"You are staying in separate rooms." Mom Wright said as we stood in the hall with sad faces. She looked stern, but Vince was still trying to plead with her to have me in his room.

"But Mom, you know we are going to spend most of our time together anyways. It would be less laundry for you and then there is still room for guests to come over." He argued logically. I loved how smart my man could be.

"He's right, and we won't be locked inside all day anyways. We will be out around town, or downstairs, and mostly will just be sleeping." I chimed in with a hopeful smile. She sent me a look.

"Mostly? That's not very convincing Alex." She grinned at me. I gave my most innocent look as I could manage and looked at Vincent.

"I don't know what you are talking about. I'm sweet and innocent. He's the corrupt one." I pointed at Vincent who snorted and wrapped an arm around my neck to pull me in and crush my head.

"Don't listen to him. We really do know how to behave, Mom. I'll even clean my room if I have my boyfriend staying." His argument had her brows raised to her hairline in surprise.

"You? Clean your room? If you can keep it clean for two weeks, then it's a deal. Just don't tell his mother." She said slyly and held out her hand. I watched from under his arm as he shook it with a grin.

"Can you let me go now?" I asked as he pulled me into the room. He tossed me onto the bed in a heap and pounced on top.

"Did you hear that? You can stay in my room!" He said with an excited face. I laughed at him.

"Yeah, if you can keep your room clean for two weeks." I said without enthusiasm. He looked down at me with a pout.

"Why aren't you more excited? Don't you think I can do it?" He asked. I shook my head.

"Nope. I recall Christmas. Don't forget I also lived down the hall from you at school. I give you a week." I retorted. He grumbled at me and laid out next to me.

"I can do it. It would be so worth it to see your face in the morning." He spouted the cheesy words and I groaned.

"Oh god. A whole summer of this? It's so disgustingly... gooey." I shuddered fakely and he laughed.

"Shut up. You love it." He grinned at me.

"I love you." I replied. He looked surprised and then fake barfed.

"Joking. I love you too. You are just as bad as I am." He laid his head on my chest and we stared at the ceiling for a minute.

"We should grab our stuff." I said. He nodded.

"Yeah. We should." He replied after a minute. He didn't move. I didn't move.

"You have five minutes to get these bags out of the front hall or he stays in the guest room!" Mom Wright's voice shouted from the stairs. We both scrambled to get up and ran down the stairs. She was laughing in the front hall.

"We got it." He grabbed two bags and ran up the stairs.

"Oh, I am so milking this one all summer." She crowed to me as I blushed and grabbed the box left over.

"Careful. If he catches on to you he might start to hate me." I complained as I went up the stairs after him.

"Dear, he couldn't hate you if he tried." She said with a smile. I felt my ears get hot and ran the rest of the way.

"Is that the last piece?" He asked. I nodded and put it on the bed.

"For now. My mom said she would send over some more stuff next week." I unpacked the box and put some stuff on the side table and desk for now.

"I'll empty a drawer for you, how's that?" He said with a glance over his shoulder.

"That should do." I opened the bag with clothes and put them into the drawer after he moved his stuff.

"We can hang the uniforms, and anything she sends over that doesn't fit." He stated as I crumpled the empty bag up to store it. He threw it on the top shelf of his closet.

"So, what do you want to do tonight?" I asked, sitting on the bed. He shrugged.

"I dunno. Want to go for a walk? We can be cliché and watch ducks at the park or something." He suggested. I made a face.

"How about you bring a ball to toss, and it's a deal." I got up and he wrapped an arm around my shoulder.

"You're the boss." He replied cheekily. I glanced at him slyly.

"Oh yeah? Later too?" My grin was wicked as his face fell a little.

"Aw come on. You got to top last time." He complained. I shrugged.

"So? What? Are we keeping score?" I spied a ball on his closet shelf and went to grab it.

"Obviously. I have to be Number One. Remember?" He pointed at the trophy that he had pulled out of his bag and was sitting on his desk. I rolled my eyes.

"It won't work. I have one of those too. Besides, you like it." I said suggestively. We heard noise from downstairs and he froze. He looked out his door and then back at me.

"Shh. You said you wouldn't tell anyone. This place has ears, I tell you. Come on. We can talk about it at the park." He pulled me out into the hall and I sighed.

"You are going to change the subject again. It's okay. I get it. I'm just better at keeping my feeling of masculinity when I b..." He put a hand over my mouth and smiled at his dad as he passed in the front hall. Quinn gave us a weird look.

"We're going to the park." Vincent said nervously.

"Okay?" Dad Wright replied. He left and Vince glared at me. I was laughing because I thought it was funny. He walked out of the house and I followed him.

"Oh come on. Don't be mad." I tried to coax him. I tossed the ball in the air and caught it a few times.

"It's not funny." He whined. He looked a little mad. I felt a little bad. Not much, just a little. His ego was cute, to a point.

"Alright. It's not funny. You are right. I shouldn't laugh at your feelings. I'm sorry." I stopped tossing the ball and coaxed him in earnest. I gave him an apologetic look.

"No, you shouldn't. I'll accept your apology when I'm less mad at you." He replied, continuing to walk in what I assumed was the direction of the park.

"Fair enough." I walked quietly behind him as he stormed down the road. His walk was gradually slowing, so I knew he wouldn't be mad for long. Especially when he realised how ridiculous it was.

"You know I feel weird talking about that." He explained as he stopped at the gate opening with a sign for the park.

"I know. I said I was sorry. I don't feel the same, so it's harder for me to understand. I will try to be more respectful of your wishes." I tossed him the ball and he caught it thoughtfully.

"Okay. It's fine if it's just us alone. I mean... If I know there isn't anyone else around." He rubbed his nose and I nodded.

"Okay. Like it's okay to talk now, because we aren't at your house?" I smiled at him. He smiled back.

"Yeah. I'll... I'll try to get more used to it." He offered, tossing the ball back to me. I shook my head.

"No. You don't have to. I'm just being a shit. If you want to keep it between us, that's okay. It's our love life. It should be private." I allowed. He looked relieved. "But I'm still going to tease you."

"Oh come on." He looked exasperated. He started walking into the park and I followed him with a chuckle.

"I have to! I literally can't -not- tease you now." I complained as he charged down to the waterside.

"Try." He said deadpan as I tossed him the ball. He backed away and tossed it back.

"No, it's like... now that I know I can get such a great reaction from you... I have to." I was grinning as I backed away and then tossed the ball a little harder.

"I am going to remember this, Alex." He caught the ball and pointed it at me. I laughed and nodded. He tossed it back to me with a bit of a spin.

"Good. Remember it for our whole lives." I said suggestively. That finally cracked a smile on his face.

"How about I just remember it tonight?"

1505