Chapter Ten

My eyes watched as the huge spider crawled across my floor and I squealed going under my covers. One thing I hated more than anything was spiders. Those things acted like they owned the place. This spider was like the size of a baseball. Spiders had families and if you killed someone in their family those things came after you. I couldn’t stay under there forever and I had the chance of losing the spider so I really only had a few options,

A.) Go hide in the bathroom.

B.) Call Nathan and make him come over here and kill it and then the spiders family could go after him.

C.) Put the spider on Caiden's bed and then kill it.

D.) All of the above.

Considering all of my options, I decided with D and grabbed my phone running to the bathroom and locked the door. I called Nathan and he answered the phone after two rings.

"Nathan! My favorite friend. My best best friend. Do you know how much I love you,” I said and he scoffed.

“You only want me to kill a spider don't you?" Nathan said and my eyes widened. Abort mission! Abort the mission!

"What of course not,” I scoffed.

Who am I kidding?

"It's probably crawling on your bed as we speak,” he said and I shivered at the thought.

"I lovee yoouuu,” I said dragging out the last letters and he chuckled.

"I'll be over in a minute."

"Wait! You have to leave the body on Caiden's bed!"

He'll kill you for this.

I know.

"Anything else?"

"Can I stay in your dorm room tonight?"

"Yeah, my roommate should be gone for the weekend doing who knows what and plus I'd rather not find you dead on you bed bleeding out because of Caiden."

"This is why we're best friends," I told him and I could only imagine him rolling his eyes.

"I'm walking in now. Where is it?"

"By the TV," I told him before biting my lip.

The phone was silent for a moment before Nathan yelled, “It's dead on Caiden's bed. You may come out.” Hanging up the phone I unlocked the door and walked out slowly.

"Again this is why you're my best friend,” I said while grinning before grabbing my carry on and filled it with some girl clothes and some guy clothes. It would be nice to change into my usual shorts and tank top. I can't sleep with these long shorts and t-shirts anymore. I get too hot with this many clothes on.

"We're watching Les Misérables first,” I said and he chuckled.

“I figured as much,” his arm rested on my shoulder as we headed across the hall to his room. The second the door closed I had my wig off and let my blonde hair cascade down my back. Nathan got the popcorn and movie ready as I changed into my grey Soffe shorts and a purple tank top.

"Oh. You don't know how much I missed your beautiful blonde hair," Nathan said dramatically, pulling me into a random hug and putting his face in my hair.

"Are you smelling my hair?" I asked, scrunching up my nose and he pulled away with a cheeky smile on his face. We walked over to his bed and laid back in our usual positions where I was sitting in between his legs with my back rested against his chest with the popcorn bowl in my hands as the commercials played. My thoughts went back to that spider in my room and I couldn't help but feel bad. Life would be easier if I could talk to spiders.

But then they could be whispering creepy nothings in your ear while you sleep.

Right, right. But I could still ask him politely to leave without having to take his life.

Imagine how weird a spider would be if it could talk. The world would go crazy.

True, true.

"I sometimes feel like I should take you to get some help. Most people don't talk to themselves,” Nathan said chuckling, and I gave him a curious look.

"Was I thinking out loud again?" I asked sheepishly.

"For once, no, but you had that constipated look again which means you were talking to yourself.” I threw a piece of popcorn at his face which he easily caught with his mouth.

***

"That movie makes me cry every time," I mumbled releasing a yawn and closing my eyes while snuggling closer to Nathan's hard chest.

"I know it does, we have only watched in a billion times," Nathan said with an unamused look, leaning over to turn off the light before laying back down.

"I don't know how we're friends. I mean you don't ever shed a tear. Mia at least sobs with me,” I told him, blinking a few times before keeping my eyes closed.

“Mia is a girl and I'm a guy. Girls are just sometimes naturally more sensitive especially when you're on your period and you just crave everything," Nathan said, wrapping his arm around my waist and grabbing a hold of my hand and intertwining them.

"I would hit you with the popcorn bowl if I wasn't so tired.” He let out a soft chuckle.

"I know you would."

"You know it's not our fault we're stuck with hell and get all sensitive and shit. And it's not like I ask you to bring me two tubs of Ben & Jerry's ice cream with bags of gummy worms and chocolate,” I said and I didn't have to turn around or open my eyes to know he was smiling.

"Well, you're my best friend and I feel bad for you when you're stuck lying in bed crying because of your cramps,” he said softly.

"This is why I love you, Nate. You understand girls and listen to our feelings even when we feel like crap."

"I blame my mother. She raised me to be a big softy and to respect girls."

"Trust me when I say, It's definitely not a bad thing,” I mumbled before shifting my body around a couple of times before I was completely comfortable.

