Chapter 5

"Ow! that hurt", Cassie shrieked as I threw the pillow on her. Not more than two minutes ago, I barged in through her dorm room and before she can let a word out I started throwing things at her, as a way of greeting. Not caring even a little bit that she is down with fever.

"What the hell, girlie? Did someone killed your puppy and told you it was me who fed him poisoned cookies", Cassie said rubbing her arm on the place where the pen had hit her.

"Worse than that", I said and threw the notebook on her.

She dodged the notebook and rushed out, "Okay, okay. Can we bring the violence a notch down before I get in a cardiac arrest and stop breathing altogether. And believe me, I am going to be one of those nefarious ghosts. Lurking behind that painting of yours and cutting your sweet long hairs while you're sleep. Don't tell me then that I didn't warned you." She shifted to the corner of her bed with covers huddled to her chest and one hand out with palms up to stop me.

I placed my hands on my hips and narrowed my eyes at her. She knows how much I love my hairs. So, of course she will threaten them to get a way out. Bitch.

Cassie relaxed and leaned her head on the headboard, "Now spill, what happened? Or is this all, because you missed me today?", she said wiggling her brows.

I huffed and sat on her bed, "Dom made us make teams today with the person sitting next to you, for a week long project. And now I am stuck for a week with Drake to complete that stupid project". I dropped my head in my hands.

"What do you mean you are stuck with Drake? How can you-----Oh! You mean Drake was sitting next to you?!", she asked, her voice raising with every word. I nodded with my head still in my hands. "Why?!", She asked again but this time her voice was shrill as a knife.

I winced as it penetrated my ear drums and then raised my head to give her a droll stare, "Oh I don't know, maybe because a certain someone was not sitting next to me. And the place was kind of empty, so Drake might have thought 'Hmm, that is the best spot to plant my tight ass!'"

Cassie blinked and then blinked again, and then she broke out in a fit of hysterical laughter. "Oh my god, you didn't just referred to his ass like that!", she broke again in another fit and rolled off the bed in the process.

I scowled at her. I did? Shit, I so did. Warmth crept to my face, burning my cheeks and I sat motionless in her bed. I never---and I mean, never----talk about guys like that. I don't talk about guys, period.

And I am fairly certain Cassie must be seeing a bright shade of crimson gleaming proudly, on my cheeks. I have got all my mother's genes, porcelain skin is one of them, that does nothing to hide the growing blush. And it comes off more as a curse, in situations like this.

Cassie raised on her knees from the floor, still chuckling. "Okay..", she said wheezing, "Tell me more about it." She pursed her lips in an attempt to choke the bubbling laughter, but some slipped out and she made a sound somewhat between a dying rhino and laughing monkey. That only made her crack more and she rolled onto the floor again.

Whoever has said that 'Laughter is a contagious disease' was damn right. After a second or so, I found myself laughing along with her. Only difference was, I wasn't rolling on the floor like a bottomless tumbler.

After what felt like a life time, we both settled and Cassie was back on her bed. Our cheeks flush like roasted potatoes, and breathing heavily to catch our breaths. I swear if someone came here right now, they will get wrong idea of what we might have been doing here.

"Okay, so what are you going to do about it?", Cassie asked after her laughter subsided completely.

I groaned. All playfulness left me and reality crashed like a fright train. "What can I do? I tried coming up with excuses but they were so ridiculous that I almost vomited on my own thoughts", I said

Cassie seemed to think about it for a while and then said, "Just to get this straight, that means you're going to spend a week worth of time with Drake alone." She raised her eyebrows for me to confirm her words.

"Apparently", I said.

Cassie didn't say a word and stared off at a far wall. Something about how her lips turned down a little and small creases formed at her forehead rubbed me wrong. Cassie is never one to show her worries. Hell, half of the time she behaves like she won't care even if you drop her in the middle of an ocean. So, I can't fathom why she will react to it like this.

"What?", I asked after two minutes of looking at her nibbling her bottom lip.

She looked at me startled as if I had just woken her up, "What?"

"You have this look on your face like I just announced to you that Harry Styles is getting married."

Her creases relieved a little. "Girl..", she drawled out, "He ain't ever getting married. I bet those bitches, that he keeps flaunting, are all fake girlfriends. And now don't get started on me, I know you love Taylor and all, and she is a pretty little thing. I can give you that, but man Harry is Harry."

"Uh huh", I said, "Stop distracting. What is it?"

She opened her mouth to retort but I gave her a stare that stated loud and clear "Don't try me." She went back to nibbling on her lips, as if she is contemplating what to say. "It's just...Drake", there was a pause, "I don't know, Drake just....." She cut herself off and shook her head, "Nothing, it's nothing", she gave me a tight-lipped smile that made me frown.

"Are you sure?", I asked her, "Is there anything I should know about?"

"No", she said and then murmured, "I hope not." Before I can ask her what she meant by that, she started saying, "I'm pretty sure this fever is getting to my head and I'm rambling things that I don't mean to."

Even though everything about it seemed a little off to me, I took her words and let her be, after all she is pretty flared up.

For the rest of the evening I stayed in her room, binging movies on Netflix while I ate my favorite cool ranch Doritos and she slurped her vegetable broth soup. When I saw her eyes started dripping close, I left her room quietly to let her sleep.

Back in my room I changed into my dinosaur pajamas, and took out my human science notebook to work on the report we had been assigned today. Time flew in a blur as I got engrossed in what I do best. Write. I wrote until my finger tips started feeling bruised from the constant stroking on the keyboard. So, I took that as a cue to call it a night.

I reached for my phone on the nightstand and frowned at the time. It is quarter past one and well after Brian's bed time. I was so engrossed in my writing that I didn't noticed he never called me. I scowled a little, feeling a bit lost. It is so out of character for him, as he had never once not called me for a whole day.

I opened my contacts and dialed Brian's number just to get his voicemail. Maybe he is sleeping. I will call him in the morning.

Feeling resolved I switched off my lights and listened to the soft lull of crisp zephyrs beating at my window pane as sleep took over.

******

"Come here little girl", he beckoned me to him. His yellow teeth are so gross. Thank god, momma made me brush everyday. I don't ever want to be like him. I carried my feet toward him, although they are sore from working whole day and begging me to sit down for a while.

"What d'ya want?", I am so tired that I can't even get words out of my mouth properly. I cast a furtive glance towards wall clock. One more hour then I will be free to go back to my trailer. To my momma. To my sick dad.

"You, sweet girl", he crooned and I frowned. I don't like him. Not even a little bit. When will it all be over?

He grabbed my upper arm and dragged me in front of him. Fear struck me straight in my heart, and it began pounding so fast that I was almost choking on my breath. "Wha...did I do something wrong?" I rushed out the words. "Tell me I...I can fix it", I pleaded.

He laughed a maniacal laugh and looked me up and down. I don't like the way he looks at me. God, When will it all be over? "No, sweet girl. You ain't did anything wrong", his hands wandered to my sides. This is wrong. I tried pulling out of his grasp, but he just tightened his hold on my arm making it sting like a thousand ants biting at once.

"Let go", I whimpered.

"Shhhhh. No, we are not going to make noise. Do you get that? We are going to be sneaky sneaky. We are a team, sweet girl. So keep your fucking mouth shut or else", he twisted my arm a little and I almost cried out in pain. But then I remembered his threat to not make noise and I bit on my lip to stop from crying.

When will this all be over?