Beautiful Soul

The time was two thirty-four when I arrived back at the academy in my boy clothes. Everything seemed normal, nothing out of the ordinary. Lee Am met me beside my dorm to talk about what all happened at lunch. I could honestly say he was one of my closest friends. I was thankful that he met me. The longer I take in entering the dorm, the longer it is until I found out my fate.

“How was it?” Lee Am asked, leaning against the wall. He smiled at me, which I returned.

“It was great. I really enjoyed seeing them.” I said, without even thinking.

“Them? Was someone else there?” he asked, raising an eyebrow.

“Yeah, my sister surprised me.” I lied, remembering the necklace I had Ander place around my neck before I left.

“Your sister, huh? How is she?” he asked. That was weird. Why had he asked that?

“She’s doing well.” I said, honestly not knowing what to say. It was weird to hear the words ‘your sister’ considering I didn’t actually have a sister.

“Well, good for her. And your dad?” he asked, looking at me as he waited for my response.

“He was a little overwhelming, but he’s pretty good.” I said, feeling slightly awkward.

“That’s good, too.” he said. I nodded, smiling a little at him.

Lee Am left shortly after, realizing that he had work to do from many of his classes. We said our goodbyes, and he left.

I took my key out of my pocket, shoving it into the key hole. I was so nervous that my hands were shaking. It was awful. I twisted the key, unlocking the door, opening it soon after. Holden wasn’t there. There was a tiny weight lifted off my shoulder, but it was immediately put back on as I realized that he could be giving my secret away.

I sat on my bed, waiting for the moment that he entered.

---

-Holden-

I ignored Serenity as she went on about another one of her stupid ‘dilemmas’. I was so used to them now that I taught myself how to tune her out, and act like I was paying attention. I had my own problem to deal with. It’s what I figured out at the restaurant. Alexander was actually a girl. Or at least he was pretending to be a boy.

I could hardly cope with the secret I had just revealed. It was crazy. I never dreamed of a girl being able to sneak her way into the academy. I never expected for my roommate to be a girl. I didn’t know what to think. It was too absurd. She must have had a reason for doing it.

“Are you even listening?” Serenity asked, stopping in the middle of the sidewalk. I looked at her.

“Of course I am.” I lied.

“Then what was I talking about?” she asked, placing a hand on her hip.

“Which mall to shop at?” I guessed, hoping that I would be right.

She smiled instantly. I was right. Usually I was when I guessed, considering I didn’t totally tune her out.

“So which one should I shop at? Mega Mall, or the Mall of Los Angeles?” she asked. I’d never even heard of the two places before, so I just went with one.

“Mall of Los Angeles, I guess.” I said, as I continued to walk. She followed me, putting her arm through mine. Serenity was very clinging, which I didn’t like too much. We had been dating for six months now, and she was already like this. Sometimes I had the feeling that she was only dating me for my music.

I hadn’t yet decided on what I was going to do about Alex. If I told Bacall about it, the girl would have to immediately leave. In that situation, I would get my room back to myself.

I thought back to the restaurant. She would look at me every few minutes. The Alexander I saw at the restaurant had brown eyes, and he was in a wheelchair. His twin sister had green eyes, and the burn on her hand that my roommate had. That’s how I knew that he was a she. Maybe the only reason she was doing this was for her brother. Or maybe she was just doing it because she wanted to.

It didn’t matter though. If her secret got out, and somebody figured out I knew about it, I’d be kicked out immediately.

It was official. I would tell the head of the academy about this.

---

-Alex-

I woke up due to the door shutting. I didn’t even realize that I had fallen asleep. I jolted up into a sitting position, seeing Holden. He was staring at me. He took a glance at my hand, then my legs, followed by my eyes. He more than glanced at my eyes. He stared into them. I stood almost instantly.

“I’m going to tell the Bacall about this.” Holden said, continuing to look me in the eyes. I felt relieved that he hadn’t yet said anything, but then again, I didn’t because he was planning on it.

“Please. Please do not say anything.” I said, staring into his brown eyes.

“I have to.” he said, walking over to his desk. “You know women are not allowed in the academy, and you chose to disobey that.” he finished, picking up his key from his desk.

