Strains

Chapter 25

When I wake up the next morning, my bedroom light is still on. I turn it off since the sunlight has already lit my room enough. A quick glance at my watch tells me I've missed a good chunk of dead language class and Hercules is without his wine allotment.

I pull an orange from my stash in the closet and sit on my bed. There isn't much food left in here, just the small assortment of fruits and veggies that I set aside to take to Caiden as a healthy snack. It'll get me through breakfast and lunch, but not beyond that.

Maybe I could go to the library during dinner when everyone on campus is in the dining hall. Would Caiden let me stay there with him if I asked? I don't want to go to class anymore and I'm tired of answering to Matthew and the stupid rules here. If that means I have to live on old ding-dongs and pretzels, so be it.

I finish peeling the orange and eat a segment. The sweetness of the juice runs over my tongue and quenches a thirst I didn't know I had. Before I know it, the orange is gone. That was too good, and seeing how it'll be lunch soon anyway, I can afford to eat another one.

I check the bag but don't find another orange. What the heck? I could've sworn I had gotten two at the pick-up stand. My closet is dark, so I move into the light to check again. A plum falls through the bottom of the bag. Of course, there's a hole in this bag, just big enough for the fruit to fit through. There are still a couple of carrots in the bag, which explains why the bag hadn't disappeared.

Geez.

Even though the plum would probably be delicious, like all the other produce on campus, I really want another orange. I climb on top of the dresser in my closet and look behind it.

It's dark, but there's just enough room for things to fall. Looks like there are two round objects and what might be a sock.

I stretch my arm into the crevice and take hold of the first-round item. There's my orange. Still, I better get the other piece so I can take it with me when I leave. I toss the orange onto my bed and lean into the hardwood of my dresser again.

I fish out the sock and round thing in one grab. I slide backward off the dresser. Stupid bag making me work today. I unwrap the sock from around the fruit.

It's a peach.

My heart stops, and I can't breathe. My chest hurts. I throw the fruit at my door. Not hard enough, because it doesn't disappear, just falls to the floor.

Memories of last night flood my mind. I shut my eyes and drag myself into bed.

A thud echoes off the door. That's the first step in opening it. Oh crap. What do I do? Where do I go?

I dive underneath my bed before the door has a chance to open. This is lame, I should've jumped out the window. The massive spider could be down here, next to my feet and I might not even know.

The door shudders for the final time before opening. Who would be busting in my room right now? They didn't even knock. What if it's the guy from last night? No, that doesn't make sense. But what if it is? What'll I do? I hate this, feeling so helpless.

I tuck myself back pretty far, so I can only see the intruder's feet. Or shoes. Brown loafers, they're clean and business-ready, and stopping right next to my bed. My breath stops. Do they know I'm here?

A hand comes into view and sets an apple on the floor in front of me.

"You'll need to find a better place to hide if you're going to ditch class."

Of course, it's him.

"Okay," I say. I pull myself out from under the bed and pick up the apple. Matthew motions for me to sit on the bed. I do, and he sits on the chair opposite of me.