The Hawthorne Effect (BoyXBoy)

Chapter 27: The One Where Everyone's Suspicious.

LOOK, DIDNT I PROMISE I WASNT GOING TO GO ON ANOTHER HIATUS?

Y'all, for real though - I had so much fun writing this chapter. Like, the most fun I've had writing in a while. I can't wait to continue with others.

Thank you for reading my lovelies, please correct me on any gross grammar or spelling.

♡

//

"Good morning, bitches." I sing as I skip through the Uni Room door.

It's Monday, and usually my Monday mornings consist of groaning and eye rolling. But, on this Monday morning, I'm nearly dancing around the place.

Why, you ask? Well, bitch, you do the maths.

What have I got to bring me down right now? That's right, nothing. I've had Charlie texting me nonstop over the weekend, reminding me every hour that he misses me even more than the last, and I have the prospect of seeing him for the first time in two days today; we have double sociology First Period, so.

I'm so happy, in fact, that I don't even notice that it's not just Sian and Jess in the Uni Room this morning.

"Well someone woke up on the right side of the bed this morning." Austin laughs with Sian cuddled up to his side. I'm actually sort of used to their boyfriends hanging around with us now. We'll probably go in the Common Room for Break to return the favour of him being in here this morning.

Jess raises an eyebrow. "Either that or he got dicked down real good."

"Yeah, your Dad really didn't hold back last night."

I waltz over to my usual seat at the table and plonk myself down, immediately getting my phone out to check that Charlie hasn't messaged me.  He hasn't, but it's fine. I'll just check again in two minutes like I usually do.

"Okay, but no, seriously," Sian speaks up. "why are you so peppy this morning?"

"No reason, just feeling good."

"I call bullshit." Austin argues. "I've known you for, like, a week and even I know you're never this happy so early in the morning."

"Maybe I just had a good nights sleep."

"Or maybe you got engaged." Jess gasps, pointing to the hand that I'm holding my phone in.

The ring.

I slouch down in my chair slightly and quickly rerun the fake story I have already prepared in my head. When my parents asked, I told them that the ring was a friendship ring between myself, Jess and Sian. But obviously I can't tell Jess and Sian that story. So I've had to come up with a different one.

"My Mum got it for Christmas from one of the kids she teaches. She gave it to me yesterday because she's apparently never gonna wear it."

"Why didn't she give it to one of your sisters?"

"They're at uni, Jess."

"Take it off," Sian extends a curious hand. "lemme see."

I pass it around the table to Austin who, in turn, passes it to Sian.

"It's pretty," She admires. "how come she didn't like it?"

"She said it's too much like her engagement ring." I lie as I watch Sian pass it over the table to Jess.

"It's cute as fuck." She smiles. "I like the birds engraved into the inside."

I actually didn't notice it had that until I put it on my finger this morning. The birds are all engraved into the surface that touches the skin. They're only small, but they're now my favourite thing about the ring.