She's the man pt 4

continued, in which Allen confronts Rachel about her secret and Jack and Sarah get even closer :)

Confrontation

Sarah laid back happily on her bed. She had done it. After weeks of waiting she had received a letter informing her that the designs she had created for a new video game had been approved. The company would pay for her remaining collage tuition in exchange for her staying in school a little longer so that she could produce the games as she completed her studies.

"Aamir! Oz told me that you had gotten a letter from Pandora and Hearts! what did they say? are you hired?" asked Jack bursting in. 

"Oh Jack!" said Sarah overwhelmed throwing herself into his arms, "I did it! I did it! I am in!"

"I knew you could! Oh, Aamir this is wonderful!" laughed Jack scooping her up and twirling her around. Sarah laughed breathlessly and clung to him. 

"So tell me about this game you're creating." grinned Jack as they flopped back on the bed.

"Well, I was going to make it a adventure game. You have you're character and you travel around in this world I created called syöpynyt (it means "ingrained" in Finish) and you compleat different combinations of riddles and battles in order to obtain "fallen stars" (which actually look like just little white glowing marbles) every time you collect a star you gain a tattoo on your characters arm, the more stars you collect the more complex your tattoo becomes." said Sarah.

"What do the tattoo's do?" asked Jack curiously as he turned on the bed to see her better.

"Well they each give you special abilities, some of them even can release special creatures to do tasks for you. If you let certain ones merge than they create a whole new ability." explained Sarah.

"Is there a limit to how many stars you can collect?" asked Jack.

"Yeah, if you collect too many than you're whole body turns black and you have to start from scratch, though you're old figure turns into a monster that roams around and tries to eat up stars before you can get them." said Sarah.

"It sounds really interesting. Say Aamir, do you think when you finish with making it I can try it out?" asked Jack smiling, Sarah's heart fluttered.

"I'd be honored." said Sarah ducking her head so he wouldn't see that she was flushed with pleasure.

"Aw, don't be so formal Aamir." grinned Jack.

"I am going to be really busy now though, they're completely rearranging my schedule for next year. I don't think I'll be having as many classes with you." fussed Sarah trying to change the focus of the conversation.

"Aw... that sucks. At least we'll still get to be roommates." said Jack.

"Um... about that, since the company is covering my tuition I was planning to live off campus next year... it's cheaper..." mumbled Sarah.

"Oh? thats a good idea too. You should have said so earlier; we'll split the price." said Jack.

"A-ah! but I already promised Ryan that we would be getting a apartment together next year." stuttered Sarah her face flushing at the thought of sharing an apartment with Jack. Even though they shared a room now the presence of the other boys all around them made Sarah feel less strained. Being with Jack alone in an apartment where there was no form of chaperone (adult or child) made it feel much more like they were a married couple or something.

"Hmm... I suppose a flat would be more comfortable. We should get Allen in on this, I bet he'd be game. And a flat really isn't that much more expensive than an apartment, especially when you have four people splitting the cost." mussed Jack, "what do you think?"

"I-I-!" stuttered Sarah, she was planning to reveal her gender at the end of the year. Jack would probably hate her for keeping it a secret, the very thought was painful. But she couldn't deny... "It sounds wonderful." she admitted miserably wistful.

"Great, I'll talk to Allen and Ryan about it later. I bet we could find them in the cafeteria; those two never seem to stop eating." prattled Jack, but Sarah wasn't really listening. She was sinking into depression. The conversation had brought to light what she should have realized a long time ago. When she revealed her secret... Jack would...! Jack would...!

"Aamir..." Sarah blinked as suddenly Jack was kneeling right in front of her. The way he said her fake name sent shivers up and down her sine, the way he was staring at her so intensely had her hear beating irregularly. Oh how she wished he would call her by her real name. How she wished he could know she was a girl. How she wished- how she wished he could love her.

"Jack," she murmured throwing her arms around him burying her face in his neck. Jack froze for a moment before wrapping his arms around her and patted her head awkwardly.

"Hah... Aamir you're so emotional." laughed Jack.

"I am sorry." sniffed Sarah pulling back.

"Nah it's fine," said Jack scratching his head, "That's just how Aamir is."

"What do you mean?" asked Sarah slightly confused by the statement.

"Well," Jack said frowning, "I hadn't meant to say anything but I might as well; Aamir, you keep behaving as if the moment I get too close to you I'll run away screaming."

"..." that was exactly what she was afraid of.

"Aamir, look at me." commanded Jack, Sarah did, though reluctantly. The intense expression there made her heart skip to double time, "I am your friend Aamir, I am not just going to leave you, even if I find out something less than pleasant about you. But somehow, I think what ever secret you carry is not that bad. Aamir is too good a person for that." 

