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Warning: Contains Boys Love.

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Chapter 1: Stubbornness and Freckles


Elliot skimmed his eyes over the list in his hands, the same list of approved clubs that he had been given about ten minutes ago. He yawned and glanced at the clock hanging up up on the Student Council room wall. The little hand on the clock took its time, like always.

He returned his attention to the list in his hands. The same names from last year—as well as every year before then, and the year before—came up: The Chess club, the Swimming club, the Astrology club, the Journalism club, the...

His light brown eyes widened and his blank expression snapped to surprise. Elliot stared down at the four words that glared off the page in bold, black text.

“…What?!”

The astonishment didn’t last long. Elliot shot up from his seat, the chair skidding with a sharp scrape across the floor. He didn't notice. The long list of approved clubs crumbled up in his fist.

The other members of the Student Council in the room all looked up from their work, some with fear and others in concern. Half of the room around him held their breath, though their expectant reaction wasn't enough to deter Elliot.

“Elliot...?” Jacqueline, the girl nearest him, said. She reached out to touch his shoulder, but Elliot was already storming his way towards The President’s office. A few other Student Council members were already getting up and asking him to calm down and think things through. Their attempts at getting Elliot to act civilized were, as usual, all fruitless. There was no stopping the headstrong boy once he got going. Their words were just a background buzzing in his ears.

The front door of The President’s office was yanked open then slammed closed with the force of a powerful giant. Elliot stared across the room at the teenaged president of the Student Council, the list of approved clubs still clenched in his hand as he strode across the room.

The President didn’t bother to look up from the large newspaper in his hands. “Good afternoon, Elliot. What’s your complaint today?”

Elliot slammed the crumpled list onto The President’s desk, his eyes aflame with disproval. “The KISS Fan club?” he exclaimed in disbelief. “When was this approved?”

The President turned to the next page of the newspaper, eyes darting back and forth as he read through the articles. “Yesterday.”

“How could you do such a thing? This is hardly appropriate for a club!”

“It’s fine, Elliot,” The President sighed. “It’s not as if they’re going to be dancing around, drinking of the blood of their enemies and performing pagan rituals to Gene Simmons or something.”

“For all we know that’s what they could be planning on doing,” Elliot insisted. “How can you know for sure? The club is worshipping a band that was famous for men who dressed up, spat blood and fire, and would sing songs about—”

“Elliot, do these childish complaints actually have a point to them?” The President folded the newspaper up in his hands and sat it down on his desk. He leaned back in his black leather chair with a smug look of superiority at the Elliot’s scornful frown. “Whether you believe it or not Elliot, I see nothing wrong with a club gathering all in the sake of interest over a simple band. I have already discussed the matter with the club president, and he has made it clear that they intend to do nothing more then gather, discuss the band, listen to the music, and anything else affiliated with the band and with expressing their enthusiasm for it.”

Elliot’s light brown eyes narrowed with bemusement. “You’re going to let them spit blood and fire around in our school?”

“No.” The President’s smug smile lengthened. His wise cobalt eyes left Elliot and locked themselves on the clock on the wall. “They are, however, allowed to do whatever they wish; so long as it does not compromise the safety of anyone or insult the school, the band, and themselves.”

“But...!''

“Elliot, you’re a smart man. We both know that,” The President sighed with exasperation. His eyes never left the clock as he spoke. “Let us just cut to the chase, shall we? Why do you really not want the approval of a harmless club?”

Elliot’s lips pulled back into a grimace. “Isn’t it obvious? What kind of club would this be? It’s…irregular, it’s risky, it’s—”

“Different?” The President interrupted, watching the little hand on the clock move to the next number. “I know it’s irregular. I know it’s risky. But it’s different.” He finally tore his eyes off of the clock and back onto Elliot, whose hands had fisted themselves at his side. “Elliot, we’ve had the same sort of clubs coming back, year after year. Nothing new ever happens here. When the idea was first put into my hands…I must admit I was intrigued. At first I thought that no one would go for this, but then the first list of people who were eagerly waiting to join came…I was simply astounded by the enthusiasm.” The President smiled sincerely up at Elliot. “I think that this is the sort of club we need to liven up this school.”

