puppy.

I close the door behind them with a frown. What was all that about, and what's with the random apology? I have to admit that Ethan looked a little more sincere than Colten did, but still I don't trust either of them, or their reason for apologizing. I smell something fishy and I know it's not me.

I shake my head and leave the problem in the air for now, pushing it away for another time to dissect it more. I strip and get into the shower, turning the water on the hottest setting and letting the hot water relax my muscles.

I'm drying off my hair, with just a towel wrapped around my chest, when the bathroom door swings open and Christian steps in looking pensive and gorgeous. He has headphones in, and his chest is bare, with beads if sweat dripping down his pecs and abs. I feel my mouth hanging open and have to physically shut my mouth closed with my fingers.

When he finally realizes I'm in here, he looks up, startles slightly, and looks at me up and down. We just stare at each other for a few moments, neither one of us saying anything, until he finally pulls out his headphones and says, "What are you doing?"

I blink at him. What does it look like I'm doing?

I clear my throat and shuffle nervously on my feet. God, why does he have to be so hot? "Uh, I, um, shower," I mumble like an idiot.

He gives me a weird look and shakes his head at me. "Yeah, obviously." He rolls his eyes. "I meant what are you doing? What's with the towel?"

I look down at myself and then back up at him and then back down again. "Uh, I, my, um, nipples get cold." Oh, God. I literally almost face palm myself as I look down and close my eyes. How possibly stupid can you get?

He raises his eyebrows and I think I can see the amusement on his lips. "Your nipples get cold?"

Well, it's too late to take it back now, might as well go with it. " Mhmm, what yours don't after you get out of the shower?" I ask, avoiding eye contact as I pick up my pajamas and make a move to get around him and flee to a very dark, deep black hole.

He watches me as I move to get around him. "Well, sometimes . . . I guess," he says thoughtfully. He looks at me again with narrowed eyes, and I catch his gaze mainly focuses on my chest area.

I feel my face flame. Oh God, what if he can tell? Don't get me wrong, I'm pretty small, but most can usually tell the difference between a girls chest and a boys chest.

"Uh, so, yeah, I'm gonna, uh, get dressed now," I say pointing with my head toward the bedroom.

He nods his head, still giving me a weird look. " Yeah, okay." I turn away, shaking my head to myself about how much of an idiot I am, when he stops me. "Andy, wait."

I look at him. He's scratching the back of his head, making his arm muscles flex. Wipe the drool off your face, you oaf! "Yeah?"

"The guys are going to shoot some hoops for a couple of hours. I heard Kate is going to be there, and, uh, Victoria might be there, too. I think you should come," he tells me.

I gaze at him for a moment. I should think it's so cute that he has a crush that makes him all flustered and adorable, but it only serves to irritate me. Why can't it be me? Uh maybe you should take a look in the mirror and then you'll have your answer.I give him a thin smile and nod my head. "Sure."

He rubs his hands together and gives me a broad grin. "Great. You remember our plan, right?"

The plan that will never work, yeah. I nod my head again. "Yup. Got it." I turn around making sure to close the door behind me so he can't say anything else about that girl and his stupid plan.

I quickly put on my clothes and fall backwards on my bed just as I hear the shower turn on. Boys are so weird. And complicated. And I don't know how I can keep this up. I have too much to lose, and if anyone finds out my secret I'll be sent back to hell, and I don't even think Satan enjoys being there.

I guess I really need to practice being a boy. And do it right. Because there's totally a right way to be a boy.

I silently laugh inside. Yeah, if only there was a guidebook on the correct way to be a teenage boy.

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