The Art of Boy

--One--

[dedicated to]: Fallzswimmer because she is seriously one of the best writers on Wattpad, and her stories are perfection.  :)

Chapter One

“There seems to be a mix-up.”  

Mr. Linden’s words made me shrink in my seat.  He gave me an inspecting stare over his headmaster’s desk, cocking his bald head off to one side.  

“A-a mistake?”  I widened my eyes innocently, although I knew exactly what was wrong.  My heartbeat quickened nervously.

“Precisely, Mr. Hawthorne.”  The headmaster looked down at the papers before him.  “It says here that you are registered at Arborhale Academy for Girls as Ms. Avery Hawthorne.  And you are not a girl, are you now?”

Now, it wouldn’t be a far-off assumption.  My height of 5’4” was unconvincing, my face was round and soft, with no indication of being shaven, and my hands were small and decisively unmanly.  Not to mention that the suitcase I had brought was covered in a bright floral print.

Of course floral simply oozes testosterone.

I gulped and quickly sat on my hands.  “No, sir.”

“And you are sitting here in the main office of Arborhale Academy for Boys, correct?”

I swallowed again.  “Yes sir.  A-a mix-up, I think.”

“You think?”  Mr.Linden propped his spectacles higher on his nose and squinted at me, before frowning.  

“I mean, I-I know.”  I sunk lower into my seat.

“Now, I called you in here because there was a problem with your documents.  I am well aware that you got in on full-scholarship, an amazing feat, I must say, but as this is all last minute, you were required to bring your old school records with you.  You don’t have them, do you?”

My voice came out in a whisper, which further added to my questionable appearance.  Even with hastily cropped hair and loose clothes, I still had that feminine quality that inevitably came with being a girl.  “No.”

“How about on file?”

I shook my head.  “Does this mean I can’t attend?”  I desperately croaked, gripping the table to stabilize my shaking hands.  

Please.  Just tell me I can stay.

The headmaster sighed, studying me again, and I saw a sudden wash of pity in his eyes.  I must’ve looked pathetic to him--like a weeping mess who didn’t belong at the prestigious Arborhale Academy, school for the rich and elite. There was no doubt I was different from the usual student that attended.  Rich, beautiful, and spoiled, they all came in the same package and Mr. Linden probably knew that better than anybody.  “Well, your files are astounding.  Truly top-notch, and we do need a student here at Arborhale who can keep up academically…”  He hesitated.

Please.  Let me stay.

“I’m sure we can fit you in somewhere, Mr. Hawthorne.” Mr. Linden looked at me, skepticism again etched in his face.  “I’ll try to get in contact with your school, but for now, here are your keys and uniform.  I have full confidence that you’ll exceed the school’s expectations.  Congratulations, again, on your scholarship.”

Standing up to shake his outstretched hand, sighing in disbelief that he had let my story slide.  I was officially a new student at Arborhale Academy for Boys.

He didn’t need to know anymore than that.

He didn’t need to know that just a couple of hours ago, I was standing over the bathroom sink, hacking my hair off.