“Please, I’m begging you.” I pleaded. I felt a case of déjà vu. We had both been in the situation before, but last time, I was pleading for him to let me stay in the room. This time, I was pleading for him to let me stay in the school. I couldn’t give up for Ander’s sake. I had to somehow convince Holden to keep my secret and let me stay.

He walked to the door, ignoring me entirely as I begged. I walked in front of him, blocking his way out.

“Move.” he said.

“Holden, please. I’m doing this for Alexander. He was in an accident a while ago.” I paused. He was at the door with his hand on the knob, but he wasn’t leaving. He could easily push me out of the way. Was he actually listening to what I had to say? “He can’t walk for a few months, which is why I am doing this. He asked, practically begged me to do this for him. I couldn’t refuse. I’ve always supported him in his dream of being a professional drummer.” At this point, there were tears slowly pouring out of my eyes. This would ruin everything for Ander if it got out.

He looked at me, his eyes looking from one eye to the other. I could tell he was contemplating his earlier decision. He removed his hand from the doorknob, wiping a single tear from my cheek. I flinched, not expecting it. It definitely shocked me. My heart sped up.

“Fine. I won’t say anything, but if anyone asks about it, I won’t lie to them. I’ll confess.” he said, standing there for a few more minutes, before he turned to leave.

I grabbed his arm before he could leave. He turned slightly. “Thank you, Holden.” I said, smiling slightly.

“Don’t thank me.” he said, shrugging my hand off of his arm. I really appreciate it. I thought.

---

-Holden-

I opened the door of the dorm, walking through, noticing Alex sleeping on her bed in an awkward position. I shut the door, and she immediately woke up. She looked a little confused until she saw me. I stared at her, remembering the girl I had seen in the restaurant. They looked completely the same, besides the hair. The boy I saw in the restaurant was handicapped. He also had brown eyes. I stared in her eyes, remembering the girl’s eyes as I did. The same exact eye where staring into mine.

“I’m going to tell the Bacall about this.” I said, as I continued to stare at her.

“Please. Please do not say anything.” she said, staring into my eyes like I was to her.

“I have to.” I said, walking over to my desk. “You know women are not allowed in the academy, and you chose to disobey that.” I finished, picking up my dorm key from my desk.

“Please, I’m begging you.” she pleaded. This seemed familiar, like it had happened before. I walked to the door, ignoring her begging. She walked in between me and the door, blocking my way out.

I stared at her, “Move.” I said, using a harsh tone. She ignored my command.

“Holden, please. I’m doing this for Alexander. He was in an accident a while ago.” she paused. “He can’t walk for a few months, which is why I am doing this. He asked, practically begged me to do this for him. I couldn’t refuse. I’ve always supported him in his dream of being a professional drummer.” Tears came out of her eyes, slowly falling down her cheeks.

I looked at her, looking from one eye to the next. She truly meant what she had said. She felt so strongly about it, it was crazy. She was really doing this for her brother. I couldn’t say anything. It would wreck her completely. I wouldn’t say anything. I took my hand away from the doorknob, bringing it up to wipe a stray tear away from her cheek. It shocked not only her, but me too. She flinched backward a bit, and I removed my hand from her face.

“Fine. I won’t say anything, but if anyone asks about it, I won’t lie to them. I’ll confess.” I admitted, standing there for a few more minutes. I turned to leave the doorway, but she grabbed a hold of my arm before I could. I turned slightly to look at her.

“Thank you, Holden.” she said, giving me a soft smile.

“Don’t thank me.” I said, shrugging her small hand off of my arm.

---

-Alex-

“Lex! How’d it go?” Ander asked. We were talking on the phone. He was back in Oregon by nine, which he called me at ten. I was in my dorm this time, only because Holden had fallen asleep early.

“He said he wouldn’t say anything. No condition this time, like Oliver.” I said, putting my Advanced Trigonometry book aside. “Ander, I know nothing about Trigonometry, let alone the advanced kind. You’re totally going to fail this class.” I ran a hand through my hair, sighing.

