𝐑𝐞𝐝 𝐑𝐢𝐝𝐠𝐞

A L E X A N D E R

"It was raining. I picked her up. She had a puppy. We bonded."

"Right." She says and I roll my eyes, looking around the room as I wait impatiently, my eyes immediately darting over when Charlotte emerges, her hair tamed and braided in two matching rows that sit on top of her head and stretch down, like a boxer's, except hers are looser and messier in a purposefully disheveled way. She's also dressed, I note disappointedly.

"Would you like me to fetch you anything before we head out?" Charlotte asks Reed as she takes the puppy from my hands and places her on Reed's bed. Reed's face scrunches up as the puppy starts to lick her face, but she's smiling despite the bags beneath her eyes and greenish hue.

"I'll live."

"You better." Charlotte runs a hand down Reed's blanket-covered legs before she stands up and joins me by their door. I bend down to pick up both of our bags and drape one over each shoulder, receiving a raised eyebrow from the blonde beside me that I pointedly ignore.

"Don't take this the wrong way, but you don't look so hot," I tell Charlotte, reaching a hand up to feel her pale, clammy forehead for a fever, and I'm no medical expert, but I believe I find evidence of one. "You feel hot though," I say and she shivers once I take my hand away.

"We've only been here for an hour." She whispers, ignoring me and looking toward the professor who drones on about conditionals and loops, but my focus is solely on my deteriorating desk partner.

"I'll get the notes, and we can watch the class in your room. You've already shown up and gotten the participation. She'll understand." I tell her, not giving her a choice as I pack up our bags and stand up quietly, pulling her with me and sending an apologetic glance at our professor while I help Charlotte out the door.

The walk to her dorm is thankfully short, but despite the warm weather, she's shivering the entire time and uncharacteristically quiet. I gently take the keys from her pale, shaking hands and once the door is open, Reed who looks infinitely better looks at Charlotte with concern mirroring my own.

"Go to class. I'm not going to drop dead within the hour." Charlotte groans, flopping onto her bed while the puppy adorably attempts to jump up and join her.

"I'll stay," I promise and Reed narrows her eyes at Charlotte.

"Charlie, I know how much you want a puppy but not only can we not have one in the dorms, but also..."

"Hey, I'm very responsible." Charlotte puts her hands on her hips and says indignantly. I watch the interaction.

"Remember last year when you left the water running all day?"

"I took responsibility for that," Charlotte says seriously and I laugh as Reed rolls her eyes, reluctantly agreeing to go to class, for now, parting with a glare directed at me with silent promises of missing limbs if I were to leave her friend alone with the puppy.

As soon as the door closes behind her, Charlotte turns to me and stares. What I wouldn't give to see inside her mind right now. After a minute, she sighs. "I need you to do something for me." Her tone expelling the teasing atmosphere.

"Anything," I promise at the vulnerable look in her eyes. Slowly, she turns her back to me and brings her feet up on the bed to cross them. Eyes fixed on her, I don't miss the second her hands reach for the hem of her shirt and pulls it up enough to bare her entire back to me, the vertebrae of her spine protruding as she hunches her back a bit.

I have no idea what's going on, and my heart is racing with anticipation, but I don't want to rush her and whatever is happening. "See anything interesting?"

"What should I be looking for?" I ask, shuffling a bit to try to look at the side of her face.

"Just look." I can hear her gulp and I do what she asks.

"Freckles on your shoulders. A couple scars. Some marks on your spine." I say finally and she turns her head as if she'd be able to magically see her own back.

"That's all?" She asks, her voice sounding normal, and I look again making sure to be thorough. I shake my head when I can't see anything else.

"Nothing," I confirm and she stands up and goes into the bathroom, leaving me out here alone and slightly confused. I can't help the questioning look that I give her when she joins me again.

"I'm gonna lie down, would you mind taking her outside? When I wake up, I'll figure out what I'm going to do with her." She says sadly, smiling at the silver furball. My eyes narrow at the topic change and I can't help but recall the worried look in her eyes when she bared herself to me.

"Of course I will. But, you wanna tell me what that was about?" I ask and she visibly shuts down.

"Not particularly."