The Dude's a Girl

Chapter 2: Shirtless Guys, Shepherd's Pies and Shakespeare Plays

The video game shopping was fun. For Matt and Tom. For me, it was boring. All they did was jump around about how awesome a game was. Then, they saw another game and did the same. To six more. And I was so annoyed that I agreed to pay for all the seven games, just so I could go back to the boarding school. But now I regretted it, since they were playing games 24/7 and it wasted a lot of money. Ugh!

We all ran downstairs for lunch, which was shepherd's pie and wedges. I ate it in minutes, then just chilled at the table for a while. Selena, the girl I had met when I first arrived at Drenterson Boarding School, came and sat next to me. For a while, I had forgotten that I was supposed to be a guy and acted sort of girly with her, and I guess it came across a bit flirtatious. Oh no.

For a couple of days, she kept smiling at me and all, but I had to ignore her. I mean, yeah, she seems nice and I felt bad, but I had to. Wait, what if she asks me to the dance? Girls do that nowadays. If only she would find someone way better for her. Oh, well. I spent most of the day fake-breaking her heart by not paying enough attention to her, repeating the word "whatever" way too many times to be legal in this country and not making eye contact. Luckily, she got angry with me, so stopped hanging out with me and even talking to me. This was the first time I was actually happy about being ignored.

It was almost seven in the afternoon and only Matt and I were in the room, since Tom was busy working out. I was still in my clothes, so I scurried to the bathroom to get changed into my pyjamas. I was finished and just about to open the bathroom door when I heard knocking. Not on the bathroom door, but the room one. Matt went to open it, and I heard Selena's voice mumbling a word or two.

"Oh, um, hey, Selena. Sam was here a couple of minutes ago, but he just went into the bathroom." Matt chuckled. He seemed awkward and nervous.

"Oh, okay..." Selena replied. After a sort-of long silence, she added, "So, Matt?"

"Er, yeah?"

"What they said at the end of last year...was it true?"

"Erm...yeah, sorta." He replied awkwardly.

"Oh." There was an even longer silence before Matt spoke again.

"You look really pretty today." Matt complimented.

"Thanks, you too. No, I mean, you look handsome." She giggled. And there was yet another silence. A little less awkward this time.

"I was wondering if you'd like to go to The Grand Theatre with me? Some of the older students are performing Romeo and Juliet. It's at seven in the afternoon tomorrow."

"Oh my gosh! I'd love to! Romeo and Juliet is, like, my favourite play of all time! Thanks so much!" She must've hugged him, because he made some pretty strange noises.

"I'll meet you outside your dorm at seven thirty, Selena." He smiled.

Yay! My plan was working! Even though I didn't actually do anything. Selena and Matt were going to the theatre together. Ugh, I want to go to the theatre. Anyway, I unlocked the door when I heard Selena leave. I smiled and leaped onto my bed.

"Oh, Sam, Selena was looking for you." Matt said, looking guilty and avoiding eye contact.

"I know," I smirked. "So, Romeo and Juliet, dude?"

He chuckled, "You heard?"

"Yeah."

"And you're not mad- I mean- you're not going out with Selena, are you?" He asked.

"No, I am not." I smiled and started to read my book. Matt began listening to music on his headphones.

***

I was about 166 pages in, when Tom came in, all sweaty.

"Ew, you need a shower. You stink." I groaned.

"Shut up, Sam." Tom murmured as he pulled out a towel from his wardrobe. He left the room, presumably to have a shower, and I continued reading my book.

Half an hour later, Tom came back, wearing nothing but a towel wrapped around his hips. My lips parted and I swear, I think I might've drooled a little. I mean, he was ripped. As soon as he looked at me, I pulled myself together and began reading my book again.

"God, you actually read that-" And he said a word that I am not allowed to write. I looked down at my The Hunger Games book.

"It's actually awesome. It has like, death and violence in it." I replied. "I'm pretty sure you'd like it."

He scoffed and went into the bathroom to change. I put down my book and shut my eyes and sighed as I dozed off.

***

Birds chirping, people laughing and indie music playing were the first few noises I heard in the morning. I pushed the covers off my face as I slowly picked up my body from the soft bed and rubbed my brown eyes. I looked around the room to see Tom chilling on his bed, listening to indie music. I barely listened to music nowadays, but when I did, I listened to pop. Or whatever type of music Lana Del Rey sang. To my right, was Matt laughing on the phone.

He was probably talking to Selena. I rubbed my eyes as I rolled out of bed and onto the hard floor. Ouch.

Still aching, I got dressed in the bathroom and shuffled downstairs for breakfast. Today, I had cereal and tuna with toast before Ms Trall gathered everyone around.

"Students! Students! I have three announcements. The first, is that tickets for the Drenterson Boarding School's version of Romeo and Juliet have sold out! That's good news, I guess. Anyways, the second announcement is that the brand new art room has been opened and anybody and everybody is allowed to enter and paint under strict rules, that they behave and cause no ruckus. Lastly, the third, is that we will be going on a school trip to London! It will take place a week before the term starts and will last for only five days. During that time, we will visit museums, shops and go pool swimming. Boys with trunks above the knee and girls with swimsuits, one-piece or two-piece, that isn't that revealing. Okay, you may return to your rooms now. Have a nice morning!" Ms. Trall squealed and waved.

Oh no. Oh no, no, no, no! I can't go swimming. Trunks? How was I supposed to be topless in front of the whole school?! I rushed to my room and wrote it all in my diary. About the gender change, everything. Tom was lifting weights and Matt was texting Selena when I came out.

I sat on my bed and tried to solve my dilemma. For a good ten minutes, we all were doing our own things in silence, and I was thinking deeply. Every now and then, someone would sigh, chuckle or groan.

That's when I got an idea. What if I lie that I'm allergic to chlorine? I went downstairs and to the reception where I found Ms Trall. I walked up to her and explained my chlorine allergy and how I swell up whenever I go in it.

"Oh, that's terrible, so since we're split into two groups, you could go with the other one for a matter of time. Okay?"

I smiled and nodded. Phew! I took a deep breath as I reached the top of the stairs. Accidentally, I bumped into this guy that was, like eight inches taller than me and was muscular, huge and furious.

"H-hey. Sorry about that." I was about to carry on walking, when he opened his mouth.

"Wait! That sure-as-hell was no accident. Who do you think you are, crashing into me, huh? Huh?" He growled. I furrowed my eyebrows. What was he talking about? It was an accident. I opened my mouth but I knew that if I spoke, it would just come out like a frightened, girly chihuahua.

Sweat trickled down my forehead (not really, that's disgusting) as he raised his huge, clenched fist towards me. Every millisecond, it got closer and closer. Oh god, this was gonna hurt. Bad. I pressed my eyes tight shut and waited for his strong fist to meet my fragile, breakable face.