“Don’t worry too much about it.” he said, chuckling a little, “It’s great that he’s not going to say anything.” he said. I nodded, but didn’t respond.

“You still can’t trust him though.” he said, and I knew it was true. I couldn’t trust him.

“I’m going to have to, And.” I said, sighing once again.

“You like him, don’t you?” Ander said, which I laughed at. There was no way I could. I thought back to when he wiped the tear away. My heart sped up at that moment. Was it true? Did I really like him?

“No, no…I don’t like him.” I said.

“You hesitated. You totally like him.” Ander said. “See, now I don’t like this.”

“I…don’t know if I do. Ander, you’re being way too protective.” I said, shaking my head.

“No, I’m not. You’re sharing a room with this guy that you like. Okay, maybe I am being a little protective, but I’m just looking out for my little sister.” he said.

“And, you’re only a few minutes older than me. That doesn’t really make you my older brother, since, you know, we are twins. We’re the same age, smart one.” I said, giving a little laugh.

“I’m still older. It will always be that way.” he said.

At that point, I got a text. It was from Oliver. He wanted me to grab coffee and meet him in the gym. Why in the gym? Why coffee at ten o’clock at night?

“Hey, Ander, I have to go. Oliver wants coffee in the gym for some reason.” I started, “I’ll call you tomorrow, okay? I promise!”

“Fine, and be careful! I don’t want anything happening to you. Love you.” he said.

“Love you, too.” I said, and he hung up.

---

-Holden-

I laid in bed, trying to fall asleep. It was nearly impossible. I had way too many things on my mind. The day had been incredibly hectic.

“He said he wouldn’t say anything. No condition this time, like Oliver.” Alex said. She was being louder than she should be. Oliver knew about her, too? Come to think of it, Lee Am had said something about Alex being a she when we were talking last week. He pulled it off as a mistake. Did he know, too? “Ander, I know nothing about Trigonometry, let alone the advanced kind. You’re totally going to fail this class.” she finished. She really didn’t know very much. She always got scolded for her poor math grades. Now I knew why.

Her brother said something, which I couldn’t hear.

“I’m going to have to, And.” she said, giving a sigh. She had to what? She laughed shortly after.

“No, no…I don’t like him.” I said. She hesitated. Did she like me?

“I…don’t know if I do. Ander, you’re being way too protective.” So, she isn’t for sure if she liked me. It wouldn’t be good if she did.

“And, you’re only a few minutes older than me. That doesn’t really make you my older brother, since, you know, we are twins. We’re the same age, smart one.” she said this, adding a laugh onto it. They changed the subject. He was still older, which she didn’t get. I gave a silent laugh.

I heard her phone beep, telling her that she had a text message. Who would text her at ten o’clock at night? And what for?

“Hey, Ander, I have to go. Oliver wants coffee in the gym for some reason.” she said, before pausing, “I’ll call you tomorrow, okay? I promise!” Oliver? It can’t ever be good when it comes to him.

“Love you, too.” she said. She left the room, closing the door quietly behind her. I sat up in bed. I had to go after her.

---

-Alex-

I shut the door quietly behind me, walking to the coffee machine that I had first gotten coffee at. I poured a cup, putting a lid on it.

I walked out of the dorm’s building. The warm August air blew, as it began to sprinkle. The sprinkle soon turned into a downpour. I was instantly soaked as I ran the rest of the way to the middle building.

I walked into the building, shuffling my feet across the rug that lay in front of the door. It was really no use considering I was dripping wet, but I thought that I’d be nice do it anyway. I lead myself to the gym, using my memory as help.

The gym was lit up when I entered through the side doors. I didn’t see anyone. ‘This is strange.’ I thought, squinting my eyes to view the other side of the gymnasium. No one was there. I walked further into the gym, and the lights automatically shut off. I yelped. The power must have gone out due to the rain.

I was in a pitch dark gymnasium and no one was there with me. I put my hands in front of me, trying to find my way through the darkness. I could hardly see in front of me. Suddenly, I ran into something. Not something, but somebody. I fell backwards, bumping my head on the ground as I fell. The coffee flew out of my hands landing somewhere to the left of me.