Chapter3

#Chapter3

Seniors!

Alex

I woke up to the alarm clock blaring with Ryan, smashing it with his fist, sending it flying onto the floor. I opened my eyes to see him on his stomach with a pillow over his head. I climbed onto his back and lay down on him, snuggling my face into his neck. He reached up, feeling my body, then mumbled, /"Thank god, it’s not Frazier./"

/"I take it you guys do a lot of spooning,/" I cooed in his ear.

/"No, he’s a lot heavier,/" he said. He pulled the pillow from his head and turning, positioning himself on his back as I lay on his chest. He reached up and pulled me into a kiss. /"Morning, baby,/" Ryan greeted me.

/"Morning,/" I replied.

I lay my head on his chest, listening to his heartbeat and enjoying being there with him. We heard, /"We’re seniors, bitches!/"

I popped my head up, looking at Ryan, and our eyes widen. /"Oh, no,/" we both said. We scrambled out of bed as Frazier flew into our room, jumping onto our bed. We stood there and looked at each other as Ryan ran his hand through his hair.

/"Come on, you guys! One more year and we graduate!/"

/"Jordan,/" Ryan yelled.

Jordan came into the room and said, /"On it,/" grabbing Frazier off the bed and out of the room as Frazier yelled, /"whoa!/" He closed the door behind him, then we heard, /"Ow, not so hard!/"

I threw up my hands. /"I will take a shower./"

/"Sounds good to me,/" Ryan said. He ran behind me, pushing me into the bathroom and shutting the door behind us, making me laugh.

After showering and coming downstairs, we found everyone in the kitchen having breakfast. Luci handed us our plates, and we joined the others.

/"Took you both long enough,/" Frazier wiggled his eyebrows.

Ryan shot him a glare, and I rolled my eyes as Ryan said, /"Cleanliness is next to godliness. You would know if you ever shower./"

/"I’ll have you know I don’t stink,/" he said, taking a whiff and making a face. /"Well, shit, be right back./" He got up and headed for the bathroom.

/"He was so excited for us being seniors he might have forgotten to take a shower./" Marissa shrugged.

/"That’s comforting to know,/" Jordan said, taking a bite of bacon.

/"Get your things, or you will be late for your first day,/" Mason said. He sipped coffee and making us scar down our food before leaving.

As we passed by the stairs, Ryan yelled up to Frazier. /"Hey, Numb-nuts, hurry, or you will walk!/"

Frazier came running down the stairs, pulling on his shirt. /"I’m coming, dipshit. You’re so impatient,/" earning a smack from Ryan.

As the door closed, Mason looked at Luci. /"My brother has some crazy kids./"

/"Like his brothers./" She smiled.

We pulled up to the college and got out with us, walking up to the entrance. I looked up and stared. It reminded me of the first day of my senior year in high school. I knew this was my last year and was happy for it to an end. This time I felt differently standing there with the five of them. I felt sad.

Not sad in the school’s sense ends. That I was happy about, but sad knowing after this year, we would go our separate ways doing the adult thing. Ryan grabbed my hand, giving it a gentle squeeze, then I realized something. Who was I kidding? No matter what, I would always be around my crazy ass friends. They’re like a fungus you can’t get rid of; no matter how hard you try, it keeps coming back, over and over.

We went to class to start our last year at Saintwood College.

This year I had the chore of diving into my major with plenty of work. I thought senior year is easy and a breeze? It wasn’t with majoring in English Lit. Even with my high IQ and photographic memory, my brain went into information overload.

So many books to study. Many authors must dissect different writing techniques and different prose to read. So much information to take in, but I wouldn’t have it any other way.

I was hip-deep in books and papers, making notes for two articles, which I had to write. I felt two hands on my shoulders, rubbing them. Ryan climbed onto the bed behind me, massaging my neck. I hadn’t realized how tense I was until I felt the movement of his hands.

He leaned in next to my ear. /"You should take a break./"

/"I wanted to get a jump start on the work,/" I said.

/"Baby, I know, but you don’t want to burn out before the second day,/" he reminded me.

