One of the Boys ✔️

VIII

"I got a credit. On a mind map."

It was Friday afternoon, and we had just wrapped up our first week of classes at Everstone. Kaidan was pissing himself laughing beside me as we began our usual trek back towards the apartment complex.

"Stop laughing," I said sternly, but I knew that my body was about to betray me and join in with Kaidan's laughter. "This is so bad! How the hell did I get a credit on a fucking mind map?"

We had completed our first assignment on Tuesday in our second class. All we had to do was get into groups and create a mind map explaining the positives and negatives of participating in a sport of our choice. And I got a credit.

"What is that, even? Like 60-70%?" Kaidan managed to ask through his laughter.

"Oh God, don't tell me that. That makes it even worse."

Honestly, how could I get such a poor result on such an easy assignment? It was made worse by the fact that Kaidan got a HD (the highest mark you can get) and kept flaunting it every chance he got.

"It's only a mind map, Blake. Don't get too stressed over it."

"If you can say that to me, then I can tell you to shove your HD up your ass."

Kaidan merely looked at me.

"It's only a mind map, Kaidan," I mimicked, dropping my voice lower to try and copy him.

"Oh, shut up," he said, shoving my shoulder slightly.

Kaidan and I had fallen into a bit of a rhythm these past few days. We had classes on Monday, Tuesday and Thursday, but had to come in today to pick up our results. Each morning we met at the coffee place outside of Building M, got our drinks and headed over to class. The talk about our teacher's boomerang business had yet to cease, and I was proud to say that I was currently on Level 31 of Bubble Witch.

After class, we walked back to the apartment together where Cameron would generally be watching something on the TV, or doing his homework at the kitchen counter.

"Cameron, we're back," I called as we entered the apartment.

I slipped my backpack off of my shoulder and placed it on the kitchen counter, alongside my 'masterpiece' of a mind map. Kaidan snickered at the sight of the circled 'C' on my paper.

"Kaidan," I whined, pouting.

Cameron walked out of his bedroom to find me poking out my bottom lip sulkily. My eyes flicked over to him as I noticed his presence, only to find that his own were already on me. Or more specifically, on my mouth. Instinctively, I drew my lip back into my mouth and held it between my teeth to divert his attention elsewhere. Instead, his deep brown eyes flicked up to my own, and I saw the amusement dancing in his gaze.

"What are we pouting about?" He asked playfully, keeping his attention on me.

Cameron's flirty looks and teasing comments had been a constant over the past two weeks that we had been living together, but I had yet to develop an immunity to the feelings they ignited in my stomach.

I'd had the attention of boys before, but none of their looks made my insides flutter in response. But at the same time that I liked the feeling I got from Cameron's glances and words, I simultaneously wanted it to go away because I knew that he meant nothing by it. Flirtiness seemed to be in Cameron's nature, so while I was calming a racing heart over here, he was remaining unaffected.

"Nothing," I said, at the same time that Kaidan replied, "Just raving over Blake's brilliant results."

Cameron cocked an eyebrow at Kaidan, but the latter only grinned devilishly at me as he asked my roommate if we had any magnets. Within seconds, my embarrassment of a mind map was now stuck to my fridge for us all to admire.