Elliot let out the long breath that he had held in. On the exterior he looked as calm as The President, but on the inside he was fuming. The mere fact that none of his words were getting through to one of the fellow teenagers he considered truly credible only fed the fiery anger deep inside. The very notion of the club still seemed absurd. How could The President risk attempting an idea so out there, completely out of the blue? What possible good could come from this? Nothing about the idea seemed right, and Elliot would be damned if he just gave into it.

“Preposterous,” Elliot finally muttered under his breath after a pregnant pause. “The school is fine just the way it is.”

“True. The school is fine. But it could be better,” The President argued. “It needs change. Life is all about change. Things can’t stay the same forever. I know you don’t believe me, Elliot. Therefore, I have a request for you.”

Elliot cocked an eyebrow. “A request?”

“Yes.” The President glanced back at the clock. “Just stay in here for a little bit. In about a minute or so, someone I’d like for you to meet will be here.” He gestured to a somewhat smaller black leather chair in front of the desk. “Take a seat, Elliot. Relax.”

Elliot eyed the chair scornfully and shook his head. “I’d rather not. I don’t plan on staying too long.”

The President nodded and didn’t push the matter further. Instead, he relaxed in his chair and shook a few strands of semi-short black hair out of his cobalt eyes. Elliot stared intently at him, his well-shaped lips pursed into thin and determined line. He felt ready to explode with his next bold thought. When he opened his mouth to make his next point about why the club should be permanently shut down, the door to The President’s office suddenly opened. A soft light filled the room, briefly shocking both Elliot and The President from the tense atmosphere and the dark room as they both turned towards the door.

Elliot’s eyes widened with shock, unsure of what to make out the person who stood by the door.

“…Uh, hi! This is the Student council’s president office, right?” The oddity asked in a voice too sincere and friendly for it to be real. Elliot eyed the stranger, who looked out of place as he stared back at Elliot and The President from the open doorway. The stranger’s semi-long rusty orange hair was pulled back in a ponytail, although odd strands fell around his freckled face, and on top of his head was a black and white checkered headband. Elliot frowned when his gaze revisited the hair again. He'd never seen a hair colour like that around town before. Was he new around the school?

“Yes, you’re in the right place,” The President answered, getting up from his chair. The grin that spread across the freckled boy’s face was almost unbelievable. He looked beyond relieved.

“Oh, thank God…I kept getting lost! I must’ve asked several different people where this room was.” The boy audibly heaved a huge breath of relief, the same grin still planted firmly on his bow-shaped lips.

“It’s not that hard to find,” Elliot mumbled, narrowing his eyes at the odd boy with distaste. The other boy just continued to smile, even though the harsh comment had been loud enough for him to hear it.

“I’m sorry I’m a little late,” The boy continued, ignoring the previous comment as he approached the desk. Elliot took a step back, eyes still taking in the eccentric boy beside him. The guy looked even weirder close up. His eyes were a brilliant shade of blue-green; youthful eyes. The boy was also a little on the pale side, with thousands of freckles sprinkled all over his skin. His ears, which Elliot could only really see when the boy had come to stand beside him, had many piercings, some which looked extremely painful and unneeded.

Elliot tried not to scowl when another realization came into the light. He bitterly noted that the other boy was a little taller than he was, too…

The boy caught Elliot staring at him from the corner of his eye and turned to him. He expected a harsh comment, but instead recieved a hand being offered to him in greeting.

“I’m Cameron,” the boy replied, still smiling that stupid, goofy grin. “Nice to meet you.”

Elliot ignored the gesture and instead noticed that boy’s the other hand held a small stack of papers at his side. His frown deepened as the pieces came together. This was the boy that was the source of his current problem?

