Chapter Twenty Nine

Copyright © 2019 by S.M. TOZER

Carson flipped his phone around within his fingers while he focused on it's silence, having been subconsciously waiting to hear it go off from Raven calling or texting since Friday. Though just as always there was nothing to be expected to come from his phone at least not from Raven that is. Pushing off the urge to call Raven once again with one more flip of his phone he tossed it high above his bed, flipping above his head to catch it like a ball again he played with his alone time.

Though this time there was a knock on the door that startled Carson as the phone was flipping mid air causing him to miss when he went to catch it. The phone caught the edge of his fingers making it tumbled down, hitting his chest instead. Once it hit his chest though it didn't stay there as the phone kept its motion bouncing and rolling off the side of the bed clattering across the tile on the floor.

Carson cursed under his breath while he looked over the side of the bed letting out a huff, "Who is it?" he asked in an agitated tone. Though he wondered, almost hoping, it were maybe Raven at the door needing to be let in.

"Hey man, we're going to go downtown in a bit being an early release day and all, if you're feeling up for it want to come?" A teammate's voice asked Carson from beyond the door hoping he would respond having not seen much of Carson since the game after he had showed sign of being sick since Friday. The teammate and others who liked to hang out with Carson were becoming worried that there was something truly wrong with him now that they knew Raven was sent to the hospital.

"Ugh..." Carson groaned while he thought of what was asked. He was reluctant to answer now that he was no longer feeling sick he could not use that as an reliable excuse. He still didn't feel like leaving the room, not sure where Raven was he wanted to be there when Raven returned and preferred not to hang with the rest of his so called friends without Raven around.

Even though he felt it was stupid to wait for Raven's return after there had been no word of when that would be Raven's already secretive behavior was stranger than ever causing him to worry. Carson couldn't help but try to be in the room for if or when Raven returned so that he would know that Raven was no longer possibly in trouble.

Though even with this in mind he knew he couldn't just keep blowing off his friends knowing it would eventually be considered strange that he was so shut down all of a sudden.

Carson groaned as he looked back to the door, "When are you thinking about going out?" he yelled back finally debating on giving in wanting to know what time they were talking about leaving.

"Maybe in ten minutes..." The young man claimed then paused when he heard silence in response to this time frame. He then quickly changed it so that he left it open for Carson to come if he needed time to get ready or anything else, "Or later if you need to get ready first, no rush man we can wait I know you were sick Monday" he corrects the previous time hoping this would persuade Carson to come with him.

Carson sighed while he rubbed his face trying to mentally talk himself out of his decision but in the end he decided not to go. Knowing he could use the strange illness that he and Raven seemed to have a bit longer, "No need to wait, if I want to go I'll be down there..." He answered letting the classmate know he had no intention of coming later.

Carson groaned regretting it but he didn't stop himself from turning the guys down, "Just tell everyone I am okay and I'll catch them next time." he claimed not wanting anyone else to worry about him. This way no one would ask and he wouldn't have to worry about running out of excuses for himself to stay in the room alone.

There was reluctance on the other end to respond to him though eventually it finally came in a soft almost disappointed manner behind the door, "Alright..." He hesitated clearly showing he was unhappy by Carson's response, "Just text the group if you change your mind alright." he stated still giving Carson time to join them if he wanted.

Carson huffed hearing this wondering if they would still be waiting for him even if he had out right said no originally, "Kay" he yelled in response though even he knew he never had any intention of joining them.

He waited in his bed in silence till he heard the young man walk away from the door finally giving into defeat that Carson wasn't going to change his mind at least not while he was still standing there.

Carson sighed now that he were gone, he were finally able to move. He looked over at Raven's space while rolling over on the bed to pick up his phone. Without rolling all the way he reached down tapping his fingers around having to stretch out further as he looked for the phone that he dropped.

Unable to find it he reached further leaning his body into it more while he looked down to find it. Just as he found where the cell phone had landed at he caught a glimpse of the red shorts under Raven's bed. His brow narrowed in confusion, he was almost certain that the manager shorts were the only pair of red gym shorts that Raven owned.

