Hollingwood University

Chapter 22

Aside from the fact that I now had a hot, British boyfriend, nothing in my life was distinctly different. I still had the major pleasure of having Porter as a boss, Sami as a co-worker, and my big bro getting a miniscule job at McDonald's and paying back the money he owed me.

All I could say, was that everything seemed to fall into perfect place.

You know what I couldn't get used to? The looks. You know, the kind of look the bitch head cheerleader gives you when she sees your arm linked around the the star quarterback; or the other sorrowful look of desperate and desiring nerds who had you kept in their hearts at secret but never actually had the balls to come up and talk to you. There were definitely things I could get used to, and things that I wouldn't be so comfortable with that make me have to scratch my chin and wonder .

For example, the fact that ever since Sami came into work this morning, she had a big fate, dreamy girl smile on her face that just wouldn't go away. Even when a dumb varsity freshman decided to knock his glass off the table on purpose so he could watch Sami's ass while she cleaned it up. Pervs.

"Okay, spit it out," I said after the lunch rush.

"What?" she asked, looking at clueless as a duck.

"You have been smiling and haven't stopped smiling since you walked in this morning; not even when Porter decided to call us greedy bimbos because we didn't log in our tips from last night's shift," I told her. Sami sighed and leaned across the counter in thought.

"I had one of the most fantastic nights of my life after work," she said. It took a couple seconds before I could put two-and-two together.

"Oh my God, Vincent Dormer?" I asked, not sure whether I should believe it or pinch myself.

"Yup,"

"You guys went on a date?"

"Yup,"

"And then you hooked up?" I asked.

"I hadn't slept so well in five years," case closed.

"Holy shit, did he behave?" I asked her.

"Complete gentleman," she replied.

"Was he good under?" if you don't know what I'm talking about, than you're a dolt.

"Very, it's been quite a while since I've met somebody like him," she said. This was incredible, it was probably the first time I had ever seen Sami so sombered and...dazing! If I didn't know better, I'd say she was on an overdose of ativan.

"Wow, looks like we both got hooked then," I replied.

"Have you and Ethan done it yet?" she asked.

"Not yet," I replied, feeling my own smirk starting to appear.

"Why?" she looked around before coming in closer, "do you have an STD?" she asked. I would've bitch slapped her if she wasn't my friend.

"No! I am clean for your information! Why would you think that?" I asked her.

"...It seemed like the only possible reason why you haven't hooked up yet," wow, just-wow.

"Jesus Christ Sami, it's no big deal, we're just not sleeping together," I said.

"Yet," she muttered. I rolled my eyes and shot her a look.

"Don't we have tables to clean?" I asked.

"Uh huh, sure, avoid the obvious, but Ethan Patterson has been out to pound you one since the day you bloody met," she replied.

"I have tables to clear up," I told her as I walked away.

"Tsk, tsk, tsk, poor Lucy, just can't deny the truth," she said.

"What truth?" I asked.

"You're whipped out of your mind, love," she replied.

"Uh no, I am not whipped. If anything, I got Ethan whipped out his mind, so thank you, this conversation is now over," I said.

"Whatever you say, Honeybunch," she replied. I stopped and gave her an uncomfortable look.

"...Don't call me that," I said.

"I knew I shouldn't have the moment I did," wow.

-

The late afternoon sun was block by a blanket of bulbous charcoal colored clouds; a storm was on it's way and threatening to pour down at any given moment. I jog up the walk way and to the door of the large country house and knock three times. I was on edge, mostly because I became the idiot who thought it was a good idea to walk to the RC house. When the door opened, out came Vincent Dormer, with his own 'I'm too hungover to care about life' look. I never asked Sami how much this guy had drank the other night, but given the fact that didn't seem annoyed to see me, I took that as a sign that he wasn't completely wasted the other night.

"Morning Glory. Is Ethan around?" I asked him.

"Uh yeah, he's upstairs somewhere. Come on in Luce," he replied. I stepped through the door and headed up the stairs, but finding no Ethan. I did however, get to come face-to-face with Harry Burton. He was about to enter his own room I presumed, and he just continued to stare at me.

"Hello," I greeted him. He didn't say a word, he just opened the door and disappeared into the room. I should've felt very insulted at that, but I actually felt quite happy; given that I was trying to be polite, and he was being a little bitch about it.

I couldn't quite remember which room was Ethan's, all of these doors looked the same, and I've only been up here once. So, I decided to play a game of "What's Behind the Door Number...", and I opened the second door on the right. Instead of finding Ethan, I came across something that nearly made my heart stop.

Lawrence and Franklin were kissing.

They stopped as soon as I opened the door, it was obvious that they weren't expecting company.

"Oh my God! I am so, so sorry...I uh," I wasn't quite sure what to say as they stared at me, feeling just as awkward as I was. "I'm just gonna...gonna go...okay yeah," I shut the door behind me as fast as I could and ran back into the hallway; then I went over to the wall and banged my head against it several times.

"Lucy!" Franklin came out of the room seconds later, fixing his shirt on his way.

"Franklin, I am so, so sorry about that. I had no idea-"

"No, I'm sorry. We should've locked the door," he said.

"It's alright, and I totally support homosexuals by the way," I told him.

"Right...that's good. Um, you don't suppose that we can keep this little secret between us, right?" he asked.

"Sure. I mean, there's nothing wrong with it; gay marriage was legalized in over 30 states in America," I replied.

"That's not what I'm referring to," he said, clenching and un-clenching his fists, "America is ready for black presidents and lesbian politicians, I'm not sure how England will take it though,"

"There are lots of openly gay people in the UK," I said.

"I know, they easy part is being accepted...the hard part is coming out," he replied.

"Alright, if it means that much to you, than I won't say anything. This will be our little secret," I said.

"Thank you, I owe you a lot," he replied.

"Don't worry about it, now go and tell your lover the good news," I told him. Franklin gave me a hug and jogged back into the room; this time, locking the door behind him.

In this day and age, I had to wonder why Franklin and Lawrence had to keep something like this a secret. I mean, they have three friends (well, maybe two excluding Harry) who would support them. But coming to think of it, maybe Harry was the problem between them? He was already a massive sexist, it was possible that he could even be a homophobic as well.