The Dorm Guard

*

I stepped out of the bathroom, attempting to dry my hair with my towel. I had brought my pants and belt to get changed in after my shower, yet somehow forgot my shirt and jacket.

I knew bathroom time was a rare commodity in the house. The moment the bathroom door closed behind me, the sound alerted the other waiting girls.

Estelle emerged from her room first, freezing when she saw me shirtless in the hallway.

I"m not shameful of my body, to be frank I"m proud of it, but Estelle was always inconsistent with her comments whenever she saw me, ranging from flirting to teasing to bashful.

"I wanna touch it!" she exclaimed. Teasing it is.

"Dial back the hormones, Star." Ava emerged from her room, mid-earring arrangement

"Looking good, Ava!" I called as I continued down the hall to my room. The dance was in two hours, and the girls had just gotten back from the salon or the store or wherever girls went to get dressed up for stuff.

Ava was dressed in her scarlet party dress, her hair tied back in an extravagant bun and her face beautifully done up to show off the blue shine in her eyes. The image of beauty, however, was intensified by the inclusion of grey loose sweatpants she was wearing underneath.

Ava twirled, "I know, absolutely fabulous."

Estelle scoffed. "What? Am I just a potato?"

"A couch potato," Ava remarked.

I smirked, standing at my doorway as I glanced back at Estelle. "Princess, you are flawless without my compliments. You need no conviction from a man," I informed. Estelle seemed inspired heavily by Frozen"s Elsa, with her cold blue dress layered with silver and white sparkles. Unlike Ava, she was dressed like she was ready to leave, from her shiny silver heels to her perfect messy braid cascading down her shoulder.

"I agree, but it"s still nice to hear," Estelle cooed, disappearing into the bathroom, Ava wandering in behind her, leaving the door open.

I chuckled as I stepped into my room, draping the towel over my shoulders as I leaned over my chair to view my laptop on my desk. "May I have a.s.sistance?" Alexis asked.

I looked up and saw Alexis in the doorway, dressed in a cla.s.sy emerald high collared dress, the contrast with her vibrant red hair was mesmerising. She was reaching behind her back, sticking out her tongue as she grumbled in annoyance.

I chuckled, "Sure." I flicked my towel on the bed and walked up to her. She turned around, revealing the zip and her exposed back. With this moment, I lingered, staring as I placed my hand on her hips.

She rolled her eyes, "The zipper, Landon."

I chuckled, "Right, sure."

In one swift movement, I zipped up her dress, the movement tightening the fabric around her figure. Alexis thanked me as she flipped her hair back over her shoulders and faced me, "How goes your readiness?" she asked, as she did, her hands rested on my shoulders, confusing her before realising I was still shirtless. "Whoops, did I walk in on something?" she asked.

I rolled my eyes, "I"ve misplaced my shirt," I informed as I started my search for my dress shirt.

Alexis nodded, "Sure you did." She walked over to my bed and sitting on its edge. "What"re you going for? Heartthrob? Doe-eyed? Lost soul?"

I laughed as I opened my wardrobe and combed through my hung-up shirts. "What does a Lost soul look like?"

"To me it"s like the scent of dirt and trees. Maybe what I"d think stars would smell like," she explained, "In the magical sense, not the big ball of burning gas sense. I"d imagine that would actually smell quite horrible, a.s.suming you could ever smell it at all."

I squatted down, thinking my shirt had fallen off its hanger. "What does a magical star smell like to you then?"

Alexis shrugged, "I guess like proper cold air, like the feeling of mint on your tongue once you"ve drunk some water." She tilted her head in thought. "Just that overwhelming sensation in your mouth and chest, where for a split second you"re just so aware of what"s going on internally yet at the same time have no clue." She kicked her legs back and forth. "Something oddly mysterious about thinking that, huh? Imaging what a star would smell like?"

"a.s.suming I could, I"d a.s.sume it smell like helium and carbon," I said, recalling countless astrology lessons throughout my life, "So maybe petrol?"

"And if you don"t take it so literally?" she wondered. "Every star is different. Maybe one would be like the crack of burnt toast, the clinking of marbles on stone floors, the feel of paper in your hands."

I had very little clue as to where she was going with this and asked her if she was on something to put her in such a strange mood. She laughed at my suggestion and a.s.sured me she was sober for this engagement. "Mind warble don"t mind me," she informed.

I furrowed my brows in thought. "How would any of that make me a lost soul?"

