The Prince and His Pauper

Chapter 40: The Pauper in Bliss

Being Antonio's boyfriend is by far the best thing that has ever happened to me these past few months since I woke up from the hospital the first time. Our first date was amazing and so were the dates after that. Antonio kept his promise and took me out on a picnic for our second date the week after we went to the San Diego Zoo. It was a nice lunch date that had us talking about ourselves and learning more about each other.

From that picnic, I learned just how limited Antonio's knowledge of any famous movie franchises out there. So, I took it to myself to spend the next day and two days after that to have a Harry Potter movie marathon. I'm surprised that we were able to pull that off while answering any questions that didn't have spoilers to the sequels to Antonio during the first few days of Thanksgiving break. Especially, since Antonio and his family had to leave the day before Thanksgiving to visit his family members.

When he got back from his trip, he took me out to the park for a walk since I was burying myself in studying for the last SAT test I could take for Friday of that week. Though, only Hunter and I went to take that test and Antonio didn't even made an appointment to take a single one of them. He didn't even applied to any colleges when we were taking a short break of watching Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire and Antonio asked me what I was going to do the rest of Thanksgiving break.

"So, Cas, what are you doing for your birthday? Is the dreamboat of your boyfriend going to get you in your birthday suit in a hotel?" Hunter asks, drawing me out of my thoughts.

"N-no! He's going to take me out for dinner! St-stop thinking dirty thoughts! Wait, how did you know when my birthday is?" I ask with a tilt of my head.

Right now, Hunter and I are in my room trying to work on our study guides for AP Government final coming in a week. Then, after that, we'll have our three week long winter break. Man, I can't wait for that vacation. So much has happened that I need a mini vacation to get a hold of everything: I have a handsome boyfriend who is in love with me, real friends who haven't ditched me after I told them my sexuality, the football team has stopped harassing me thanks to Antonio who is my boyfriend!

All I'm missing is something bad to happen and it'll be exactly like last year. . . A thought whispers in my head. No, that's not going to happen. Everything is going to be okay, there's no way I'm going to have the past repeat itself. That doesn't happen. Only in movies and books.

"Oh, it can happen alright. Haven't you been paying attention to what's been going on?" A voice remarks, one that didn't belong to Hunter.

"N-no way. . ." I whisper which Hunter heard because he looks at me with a confused expression.

"Uh, yeah? I know we weren't friends up till now, but Austin did asked me and a few others from the team to throw that party for you last year. He didn't tell you that?" Hunter asks. Crap! He was talking to me and I ignored him!

"Oh! I- I. . . Y-yeah, sorry. . . Um, I'm going to g-get us some water, okay?" I announce before getting up from my spinning chair and heading downstairs to the kitchen.

My parents are out buying some groceries, but they were fine with me and Hunter staying at my house while they were out. Since the two of us are practically adults by now, they trusted us- mostly me- to not burn the house down. But, I didn't expect to see my other self sitting on the island countertop with a smirk on his face.

"Thought you got rid of me, didn't you? Ha ha! Nope! I'm still here!" Dark Me laughs while I open the fridge door, hoping that he'll disappear if I don't pay him any attention.

But, like always, he doesn't take the hint and slams the door shut before grabbing a handful of my hair in his fist. My darker self pulls my hair up so that I'm forced to see him flaring down at me and growls, "How many fucking times do I have to tell you?! We are the same! I'm you and you're me! Get that memorized in that fucking head of yours already!"