Crush? I most certainly did not have a crush on Ayah Abasi. What a prosperous notion.

I'm one of the practical guys! I refuse to let the concept of "love" take over my life like all those people on TV. They're willing to throw everything away for someone who they may not even still be with in a few months. But, of course, that's not what the movies show.

They're happy to give us false hope by showing us the stopping-of-the-wedding, or when the nerdy guy finally plucks up the courage to confess his love at prom, or when that seemingly uptight woman finally allows herself to maybe like the funny guy at work even though she doesn't trust guys ever since her ex cheated.

Cue the smile and the "I'm so in love with you" eyes, and then a love song with a moderate beat plays as the camera zooms out just enough to see the beautiful surrounding area and then we see that the hour and thirty minute hunk of cliché was made by a director that I'm certainly not going to google when I get home.

And then what happens afterwards? What happens after the bride/groom runs away with someone that they're not marrying? Someone still has to pay for the wedding. Imagine the embarrassment, the sympathetic stares of the guests, having to be the one to make the phone call to cancel the honeymoon.

Or the nerdy guy who in real life would be no competition for the girls' boyfriend, because she's with him for a reason and not every varsity football player is a complete douche.

And the woman that finally allows herself to trust pins expectations on the guy straight away because she thinks he's "different", and he slips up once and then BAM! she's lost a good guy because she was too quick to add him to the 'ex- list'.

And don't even get me started on the idea that there's 'someone out there for everyone', because you'd think people would have better judgment on who this person is instead of having a 50% divorce rate.

Breathe, Reece, just breathe.

So, after hearing my (somewhat cynical) thoughts, do you seriously believe that I would even let myself have a crush?

Again, I repeat: a preposterous notion.

"Dante you have to help me help me now." I said hurriedly, bursting into his room and leaping on his bed. I almost hit my head on the top bunk, which Maggie had yet to remove since he wasn't sharing a room with his little brother Tyrell anymore.

"Reece?" Dante asked, a little startled, but not awake enough to to realise what was going on. He looked at his phone. "It's freaking 6am, why would you wake me up 30 minutes early when you know I won't be able to get back to sleep? That's straight up evil, man."

He punched me on the shoulder, and I swiftly ignored the pain, the news inside me too seemingly important to let a sloppy (but effective) punch get in the way.

"One: haha your hairs a mess mate." I chuckled, never wanting to miss an opportunity to make fun of the lad. I simply smiled at the annoyance prominent on his face."Swiftly moving on to the second point, I have news."

"The world better be ending, otherwise I'm going to smother you with this pillow." He grumbled, sitting up  straight and resting his torso against the small headboard.

"I've already called Kenny, he'll be here in a few sec-"

The painfully slow creaking of Dante's door made me stop in my tracks to look at a cautious Kenny trying to tiptoe in as quietly as possible, and failing in the process.

"Kenny, cut the crap and get in here. I'm not a morning person." Dante snapped, but was comforted by a simple "sorry" from him when the terrible creaking had stopped.

Kenny dragged a seat and pulled it up close to the bed, and sat readily.

"You brought the book?" I whispered in a mixture of annoyance and disbelief.

"What?" Kenny glanced down at his hands, one possessing  a pen and the other holding his beloved book open. His whole frame was positioned in a 'taking notes' kind of way, and his facial expression practically screamed 'gimme some inspiration!'. "Of course I brought the book I always bring the book."

"I don't see why you're surprised, he always brings the book." Dante yawned. "Now get on with it because I'm already itching to reach for my pillow."

"Okay, okay." I said, then sighed. "I had a dream about Ayah last night."

Kenny slowly closed his book and set it on the floor beside his feet, not taking his eyes off me. The pen was also dropped soon after, and he just took a few seconds to stare at me with his head resting on his hands and his elbows on his knees.

It was pretty comical because of his stripy pyjamas.

As I turned to ask Dante for his thoughts, I got a face full of pillow.

"Next time, you tell me at breakfast!" He whisper-shouted.

But Kenny seemed to understand.

"D, don't you get it? He had a dream about her! This is big! He hasn't had a dream about someone since Cassy!"

"She-who-shall-not-be-named, you mean. Even though you just did." I sighed in defeat.

Dante raised his pillow up in a threatening manner. "Did you dream about her the way you dream about your mum or the way you dream about Jennifer Lopez?"

