Roads. They all just connect to each other to lead to a612Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ38PFXKabjS
specific destination. It’s like you need to memorize a specific combination—or612Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡCZNNf6ZWGM
two—just to end up with an even more specific outcome. But how do we remember612Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ3Q3hRE81Ug
the longest of combinations, like the one Ms. Sara Leslie had to memorize to612Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡROYgcX41py
get to the Airbnb she rented. The same Airbnb she was driving Caspian Grenfield612Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ4czLZeAUuc
and all the other seven chosen boys were headed to.
“How did they even get there?” you may ask. Well, you see…
“Will Caspian Grenfield, Isaac Blueburn, Jax Jackson,612Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡMKTRjbR24x
Robinson Wyatt, Lee Emmet, Caleb and William Otto, and Mason Emalia please612Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ0BXLb11qsG
report to the principal’s office right now?”
Caspian flinched upon hearing his name come out of their612Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡI6e10ll2rQ
school’s intercom. It was especially shocking to hear it along with those other612Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡGsmBK0PTEy
names. He was a bit terrified of the thought that he might’ve become a612Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡMzZTQA2cX8
delinquent. I mean, yes, he is over exaggerating, but could you really612Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡdW6Ae4aZ5A
blame him? He was one of those kids who always passed their homework on time612Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡQfIKaGw9ty
and has never had a grade lower than above average. He was always avoiding612Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡZW11TpD8Dx
trouble wherever he went, and it just wasn’t normal to hear his name being used612Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡqoAWybSdMp
along with all those others. Or at all.
He knew it must’ve been a mistake, so he ignored it and calmed612Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ0SFhHopjtH
himself down. Until the intercom called again.
Now this time, he knew it was real. His palms were damp, and612Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡlP5Iy8gFSb
his legs shook. He looked and acted as if he was actually gonna face an612Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡAIAiyze6S0
executioner than a principal. Little did he know that it was absolutely nothing612Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡctpGNj3mjk
like that at all.
…
“You called to see me, Ma’am…?”
When Caspian peeped into the principal’s office, his stomach612Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡl9a526yl7H
dropped. William Otto, Mason Emalia, and Jax Jackson stared at him, sitting on612Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡHfXLWQajT3
the three single armchairs along the side of the room. Their attention was612Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡkfdich0DMt
consumed by his presence, and he didn’t like it.
William Otto was an Alpha, the kind that shows it without612Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡBjQU37XrVU
effort at all. The doctors found out as soon as he was born—and that barely612Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ4H2abv23Tc
even happens. When he was going through puberty, he went from 4’11 to 5’9 in612Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡylxWDM7R1f
less than three years. People thought that he was fifteen when he was actually612Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡTb7ED9Qn1f
just twelve. Now that he’s a senior, he stood at 6’2—and that’s why it’s quite612Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ4HxIO0BcnC
difficult to walk through the halls now without getting so much attention.
Though Will looked like the kind of Alpha that could612Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ4aNOqwjsvU
kill a Grizzly Bear, he didn’t act like it. Yes, he was tall, had broad612Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡtSux71YZQb
shoulders, and had abs that could bite; but he wasn’t all that. He was612Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡnCKDfRC3Ql
kind, compassionate, and really, really friendly. He was the type of guy612Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ1Uo7uKgkIU
you could depend on and talk to. He could work in groups of eight and make sure612Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡWOVzA0bhZ4
everyone had a job to do—and you wouldn’t feel the pressure of doing too much612Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡzcoCzjN12r
work. He was a sensitive giant, a large teddy bear. That was kind of why he was612Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ7bADOVWYlx
the student body president.
Mason Emalia was the Star Player of their basketball team.612Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡHyXW7P1IoS
Though his performance at school wasn’t the best, he’d always make it up to you612Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡfuHPIoSJ0P
on the court. He was a ruthless player and a worthy opponent. The only thing612Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡIJxVAj0Oxx
you could beat him at was chess. Jeez, he hated chess.
And finally, Jax Jackson, the mischief. He was the definition612Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡBZlTTMX337
of “gay and ready to play”—it’s true, he’s the one who made it. Though nobody612Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ9HkTVcskFd
really knew where he landed on the spectrum, everyone at school knew that he612Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡhqX8WrAri1
was only interested in men. All the girls would ever hear about him were, “I612Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡzSR4oIrqBq
don’t know why, but he was amazing in bed,” and the like. There was even a612Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡFyOwWP1dGJ
rumor the spread like wildfire about him being able to get into their science612Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ2mb1QRdb7X
teacher’s pants—who was at least forty years old for your information.
Seeing all these boys here made Caspian feel so small, as if612Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡaBc9ROOA1d
he was just a puny ant who could get stepped on in any minute. It terrified him612Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡIdHjsy8KRO
to the bone. And this was just the first three, where were the other four?
“Caspian, please have a seat while we wait for the others,”612Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡMknoIM24Nw
Principal Gwen said calmly as she gestured to the seats in front of his desk.
Caspian took a seat on the couch in front of the three other612Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡftEE1MX9Uw
boys who watched his every move (But that was what Caspian thought. They were612Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡIsnjk0Lff3
actually just bored out of their minds right now.)
They silently waited. All they could ever hear was the612Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡSSDGVJjwnq
tapping of their Principal’s computer keys. Tik, tik, tik, they went.
Finally, the silence was broken when someone opened the door.612Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡImU4ZB4Gbe
Another one of the eight boys who were beckoned by their intercom. And who612Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ50dLA6H2qF
exactly? None other than Robinson Wyatt, Caspian’s one and only childhood612Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡqgp19sTNe4
crush.
