SING ME TO SLEEP -- neil perry

chapter two: do as i say

Neil wound his way up the stairs, past the hordes of young boys only in their first year, crying still because they had to leave their parents. They would get over it soon, Neil knew, but at the moment, they were just clogging the hallway. Finally he made it to the seventh floor and found his way down the hallway filled with bedrooms. He was in room 32. Hopefully he would be roommates with Charlie, he had been every year since they were eleven, that's where they had met and it had been almost unavoidable that they become best friends.

Neil opened the door to see a face he had never seen before. That was odd, new students were rarely accepted into the school so late, and Neil didn't know for his life why anyone would want to. This boy looked about 5'8, he had floppy golden hair and a round face that looked like a golden retriever. He looked like the kind of person who you would want to trust without hesitation and Neil immediately felt drawn to him.

"Hey," Neil said, putting on a smile. "I guess we're roommates this year. I'm Neil Perry, what's your name."

The boy looked up slowly, his eyes refusing to meet Neil's. "I'm Todd Anderson," he said quietly.

"So what made you end up at this god awful school when you've stayed away for so long," Neil joked.

"I transferred from Balincrest. My brother went here. He was one of the best students, my parents want me to live up to him."

"Oh, so you're that Anderson."

"Yeah," Todd said, looking away again and suddenly becoming quiet.

"Hey, hey. That doesn't mean you're gonna be as much of a stuck up prick as your brother. I don't mind you at all so far."

"Oh, good." Todd said, sounding excited again. "Most people hear who I'm related to and immediately assume I'm exactly like him."

"I'm not the type to judge people based on their family, seeing as I certainly wouldn't want anyone judging me based on mine."

"So are your parents assholes too?"

Before Neil could answer the question, there was a loud banging on the door. It swung open suddenly without any invitation and Knox, Charlie, and Meeks shoved themselves into the small room.

"Hey Neil, how's it going?" Knox asked.

""Hey, Knox. I'm doing well. Meeks, I haven't seen you all summer."

"Yeah, my parents made me stay home and study the entirety of summer! Can you believe the nerve of them?" Meeks exclaimed loudly.

"Ooh, sounds awful." Charlie said, not sounding particularly sympathetic. "My summer was great. Lots of yachts, lots of tequila, lots of hot girls." Charlie thrust his hips forward into his hands.

"Charlie, stop." Meeks groaned.

"Oh shut up, stop being such a prude." Charlie laughed. He then turned and looked past Neil's shoulder, suddenly spotting Todd. "Hey, Neil, who's the new guy who took my spot as your roommate?"

"This is Todd Anderson." Neil introduced him. Todd looked up and waved.

"Who is he? He looks like a stiff to me," Charlie announced loudly. Todd's face turned red and he went back to slowly unpacking his bags. Neil grabbed his shoulder and offered him a smile.

"Aw shut up Charlie." He said. "Todd, ignore him. He has no filter and he's an asshole. The two don't mix." Todd smiled at him gratefully.

"Here, let me introduce you to the guys," Neil said. Todd turned around and looked at the boys assembled in the crowded room. Neil pointed to the boy with the curly hair and glasses. "That right there is Steven Meeks, but we call him Meeks. Don't ask why, I wouldn't know." Neil pointed at the tall boy with dark skin. "That's Knox Overstreet. We call him by his first name."