"You don't know that..." whispered Sarah before she could stop herself.

"Hmm... you don't know that I don't know that I might know that you don't know that I already know. " grinned Jack.

"...Pardon?" asked Sarah not understanding.

"Nothing, I just want you to know that when the time comes, and you're ready to tell me you're secret, I won't abandon you." smiled Jack tussling her hair. Sarah felt like a huge weight had been lifted off her chest. But than it was replaced by worry; did that mean that he had known she was a girl and was just waiting for her to tell him? or had she misunderstood completely? what should she do? despite that Sarah couldn't stop the warm feeling his words had left her with; he had said he wouldn't abandon her.

"Jack..." she tugged on the hem of his shirt shyly as he got up.

"What?" he asked.

"Thank you.... for being such a good friend." Sarah shyly smiled a dazzling smile full of earnest sweetness. Jack froze for a moment, then something shifted in his eye.

"Aamir..." he whispered gruffly with the strangest expression on his face. Jack reached out and touched Sarah's face in a soft caress. Sarah remained rooted to the spot as he leaned in, her heart pounding in her ears. He couldn't possibly be thinking of-! he wouldn't-! suddenly Jack jerked away.

"Let's go find Allen and Ryan." he mumbled walking out the door.

"O-okay..." said Sarah getting up. She wanted to scream in frustration. She wanted Jack to kiss her so bad! She wanted to run her fingers throughout that beautiful long gold hair. She wanted him to be hers.

Goodness knows she was already his, even if he didn't know it yet.

****

"Hey Ryan?" asked Allen leaning on the the doorway into the Art room watching his friend paint.

"Hmm?" asked Ryan busily swirling colors together on the canvas.

"I wondered if you wanted to go to the beach with me? We could bring our Art supplies and use it as an opportunity to add some pictures to you're portfolio for you're next interview." said Allen.

"Mh! thats a good idea, and I need to let this dry for a bit anyway before I continue." grinned Ryan, Allen watched his friend careful hide the painting out of sight(a strange habit for an artist who's works were gradually becoming well known, but Ryan had expressed a deep detestation of people just coming into the art room and commenting the pieces before they were complete... or even sometimes when they were) 

"So where are we going? you know how I don't like doing art at busy beaches." said Ryan making a face as they stopped by the dorms to pick up their personal art supplies.

"I am aware." laughed Allen thinking of the last time he'd dragged his friend to a public beach, "Don't worry, this place is my own secret hide away." 

"Ooh! fancy..." grinned Ryan, "I feel so special."

Together they climbed into the car and Allen pulled out of the school parking lot and started driving off campus. Ryan didn't ask anymore questions about where they were going but Allen could tell his friend was burning with curiosity. He suppressed a chuckle as Ryan raised his eyebrows as they got onto the highway leading out of the city. He could practically see the gears turning in his friends brain.

Allen was by now convinced that his roommate was definitely a girl. It had only taken a few weeks of careful observation to confirm this. That and he'd discovered, much to his embarrassment, his roommates secret stash of feminine products. Anyway, he had made up his mind to comfort Ryan about it, and he hoped to do it on this outing. Away from the school. And in a place where his easily freaked out friend couldn't do something stupid like run to the office and quit school before he could finish talking to her. He hoped this went okay. But he did have a trick up his sleeve that would hopeful make the girl confess on her own.

Confess...

That made him think of other things he wished she would say. Not long after he had realized that his roommate was a girl he was forced to come to terms with the fact that he was, very, attracted to her. He was not sure how to go about expressing his affection for the slightly insane girl that was not only his roommate but also one of his closest friends. But Rachel seemed to not share these affections.

Allen gripped the steering weal. One step at a time. He had to make her acknowledge that he knew of her secret before he could even entertain the hope of respiration to his feelings.

"We're here." said Allen pulling into the small cove that was completely bare of people, though it was complete with a small bathroom and winding stair that led down to the beach.

"Oh Allen... it's beautiful." murmured Ryan with such a serene expression on her face Allen wished he could just scoop her into his arms and kiss her right there. But, no, that would scare her. 

"It's a small beach thats a bit inexessible aside from this stair, so the joggers don't use it. There are also rocks out further that makes surfing impossible. So aside from an occasional wedding or something that they hold here, nobody comes here." explained Allen as they got out of the care.

"They don't know what they're missing," smiled Ryan sweetly, "But I am glad, if they did, I won't be able to come here with you Allen."

"Y-yeah," said Allen turning to hide his blush, he couldn't pretend much longer, he had to play his cards now. Pulling a bag out of the back of the car he took a deep breath and turned to her, "Say R-rachel, don you want to go swimming before we do Art? I brought a swimsuit for you."