They weren’t close when Caspian first saw him, but he thought612Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ8YGHVtoNMI
that Robbie was… cool. He watched him play around in the playground from a612Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡk1SwDVGqAL
distance but never found the courage to actually talk to him. He was too afraid612Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡCbemkEpveM
that Robbie would think that he was just a stupid Omega with no friends.
A few years later, word got around that Robbie was an Alpha612Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡVtgIbi8Kxm
and that just made things more confusing for him. He couldn’t understand why612Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ0KfZUikjYy
his face would heat up or why his heart skipped a beat when Robbie passed him.612Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡu8ASEP1Zun
It was a weird feeling that forced him to grin for no reason. Soon, he found612Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ05vEfM2loE
out that it was Love.
“Okay,” Principal Gwen started.
Caspian awoke from his mental nap, blinking his eyes612Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡWKdT2o5yFH
furiously under his round glasses. The boy didn’t even notice that Blue, Caleb,612Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡKwEAjTzFFX
and Lee had already arrived—and that Robbie ended up sitting beside him.612Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡMv4x4IoXLm
Fortunately, he could still breathe. For now.
“I called all of you here today to discuss something really612Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡgjtGoAB5K0
important-” she leans forward, fixing her posture- “though it may sound612Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡzCbit7KsNx
extremely odd.”
“Ma’am,” said Lee. “Are we in trouble of some sort?”
All eight boys leaned closer, as if they were programmed to612Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡghzEeplgpO
do this in sync. Their ears were open wide enough to fit a moth.
Their once fully composed principal smiled. “No. I’m sorry to612Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡH8x1dgt64A
disappoint you, Mister Emmet.”
All eight boys eased up. Lee sat back, pleased to hear the612Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡnhe2knd29g
good news. A small phew was could be heard from Blue—that is, if you612Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡfn9YaF60qW
listened hard enough. You could hear familiar cuss words from Jax and Mason’s612Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ8C9Uzo9ExO
direction. Will, Robbie, and Caleb sighed for a good two seconds, thanking the612Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡmVj3jL3A8n
Lord’s Holy Name. And Caspian finally eased every inch of his body.
“Why?” their Principal asked. “Is there something you should612Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡvZbyWdKJ7m
be in here for?”
“Nope,” Mason said immediately.
“Not that I know of… yet,” coming from Mason.
“Of course not. How could I?” babbled Lee.
“No, Ma’am,” Will said, shaking his head.
“…”: Caleb.
“Hopefully not,” Caspian muttered.
“I don’t think so…?” Robbie said slowly.
“Very funny, Miss Gwen,” chuckled Blue.
“Okay then good,” smiled Principal Gwen. “Because if there612Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡqg9ikaBcmm
was, you’d still have to participate in this activity.”
“Activity?” blurted Blue.
“Yes,” Principal Gwen said enthusiastically—only in her voice612Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡEyYtJLj7i5
though. “I would appreciate it if you eight would plan an event before this612Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ45IH7vo2xn
school year’s prom. You know, to commemorate the graduation of the seniors.”
“But Ma’am,” Blue said, raising his hand.
“Yes, Blue?” Principal Gwen said, giving Blue permission to612Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡLsI1nTsdFx
keep going.
“What makes this year’s seniors make you want to plan a huge612Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ6a5BYNXfoc
event for? (No offense.)” Blue continued.
We heard chuckles from some of the boys, knowing that Blue612Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡmI2A8ul1jD
was referring to Will, the only senior in the room. He was a good sport who612Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡst4PpMfcDB
smiled it out and muttered, “c’mon, guys.”
Miss Gwen chuckled along with them. “Well, what’s also funny612Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡLOMhqlf2nH
is that we actually raised too much money for the yearly charity fund, and we612Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡeFoD4gkQRd
couldn’t locate any other charities who were willing to accept the excess.612Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡvXkcpnat53
Plus, the school’s had a good year, so I didn’t think it would be necessary to612Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡO2ZQFz4IlN
keep too much money on our hands.”
The boys go ooh because now they understand what’s612Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡPmoUi8ePv8
happening.
“So,” Caspian blurted out, absent-mindedly. “You gathered all612Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡgkyrEGkThD
eight of us randomly to plan a pre-prom party?”
He realized that all eyes were on him again. All eight pairs612Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡoWB5jTyaGZ
of them.
“Uhm, yes,” their principal confirmed. “I like the sound of612Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡzUT3w5P92r
that. ‘Pre-Prom Party’. You boys already have something to call it.”
“Way ta go, Cassie!” Blue cheers enthusiastically.
All the other boys cheer as well, even Robbie—who was still612Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡCdlbxyZvhs
sitting beside him.
“Good job,” he whispered. “Caspian Grenfield.”
Hearing his name come out of Robbie like that made his face612Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡVTd9lL3qWI
grow warm. He put his palms on them, trying to hide his flustered face as he612Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡPxv7pUGWgk
muttered back a shaky “thanks” to everyone.
“Okay, okay,” Principal Gwen hushed. “Here are the forms612Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡFLAcJEcJBo
containing most of the other information you need to know, -“ she passed a pile612Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡm8Dq3h9WwB
of white paper to each of the eight boys as she continued to explain. “-and the612Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡEBOWdk8K68
reply slip your parents need to sign in order for you to-”
“‘Stay at an Airbnb for a week’?” read Lee from the form.
“Miss,” Mason started, confused. “What do you mean by that?”
“Don’t worry, you will be accompanied by Miss Leslie.”
…and now they were arriving at the Airbnb.
612Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡtqa3rwjbn3
612Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡDToBOwYTvd
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612Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ9INQHQkgID
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612Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡEAPI53tLqq
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612Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡncjhUEFNjS
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Oh, how time flies…
ns 15.158.61.54da2