"Goodnight, Claire,” he said softly, lightly kissing my forehead.

"Goodnight," I mumbled just as softly before letting the darkness take over.

***

"Claire-bear,” a voice sang in my ear. “Wake up it's already eleven and I'm not wasting my Saturday. I've had classes almost every day this week," Nathan said and I groaned obnoxiously. "Plus for the past hour I've heard continuous things being smashed and shattered across the hall."

"What?" I asked sitting up. I swear if Caiden did anything to my stuff. My eyes widened at the sound of something shattering and I quickly stood up rushing to the door. Right as the door opened it was slammed shut.

"You may want to rethink that?" Nathan said gesturing to my attire.

"What?" I looked down and my mouth made a little 'O' shape.  

"Right," I muttered, walking over to my bag. I took off my tank top and grabbed my wrap stuff and wrapped it around my chest.

"Claire-bear, how many times do I have to tell you that I am a guy," Nathan whined and I rolled my eyes throwing on a guy's shirt that said some basketball team on it. I put on a pair of blue jeans and a pair of converse.

"Nay-Nay,” I whined back. "You're coming with me. I can't do this alone,” Nathan just shook his head.

"You're going to need this,” he said grabbing my wig and bald cap thing from the table next to his bed. I put the bald cap on, making sure my hair wasn't sticking up anywhere and then put on the brown wig.

"Don't give me that look you know I'm still half asleep," I muttered now opening the door I took out my key and put it in the door. I didn't open the door right away but instead took a quick glance at Nathan to see him only in his boxers.

Lazy bum couldn't even change.

I rolled my eyes at him before letting out a deep breath. I bit my lip nervously as I twisted the door handle. I didn't hide the scowl at the sight of my room. The place is a complete mess.to see my room was a mess.

I cleared my throat, preparing myself to kick some ass all while yelling a few swear words in between it all.

What the hell?" I snapped, looking at him. His menacing look reappeared. Caiden walked over slowly, almost tauntingly.  His black boots stepping on a broken lamp. He looked like a lion going after its prey.

"What the hell?" Caiden repeated after me his words sounding deadly. His eyes looked so dark I wanted to just walk right out of the room.

"Man, it was just a spider," Nathan said and Caiden's eyes snapped to his. I cringed knowing that he said the wrong thing to him.

This probably was him just taking his bad mood out on me. I doubt it was the spider.

"How cute,” Caiden said ominously, his sinister look not leaving. “Your boyfriend sticking up for you. Listen to me and listen well, you don't know who you're dealing with so you better stop with these fucking games,” I took a very obvious step back and he took more threatening steps forward.

"It's only a small spider," I responded awkwardly, suddenly not feeling that great about it all.

"I don't give a shit about the spider. Keep messing with me and you will be begging the dean to transfer your stuff over to another school. Actually, I can't even promise you will make it that far. You may just drop school altogether,” he said inauspiciously.

"You little fuc-" I started but Nathan put a hand over my mouth, stopping me. I removed his hand and decided to say instead, "What did I do to you?"

"You know I always hear that question.” He let out a baleful laugh, backing me up to the door. His fist connected with the same eye as last time. When my body hit the door I winced. The overall impact hurt like a bitch. He added to the pain by picking me up by my shirt,” I don't like questions,” he spit out.

Nathan pulled Caiden off of me and my hand automatically went to my eye to hide as tears begged to come out.

"You may want to get a new boyfriend. It looks like your boyfriend is into girls," Caiden said, smirking as he walked over to one of my drawers on the ground picking up my gray bra with white polka dots on it and a pink bow in the middle. He started to make his way to the door making sure to step on anything that was already broken, his black boots making the glass pieces turn into even smaller pieces. He slammed the door behind him and I immediately fell to the ground and started to sob.

"I can't stand him."

"Claire," Nathan whispered pulling me into a hug. I cried into his shoulder my whole body shaking.

"I'm going to the dean. I can't stay here anymore,” I said my voice shaky and he nodded.

"You should,” he agreed before letting his own fists clench. "How can he just punch you?" Nathan said angrily.

"He doesn't know I'm a girl," I told him quietly standing up. My eye hurt like hell but I didn't want to sob in front Nathan like a little girl.

"Just try to calm down," Nathan soothed and I narrowed my good eye.

"Telling a girl to calm down is like trying to baptize a cat,” I said and he help up hands in surrender.

"Right, sorry,” he said standing up with me. I looked at the room to see it wasn't that messy. Two of my dresser drawers were on the ground and my blankets were thrown on the ground along with my lamp that was on the side of my bed.

"That ass he only messed up my part of the room," I said pursing my lips, irritation clearly showing on my face. "First things first. We're going to have to go out and buy a broom."