Keeping the confused narrow brow on his face he picked up his phone and thought about the shorts a little more. Wondering if Raven wore them or not at the game he was uncertain of this detail not being able to recall what Raven wore that night. Though the thoughts did recall the girl from Friday night wearing Raven's shirt but since she wasn't wearing pants when he walked in on her changing there was no telling what she had on before. He knew the chances that she would have been wearing the very same shorts that Raven had on as well were likely slim but that still didn't explain the shorts being out of the dresser in his room now.

Carson slowly got up from his bed making his way to Raven's side of the room where he knelt down to pull the shorts out from under the frame. Pulling them out into the light, picking them up, there was no mistaking by the texture alone they were the ones Raven wore every single game and the ones he had to be wearing Friday.

Finding this strange he could no longer believe the girl's story knowing Raven wouldn't willingly strip for no one. Wanting to know what was wrong with Raven he took out his phone and decided he would try and call Raven instead to get to the bottom of this now that it was becoming more suspicious than before.

Placing the shorts on the bed and putting the phone to his ear he waited for Raven to answer or something to shed some sort of sign that she was telling the truth about Raven. At least until he heard a tune coming from under the bed.

He froze hearing Raven's ringtone within the room, causing him to pull his phone from his face looking around he looked at the desk and dresser tops looking to find the phone. Not seeing it within a clear line of sight he listened realizing it was coming from under the bed.

Knowing there was no other possibility he then placed his phone on the bed getting down on his knees to look under the bed yet again. Scanning the darkness with his eyes they stopped on the slim line of light from under Raven's phone going off face down on the ground.

Reaching under the bed he pulled the phone out confirming for the final time that this was what Raven wore Friday without a doubt, "Hmph..." he huffed becoming agitated.

He silenced the ringing and ignored his call placing Raven's phone beside his own on the bed. Staring at the phones side by side he stood up and folded his arms over one another almost glaring down at the shorts and phone that weren't supposed to be there unless Raven had come back to the room. He couldn't think of a possible scenario that would bring them to wind up in their room nor was he happy about how all of this was playing out.

Trying to think of the time that he had taken to go back to the room, there wasn't enough time for Raven to leave Jewels and have been in the room before meeting his cousin, becoming sick, then leave her in the room before Carson returned to the room.

Nothing about that night made any sense and the fact that he was unable to clear any of it up by calling Raven and to explain things only made it harder for him to believe that Raven was okay.

Picking up the shorts again he tried searching them for anything that would make sense of what happened only to find Raven's ID key. This showed him how she got into the room now but still didn't explain anything else about that night.

Becoming more suspicious of her he realized he should have looked for more things that could have shed light on what he felt was off about her that night but he was too sick at that time to focus. He knew if she had changed in their room she wasn't carrying no clothes when she left. So she had to have been in his clothes before she got to the room or her clothes was still somewhere in the room.

Looking around the their shared bedroom he saw a few dirty pieces of clothes on the floor but they were all Raven's, not a single piece of the strange girl's clothing in sight. Scratching his head over the timeline nothing about this made any sense unless Raven had switched clothes with her down to his underwear before she had come up to the room. There wasn't a single sign of a girl in that room, it was almost unbelievable for there to be no trace of her being there.

Shaking his head he gave up trying to make sense of something that was just impossible to figure out. There just wasn't any clues to shed light on this situation but there was no doubt in his mind that Raven and that girl were related in some way with how they looked and acted so much alike.

Grabbing the shorts from the bed he looked over at the basket of clothes he was going to toss it in but paused. Since he was sick he had not taken the time to do the laundry Sunday like he usually would and knew it was getting too high for him to tolerate. Letting out a sigh he figured he should get the laundry done before Raven returned or it would only get worse.

