Hey guys! I'm sorry this is late. :\ Anyways, I've shorten the chapter, since well, I'm kinda tired from writing nine pages each chapter and I know you guys find them really long too. So yeah.
Anyho, I hope you like this chapter. It has the surprise at the near-end. I hope it's not confusing or anything..
PLEASE COMMENT! Any review, or thoughts are really APPRECIATED. And vote if you like this chapter, and maybe fan if you truly like it. =D Thank you so much, for reading, and I hope you guys have a great day ahead.
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Nigel groaned from beside me, as soon as we got into the mall.
“I can’t believe this. We’re going to see the old lady, again. I’ve enough of her already,” Nigel complained, mumbling profanities afterwards.
“Uh, guys.” A voice from behind Nigel and I voiced out. Looking around, we realized it was just Jace. “I promised Jonel to be by the meeting place at one, so I have to go.”
The rest of the guys being their original selves muttered a disorganized, “Whatever, man.”
Jace scowled at their lack of support and turned to me, expecting me to do the same. That was what I guessed; by the way he was looking at me. But I smiled instead, giving him a slight nod. “Good luck. You’re gonna need it.”
He broke out into a smile too, “Thanks. Well then, see you later!” And as soon as he said it, he was off to somewhere he promised to meet Jonel.
Jake intended to follow too, but Zach stopped him. “Dude, let him go.”
“I want to know how she looks like. I’ll be back. Just give me a few minutes, ok?” Jake said, shrugging off Zach’s hand. Turning to where his brother had gone, Jake sprinted off, probably not wanting to lose sight of his twin brother.
“Shall we go? I’m keen to know Girly’s girlfriend,” Rian enjoined in, teasing me again with the ‘Girly’ nickname. I bit my tongue from retorting, although I didn’t stop my leg from kicking his sheen.
“That’s what you get for teasing me,” I stormed off into the café we decided to meet Sonia at. Scanning the room, I spotted the familiar blonde near the cashier.
“Hey,” I greeted, scooting in beside her.
Her blonde hair flew as she turned around to look at me. “Oh, hey, Naddy!” She spread her arms wide, and I hugged her.
“These are my peeps. You know Nigel, obviously but this is Zach and that is Rian.” I introduced Sonia to my new friends, holding out my hand as I told her their names.
The guys sat down, taking their seats in the opposite side of the table, with Zach and Rian by the sides and Nigel being squashed in the middle.
“So, you’re Sonia Jones. How’s it like to have such a girly boyfriend?” Rian asked, leaning into his palm as he placed his elbow on the table.
I scowled, and shot my leg out to Rian’s direction. My sneakers hit something hard, and a second later, Nigel shouted in pain.
“Ow! Who the hell kicked me? Old lady…” Nigel glared at Sonia in the eye, earning one back right at him. As Nigel cowardly slouched back into his seat, Zach chuckled silently.
Rian held up an “L” sign up to his forehead, “You failed.”
“Oh, shut up, Rian,” I snapped. “You just called me girly in front of my girlfriend.”
“Wait, wait, hold up. Rewind. What do you,” Sonia pointed at Rian before continuing, “Mean by him being my boyfriend?” Oh right, I haven’t told Sonia… Crap.
I laughed nervously, “Aha, uh, now’s not the time for that, b-ba-babe.” To tell you the truth, I vomited in my mouth a little calling Sonia, the girl who was two years older and taken by my mighty trainer, ‘babe’.
“Getting a little nervous, are we not?” Rian asked, raising an eyebrow.
“I’m not nervous, who said I was nervous? Pfft. I prefer the term ‘shy’,” I denied, shaking my head.
“Do not avoid the question, mister. What did Sir Bigmouth say this time? Because I remember clearly the day he dumped me,” Sonia shot, clearly annoyed that she was missing something out. But the good news was that she was playing along, obviously knowing something was up.
“He didn’t say anything really. Just that you’re the reason why he came to Williston,” Zach interrupted, shrugging while he sat back comfortably next to a pouting Nigel.
“Oh really, now? I’m the reason why you flew to Mass?” Sonia said, catching up with the whole thing. “So what now? You want a second chance? After everything you made me through?”
I had no idea what she was talking about, but I was sure glad I took ‘improvising’ classes. “What do you mean everything?” I demanded, thinking whether I should really ask for a second chance, or try to make it up to her. Man, being a guy was hard.