"We?" Nathan asked raising an eyebrow and I narrowed my eyes daring him to tell me he's not coming.

"Let me get dressed and we can go." The door shut behind him and I put my drawers back in the dresser and picked up my bra and any other clothes laying around the room. My eyes widened when I picked up a pair of black boxers from my bed.

Great so he uses my bed when I'm out.

I threw them over on his bed and a frown appeared on my face. I wonder why he is so heartless. I mean I'm not clueless I know that something made him this way but the question is what?

Nathan walked into the room and I turned my head to see him now fully clothed with a pair of black trousers and a white buttoned up shirt. “I'm not switching rooms."

"Okay, I know he hit you but I didn't think it was that hard," Nathan said lightly rubbing his thumb underneath my sore eye that felt like it was almost throbbing and probably swelling up again. “This isn't going to be a debate. You're going to get your room switched."

"You're right it's not a debate. Therefore, I changed my mind and decided not to change rooms. Deal with it,” I said walking over to the mirror and adding a bit of cover-up. When I saw Nathan looking at me through the mirror with disbelief I only rolled my eyes.

"I'm serious, Nay-Nay."

"I'm serious, Claire-Bear."

"Don't mock me."

"Don't mock me."

"I will put you in a lake,” I threatened and he snorted.

"Should I be scared?” he retorted and I pouted, sticking my tongue out at him and he only copied me in response before his face went serious.

"Listen, it's not a joke or a debate. You're not staying with him."

"Yeah, yeah,” I said waving him off. “Let’s just go," I grumbled and he scowled before opening the door like a gentleman.

"Ladies first,” he said putting out his hand as if to say go. I went to go through the door but he stopped me. "I said ladies first. Obviously, there are no ladies around so I'll just go."

I glared at his back as we walked to the elevator. "Ha. Very funny,” I said sarcastically and he sent me a bright smile.

"Thank you, you're not the only one who tries,” he sent me a wink just as the elevator doors slid open.

“Oh hey, Jace," Tom greeted as he walked out of the elevator. I only awkwardly waved in response. Nathan lightly tapped my back causing me to look at him. The look on his face basically screamed, 'Act like a man'.

"Hey, bro!" I said and Nathan snorted at my awkward greeting.

"Tom, this is Nathan. Nathan, this is Tom,” I introduced and they sent each other a nod.

"Is Caiden in?" Tom asked and I shook my head. “I’m guessing he is the one who gave you that.” He pointed at my throbbing eye and I gave him a tight smile. He moved aside letting us into the elevator and Nate pressed the lobby button.

So much for that cover-up.

"Yup," I said with a tight smile.

"Caiden gets mad easily. Try not to let his mood swings bother you. He isn't exactly used to having a roommate, he only has bed mates."

"Bed mates?" Nathan asked and Tom chuckled.

"You know, extremely hot and sexy ass girls."

"Right," Nathan said trying to hide his distaste about Caiden's way.

What a loyal hoe.

"His roommates don't last very long due to his fun and anger issues, but I think you can find a compromise and try to stay. You seem tougher than his old roommates,” he encouraged but it looked like he's said that speech a hundred times. I bit my lip just thinking.

"Hey, sit with us at lunch, your friend can join us too. Maybe if you just get to know him," Tom said as we exited the elevator and went into the lobby.

"I doubt we'll be back for lunch,” I lied and he nodded.

"Just whenever,” he said turning away to leave. But, he stopped a few steps away and turned back to look at us. “One tip, if you want to get on his good side then stop talking to Leon,” I noticed how tense he looked just by mentioning Leon. Leaving it at that, he walked off.

“I'm guessing he is a part of Caiden's group?" Nate asked and I nodded. We left the building deciding to take the twenty-minute walk to the store.

"I wonder if Mia is enjoying LA," Nathan said randomly and I laughed remembering our call the other day.

"I'd say so, but she got into a fight with someone on the street. He spilled some mysterious liquid on her.” I laughed and Nathan joined in.

"That sounds like her,” he said shaking his head and I nodded.

"Oh, while we're out I have to get a new phone," I remembered.

"Why? What happened to the phone you have now?" he questioned curiously.

"Last week Caiden got irritated with my alarm going off on it and decided to throw it at a wall and it completely shattered.”

"I'm starting to hate this guy more and more every day," Nathan said and I nodded, silently agreeing.

No, I don't hate him. That's a lie.

I just have to get to know him first. I can't hate someone I don't even know. For all I know, he could have a hard past or he may be struggling with something no one knows about every single day.

Still, doesn't give him an excuse to punch you.

Very true, but once I break that shell around him then maybe I'll know what exactly I'm doing wrong to get him to punch me.

Yeah, you know what, I'm gonna get through to Caiden Anderson and I'm going to make sure that shell of his shatters.