Status: Fresh out of the oven

One of the Boys

Chapter Three

Teddy and I had to sneak into the assembly hall at least a good five minutes late. Careful not to make the heavy door squeak and draw attention to ourselves, we bent down low and crept in. The room was full of students sitting on the common plastic brown chairs, lined up in long rows. They faced the front of the room where a man was pointing up at a power point slide that accompanied his presentation.

His hazel eyes immediately found my guilty ones and narrowed dangerously. Heads turned in slow curiosity to see what my father was scowling at, until they found blushing little old me, pushing Teddy to move faster down the closest row so I could sit down and disappear. I hanged my head low letting my wig cover my cringing eyes, while I let their laughter wash over me.

"Hey, don't worry. Professor John, or P.J. as we call him, is cool." Teddy whispered to me, sliding back and low onto the chair. " All bark and no bite. Or well in his case all glare and no...um...shouting?" I casted Teddy a sideways glance begging him to shut up so I can focus on turning my face back a lower octave of red.

After a final disapproving glance in my direction, my father called everyone back to order and continued the lecture in a droning monotone. My attention fazed in and out, barely registering any info. Instead of listening to school's expectation for student conduct, I was scanning my surroundings with a critical eye, looking to see what sort of people I'd have to spend the next 9 months with. Though we were all in school's regulation outfit of 'smart' clothing (i.e. shirt and tie, blazer, and no jeans) they all managed to have embellished theirs with an air of carelessness. It seemed say "We'll dress like posh pricks, but doesn't mean well act like them." Ties were lose and short, shirt collars undone, belt-less pants riding low and Armani boxers on show.

"Now our very own Leo Castello, will run through his goal as school council president and headboy, for this year," My attention was then suddenly transported back to the front. My father had stepped aside to let the next speaker to the stage.

My eyes sprung wide opens like shutters of a beautiful day. The boy from before walked to the microphone. The one with the dragon tattoo. The blond boy.

There and then I figured out what had seemed so out of place the first time I'd seen him. Compared to the other friends around him, his outfit had been immaculate. Free of any wrinkles, tie the appropriate size, and an air of superiority carved over his face. And there it was again. As he addressed the school, that bright polite smile that made me want to trust him. He talked of all the things that the school will achieve this year, and unlike with my father, all the boys tuned in. Cheered along with him as he valiantly talked about winning matches and changing the school's position in the league tables. Each attached to his every word like nettles.

For quite a will I tried to tell myself it couldn't have been him with the tattoo. That this boy who was talking so adoringly to the teachers and employing courteous language couldn't have been him. The teachers seemed to blush when he mentioned them and the male glow with pride as he facilitated them. .

"Teddy!" he snapped all at one, "How dare you fall asleep during my speech!"

Teddy who had fallen asleep on my shoulder quite freely, resembling an overgrown cherub, slowly cracked an eye open nonchalantly. "Sorry Leo, Lucas' shoulder is just so warm. And I missed my nap earlier because you forced me to listen to you rehearse it over and over again,"

By the way Leo playfully glared at him, I could tell this wasn't anything new. His eyes shifted to me, the guy with the really warm shoulder.

"Hey do you think you could turn down your temp, cause my little brother falling asleep on me is way off putting. Especially since he looks so comfortable."

The whole room could barely contain themselves, while I blanched at having attention being drawn to me all over again. I shoved Teddy off me- who simply leaned on to his neighbor- and cast a small glance at Leo.

I thought of the black inked dragon that scorched his abdomen, spouting a harsh angry flame and words I didn't know. Much like his parent, the teachers probably didn't know that he'd had it done over the summer. At their admiring stares they probably couldn't imagine such a possibility. That he had this dark side. No 'dark' was too much, but rebellious or restless side. He's good boy image was just a front, I was almost certain. He was smirking again, that same one a before. It reminded me of a little boy up to no good, but with much more sex appeal.
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