"Ew, neither!" I protested, and watched as he slowly lowered his weapon. "It was weird. I don't remember much, but I remember that she was drowning, and she called for me to save her, even though there were millions of lifeguards at the pool. She wanted me to save her."

"Well the way I'm hearing it, she was wet and she was calling your name. Kinda sounds to me like the way you dream about Jennifer Lope-"

This time it was my turn to hit him with a pillow. "This is not the time to joke, even if it was a good one. It wasn't the dream that scared me, but the ending. I woke up before I got to save her. What do you think it means?"

This question was directed at the Kenster, who was great at this sort of stuff. I say it's his perceptive mind, but Dante insists that it's his ability to look too deeply into a situation, and that he got it from his constant paranoia.

To each their own, I guess.

I looked over at Kenny hopefully, wanting him to tell me that it was just a silly dream and that I didn't have to feel awkward around her in the morning, and most importantly, I did not have a stupid little crush.

"Well, we've all seen how down in the dumps she looks. Maybe it's the compassionate part of your brain kicking in and you just want to help her. Bit problematic, but platonic as a plank."

"What?" Dante asked suddenly.

"Platonic as a plank." Kenny repeated.

"That's... Not a thing. It's not even remotely an expression."

"Yes it is."

"Platonic means friendly, and you're comparing that to a plank. Tell me, since you seem to know everything, what's so friendly about a plank?" Dante asked patronisingly.

"Hm, I suppose I could be getting two different sayings mixed up." Kenny said, looking away in thought.

I looked at Dante and mouthed. "What sayings?"

I got a bewildered shrug in response.

"No matter." Kenny said matter-of-factly, clapping his hands together. "As I was saying, it could be totally platonic, but it could also not be."

Aandd, that's what I really didn't want to hear.

"You said that there were hundreds of lifeguards at the place."

"Millions." I corrected.

"Well, a million is a lot but, okay. Millions of lifeguards, yet she called out your name. It may be a sign that you like her, and you want her to like you."

I gulped. "I like the other one better."

"I know you do, buddy. But you need to come to terms with the fact that you may actually like someone after Cassy." Kenny concluded, patting me on the back.

"Yep, the little geek knows his stuff." Dante agreed. "You need to get over this girl and come to terms with the fact that you may love another!"

Their words were both liberating and oppressive at the same time. Love? After two days? And with a girl I've never spoken to before? I'd never said the word to anyone but Dante and Kenny, and even then thats only in the bromance kind of way. There was no way that I had a crush - or loved - Ayah Abasi.

A preposterous notion.

"Now, if this little mothers' meeting is over, I might as well be first in the shower and beat the rush. I don't know how you do this every morning Reecey-boy!" Dante said, stretching a little.

"Yeah, I need to do some last minute English homework anyway." Kenny yawned.

I gasped. "The great Kenny Wu has not completed something English related! Dante, please allow me to borrow your phone!"

"For what, my friend, pray tell!" Dante replied in the same over the top tone.

"Someone needs to call the police!" I retorted.

"Great idea!" He replied, then gave me and imaginary phone so that our impromptu scene could continue.

"Hello?" I said into the phone.

"Yeah yeah Ha ha you guys are so hilarious." Kenny said dismissively. "Seriously consider stand up comedy."

"We shall." Dante smiled, as we both bowed and basked in imaginary glory.

Kenny rolled his eyes, picked up the closed book and pen from the floor, and stood up from the chair.

He walked to the door and stopped once to look back at Dante and I.

"Dante, you know, should really clean up. It smells like adolescent BO died in here." He said, holding his nose for effect. " I'll see you guys at breakfast. If there's a toy in the pack I call it!"

And with that he once again began his creaky departure from the room.

Once he was gone, I glanced at Dante who was smiling at me mischievously.

"Reecey has a cru-ush. Reecey has a cru-ush." He sang. "I knew as soon as I saw your excessive staring yesterday."

"I was just trying to note her features!" I protested, then sighed. "Wait, it was you who texted Scott about it, wasn't it?"

For a split second Dante almost looked guilty.

That went as quickly as it came. "Yep." He said triumphantly. "I killed two birds with one stone. He actually gives me free food, when it's you that's meant to be my BFF. It's payback for you, and a favour for him." He smiled an evil smile.

That was enough to earn him a face full of pillow.