Gender Bender

Episode 2

Olive stares at the blond boy for too long – so long in fact, that the Asian boy leans into her face, so close that she can see the tiny blackish flecks in his brown eyes.

She squeals.

“Quit it, man,” Blond Boy says. He sounds apologetic. “Ignore him. He always sizes our roommates up.”

“He’s a weird one,” JC responds, looking as taken aback from Olive’s screech as she’d been from his proximity. He’d flinched back at her outburst, but now he’s back in her face again, just a couple millimeters farther away than before. “Did you know you scream like a girl?”

“S-Sorry.” Olive can’t think of what else to say.

JC leaps up. “Hear that? That’s the highest-pitched voice I’ve ever heard.” He has a huge smile plastered across his face. “Well? You out of the closet yet or still clinging onto your delusions of heteronormativity?”

“JC!” Blond Boy snaps.

The raven-haired boy, who had been silently scrolling through his phone up until this point, stretches his arms into the air, touching the ceilings, before heading for the leftmost door in the suite. “I’m taking a nap,” he announces. Surprisingly, his voice is not as intimidating as he looks. It’s husky and deep but smooth and unbothered at the same time, gliding like clear water from his throat. He glances over his shoulder at Olive before he enters his room, and a tingle runs down her spine. “Don’t get too comfortable.”

“Hey!” JC calls after him as his room door slams shut. “That’s my line!”  

Blond Boy clears his throat. “Forgive those two,” he says. “It just so happens some of us don’t do well with strangers.”

JC narrows his eyes menacingly, though he can’t control his smile. “And don’t think you’re special, squirt. You’re our sixth suitemate this year. Four of them requested to be moved out within a week and the last one transferred out of the school altogether.”

Olive stares.

“But,” Blond Boy quickly adds, “we’re really not that bad. JC likes to pull pranks and Lock is scary-looking, but other than that, we’re cool guys. Promise.” He leans over and pats the arm of one of the sofa chairs. “But, hey. Seriously, sit down for a bit. We want to know more about you.”  

Olive obediently walks over to the chair and sits with her hands balled up on her lap, only to realize she should probably at least pretend to be a bit manlier. She lifts one of her feet onto the sofa and then places her chin on the back of her hand.

JC takes the opposite sofa and frowns at her. “Uh, are you okay?”

She clears her throat. “Yeah, dude. Why wouldn’t I be?”

It sounded better in her head.

JC and Blond Boy exchange glances before Blond Boy graciously breaks the silence. “What’s your name?”

“Olive … I mean, er! Oliv-er.” She grins stiffly. “Oliver … Parker.”

“Oh-kay, Oliv-er Parker,” JC looks like he’s trying very hard not to laugh.  

“Um … I go by Olly – that’s why I’m just not used to saying my, uh, full name,” she babbles. Stupid, stupid, stupid.

Blond Boy offers a smile of what could only be sympathy or pity. “I’m Wes, the most normal of the group – and looks like that might include you, too, Olly.” He chuckles. “Come to me before you decide to transfer out of the suite, would you? You seem like a nice guy, and it’s really getting tiring rotating out suitemates every couple weeks.”

“Yeah, we had a talk with Director Lee a few weeks ago,” JC groans.

“And whose fault was that?” Wes retorts.

“How was I supposed to know Stevie was allergic to milk!”  

They continue to banter for a bit, and Olive finds her eyes moving towards the black-haired boy’s door. JC and Wes must have eventually followed her gaze, because Wes suddenly says, “Oh, right. That’s Lock. Lachlan, I mean.”

JC giggles. “Looks like Olly might have a little crush.” He sings the last word. “Get in line, squirt. Lock is basically our school’s mascot. Rich, troublesome, doesn’t give a s**t about s**t. Oh, maybe besides soccer. He loves soccer.”

“He’s just shy,” Wes offers.

“He is not shy. Trust me.” JC snorts. He lowers his voice into a hissy whisper. “His mom’s Korean, and his dad is Swedish. Crazy rich and crazy crazy. Bet you didn’t know Director Lee is his freaking uncle.”

Olive’s eyes are wide.

“Director Lee practically raised Lock because his parents were too busy with their business.” JC grits his teeth and throws a sidelong glance at Lachlan’s room. “No one knows what that business is.”

Wes rolls his eyes. “Rumors. Don’t believe everything you hear. Lock doesn’t like talking about his family.”

JC looks offended. “I’m the most reputable source on any member of this school. Don’t at me, Westley.”

Olive sinks into her chair. She’s intrigued, but she feels kind of bad for Lock and doesn’t want to ask any more questions. He seems like the type who has a lot of secrets of his own. She can relate to that. She wouldn’t want anyone prodding into her life, anyway.

“Weird.” JC tips his head at her, his eyes unblinking and fascinated. “Way too small, way too scrawny, and way too calm.” He clicks his tongue to himself. “We’ll break you down eventually.”

“Olly’s our suitemate, not a game,” Wes warns.

“Anything can be a game when you make it one.”

Olive hastily points at the remaining doors lying within the walls, eager to change the topic. “Which one is mine?”

Wes nods to the door next to Lachlan’s. Indeed, it’s the only one leftover that’s not ajar. “Unfortunately for you, you’re right in between Lock and JC.”

“Careful what you do in there, roomie,” JC snickers. “You never know where I could’ve drilled holes.”

Olive doesn’t really believe him, but she also doesn’t not believe him.

“Can I ask you something?” Wes says suddenly. “Why did you transfer here during the middle of senior fall? I mean, no offense, but it’s just kind of an odd time.”

She presses her lips together, unable to meet Wes’ gaze. “There was … an accident,” she says. It’s not entirely a lie. “I just felt like I had to start over.”

“Ooh,” JC drawls, looking genuinely impressed. “So, you’re a troublemaker, too.”

Olive glances over at him and is finally able to offer a smile of her own. She shrugs. “I guess you could say that.”