Alfred

Not bad, I thought as I marched into my room, flexing my muscles in that air. Alvin wasn't a boring opponent: he did his best, but I noticed that he was a lot weaker than most boys I'd played with and his left hand held less strength. I thought he was weaker than the average boy.

My room was still in its brushed up state when I returned from claiming my territory as leader even in Preston College of Leadership. I took a look around and observed that Alvin hadn't unpacked yet. Then, ironically, I thought about how I could make his life a lot less stressful.

I grabbed a novel on his bed, and flipped it over. ‘Love Story,’ I read out loud, and then scoffed. I was right about this guy after all. He was either a girlie boy, or he was gay. He appeared effeminate to begin with. That might be a loophole, I thought, grinning. A little something to tease him with.

Unfortunately, I didn't get the time to wreck havoc when the door burst open like water gushing out of a fountain and in came Alvin.

“Here comes the loser!” I saluted, standing between his luggages and his bed.

“What are you doing?” he asked, looking as if I'd opened Pandora's box.

“Oh, don't worry, I won't make you pay for losing to me today.”

“We had no agreement whatsoever.”

“You think I didn't overhear your conversation with your friend?”

“You mean eavesdropped?” He accused, unflinchingly.

“Wow! I've never met anyone like you.” I confessed walking closer to him.

“Why? You mean you've only met sycophants?”

“Are you saying you're not one?” I scoffed, waltzing beside him now.

“No, I'm not.” He replied, cocking his head sideways to glance at me. “If any, I hate your guts.”

I furrowed my brows and a scoff broke through my lips without even realising. This guy was something.

“That makes the two of us. I'm glad the feeling is mutual, so you won't judge me unfairly behind my back when I deal with your ego. Also, I hope your strength matches your mouth.” I whispered quietly, my lips very close to his ears.

He swallowed, and I could swear that his pupils dilated in fear, but he managed to suck it up smoothly.

“I don't need to get my hands dirty, they're ways to make you gravel.”

I smiled, wondering where he bought his confidence from. “I would love to see you try.”

“Then stick around for long, you'll see how I do that.” he croaked, looking me straight in the eyes.

“And if you keep losing like you did today?”

“Don't worry about me.” He started, with a knowing smile. “Let's worry about how we'll hide your face in shame when the whole pack realises you're not as great as they all thought you were. And your father looks elsewhere for a successor.”

That was offensive. It felt as though I'd been punched on the nose for the first time. I'd never had anyone speak to me that way, with so much disrespect and disdain. Although I tried to maintain my pose, my heart was racing in anger.

“You will take that back,” I groaned, grinding my teeth together, and feeling anger rising from my belly.

“Or what?” He challenged, widening his eyes. Boys didn't do that, or rather the boys I knew didn't do that.

There was something eccentric about Alvin. He didn't seem to conform to masculine tradition with the way he had his hands on his hips. Only women did that.

“I said take that back!” I roared, charging towards him and he stuttered backwards like a scaredy-cat.

It must've been the way I lunged towards him that made him teether. Suddenly, he was stripped of his confidence and who was standing before me was a naked, and helpless Alvin.

I kept trudging towards him while he stepped backwards, darting his eyes around in fear, until his back was perched against the wall, and I was hovering over him like his lord.

“What's wrong, pumpkin? Not so tough now?” I asked, a wicked grin on my face.

He was trapped in between my hands with a horrified look on his face. That look of fear. I'd bullied a lot of boys, but none filled me with so much joy like seeing the vicious Alvin slowly cower.

With my hands on his neck, I tilted his face sideways, pretending like I was going to tear him to shreds. Again, he swallowed and I smiled triumphantly. I'd found a pawn. We were so close to each other that I could feel his breath on my chest, and the sound of his beating heart. The knowledge that his heart was beating so fast because of me got me unusually pleased.

Then the most bizarre thing occured. I caught a strange smell from him that permeated my senses, drawing me even deeper to him. A spark of fire ignited within me, and spread to my groin. Then a painful knot twisted in my stomach, leaving my legs weak and my mind reeling in confusion. Not only that, I heard the loud, tumultuous sound of hearts beating in harmony, but it wasn't only Alvin's heart. My heart was equally pounding in my chest, but unlike him, it wasn't out of fear. It was something I couldn't wrap my fingers around.

When I looked into his eyes, I was scared I might get lost in them. I felt an inexplicable pull towards him, as if my body was made for him and his body for me.

Snap out of it, Alfred, this is a trick. What was this? Mind control?

I was enveloped in a web of confusion and my senses were overwhelmed. I couldn't shake off the feeling that something fundamental had shifted within me.

Who is this guy? I puzzled, wanting to break away but unable to.

What had begun as a sly trick to get him scared had counterattacked. I was now the one wrapped in fear like a burrito.

With shaky breath and a heart pounding like the echoes of war, I finally found a voice that didn't belong to him. With that I croaked, “Who the fuck are you?”