Tossing the shorts to the top of the basket he made his way to the clothes scattered over the floor. Picking up the clothes around the basket he shoved them into the pile about to pick up another piece closer to him he paused noticing Raven's shirt from his birthday was actually in the basket rather the floor.

Usually this wouldn't catch his attention though there was a noticeable dark color stained by the collar. That spot made him think of Robin again from their first encounter on Raven's birthday when she was wearing boys clothes once again. This coincidence was too much for him not to wonder if these too were the same clothes she had on when he knew this was exactly what Raven was wearing.

He had to check, dropping the clothes within his grasp he took the shirt out of the basket to look at it further. While he did he noticed the shoulder had the stain all the way down the back just as it should have been if she was the one wearing it. Bringing the shirt to his nose he smelled the fabric only to smell the soda he had from that night that spilled over him and Robin.

There was no doubt that this was Raven's shirt and she had been wearing it at the time. Though it made no sense for her to have worn the same clothes as Raven that night nor did it make sense for her to have been in the dorms that night without Raven around.

He was becoming even more confused than before, just not being able to add up the events that happened. Then Carson remembered Dimitri having said something to him Friday about having helped Raven return him to the room from being passed out drunk.

Taking the shirt alone with him he stormed out the room on a mission knocking on Dimitri's door, "Hey Dimitri, You helped Raven get me in the room last Thursday right?" he inquires in a shouting manner encase Dimitri had his headphones in.

"Huh?" Dimitri questioned in response not expecting Carson at all.

It didn't take too long before he opened the door and Dimitri was looking at Carson confused seeing the shirt quickly inquiring what he was asking for, "Yeah, why?"

Carson paused for a moment before he held up the shirt into view, "Did Raven's shirt have this stain on it then... or maybe wet at the time?" he bluntly asked not wasting Dimitri's time. He knew Dimitri would be one of the few to have noticed such a subtle detail.

Dimitri looked at the shirt arching his brows trying to think of that night not sure why it mattered though he didn't question it at that moment. He recalled the smell of alcohol on Carson though Raven was under him most of the time they were together so he hardly noticed him from that time. However he did remember seeing some wetness on Raven's shoulder when Carson was passed back to him at the door. Though he thought he had gotten it on him from Carson at the time having gotten a little on himself as well when he helped he paid it no attention before.

"Yes..." Dimitri confidently confirms shaking his head lightly in a nod looking at Carson who seemed to have a look like he wanted more details than that. So Dimitri continued to inform Carson all of what he knew, "I think so, you both had some on you I figured he got it from your shirt, why?" he asked finally becoming curious why it mattered.

"He..." Carson stuttered to a stop realizing his reason for asking, he narrowed his brow looking back at the shirt giving out a sigh. He knew why he wanted to know about the shirt but Dimitri's assumption made more sense, having the soda get on Raven from carrying him back to the room, "No reason, thank you... ugh for helping that night" he muttered out instead.

Even though he knew it made more sense Carson was still suspicious of the clothes in his hand since it was in the exact location as the spill on Robin's shirt. He still didn't understand what was going on and he didn't want anyone else thinking he was losing it. Even he began to question his own thoughts.

Dimitri looked him over for a moment as he lingered on his words. He wasn't sure what was wrong with Carson but he could tell there was something wrong. Dimitri couldn't help but wonder if something really did happen between him and Raven that night, "No problem dude, I'm about to head out with the guys, they invited you. Are you coming?" he asked thinking that maybe some space from the dorm would help Carson clear his head while Raven was absent and in some way he wanted to know what happened as well.

Carson shook his head no for a moment but then he stopped knowing that what he was thinking wasn't even possible nor did it make sense. Running his hand through his hair he gave in hoping going out with the guys would help him think straight again.

"Sure..." He conceded stepping back a bit, "I need some fresh air, I'll be ready in a second" He adds while making his way back to his room again truly hoping he was not going as crazy as he thought he was.

Dimitri smiled lightly nodding as he watched Carson step away, "Alright I'll tell the guys" he confirmed while closing his door to walk down the hall.