“You cheated on me, Nathan. You cheated on me for my sister,” Sonia pretended to sniffle. She drooped her eyelids low and furrowed her eyebrows to make sad expression. Pretty good for a secretary.
“She forced herself on me, okay?” I blew, not knowing what exactly we’re talking about. But deciding to be the latter option of my dilemma, I heaved a sigh. “I didn’t mean for you to see…that.”
Sonia perked up, smiling. “Really? Oh yay!” She hugged me, acting as if she’s happy. “You have one heck of explaining to do, mister,” She whispered menacingly into my ear.
I chuckled nervously pointing to her back while looking to the three guys opposite from us, “She’s bipolar.” I pushed Sonia back gently away.
“Split personality, hypocrite and doubled-face works too.” Nigel agreed, while nodding.
Sonia’s left eye twitched, as she scowled at my little brother. “Why, you little brat.” I saw her leg shot out from under the table, copying my move from before. Not a second later, Zach gasped in pain.
“Oi!” Zach shouted, his face twisted in pain and anger. “Who the hell was it this time?”
Nigel chuckled from beside Zach. “Man, your face is priceless.”
“Oh, whoops. Sorry, Zach… Was it? I don’t remember your name,” Sonia played dumb, totally blonde-like.
“You missed by the way, old hag,” Nigel sneered, his emerald eyes twinkling in amusement.
“Immature,” Sonia commented, folding her arms.
Rolling my eyes, I stood up. “You guys are forever fighting. Nigel, she’s my girlfriend, get used to it.” Weird, weird, weird. I had never imagined calling Sonia my girlfriend. Heck, my worst nightmare was beaten hands down to this…poop I was talking about.
“Earth to Girly, whaddup with the sudden stand-up?” Zach asked, calling me by my irritating nickname again.
“Dude, I know you love me, but there’s no need for a standing ovation,” Rian smirked up to me. I felt myself rolling my eyes.
Opening my mouth to retort, Nigel voiced out. “Rian, standing ovation means to applaud.”
“He’s thinking it, man. Can’t you see it from his face?” Rian nudged my younger brother in the side, pointing towards me.
I sighed, shoving my hands into the back pockets of my jeans. “If you’re done thinking I’ve been mentally applauding for an arse, then please excuse me. I need to pee.” Smiling, I went to the back of the café towards the washrooms.
Eenie-Meenie-Miney-Mo. Damn, which one am I supposed to go? Spinning around to check if my friends were looking, which they weren’t, I dashed into the ladies’ room.
After relieving myself, I washed my hands and stared at myself in the mirror. Tousling my hair as professionally as I could, a brunette came up to me.
“In case you haven’t noticed, mister, but this is the ladies’ room. You’re lucky I’m not shouting for help,” She leaned against the sink right beside me.
Apart from the urge to tell her I wasn’t a guy, I couldn’t help but ask, “Shouting for help? What for?”
“Oh, you know, for being here in the ladies’ room,” The brunette stuttered. “Someone might get injured.”
“You’re not a natural brunette, are you?” I smiled, thinking how the hell a person could get injured just by me washing my hands. I wasn’t even sprinkling water onto the floor.
“No,” She replied. I nodded in reply, wiping my hands off my shirt.
“Anyway, I’m no guy. I’m… cross-dressing,” I explained briefly, hoping that she understood. I didn’t even deepen my voice.
The girl looked stunned, as if everything was catching up to her. Her eyebrows were still furrowed when she finally decided to say something.
“Girl-in-a-guy’s-clothes-looking-totally-not-cute say what?” She rushed through her sentence, her eyes widening.
I shook my head, placing a hand dramatically on my chest. “I’m offended. But yeah, I’m really a girl. I have this vest thing on to flatten my boobs,” I explained, patting my chest.
“Oh-kay, cool much. Does this mean you’re gay?” The girl asked randomly, her eyes showing both excitement and density.
“Gay? No way! Why’d you think that?” I asked, leaning against the sink as well.
“Well, seeing as you’re a girl, and I’m guessing you’re straight, but you’re… whatd’you call it again? Cross-dressing? Yes, that’s it. Since you’re cross-dressing, doesn’t that mean you’re gay? Cause you know… I… I’ve no clue how to explain it, I just know. Help?”
