“Who Am I This Time??”

Chapter 3: “Be yourself. Don’t take anyone’s shit, and never let them take you alive.”

Alyssa plops down on the bottom of one of the two bunk beds. I, instead (due to my ADD, I’m sure), opt to look around.

Like I said, there are two bunk beds (four people to a room, I presume); a dresser in-between the beds (one of the two already has a laptop on it, hooked up and ready to go); bright green and pink suitcases are thrown carelessly onto the top bunk of the bed that’s unoccupied by Lyss (wow, that was one big run-on sentence); and brown suitcases are piled on the top bunk of the bed that Lyss has claimed as hers.

Lovely little room.

“Ee!! Nee!!”

I spin quicker than Stephane Lambiel (I dunno if you’ve seen him skate…) on speed to see who squealed at me. I have to double take. Ohmigawd (get used to it, I say it a lot), do celebrities just happen to all have twins in Michigan??

It’s Ayumi-fucking-Hamasaki.

What?? Lyss got me into Fullmetal Alchemist and Ayumi just happens to sing the theme for the Chinese fan-made computer game…

“Hajimemashite!! Atashi wa Shinku desu. Kekkon omedeto!!” Ayumi’s twin squeals again. Dear Jesus, I didn’t understand a word she said. I may be into anime, but I only know a few words. I heard ‘wa.’

“Uhh…” My eye twitched a bit as I stared at her.

“Konnichi wa. Atashi no namae Alyssa. Kochira wa Monarch. Hajimemashite.” Lyss says back, her accent thick and perfect. I want to scream ‘I don’t fucking understand you!!’ or ‘Speak American, damn you!!,’ but I watch silently.

“Hai hai!!”

The two bow.

“Mind telling me what the hell is being said??” I ask Lyss.

“She said, ‘Nice to meet you!! I’m Shinku!! And—‘”

“’Congratulations on your marriage.’”

Once again, Stephane has nothing on me as I turn to see a calm-looking guy leaning against the doorway. He looks a little older than Lyss and I, and he has dark chocolate brown hair that falls into his hazel eyes. Black-rimmed glasses catch the light and throw it back to me.

“C-congratulations on my marriage??” I ask timidly. He’s quite broad, and he’s very intimidating. Also, he’s very aesthetically pleasing.

Guy In Doorway takes off his glasses and begins to clean them on his blazer. He appears to take no interest in answering me, so I sigh and turn to Lyss and the girl named Shinku.

“Congratulations on your marriage into ‘CSC’.” Shinku grins. I’m actually more shocked than I should be at the fact that she has no Japanese accent when she speaks English.

“’CSC??’”

“’Camp Self-Concept.’”

“That’s not the actual name of the camp. It’s just that the real name is so fucking long that no-one bothers to try to say-slash-pronounce it.” Guy In Doorway walks in, extending his hand to me, “I’m Caden Roberts.”

“Monarch Colburn.” I take his hand.

Shinku latches onto my arm, “I’m Shinku Himitsu.”

“And I’m Alyssa Martin, nice to meet you and all of that bullshit.” Lyss grins. She looks to Caden and smirks, “Looks like we’re going to be bunk buddies… unless the hot pink and lime suitcases are yours??” She raises an eyebrow.

“No, I’m the plain brown guy.”

“Joy.” Lyss playfully rolls her eyes.

“Oh, and bunking over you will be a frickin’ field day.” Caden smirks back and they laugh like they’ve known each other their whole lives.

It kind of makes me want to hurl.

--

About a week later, I awake to the sound of squeals and giggles. Fucking yay.

“Lyss… shut the hell up, normal people are trying to sleep!!” I murmur in my sleep, grabbing and throwing a pillow at her.

I hear a groan (a manly groan, no less) and I realize that I’ve missed my target.

“Monarch, go back to sleep.” Alyssa commands from her place beside Shinku at the laptop. Obviously (if you cannot put two and two together), the computer belongs to Shinku.

“I can’t with you fucking squealing like the fucking fan-girl you are.” I mutter, turning over to face the wall.

“Eat it.” She snaps.

“Love to.”

“Ee!! Gackto-san no sekushi!!” Shinku’s voice hits glass-shattering sharpness as she sees the picture of Gackt naked.

“My ears!! OMG!!” I yell, curling into a little ball, my pillow over my ears.

The girls look at me like I’m crazy, then go back to searching for more Gackt/HYDE yaoi. Ooh, how I love the yaoi.

Anyway…

“Come see, Mon.” Lyss prompts.

“Fuck you.”

“But you love the yaoi.”

Wow, again with scaring me at how similar Lyss and I are.

“It’s 3:17 in the morning.” I try to get her ADD mind onto something different.

“It’s 3:30.” I can practically hear Lyss smirk, “Whatever, hosebag, go back to sleep.”

“Well, I’m awake now. Fucking—“ I swing my legs over the edge of my bunk and I wince at how cold the floor is.

I hear the bunk across from me groan, “Now I’m awake.” Caden murmurs something more as he swings his legs over the edge of his bunk as well.

