Maria della Visitazione Church, 1524
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Knock knock.
After returning to Eton on the earliest train, Josiah stood outside his biology teacher's door, waiting until he heard a faint "come in" before he opened it.
"Good morning, Professor Taylor. Before I say anything, I'd like to give my sincerest apologies for interrupting you so early this Monday morning."
"Don't worry about it, I wasn't busy anyways, just finalizing the class lesson for today. I can't believe it's already time to announce the end of the year excursion. Time flies by so fast these days."
"Ah, that's just what I came to ask about, actually."
"Perfect timing! Fire away, Beckett."
"I've been informed that this year you're allowing everyone to choose their roommate."
"As a matter of fact we are. It took a lot of critical thinking, but we've finally admit your year in particular is mature and well behaved enough to handle it. I don't why you guys are so much better than previous years. It's probably our choice of prefects, you all do a superb job at managing these kids."
"Actually, that's the problem sirâI don't believe everyone is as well behaved as you think. I'm sure you know about Isaac Harley and the complete recklessness of the boy." Ensuring the door behind him was shut, Josiah wandered deeper into the office. "It might sound a bit harsh, but as a prefect I don't think he deserves to be treated as leniently as the rest of the students. A boy of such immoral and unpredictable nature needs constant surveillance. It's only fair for the other students who work hard to follow the rules."
"Then who would you suggest room with him? What do you propose?"
"Some form of supervisor, most likely a prefect since not a teacher. But seeing as they also don't deserve to have their freedom to choose taken away, it'd probably have to be chosen randomly, or a volunteer, or perhaps even me."
"I understand where you're coming from but you need to understand that I can't just change the rules for one student. If one kid isn't allowed to room with who they choose, no one is."
"But Professor...I think you can."
"No, I really can't Josiah. I don't have the power." The man started to feign busy by searching through endless stacks of paper. It was clear he intended for this conversation to be over.
Josiah explored the teacher's stationary, running his hand over a sleek stapler. "Let me rephrase what I just said then, since you don't seem to understand. I think you can and I think you will."
"What makes you think that?"
"Because that's how blackmailing works, Professor." He'd moved on to a tin of pens, settling on a black one with gold accents to twirl with slender fingers. "Unless, of course, you want the headmaster to know about your offer to poor, innocent Charlie Franz of a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to blow you for a passing grade. You see, I happen to think you have plenty of power to spare, seeing the way you utilize it."
The teacher froze and his eyes darkened. "Who told you?"
"Sir, Charlie is one of my dearest friends. I absolutely hate the fact that he could've been taken advantage of. It irks me to no end."
"Thatâit was merely an idea." Professor Taylor swallowed. "Nothing came out of it."
"Yes, but all it takes is Charlie's experience in theatre and more money and status than you'll ever have to make people believe whatever story he createsâhe's also easy on the eyes," he admit. "I'll give you one more chance because I pity pathetic people like you. Are you still sure you can't change the rules?"
"...On second thought, maybe I can. I'll see what I can do."
"Fantastic! And one more thing, Professor."
He grimaced. "What else? How much more do you have to threaten me with?"
"Nothing, for now. It's just easy to tell from your face that you're thinking of the various ways you can murder meâalthough to be frank, I couldn't care less. But I think it'd be best if you kept this entire conversation to yourself."
"Then how am I supposed to explain to Isaac why he's being treated unfairly? The headmaster is already requiring he follows a stricter set of rules."
"It doesn't matter, come up with an excuse. What matters is that in his mind, I never met with you."
"...I understand."
Josiah grinned. "Thank you so much for your time and obedience, Professor. It makes my life so much easier when people can cooperate with me."
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It was now Thursday, and students were crowding around the large charter buses in an aggressive attempt to get their belongings loaded on.
"I officially remove from you the title of 'Asher Alexander's Best Friend!'"
Isaac pouted. "Come on Ash, are you really that mad at me? You know I didn't choose to room with him intentionally. They made me!"
"I'm furious with you! Now I have to room with Charlie Franz, who I hardly know, because Josiah is no longer his roommate. Did I not mention that prefects other than Beckett scare the living hell out of me?"
Isaac felt a slight drop in his stomach.
"They were going to room together?"
"Of course they were!"
"Oh." Isaac realized they were both probably just as excited as he was for the excursion before the headmaster ruined all of their plans. He now felt heavy with guilt for being an obstacle, for being a burden.