"Oh-! uh-! swimming... um..." said Ryan obviously so flustered trying to figure out how to get out of swimming that she didn't notice that he'd called her by her girl name.

"Why not Rachel? the water is nice." said Allen, it was harder than he expected to call his friend by her female name.

"Oh, well I just-" Ryan suddenly froze, Allen smiled, she'd noticed he had been calling her by her name and she'd been responding without thinking. Ryan eyed him suspiciously, probably wondering if it was a fluke. She looked into the bag he'd handed her, her face froze in a expression of priceless horror etched into it, "Allen-! what is this?!"

"A swim suit." Allen smirked.

"It's a bikini!" squeaked Ryan.

"Hmm? Is it? I suppose I forgot to specify when I asked Lenalee for a swimsuit." said Allen frowning. Ryan stared at him.

"A-are you making fun of me?" asked Ryan shakily.

"Nope." said Allen staring at her steadily.

"How- when-" Ryan struggled to find words.

"How long have I known?" finished Allen kindly for her. Ryan nodded, face flushed. Really, the girl was just too cute, "For quite some time, but I wasn't sure until a few weeks ago. So, shall we go swimming?"

"Uh... Bikini's... I don't usually... um..." stuttered Ryan shifting uncomfortably.

"Just this once. I would have preferred a one piece too, but I want to spend time with you just as yourself without you trying to pretending to be a boy. So I'll ask you again," Allen looked her in her green/blue/grey eyes, "Please come swimming with me."

"...Okay..." said Ryan looking like she might be thinking that she would regret agreeing to this later.

"Thank you," said Allen ruffling her hair, "I'll see you down on the beach." 

Allen headed to the bathroom and quickly changed. Heading down to the beach he waded into the water which was surprisingly warm even for late spring. He had to suppress his excitement. He had done it. He had confronted her and she hadn't run away.... yet. It was like preparing himself to meet a stranger. No not a stranger, he corrected himself, Rachel Wilder.

"How... How is it?" asked the girl tentatively from behind him. Allen turned around and couldn't stop his mouth from falling slightly open. She had put on the bikini but had worn it with a pair of short shorts and (he assumed) her undershirt. It didn't matter though, she wasn't waring any of her disguise as a boy. Allen had always assumed that since she could pass for a boy she wouldn't have any curves to speak of, but he hadn't cared because he loved her. Apparently not the case. Well @#$%; Didn't see that one coming.

"U-uh Allen?" stuttered Rachel a slightly mortified blush spread across her checks as Allen realized he had been giving her the up down.

"Sorry," he apologized smiling and recovering himself. Just because she was a pretty girl and he hadn't realized it didn't change a thing. This was his friend, and he already loved her, "The water is warm, shall we swim?" he asked with a smile offering her his hand.

"Y-yeah..."

*****

"I wonder, do we love someone because they're beautiful, or are they beautiful because we love them?" mused Allen aloud as he and Jack hung out in Allen and Ryan/Rachel's room.

"I don't know, both?" said Jack shrugging.

"Don't pretend you're not curious what Aamir looks like in regular girls cloths, you know you are." said Allen.

"Sadly.... I am far more aware of that fact than I'd like to be." sighed Jack, "So it went well?"

"Yeah, we talked for a long time, things are still a little awkward though. Especially because Lenalee had packed a bikini for her." mused Allen.

"You got to see her in a bikini?! no fair, Aamir doesn't even know I know she's a girl yet." huffed Jack.

"Well no actually, she wasn't comfortable in just a bikini so she wore a tank top and shorts over it," admitted Allen, "I am rather glad she was though, I don't think I would have handled it well."

"Oh? She's good looking?" asked Jack surprised.

"You haven't noticed? Even when she's dressed as a boy..."

"Honestly, no. I have eyes only for Aamir I guess." shrugged Jack.

"I don't know what to do Jack, I am telling you, she's the prettiest girl I've ever met, I can't believe I thought she was a guy even for a moment. I didn't think it would make much of a difference when she dropped her guy disguise, but boy was I wrong." moaned Allen.

"Tell her that, I bet it would make her happy." said Jack flicking through some of Allen's most resent sketches.

"More like it'd send her running as fast as she could," grumbled Allen, "And you're one to talk, you've known you liked Aamir a lot longer than I realized I liked Ryan(er...Rachel) and you still haven't done a thing."

"But she's so jumpy, I don't want to move to fast and end up losing her." mumbled Jack.

"See? you know what I am talking about, but you really should tell her you know she's a girl. It's not kind leaving her doing this million question guessing game." said Allen seriously.