“Sorry, du—“ My eyes widen as I see his toned legs. Wow, he sleeps in boxers.

Yummy.

“Eh, it’s okay.” He says, rummaging around for his glasses.

I stretch and head over to my suitcase. I pluck out my laptop and connect to the wireless server the camp is on. It’s nice to have the internet out in the middle of nowhere. After checking fictionpress for random updates, I clicked on my e-mail.

Jesus Christ!! I had at least ten e-mails from Jayden. Man, I only left yesterday…

But, I crack a smile. It’s adorable how attached he is to me.

“Best friend??” Caden asks as he sprawls out next to me. My ocean eyes flick to and connect with his hazel ones.

He’s so… mature-looking. Like Jayden, only broader, taller, stronger… older.

I start as he pokes me in my side. He asks me once again whether Jay’s my best friend. Dear Lord, please Caden be accepting. I’d be up shit creek without a paddle (or a kayak) if he were a homophobe.

“He’s my… boyfriend, actually.” I reply timidly.

To my utter surprise, Caden just nods, “Yeah, I had to leave my Geo behind when I moved here.”

"Geo??"

"His real name was John, or that was what he went by. I thought it was cute to call him Geo, which means 'earth,' since he was so heavenly."

My eyes take on their patended dreamy-state, "Sounds romantic."

"Oh, it wasn't. Pure lust."

Taken aback, I blink.

"Don't worry," Caden reassures me, relazing back on my bed. "I miss him, but if it was meant to be, then God would've kept us together."

"You're a Christian??" I ponder. It's just occured to me that I know almost nil about him. Sure, I've been here for about a week and we've talked, but I don't really know him.

"Yeah, it's kinda ironic--"

"No, no." I think it's honorable that you can keep your religion and who you are." I didn't mean to interrupt him, but I wanted to make sure that he knew I was comfortable with him.

Caden scofffs, "My mom and preacher don't think so. I was chased out of my church in Georgia."

"Oh, I'm sorry."

He shrugs, sighing, "I'm fine with me, and I know, deep down, that God's fine with me. So, I'm good now. It doesn't matter to me what others say, as long as I keep my relationship with God.

"That's good. I'm glad you're happy." I grin to him, but said grin vanishes as he asks me his next question.

"Are you happy??"

"Not... really. I mean," I quickly start talking again as I see Lyss look back to me, her eyebrows up, "Gosh, I'm happy with my friends... and my boyfriend." I shut my laptop, "But I'm not happy with me."

Caden cocks his head to the side as if he doesn't understand.

"My parents; well, my father, left because I came out. He couldn't handle having a 'fag' as a son. I'm teased in school. My teachers treat me different. It's... awful."

I feel myself being hugged. It's not like Jayden's hugs; it's softer, filled with more emotion. I didn't realize I was crying until just now. But, I let myself be cradled and rocked back and forth. It's calming.

"I know how you feel, Monarch. I've been there. Shh... I know." Caden coos. His voice is silky, deep, and comforting.

"Yaoi."

I reach up to smack Lyss, but my hand is caught by another's. Shinku's hand and eyes are cold. So cold, in fact, that I can feel myself shudder.

"Don't be rude, Chibi-chan." She smirks.

I know the nickname from Fullmetal Alchemist. It means 'small.' Oh, hells naw.

"Don't call me small." I murmur, settling back down into Caden's hug. He's warm. Strangely, I don't feel bad about laying with him. He's comforting me, it's not as if we're going to do anything. Caden's kind of like the brother I never had.

"You two sleep, Shin-chan says she knows how to sneak around here." Lyss smirks, pulling a pair of bondage pants over her pajama shorts.

"Have fun." I mutter again.

"Will do, Chibi-chan." Shinku mock salutes as the two girls scurry out of the door.

I raise my arm to flip Shinku off, but I end up hitting my handon the bottom of the top bunk (that make sense??). A loud curse tumbles out of me as the girls giggle.

"You okay??" Caden asks me, cradling my hand in his, his voice lined in laughter.

"Yeah." I pout, sticking out my puffy lower lip. I've been told before that my lips are irresistable.

I look up and into Caden's hazel eyes. He starts to lean his head down, as if he's going to kiss me. But, he decides against it.

"No... we really shouldn't. Not with you having a boyfriend." He says.

He's right, and I know it. But temptation is a poweful beast, and we are only men...

Now's the time for a survey!! I love hearing you guys' opinions, so take the time and do this. Please??

1. Who's your favourite character??

2. Do you like Caden?? (he's based off of Tatsumi from Yami no Matsuei)

3. Who would you like to see together??

4. Humor me and guess who Geo/John is. You know him already, so look out for that. (winkwink)

Mkay, thanks for filling that out (if you do). And please don't flame the Bush-bashing and view on Christianity. Those are my opinions. Don't like 'em??

Eh, whatever, flame me. I could really care less. I might even reply back to you, telling you how much I laughed at the stupidity tumbling from your mouth.

XD, I love you all!!