“You’re the KISS Club President?”

Cameron blinked and flushed suddenly, as if extremely excited by the mere mention of it. “Yes! This was all my idea.” He held up the small stack of papers that he had brought in with him. “I was asked to bring these in. I have the list of people wanting to join, the activities we’ll be doing, and—”

Elliot reached out and snatched the papers from Cameron before he could finish his sentence. He glowered at the cursed text as he flipped through the pages. Cameron let his previous sentence drift off into silence and watched Elliot with a curious gaze.

Elliot’s frown deepened with every page that he looked at. The list of people that wished to join the club was a little big…too big, he decided. And the activities? He almost wanted to laugh at how ludicrous those were. The list of supplies that they requested from the council wasn’t something to laugh at, though. Deciding that he was finished with this nonsense, Elliot carelessly dropped the papers into The President’s desk. He latched his displeased stare onto The President. “Is this some sort of joke?”

The President just smiled. “Nope.”

Dissatisfied with the answer, Elliot turned towards Cameron, who still looked curiously at Elliot. One eyebrow was raised as if the freckled boy was trying to decipher something in a language he couldn’t understand, and his mouth was puckered in a sort of childlike pout.

Elliot repeated himself one last time. “Is this a joke?”

“…Joke?” Cameron repeated slowly, his curiosity slowly transforming into sincere confusion.

“Yes, a joke. Just what do you take us for?” Elliot abruptly snapped, pointing an accusing finger at the stack of papers. “How can you seriously think that this was a good idea for a club?”

“Well, I—”

“This is a prestigious school,” Elliot interrupted, his voice sharp from frustration. “People pay thousands of dollars a year for their children to come here, and that doesn't even include the dorms. This school offers only the best in academics, athletics, and extracurricular activities.” Cameron grimaced slightly at Elliot’s tone of voice; his body growing tense as the conversation became harsher and harsher. “Parents do not pay us that kind of money so that their children can join some fan club where you dress up and listen to music. It’s a waste of time! It’s a waste of money! It’s—”

“Probably the best club idea we’ve had in a long while,” The President finally cut in. He smiled gently towards the two tense boys.

Elliot turned to The President with a look of utmost betrayal and bitter confusion. “But—”

“And I think you’re being a tad too judgmental and unreasonable, Elliot,” The President added. “It hasn’t even started yet and already you’re trying to beat it into the ground.” The President sifted through some of the papers and picked up the activity page. “I can see a lot of promise in this club, and a lot of potential.”

Elliot snorted in disbelief.

“No, hear me out Elliot.” The President cleared his throat and quickly read over the list. “From what I see here, this club plans to do a lot of school-spirit activities: cheering at sport games, live advertising for school events, and overall just livening things up here.” The President smirked as he placed the page back onto the rest on his desk. “School spirit has been going down over the years. This could bring it up. Besides, what’s the harm in being a little KISS-enthusiastic, so long as it’s harmless and amuses everyone?”

“That’s not the problem! It’s how they’re going to do it that bothers me,” Elliot exclaimed. The frustration was building up inside, like a balloon with too much air in it; he felt almost ready to explode. “It bothers me how you’re willing to overlook the fact that they’re going to be dressed up, sticking their tongues out at people, and being weird! And with your approval! If you really had the school’s best interests at heart, you wouldn’t have approved of this damn club at all!”

The President and Elliot locked eyes, their stares heated and bemused. Beside them, Cameron stood idly by, though his once lighthearted expression pulled into a determined one.

“Look, guys...I’m sorry that this is causing so much trouble,” Cameron said, his hand rubbing the back of his neck. “I never meant to cause any grief for anyone. I just wanted to start something fun.” He looked at Elliot, directing the rest of the conversation to the furious council member. His voice lost its apologetic tone. “But even so, I think you have the wrong idea about what this club is.”