She shrugged. "Lost souls usually describe brooding figures with deep thought- and thought-provoking monstrosities that plague their existence."

I raised a brow, "How much time have you spent with Estelle?"

She took a long moment to consider this, her mask of thought cracking as she giggled. "I am beginning to sound like Estelle, aren"t I?"

I scoffed, continuing to rummage through my clothes. "Sometimes talking to you is exhausting, Alexis…"

"Yet I can guarantee never boring," Alexis countered, her tone flat. I thought I offended her, and looked over my shoulder, only to see her in deep thought, rather than be annoyed at my comment. I continued searching in silence, migrating from my closet to my hamper, thinking maybe I had accidently put it away for the wash.

Eventually, she broke out of her thought and asked, "So what"re you wearing then?"

"Oh, you"d love it. Wearing stripes and spots. Looks great," I joked. I straightened and scanned my room, searching for where I might"ve put my shirt.

She chuckled, "I think you"d look perfect," she informed. "I remember once Dylan actually dressed like that. He was more embarra.s.sed then me though, it was a hilarious date."

I bit the inside of my cheek as she continued talking about Dylan"s once strange fashion style. I quickly cut her off. "Hey, can I ask something?" Alexis frowned, turning to face me on the bed as I sighed. "Look. I like Dylan, he"s a cool dude and we"re friends and all and he"s great."

Alexis smirked. "Oh my G.o.d, you"re leaving me for Dylan," she jested.

I managed to hide my smile. "Come on."

She nodded as she put her hands up. "Okay, I"m sorry. What about Dylan?"

I sighed and walked around the bed to stand in front of her, feeling sort of awkward as I covered my front with my crossed arms. "I know you guys broke up on good terms and you"re just friends and all, but is there any chance you could stop talking about him so much?"

Alexis" face turned blank, a flicker of confusion crossing her face. "Like stop texting my friend?"

I widened my eyes. "Okay… Saying it out loud, I realise how c.r.a.ppy that may sound." I waved a dismissed gesture. "Don"t worry about it, just forget it."

Alexis shook her head as she stood up. "No, no. What is it about it you don"t like? Is it that I talk to him or just mention him?"

I stepped away from her, not wanting to cause a fight. "I"m sorry, I"m being silly."

Despite my worry, Alexis sounded sympathetic as she reached forwards and wrapped her arms around my shoulder. "Don"t apologise if this upsets you."

I rubbed the back of my head, turning my head away from her blind eyes as I timidly explained, "I wouldn"t say it upsets me just… it feels kinda weird at times when you talk about all the fun times you guys had when you were a couple. And I don"t want to be annoyed by it, but it does. Can you please just not talk about him so much?"

There was a short pause before Alexis answered, "Sure."

I was taken aback by her answer as I looked at her. "Sure?"

She shrugged. "Yeah. If it means that much to you, I won"t talk about Dylan as much. I won"t promise to never bring him up though because, like you said, he is our friend and he"s bound to come up in conversation. But this seems to bother you, and I don"t like my muse being bothered." She leaned in and gave me a light kiss.

I could feel my cheeks heat up as I cleared my throat, "Muse?"

She giggled, "Every great artistic G.o.d has one," she said, "From the Greeks to the Romans to the DaVinci"s to the Pica.s.so"s."

I scoffed, "You really need to stop calling yourself a G.o.d."

She retracted her arms, offering a half smile. "Please, my narcissistic personality needs to come out somehow."

I rolled my eyes, returning to my search for my shirt. "Behind every artist is self-absorption, is that what I take from that?"

"Not for every artist, but at least with me," Alexis confessed as she rested her head on my pillow and closed her eyes, "Your natural smell is very comforting."

I rummaged through my washing basket again. "Thanks, I try. Ahh! Found it!" I smoothed out my shirt on my front and quickly slipped it on, looking at myself in the mirror as I b.u.t.toned it up. In the reflection, I saw Alexis still lying there occasionally taking deep breaths, like she was meditating. "Question," I stated, "Do you think it"s weird we haven"t had a fight yet?"

She didn"t open her eyes, but answered, "Do you want to have a fight? There"s a lot of things I can argue about. The colour of the sky for instance. What colour is it to you?"

I frowned, "It"s blue."

"Well I say it"s dark green," she replied, fitting her hands under her head, "Fight me."

I laughed, "You know what I mean. Is it weird that we don"t fight?"

She shrugged, "Why would we fight if we"re in a romantic relationship?" Alexis asked.