"If you want my personal advance on the matter," said Ryan/Rachel walking throughout the door in time to hear the tail end of the conversation causing both boys to jump and Allen to turn bright red for fear she had overheard that he liked her(she hadn't) as she continued, "I don't think S-Aamir isn't ready for a full relationship yet. Let her tell you, she will when she's ready."

"I don't know if I can wait that long," admitted Jack, "She's so adorable I just want to jump her all the time."

"Well refrain from doing so if you don't want to be murdered." said Rachel dryly.

"By Aamir?"

"By our friends."

"Ah... yes, I have heard stories..."

"Are your friends like that about you, Ryan-(I mean)- Rachel?" asked Allen still slightly flushed and not meeting her eye. Rachel stared at him a few moments before marching over to him and forcing his chin up to look at her.

"You... can stop that right now." said Rachel sternly.

"Wha-?"

"While I am in school I am still "Ryan" your male roommate and I expect you to treat me as such. Start acting funny around me and I'll make Jack switch places with me." said Rachel firmly.

"Allen, you're not allowed to act funny." commanded Jack.

"But what if I want to get to know you not just as "Ryan" but as "Rachel" as well?" asked Allen softly.

"That's sweet of you Allen but not in school." sighed Rachel, though her cheeks were faintly pink.

"How about out of school?" asked Allen.

"Wha-?"

"We could meet up places, like go hang in a a coffee shop or something and just talk, and you wouldn't have to pretend to be a boy." said Allen hurriedly.

"Allen... are you... asking me out?" asked Rachel suspiciously.

"Um-!"

"You are! You're totally asking me out!" squeaked Rachel looking dumbfounded.

"Well, yes, but only if you want to-" began Allen hurriedly.

"Weeeelll I don't think I am needed here." said Jack hurriedly making to get out of the room.

"Stay!" communed Allen and Rachel together, "It'll be awkward if you aren't here."

"It's awkward with me here...." mumbled Jack.

"I understand if you don't want to..." mumbled Allen to Rachel.

"Mmm, no... I am just a little cautious about dating my roommate... it sounds like it could get messy fast." said Rachel.

"I sware I won't do anything weird to you." said Allen quickly.

"Don't promise me that, weird is good, strange is bad." said Rachel sternly before blushing slightly, "And I'd actually like to try it. I've never dated before so..."

"You'll be my girlfriend?" asked Allen not sure if he could believe his ears.

"I have some ground rules though!" said Rachel hurriedly, "I am only your girlfriend out of school, in school I am still "Ryan" and if being my boyfriend messes with how you treat me at school than it's over."

"I've got it." Allen solemnly swore.

"So, uh, you two are together now, should we tell Aamir?" asked Jack reminding the two that he was there.

"Not until you tell her about you I don't think." said Rachel.

"I thought we agreed that I can't tell Aamir that?" said Jack blushing.

"Tell me what?" asked Sarah walking in.

"Nothing." the all said, Sarah stared at them suspiciously.

"What were you guys talking about? and why are all your faces red?" asked Sarah.

"No reason."

"You guys are terrible liars..." grumbled Sarah.

"Your right, we are." said Rachel hurriedly, "we had wanted to keep it a surprise but I guess there is no hiding it."

"Ryan-" began Allen and Jack in alarm.

"You see Jack wanted to take you out to dinner to celebrate your new game tonight and he was asking my advice. I definitely recomend that Japanese food place a few streets over. It has excellent Tempura (which I know you like) what do you say?" asked Rachel cheerfully. 

"O-oh my... that sounds like fun!" said Sarah a bit flustered at the idea of practically going on a "date" with Jack. luckily she didn't see Allen and Jack's shocked expression or she might have suspected something.

"Alright you two, off you go." said Allen recovering and gleefully kicking them out.

"They're so cute together." grinned Rachel.

Author's Note

sooo tiered.... can't. spell. speak. read. words....
hopohdfisdjkbf(hope you like)
BEDTIME FOR THE WRITER!!!!

Reviews

[PokemonFan#1]

Gaaa! Can't wait for my next part!!!!!
=^u^=

[Imagination-mage]

good night writer. this was so cute!! can't wait for part 5~~

[StillShorterThanYou]

AWWW~~~ they should meet the whole gang next in order to pass the "test" :DD

[PokemonFan#1]

X///////////X
Gaaaa!!!!
J-Jack is so cute!!!!
Uh! He needs to be real!

I'm left at another cliff hanger!!!
Please, please, PLEASE do another part!
I need to know how Jack'll make me break and tell him my secret!

I loved it soooooooooo much!

KEEP IT UP!