“No, you have the wrong idea,” Elliot said with a skeptical snort. “This club won’t be anything, because it’s not going to happen.”

"Wrong," The President said, his authoritative voice grabbing both of their attention. “This club is happening, whether Elliot wants it to or not. It’s a great idea, and if he’s too stubborn to see that then that's his problem.” He quickly turned to Elliot, retorting, “And if you’re so worried about this club crossing any dangerous lines, then why don’t I assign you to oversee the club, hmm?”

For the first time in over fifteen minutes, Elliot’s expression went from one of disdain and anger to a smugness that matched The President’s. It was a look of superiority and amusement that suddenly changed the rules to the game. Cameron’s blue-green eyes darted back and forth between the two council members, his expression blatantly alarmed and puzzled.

“…Really?” Elliot challenged, watching Cameron’s gaze out of the corner of his eye.

“Really,” The President confirmed. “I trust you Elliot. Despite your stubbornness, you’re one of the more honest member’s on the council. I trust that if anything really does go wrong with Cameron’s club, you’d be the one to tell me right away. Not that I expect anything to go wrong, anyway.” He glanced at the freckled boy. “Is this all right with you, Cameron?”

“Uh…sure,” Cameron said, his reply hesitant. Elliot wanted to laugh at how uncertain Cameron sounded. He knew deep down that Cameron agreeing to this was probably going to be the death of his precious KISS club, and after that response, Elliot was certain that Cameron had just noted him as the worst threat against his club. Elliot breathed easy; he had this one in the bag. If he was lucky, he could find a few fatal flaws that would be sufficient enough for it to be shut down before the end of the month.

“Well, seeing as it is now almost half past twelve, I think it’s time for you to return to your duties while there’s still time before afternoon classes.” The President said to Elliot while returning to his leather chair.

Elliot nodded in agreement. “Fine.” He turned his confident smirk on Cameron, his light brown eyes narrowing at the other boy, like a vicious cat eyeing a naïve bird trapped in a corner. “You have no idea what you’ve just gotten yourself into.”.

Then, to Elliot’s surprise, Cameron mutely answered the quiet threat, his own eyes gleaming with an ambition that matched Elliot's determination. “Bring it on.”


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When Elliot finally left the room, he took the competitive tension with him. Cameron heaved a heavy sigh, as if he had held his breath for a lengthy amount of time.

“What an intense guy'', he breathed, still feeling ill at ease, as if the passionate council member were still beside him. His heart beat as unsteadily as it had moments ago when those light brown eyes tried to stare him down into absolute submission.

“That’s Elliot for you,” The President chuckled, leaning back in his leather chair with a look of unpolluted self-assurance. “He’s always been a stubborn person.”

Cameron swallowed thickly. “Mr. President?”

“Hmm?”

“I don’t have a chance in hell, do I?”

The President threw back his head and laughed. After calming down, he shook his head. “Ah…so blunt.” He smiled at the freckled boy. “Cameron, that’s only true if you give up before the real battle has begun. While it’s true that Elliot is a very determined person, if you do a good job of being a club president, then I’m sure Elliot will slowly come around. Show him that this club is as good an idea as we both know it to be and the light bulb of enlightenment will surely turn on in that stubborn head of his.”

Cameron reflected on The President’s words for a moment before he began to smile, though it was much less assured than The President’s smile was. “Do you really think so?”

The President nodded. “I know so.”

Cameron heaved another sigh of relief, The President’s words lifting his spirits up a little. It was going to be immensely difficult just trying to keep a newborn club functioning without Elliot being so deadset against it, but he felt a little more optimistic about it now. Besides, no matter how intimidating Elliot seemed, Cameron was never one to back down from a challenge.

“You know what…?” Cameron asked when a thought occurred to him.

“Yes?”

“For such a stubborn guy…he’s kinda cute. You know, in that weird, pouty way.”

The President just laughed.


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To Be Continued.