"Also, I feel like whenever we talk about those two, they always manage to show up in front of us." Ash added.
Sure enough, Josiah and Charlie were talking by the students' duffel bags, each one completely swollen and overstuffed for a three day trip. Isaac must've stared for too long again, because Josiah noticed and started walking towards him.
"Here comes the world's most gorgeous boy, or should I say my replacement? Quick, how do I look?" Ash flipped his hair like a model about to be photographed.
"Quit it, you look ridiculous."
"Harley, can I talk with you?" Josiah shifted his glance towards Ash. "In private?"
"Um...I guess."
Taking the hint, Ash wandered off to meet with his own new roommate.
"I wanted to talk about our current situation."
Isaac scoffed. "It's actually quite funny."
"What is?"
"Everything. This school. You. Me. Their reasoning for why I am required to room with you."
"What was their reasoning?" Josiah asked with a hint of curiosity.
"They basically thought you could influence me in a positive way, tame me like some sort of circus animal, control me like a machine."
"Professor Taylor told you that?"
"Not exactly that, but the idea was the same. Their efforts are pointless. I'll never in my life allow them to manipulate me, for then I wouldn't be the amazing Isaac Harley."
Josiah laughed for the first time in front of Isaac.
"You're so proud and stubborn that it's kind of charming. Maybe they just need to get you into bed, then you'll be quite submissive." He winked. "I learned that from personal experience."
Isaac rolled his eyes. "You know, I'm quite tired of you and your suggestiveness."
"So I'm not allowed to talk about your performance in bed when we're alone, but you can shout about mine to our entire gym class?"
"My remarks were justified because you were pissing me off on Monday. You, on the other hand, have no valid excuse to be racy."
"That's what I don't understand. Why were you irritated? I didn't even talk to you that day until the locker room. You were ignoring me, so I figured I'd do the same. Isn't that what you wanted? For me to pretend like nothing happened?"
"There was no need to 'pretend'. Nothing did happen."
Josiah looked taken aback at his statement. His smirk faded and his voice softened. "What did I do?"
"You..." Isaac paused. What was he supposed to tell the other boyâthat his eye contact from the field threw him off? The fact that Josiah didn't know what angered him proved he was unconscious of his actions, and he wasn't going to be the first to address the elephant in the room. For an experienced seventeen year old, he was embarrassed to be acting as immature as a child who held hands with someone for the first time. "You..."
"Isaac!" Asher came running. "It's time for us to get on the bus."
God bless this beautiful, emerald eyed boy with twisty hair that currently resembled a mop.
"Alright," he said. He turned back to Josiah. "Uh...see you?"
Josiah gave a weak smile in return. "Yeah, sure."
Asher made sure to get onto the bus early so they could sit in the very back corner.
"That was the longest, most civil conversation I've ever seen you two have. For a second, I thought you two might actually be friends. I had to do a double take."
"It's probably going to be the only conversation we'll have, even if we're in the same room for three days." Isaac's eyes drifted to Josiah sitting towards the front with Charlie. The pang caused by guilt in his chest returned.
"I highly doubt that. Didn't you hear Professor Taylor? For the sake of convenience, you work on the biology project with your roommate. He said it's better because there's less moving from room to room."
Isaac's eyes widened. "That's an awful idea; the two of us will get nothing done." Scoffing, he mumbled, "we'll probably just end up studying human anatomy, and that's it."
Asher frowned. "What? Isaac, this project is centered around botany, as in plants: trees, flowers, grass. That's why we're traveling so far to this forest. Human anatomy isn't even something we focused on heavily this year..."
Asher's eyes nearly popped out of his head at his realization. "No way, Isaac! You didn't!"
"I didn't what?"
"Did you...you know...do it with Josiah? Is that what that weird tension was between you two in the locker room? Jesus, it was so blatant! How did I not catch on?"
"Can you be any less discreet, Ash?"
"So it's true."
"Maybe."
"Are you two like, in a relationship now?"
"Me and Josiah? No, never." Isaac frowned. "Not in a million years."
Asher examined his facial expression before throwing his head back. "That explains why I found a lubricant in your bag."
Isaac flinched. "W-what makes you think I don't always carry that stuff with me? You know the type of person I am."
"I do, but I also know you were going to room with me before the swap. Isaac, unless you were planning to confess your undying love for me on this trip, I don't think you packed that originally."
Isaac's face flushed intensely. "Can you let me sleep now? I'm exhausted."
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