Extra credit was a blessing from the gods of this education system. Since we were studying Japan at the moment in World Civilizations, we were given the opportunity to fold a thousand paper cranes for extra points. Though it was my best class and I held the highest grade in the whole grade, I didn't want to have to worry about taking the final in a month or so. It would be great not to have to study for one class.

So, there I was, around noon, in the common area, folding paper at impressive speeds and chatting with Alex, who had begun with the idea of helping me, but was now doodling in the margins of his math homework.

"What are you gonna wish for?" Hans and Frans said, coming up behind me. Frans snatched my finished crane out of my hands and sent it into the air like it was an paper airplane. It made a weird loop in the air and plummeted to the polished wood floor in a nosedive.

"I don't know." I said, getting up and retrieving my fallen bird. "Maybe a long and healthy life or something like that." I shrugged. "I'm really doing this for the extra credit."

Taki and Edmund entered the common room together, Edmund in full horseback riding attire and Taki in designer jeans and tshirt. It was an amusing contrast.

"You're making cranes!" Taki said, spotting me. "Let me help."

"Okay." I took out stack of papers from my school bag. (No, not a backpack. This thing was like a briefcase for school.) "Do you know how?"

Taki insisted that every person born and raised in Japan knew how to fold a paper crane, but he got stuck half way through.

Alex, the twins, and I laughed at his weird, square-ish design that didn't even remotely resemble a bird. "Hey." Taki said indignantly. "I must have forgotten. I haven't made a crane since fifth grade."

"Here." I reached over and took the paper from him. Our hands brushed, and he with drew his quickly.

"Sorry." He mumbled, his face red.

I laughed at his expression. "You messed up here." I pointed out, unfolding his first attempt. I retaught him how to make a crane, and, by the end of the afternoon, we had one hundred and sixty two cranes. Everyone besides Taki had left, and, as I was putting the birds safely into a cardboard box, he said, all of a sudden, "You kinda remind me of a girl, Ethan."

The crane I had been moving slipped from my fingers. "What are you taking about?" I laughed and slapped his back in what I hoped was a manly way.

Taki, blushing again, looked away. "You just do. You look..." He seemed to be struggling for the right word. "Cute."

If one could die of shock, I would have seen the light. I nearly toppled over, but caught myself on the thick tabletop. "What did you say?" I asked, hoping I had misheard.

"Never mind." Taki's ears had turned a deep shade of crimson. "Just forget it." And he left, just like that.

I finished picking up my cranes in a state of minor shock. I carried them back to my room, where Neil sat by the window, reading. He looked up when I entered. "Something wrong?" He asked.

I shook my head, slid the box under my bed, and set to work on my laptop. I Googled "looking like a guy", "acting like a man", and "how to be a transvestite" but learned nothing about keeping my disguise. Life pretty much sucked when you couldn't feel good about being called cute by a good looking guy. I buried my head in my hands.

"Something wrong?" Neil asked again.

"Nope, nothing." I replied quickly. Life really sucked when you had to lie to your super hot roommate,fold a thousand freakin' cranes, and keep your gender secret from your whole school.