Break In: 7

~No, it couldn't be. You're imagining things Claire. Get a grip~! By the time she'd climbed the seven flights of stairs she'd accepted she was seeing things and was just reacting to stress. As she came out of the stair well she basically walked right into Brooke.

"Look, if I find my stuff moved one more times I am going to have to teach you a lesson, got it"! Brooke was furious, but Claire never went near her stuff.

"Look I have no idea what you are talking about! I've been out all day today. I haven't touched your stuff". She went to walk by but Brooke pushed her.

"First my lamp yesterday was on without me using it and then my desk was obviously used today cause my computer was on and my notebook is missing paper. I'm not stupid you..."

"Knock it off Brooke..." Kate stood a couple doors down obviously intimidated by Brooke. Just as she was about to round on Kate, she took a deep breath to assure herself and continued, "Claire is Dominick's. Leave her alone or I'll have to tell him you're giving her trouble".

Brooke started laughing so hard she had to hold on to the wall. "That was too funny, like he'd ever pick someone like you... you should be punished just for suggesting something so outlandish" she pointed at Kate. Two of Brooke's friends turned the corner and flanked Kate who shrank into herself.

"What's goin on here"? Ben's head popped out of the stair well. "Ah, I think all you should go back to your rooms. Oh and Brooke, your brother wants to speak to you. Now". Her mood went from bitchy to bubbly flirt instantly.

"Oh ok! My phones charging in my room, can I use yours quick?" Leaning up against the wall next to him. If Claire's eyes rolled any harder they would have fallen out of her head. Not needing to see how it played out she went to her room. ~Hopefully Ben keeps her busy for awhile so I don't have to deal with her~. Setting her back pack down Claire sat at her desk to log into the student platform to see if there were any announcements prior to the first day of class tomorrow. As she went to open her computer though she noticed her journal and other personal items were slightly moved. ~Someone has definitely been in our room~. She proceeded to make sure everything, what little there was, was still accounted for. When she noticed nothing was missing just gone through she became a little sick.

Even though she was avoiding her Kate had stood up for her and she needed someone to talk about the mysterious intruder. "Hey Kate. First thank you for standing up for me in the hallway. Please don't spread whatever is going on with Dominick though, I know you guys believe what you believe but I don't and really don't want to be associated with those beliefs. I want to be friends, you're the only one I have but that's just too weird for me". She sent over the text. She replied like lightening.

"Ok. I won't push my beliefs on you, if you're ok with just accepting they are mine. Can we still be friends"? ~It's like being friends with a person of a different religious belief right? Just tell yourself she's a Wiccan or something. Yeah and I'll just try to not bring it up often. Yeah, ok. As long as I'm not being recruited into the cult~.

"Yes, that's fine".

":)".

"Uh weird question though, is it common to have intruders? Brooke was mad thinking I went through her stuff but I got into our room and noticed mine was too so someone clearly broke into our room". She saw her start to type, then delete, then type and delete again. ~What the heck~?

"I haven't heard of it happening before but I just started here too so we should check with Ben tomorrow. He's probably busy with Brooke tonight". ~Ahhh she's upset about Ben and Brooke. It's so obvious her crush on him~.

"Ok, sounds like a plan. Let's me in the lounge for breakfast before class tomorrow".

"Ok"!

Claire changed into shorts and a baggy T-shirt for bed. Then climbed into her bed. Her phone rang again.

"How was your day Claire"? It was Mylain.

"O.o it's kind of strange randomly texting me only at night Mr or is it Ms"? Hoping she would be able to get more information off of him. ~Wait, he could have been the intruder~. Her guard went up instantly. ~Maybe I should turn the person in and stop messaging them~.

"I'm a male. You didn't answer my question Claire. I won't answer yours anymore if you don't answer mine". Her curiosity was stronger than her caution.

"So if I answer you, you'll answer whatever I ask you"? No answer. Her impatience was growing when she realized she'd asked another question without answering his.

"You asked how my day was. Over all it was good but weird".

"Yes I'll answer your questions as you now realize, only if you answer mine. What was good about your day"? ~Ugh why does he care"?

"I got to hang out and chat with our RA named Ben. He's really nice and seems to know everything around here. Hopefully he can become a friend one day, I don't have many of them. Then Kate and I started talking again despite her being in a cult. Now my turn, how did you get my phone number?"

"I can be your friend Claire. I promise you won't be lonely anymore. Also, there are no cults here hahaha. I got your phone number from the student records in the student online profiles. What was weird about your day"? She'd completely forgotten about the student profiles.

"I don't even know you and you are being very cryptic, why should I trust you"? He didn't answer again. "My day was weird because I woke up late from missing my alarm, couldn't explore the town the way I wanted, had a fight with my roommate about her stuff being touched and realized that in fact our room had been broken into and gone through". She'd decided to leave out the run in with the wolf.

"I doubt your roommate will give you anymore trouble, besides she's a harmless spoiled child. You can trust me because I won't ever lie to you and I only have your best interest in mind. Did anything else happen today?" ~Why is he being so insistent~?

"No nothing else happened. How do you know Brooke"? He didn't answer. "Mylain"?

"I don't like when you lie Claire". Now she was annoyed, he said she was lying but how would he know unless he was spying on her.

"What makes you think I'm lying? And you said you'd answer if I answered your question but you ignored my question"!

"I know you're lying. I know you were in the alcove behind your dorm this afternoon and saw the wolf". ~He is spying on me~! "I know Brooke because she is my half-sister". As she was about to type more another message appeared. "Hold it. I answered two questions in that last message so you now owe me to even the count". ~Ughhh, this is so infuriating~. "First, would you like me to arrange a tour around town for you? I know the best guide in the area and no spots are off limits to him. Second, if you ever need anything I want you to tell me so I can help you". The first question was seriously tempting. The second wasn't really even a question and she was very uncomfortable with the request.

"I will accept the tour but I can't accept hand outs. I want to earn my way here, but thank you for your generosity. Why are you doing this"? No one had ever looked out for her before why was a complete stranger trying to. All he sent was a screen shot of their conversation with his text saying "I only have your best interest in mind" circled.

"Tomorrow is a busy day for you with classes, you should get some sleep. I'll have your guide pick you up at 5pm after your last class and show you anywhere you want to go. Good night Claire". It was weird to be comforted by his sentiments but after a life time of not having any she felt like it was only normal for her to appreciate them.

"Good night Mylain".

"Good night Mylain". He was nearly purring from the satisfaction the text brought him. He'd felt guilty all day going through her belongings the last two days to learn more about her but his desperation to find a way to reach her had been insurmountable. He had to fight every urge to provide for her when he saw just how little she had. He also had to fight the urge to destroy the photo of her with another male on her desk. He needed to know who he was to her but he had over stepped as much as he was willing to allow already.

"What the hell do you want? Why did you summon here so late? I was about to..." Brooke's arrival following the usual suit of her making a scene.

"Enough"! He didn't often shout back at his sister but he'd had enough of he behavior and now it was directed at his mate. Ben had been on the phone with him already when the incident had occurred in the dorm. Ben had asked him to try to not explode but he was beyond furious for acting like Claire was any less than her. She recoiled a step. "Claire is MINE. Treat her with respect do you understand". Her eyes were wide.

"But she's just... she doesn't deserve you"! She started to cry. He never understood his sister, their relationship had always been so tumultuous due to their parents.

"I recognized her Brooke, she is Mine". Her tears turning to a full sob as she wrapped her around around her brothers neck. "Hush Brooke, hush".

"If she's weak... hick... if she's not careful... hick... she could be the death of you... hick..." he softly patted her back while hugging her back.

"I know..."