I exhaled. /"You’re right./"

It made him smile. I know for a woman to admit a guy is right is a remarkable concept. He massaged my shoulders and neck, relieving the tension in it. We heard someone at the door. /"Before you jackrabbits get into anything kinky, how about we go do something?/"

We looked over to see the guys leaning against the door frame.

/"Since it is our senior year, might as well enjoy it,/" Jordan shrugged.

We looked at each other, then back at them as Ryan added, /"What do you have in mind?/"

/"A movie?/" Frazier asked, looking at Jordan and both nodding in agreement. I sighed, knowing what happened the last time we saw a movie. Ryan stopped rubbing my shoulders and started gripping them.

Frazier rolled his eyes. /"No, we don’t see Fifty Shades again. This time the guys are picking. Geez, you guys are such pervs./"

Ryan loosened his grip, and I giggled. He got up, taking my hand as we headed out with the guys. We went to the theater, and once again, there was arguing between the guys and girls. I said nothing but watched them.

/"Oh, hell, no, you picked the last time,/" Frazier said, exasperated.

/"Well, we don’t want to see what you’re suggesting,/" Elena argued back.

/"Why not?/" Asked an irritated Jordan.

/"Because it’s dumb,/" Marissa said, rolling her eyes.

/"Well, you’re dumb and don’t get the humor,/" griped Ryan.

/"Yeah, well, you’re a doody head,/" she spat back.

/"Oh, that’s real mature,/" Jordan grumbled.

/"More mature than what you idiots picked,/" yelled Elena.

/"So now we’re idiots because you girls disagree with what we choose. Who’re young ones retorting with name-calling?/" Frazier added.

As they argued, I decided I wanted to see a movie with or without them. I moved to walk away, bought a ticket and some refreshments, going into the theater, and took a seat. Sometimes I need a break from the noise.

/"This is getting us nowhere. What do you think, Alex?/" Ryan asked, turning to me to find me gone. /"Alex?/"

/"Did she leave?/" Jordan asked.

/"I don’t think so,/" Ryan said, thinking, then walked to the ticket booth. He talked to the attendant describing me, and the attendant told him I had bought a ticket to one movie.

/"Which movie?/" He asked the attendant.

/"Despicable Me 2,/" he answered.

/"Give me a ticket,/" he said, handing him some cash. The attendant took the money, handing him a ticket.

As Ryan headed towards the theater I was in, Frazier yelled, /"Where are you going?/"

/"I don’t know about you idiots, but I will join my girl for a movie! You’re on your own,/" he yelled, walking to the theater I was in waiting.

He came in while the previews were on and looked down every aisle, looking for me. I took a sip until I saw two legs next to my walkway. I looked up at him. /"Forget something?/" He asked.

I smiled, taking a sip of pop. Ryan took a seat next to me. I handed the tub of popcorn to him with him, taking some and tossing it in his mouth, and commented, /"A kid’s movie?/"

I shrugged. /"I love the minions./"

As we sat there getting comfortable, the rest of the yahoos joined us.

/"Leave it to Alex to pick a kid’s movie,/" Jordan snorted.

/"At least, it’s better than listening to you idiots argue about an asinine comedy that no one wants to see,/" I shrugged.

/"See, we were right,/" grinned Elena.

/"Your choice was even dumber, so I wouldn’t be smiling,/" I commented. I was still looking at the screen, making Elena’s smile disappear.

Ryan leaned over and whispered, /"And thus, I love you./"

I looked at Ryan and smiled. He kissed me, and we went back to watch the movie. It seems like I’m the voice of reason when my friends can’t agree on things. Leave it to the quiet girl to make sense of chaos.

After the movie, we went to the diner to grab a bite. Not like we didn’t gorge ourselves enough on popcorn and pop.

/"Okay, I’ll admit that movie was funny,/" Frazier said.

/"Dude, that was hilarious. You need glasses,/" Jordan yelled at him.

/"We should let Alex pick from now on,/" added Ryan. I looked at him, and he smiled at me. /"Well, you do usually end up picking the movie./"

I had to admit that was true, plus it would save us all from a ridiculous argument. /"Okay./"

We walked inside to find a booth and ordered some food. As we ate and laughed, someone was outside watching the six of us, fuming. The person reached up, touching the bruise on the side of their face, knowing we would pay for this.

