The Hidden Princess At All-Boys Alpha Academy
Chapter 0447

"I know," I murmur, remembering the stressful meeting. "But I'm glad you're here. And I'm glad that you and Luca...worked things out, or whatever."

"We couldn't keep going the way things were," Jackson says, shaking his head at me sadly. "Our little timeshare will solve a lot."

"Timeshare?" I ask, confused, frowning.

"Oh, he didn't tell you?" Jackson asks, glancing towards the door as if Luca will still be there.

I shake my head no, wanting more information. Jackson nods and puts me down on my feet, clearly implying that it will take a minute to fill me in and he might as well put me down while he does it. "Okay, goodnight, Jacks!" Jesse says, waving to him and heading for the bathroom.

"Yeah, goodnight!" Rafe calls from the side of the room where his bed is, where he tugs off his shirt, ready to change into his pajamas himself. "We'll see you in the morning, man!"

"Yup, you sleep well too, Rafe!" Jackson calls over to him.

And then to my shock Jackson gives a tired little sigh and grips his shirt with both hands, pulling it off in one smooth move.

My mouth drops open and Jesse stops in his tracks, almost stumbling over his feet as he reaches for the bathroom door.

"What..." Jesse says, staring at Jackson for a long moment and then at me. "What is happening here?"

"Huh?" Jackson asks, turning towards Jesse with a frown.

"What...why are you...disrobing?" Jesse asks, gesturing towards Jackson's half-naked form.

"Oh," Jackson says, looking down at himself with a frown. "Well, this is how I sleep."

A slow grin starts to spread over my face as I start to figure it out.

Rafe's footsteps echo in the room as he slowly walks over to us. "No, no," he says softly, like he's trying very hard to come up with an explanation for this that is not the obvious one. "I need answers too. Why, again, are you...preparing for bed in our room?" "Oh," Jackson says, turning to look between my brother and my cousin. "Because I sleep here now." Jackson casts a hand out towards my bed in the nook as I press my hands together behind my back and work very hard to not grin.

Jesse breaks into appalled laugher as Rafe just gapes at Jackson. But Jackson does nothing, just looks between them, confused in turn.

"Jackson," Rafe says, stepping forward and clapping a hand on Jackson's bare shoulder. "I love you, man, but you do not sleep here now." "Yes, I do," Jackson says, stating it like it's a fact as he stares at my brother.

"No!" Jesse says, striding over, vehemently shaking his head. "You do not!"

"Okay," Jackson says, a little awkward now, glancing at me. "I mean, I didn't think you wanted Ariel to sleep anywhere but this room, but...I guess we can go downstairs to mine - the bed's smaller, but we'll manage -" "WHAT is happening!?" Rafe shouts, casting his hands out, a little panicked now. "Nothing has changed! Ariel sleeps here! You sleep downstairs! I...this is how it is! These are the sleeping arrangements!"

"Oh," Jackson says, nodding like he finally gets it. "Well, no, that's changed now. I sleep where Ariel sleeps," he says, pointing at me like this is the great clarification that will solve all of the problems. "What!?" Jesse gasps, scandalized.

"Um," I say, my voice high and ringing as I step forward, hoping to make this a little easier. "We kind of got in the habit of it over Midwinter. We haven't spent a night apart since...well, since the night of Luca's fight." Jesse guffaws and stares between us as Rafe goes pale.

"Seriously!?" Jesse sputters, "even after the whole sex ban, you guys just...ignored it!?"

"No, it's not like that," Jackson says fast, frowning at Jesse like he's making this dirty when it's really not. "We just like to...sleep together. To be together when we're asleep. It's..." he shrugs, "it's really nice. I sleep way better than I did before. Plus, I know she's always protected."

I nod eagerly, looking at my brother and my cousin, desperately excited at the prospect that Jackson could start sleeping here but trying very, very hard to be cool about it.

Obviously, I fail, and Rafe scowls just stares at me, livid.