How To Get a Boyfriend 101

8 : Sunday

Step Eight: Leave all your bad qualities at home, and don't let them peek out! Now, we said "be yourself," but show more good than bad! Everyone is better than they are bad, but in some people, it takes more to bring it out! Show him your best version of yourself!

"This step is so contradicting the other ones. Also, they're basically saying that you're a terrible person, but you should shove that part of yourself in a box and hide it," Blake comments the next morning. "Anyway, we're late. Put on your pink turtleneck. Let's hit the road, Mister Toad."

I gape up at him from my warm cocoon on the bed. "Why the pink one?"

"Russell told me that Jason says you look amazing and cuddle-able in it," he smirks at me. Instead of sighing, like one would expect me to, I groan.

"You and Russell have grown pretty close," I point out.

Blake's eyes flash with some indecipherable emotion. I know he has a thing for Russell... but that look is different. Somehow sad, as if there's something he wants to tell me but can't. I want to reach out and hug him, but the look fades away quickly. Blake pastes on a smile.

"Yeah, I know. He just can't resist my delectable booty; what can I say?"

"Blake—" he stares at me blankly, and I resist the urge to sigh once more. Oh, well. "Let's just go. Give me a minute alone to get ready, will you?"

Blake obliges and leaves, standing right outside my bedroom door. "One, two, three, four, five..."

I find my pink turtleneck and slip it on, then put ripped jeans on, even though it's January, and my legs will freeze. I shove on my white sneakers and get out of my room just as Blake reaches "... fifty six." He's surprised by me slamming the door open, mostly because it hits his nose. He touches the area gently and whines, "Lix, I think my nose is broken."

I have no sympathy for him, so I pinch it and move it side to side. "Nah, it's still intact. You should feel lucky; it's even connected." He scowls at me and picks up the box of cookies I bought yesterday, but not before I notice something funny.

Not funny.

Not funny at all, actually.

Quite scandalous.

"Blake, there's a cookie missing."

He grins at me sheepishly. "I, uh, um, I just... yeah."

I shake my head disapprovingly at him, not saying a word.

"Sorry," he says after a while, "but we really should get going. We can put the cookies in a box and say you made them yourself if you want." I look at my little dorm kitchenette and wonder if it is any good for baking. It is, but Blake's suggestion is actually a good idea, which is weird, because Blake never has good ideas. I grab a plastic box and dump the cookies in it, then we're off for real.

~~~~~~~~

"Welcome," Russell greets us. "Come inside; it's fun inside." I almost snort at the Mickey Mouse theme song, but I catch myself. Can't be snorting around Jason, who has the cutest snort ever. I'd immediately be out-snorted.

"Jason, they're here!" Russell calls out. He smiles at me, then eyes my turtleneck. His grin changes into a smirk. Jason comes out of the kitchenette and does a double take when he sees me. He quickly looks at Russell and blushes. Russell takes Blake by the shoulder and leads him in the direction of the entrance.

There we are.

Four boys, standing in a dorm room.

I hold the box of cookies out to Jason.