I sat there listening and smiling but getting a feeling we weren’t alone. I looked out the window, seeing someone standing off in the distance. I turned, and my brows furrowed, then looked back. And they’re gone.

As I sat there with a frown appearing on my face, they all looked at me, stopping mid-laugh. Ryan looked at me. /"Alex? What is it?/"

With all eyes on me, I said, /"They’re watching us./"

When I said that, all their expressions changed, and we got up, leaving the diner. We walked over to the spot I saw the person and found footprints.

Jordan crouched down and looked at them, and I asked, /"Could it be her?/"

Jordan stood up and looked at me. /"No, these are bigger./"

/"What do you mean bigger?/" Asked Ryan.

/"Like a male bigger,/" he said, then moved over next to Ryan, turning him away from us. He leaned in and whispered, /"The day in the lake./"

/"Yeah?/" Ryan asked.

/"The person I hit wasn’t a female. They were male,/" Jordan answered.

/"Are you sure?/"

/"Positive, man,/" Jordan assured him. Ryan looked at Jordan, and he gave him a look. /"Look, you can’t say anything, especially to Alex. Not until we talk to Mason./"

/"Jordan, I can’t keep this from her,/" Ryan told him.

/"Ryan, we don’t know who this is, and with another lunatic running around loose, we can’t make her more paranoid than she is. This information will send her over the edge, and you know it,/" Jordan reminded him.

/"But the last time I kept something from her, she almost left me. I can lose her because of this,/" Ryan reasoned.

/"It’s your choice, but I’m telling you this will send her over the edge,/" Jordan warned him.

/"Then that’s the risk I willing to take,/" he told Jordan.

/"It’s your funeral. Don’t say I didn’t warn you,/" Jordan argued with him, then walked over to Frazier and the girls.

Ryan walked over to me, taking my hands into his. I looked up at him and saw the concern on his face. /"What? What is it, Ryan?/"

He looked into my eyes. /"We have a problem./"

/"What’s the problem?/" I asked, my brows furrowing.

/"There’s another person, and they’re male./"

My eyes widened as I looked at him, then at the others, it happened. I felt the heaviness build inside my chest. Ryan looked at me, worried. /"Alex?/"

I let go of his hands, clenching my chest. Everything started closing in on me, and I gasped for air, saying, /"Can’t breathe./" Then everything went black. I fell with Ryan catching me.

/"Jordan! Dylan!/" They ran over to us. He looked at them. /"Make the call./" They nodded, pulling out their phones.

/"What’s going on, Ryan?/" Elena asked.

/"Alex had a panic attack. Help me get her back to Uncle Masons./" He picked me up, bridal style, as they grabbed my stuff, and within minutes, an SUV pulled up with him carrying me to it. He tossed Dylan his keys and climbed in, leaving in the SUV.

We arrived back at the house, and Ryan brought me out of the vehicle and carried me inside, laying me down on the couch. A woman walked in, flicking a syringe of Librium. She sat down on the side of the sofa and touched my arm, looking for a vein. Once she found it, she inserted the needle, injecting me with the medication. Then she pulled the needle out, placing a Band-Aid over it.

She replaced the cap on the syringe and handed it to someone who disposes of it. After a half-hour, I finally came to, seeing everyone standing there with concern looks. A woman I didn’t recognize and moved away, startled. Ryan walked over to me and sat down. I clenched his shirt, and he whispered, /"Shh, it’s okay. You had a panic attack./"

/"Who is that woman?/" I whispered.

/"Meet Aunt Nikita, Alex, Uncle Carrington’s wife./"

I looked at her, stunned. She looked different from the last time I saw her, more professional. Then she spoke in a Russian accent, /"Feeling better?/"

/"A little,/" I said, looking at my arm.

/"I’ve given you something for the panic attack. You get attacked, don’t you?/"

/"Only when I’m stressed./"

/"Well, you’re fine now,/" she said, patting my leg and standing up.

As she turned her back to me, I asked, /"Who are you?/"

She turned, smiling at me, /"My name is Dr. Nikita Petrova Jones, and I will be your doctor from now on./" With that, she walked away, leaving my mouth agape and in complete shock.