"Even dating people argue," I said, "And I don"t know. I"ve been told in the past I"m too pa.s.sive with relationships."

Alexis mocked a gasp. "Landon Becks, are you insecure?" Alexis asked opening one of her eyes.

I clicked my tongue, going through my wardrobe again for my nice jacket. "I"ve grown up with girls and get ridiculously paranoid I"ll say something that"ll offend them and stuff. I"m like the greatest sufferer of nice-guy syndrome." l

"Nice guy syndrome means you don"t get a girlfriend because you"re so nice," Alexis clarified.

"Why do I have a girlfriend then?!" I didn"t know why I was getting worked up about this, but Alexis found it amusing and released a laugh while I found my jacket.

Her laugh was cut short when she sat up and looked to the door. "Mia?" she said.

Standing in the doorway, awkwardly swinging one of her legs back and forth was little Mia, dressed in the Pax Marie dress Daniel had sent her. The part of me that wanted to be suspicious and salty towards Daniel and his intentions with Mia were overcome by my smirk at how adorable Mia looked. When she saw Alexis, she approached and climbed onto my bed, lying beside her playing with the emerald fabric of her dress. "I"m sure you look wonderful, Mia," Alexis a.s.sured, resting her hand on Mia"s back.

"What shoes are you thinking?" I asked as I found my matching blue tie and looped it around my neck.

Mia sat up and shrugged, wiggling her toes as she hugged her knees. "Are you excited?" Alexis asked, "I mean you"ve got a date." Alexis started tickling Mia"s side, prompting a burst of giggly laughter. "None of the others have that."

I cleared my throat. "I"ll have you know, I"ve got three dates," I corrected as my thumb got caught in the tie.

Alexis chuckled, "And one of them is me, sweetie. Bragging doesn"t look good for you."

I rolled my eyes as Alexis continued. "Now Mia, you"ve got a date with an older man. I don"t want you going and taking advantage of him with your moony eyes and youthful complexion." Mia continued giggling at Alexis" words. Alexis replied with a smile, "But serious talk Mia," Mia"s face became expressionless, "This Daniel guy may not know what kind of commitment he"s engaged himself with this evening. To be put bluntly, he"s probably going to be talking to other girls in his year, are you aware of that?"

Not to my surprise, Mia nodded.

"So, we need to be mature girls, and not take what our dates do to heart, okay?"

I furrowed my brow, "What?"

"Oh, you"re one to talk Mr I"ve-Got-Three-Dates," Alexis waved a dismissive hand. "Whether we like this or not, Daniel, at this moment, is too old for you." She poked Mia on the nose as she said this. "Do not accept his age as a reason to let him pressure you into only doing what he wants. Age, as you should know, is not knowledge. He could be eight-two and be as dumb as a bag of hammers."

Despite Alexis" joke, Mia nodded with a serious air, clearly aware of the implications of being a "date" for someone who"s sixteen when she"s only eleven.

"So, all you have to do is have fun at the dance tonight, regardless of Daniel, and if you"re feeling brave make sure you get at least once dance from him," Alexis said.

Mia nodded, beginning to sign something before opting to tap her small fingers on Alexis" leg. "Of course, I"ll dance with you," she a.s.sured, "And I know Landon would just love to have a dance. Right, stud?"

I straightened up my tie, happy with my achievement and nodded to them in the mirror, "I"ll be offended if I don"t get a dance with each and every one of you."

Mia smiled at an idea and relayed it through Alexis, who also chuckled, "Even Amada?"

I threw the excess tie over my shoulder, spinning on my heels in a dramatic fashion. "Especially Amada."

The girls shared a giggling exchange before Alexis ran her fingers through Mia"s hair. "Now, go find others and ask them how you should have your hair, okay? I"m sure the girls would love to help you." Alexis pinched Mia"s cheek, prompting another genuine smile from the young prodigy. Mia hopped off my bed and rushed out of the room, closing the door behind her.

I fixed up my tie and slipped on my jacket, tying one b.u.t.ton as I checked myself out in the mirror. "I actually look good," I commented, turning to see how I looked from the back.

"I"m sure you"re dashing," Alexis replied. She crossed her legs, running her fingers in small circles on my blanket as she added, "But we don"t have to leave for another hour or so." Her tone of voice very kittenish.

I smirked, sensing the hidden message as I sat next to her as she ran her fingertips over creases in her dress, "What did you have in mind?"