The girl’s not so dense after all. It really hadn’t hit me before, but then she has mentioned it, I guess dressing up as a guy makes me somewhat of a gay. “I know where this is going… Yeah, but you know, when you’re acting like a guy—“ I stopped, remembering something important. I was supposed to just go to the washroom and relief myself, not to talk and explain to a girl what I was doing!
“Oh man. I have to go. Can you please, please do not tell anyone?” I begged, making a move towards the exit.
“Cross my heart and hope to die. Even if I did, no one will believe me anyway. Pinky promise?” The girl followed me out. She held out a pinky while I raised my right eyebrow at her. The girl’s possibly my age, but she’s sticking to childish way to make a promise?
“Uh, okay. Yeah.” I shook my head, linking my pinky to hers. “Thank you so much. This is a weird secret, but I really love cross-dressing. So I’m really grateful that you’re helping me.”
“Oh no, it’s totally fine. I’m going to go now. And I’m going to hit on girls now too. Cause you may never know, one of the, might be a guy,” The brunette winked goodbye before skipping to a table out of my view.
“Wow,” A voice came from behind me, making my hair stand on edge. I hesitantly turned around, hoping it was either Nigel or a random man who heard our conversation. But who it turned out to be just really made my day. Note my sarcastic moment.
Zach was leaning on the entrance of the gents’ room, looking as cool and composed as ever. “So, cross-dresser. Might I just ask if that was a cover-up for you because you didn’t read the sign and went into the ladies’ room by accident, or are you really a girl wearing a vest thing to flatten her boobs and going to an all-boys’ academy?”
Oh my bloody freaking burning mother piece of shit, I’m doomed. I bit my lip hard as I wrecked my brain to think of an excuse. Seconds passed, then a minute. “Uh… Uh..”
“You know, I did record everything so if you happen to lie to me and I find out about it, you’re going straight to the principal’s office,” Zach broke me out of my thoughts. He smirked at me, “I knew something was up with you. How you froze when Rian asked about girls, how you got stiff when Sonia hugged you, how you complain like a girl, and how your features are completely feminine.”
I groaned, “Shit. Zach, please, you can’t tell anyone.”
“I won’t, but only if you’ve got a good reason for it. Tell me why you’re fooling us all. I don’t want my school’s reputation to go down just because of a girl who likes cross-dressing,” Zach said, his voice filled with concern.
“I chose Williston because I had no heart to leave my brother. I’ve been parted from my parents for way too long, I can’t repeat that with my brother. He’s the only family,” I tweaked the truth, quite satisfied that I could think of a reasonable reason. “And, I heard the Martial Arts here have awesome trainers, it won’t be half bad to try that out too.”
“I completely understand the family part, but, Nate, our Martial Arts club dropped so bad since three years ago. Which review did you read about that?” Zach chuckled, grabbing me by the elbow and leading me back to our table.
“Uh, some review from a couple years back? Well, not really since Lee and I have always wanted to come to Williston. I guess I just didn’t stay updated,” I chuckled nervously.
“Alright, then. I’ll keep it…for your brother’s sake. Though you should understand the risks. You do, don’t you?” Zach asked.
PHEW. “O-of course I do. It will be in my record, and there will be a high chance that schools won’t take me in. But… You get it don’t you, Zach? He’s my brother,” I emphasized, when I had no more idea on what to say. Lying was never my forte.
“I do. I know what it feels like, and it’s not a good thing. I’ve got your back,” Zach told me sincerely. Don’t ever mention this to him, but it made my heart skip a beat. Needless to say, I was flattered by his kindness.
“Thank you, Zach,” I breathed out, my gaze never leaving his eyes.
Zach stared back, a slow genuine smile crawling across his face. “You’re welcome, Naddy.”
My mood swung like a child swinging on a monkey bar, “Don’t call me that.”
“Okay, okay… Come on now; let’s get back to the table, Girly. This means Sonia’s available right?” Zach let go of our table and walked away.
I scowled jokingly, and deepened my voice, “Damn, and we’re back to square one!”
All Zach did was laughed. And I never thought I’d ever imagined this, but I’m beginning to like him. He’s sensitive, kind, and understanding. A perfect gentleman.
But what about Rian?