She closed one of her eyes in a prolonged wink as she tilted her head towards the pillows of my bed. "Why not come here and see?" Alexis held her arms out to me, silently asking for an embrace.

I leant forwards, unable to supress my grin as I crawled closer to kiss her, her arms reaching forwards to hold me close, when we were interrupted by a knock on my door. "Landon!" Amada called.

Alexis pursed her lips, stifling a chuckle as she likely felt my body tense in annoyance. When I didn"t answer right away someone bashed the door. "Landon, we know you"re in there!" Amia snapped. Compared to Amada"s knocks, hers were stronger. "Come on, we just need your help with ties!"

I grumbled under my breath, my forehead resting against Alexis". "Fine, one second," I answered as I sat up, hastily fixing my hair as I unlocked the door and opened it. Amada was standing in front of my door, dressed in a very snazzy pale blue suit with a navy bow tie, comically too large. I tilted my head, "What do need help with, mate? You"re bow tie looks fine," I stated.

They shook their head. "Amia," she informed pointing to herself, "Amada." She gestured to her brother, who was struggling to free his thumb from a tie loop. I blinked, overwhelmed by the similarity between the twins once more, as Amada was dressed exactly like his sister.

Or she was dressed like her brother…

I pinched the bridge of my nose, "Not that I"m judging, but why are you wearing a suit, Amia?" I asked, pulling Amada"s thumb from his tie and kneeling down to undo the knot he had somehow managed.

Amia smoothed out her hair, which had been styled in an off-centred bun. "Father sent us outfits to wear," she explained, "I thought the dress was ugly, so I had another suit tailored for me. This way we"re twinsies!"

I raised a brow at Amada, who could only offer a small shrug as an answer as his sister continued down the hallway and to the bathroom, announcing herself as she ventured in.

I finished the tie and straightened it, "Is that what actually happened?" I asked, smoothing down the collar.

Amada nodded, "Father tailored me this suit and he sent Amia our Zietta Margarete"s party dress from like twelve centuries ago or something," he exaggerated. Despite this, he lowered his voice and added, "It actually is quite ugly though."

"Is there something that says she has to wear that over her other clothes?" I asked.

Amada shrugged. "Her idea is any photo he sees of her he"ll just think is me," he informed, "She doubts he would notice if there weren"t any photos of her."

I sighed through my nose as I glanced in Amia"s direction. "How"s track going?" I asked, returning my attention to him, "They"ve started separating the year groups training times. You still showing up?"

Amada nodded, a smiling perking to his face. "Yeah. Coach Morrison has recommended me for the final stretch in the relay races at the semi-finals meet."

I widened my eyes, "That"s great, Amada!" I praised, receiving a hi-five from him. The final stretch in a relay race was the final eight-hundred meters of a pa.s.s-the-stick style race. It was usually reserved for the runners who showed promise in being one of the fast ones. "When"s the meet?"

Amada"s arms were straight by his sides, despite his solider-like posture, he looked close to leaping from his shoes. "Start of next term," he informed, "So it"s like super close! A month away!"

"That"s amazing, Amada," I said, kneeling before him and resting my hands on his shoulders to look up at him, "And I"m so proud of you, buddy. This is a phenomenal achievement."

Amada"s smile slowly dropped to a flat line, but his eyes remained soft, almost fragile, as he dropped to his knees and leaned into me, wrapping his arms around my shoulders and hugging me. The embrace surprised me at first, and I remained kneeling somewhat stunned by the smartly dressed twin. Slowly, I put my arms around him and patted him on the back. I felt his arms tremble as he tightened his hold before pulling away. "Thankyou, Landon," he said, "I mean seriously, for everything that you"ve done. I know I can be a bit of a handful, but I"m thankful that you"ve stuck with me for so long."

I sighed, shaking my head at his words as I replaced my hand on his shoulder. "Amada, you aren"t a handful. No more than anyone else in this dorm or even myself to you," I a.s.sured, "But if this is how you feel, than your welcome. It is a treat to see you so excited for something."

Amada nodded, suddenly making several blinks before quickly standing and rubbing his eye. "I"m not crying…" he murmured when the silence filled us.

I nodded, still smiling as he turned his back to me. "I know, buddy."

Amada ran his finger under his eye, "I"ve got to go get ready." He marched past me and disappeared into the bathroom with the other girls.

I pushed myself to my feet, smoothing out my pants as I heard, "You good Landon?" Alexis was calling for me. With a sly smirk, I looked down the hallway in search of any other surprise guests, before stepping into my room and closing the door behind me.