Free Minds

Chapter 51.

"Why are you nervous though?" Talise said as we walked side by side to stand beneath a bus stop shelter. "You've been with Camila and Rav already."

"I'm not." I shook my head harder than expected.

   After going over the plan a couple more times with minor tweaks contributed by Tali, Dorian and me, everyone was ready to retire to their rooms. I chose to see Tali off at the bus stop. Despite the heavy downpour of rain that had come out of nowhere and drenched us to the bone.

   And that had nothing to do with the fact that I was Dorian's roommate for tonight in case anyone was wondering. Although, my memories from last night with Rav took me to the time I'd basically yelled at Dorian through the door that I was high and he should get out.

   But why would that be nerve-wracking?

"Sure..." she stared at me with narrowed eyes.

"I'm not!" My arms moved to clutch my sides as I stared at the ground. "It's just, I don't know, weird?"

"Because of the little hand holding action you guys had the other day?" she chuckled. "Come on Beth, even you have done more than that."

   It never crossed my mind that anyone, let alone Tali, had paid attention to what Dorian did while we were waiting for the Zavlon email in Ridgeton.

   I could have sworn her eyes had turned into that of a hawk's on that day as she stayed fixated on the laptop's screen. Her teasing glance in my direction, however, confirmed how wrong I was. I only hoped my facial expression didn't betray me.

"Just forget I said anything," I mumbled, wishing the cold air would do its job and overpower my heated cheeks already as Talise continued to make me uncomfortable under her gaze.

"Okay, okay," She grabbed my hand when I turned to walk back into the pouring rain. "Beth, it's just sleeping. Go in there and...well...sleep. You don't have to have any form of interaction if you don't want to. From my little time spent with you guys, it's easy to see that Dorian isn't much of a talker. You'll be fine."

   She was right. I'd already spent the night with Rav. And he got me drunk and high.

   What could be worse than that?

   I nodded toward Tali with a smile, the weight of worry on my chest suddenly feeling a little bit lighter. After thanking her, I stepped out of the bus stop shelter and quickened my steps back to the motel. Not a single drop of rain spared me or my clothes.

"HEY BETH!" Tali's call from where I had gotten to was almost inaudible.

   I swirled to see her waving at me with wild hands. Looking at her figure through squinted, rain drenched eyes, I noticed her hands cupped at the sides of her mouth as it moved.

   I strained my ears to get a better understanding of the words Tali was mouthing just in time to hear, "IF ANYTHING HAPPENS BETWEEN YOU TWO, WHICH I KNOW WILL, THEN IT HAPPENS! BUT YOU COULD ALWAYS JUST GO FOR IT THOUGH! MANY PEOPLE FIND THAT HOT!"

   She doubled over in a laughing gesture when I scowled and flipped her off in the rain. This time, I didn't look back until I arrived at the motel.

    It was settled then. If the need arose, I was going to stick to talking about the weather.

***

   For some reason, Camila was sympathetic tonight and let me spend an extra hour in her room after I'd showered and changed into my night clothes. I supposed she still felt bad about sending me over to Rav's early last night after seeing my hangover state this morning.

   Once BTS music began echoing throughout the room however, I took that as my cue to leave.

   My slow strides eventually took me to the motel's second floor, where Dorian's room was. Upon identifying the door having the room number he told me earlier, I gave it a soft knock.

   After standing for a while with the door going unanswered, I began to feel optimistic. Maybe my knock wasn't loud enough, giving me the perfect excuse to sprint to Camila's room and beg for her couch.

   My breath hitched as the door creaked open.

"Hi," Dorian's eyes instantly found mine as he stood at the entrance of his bedroom.

"Hi," I said, patting myself on the back for not sounding as unstable as I felt.

   As we observed each other, I noticed he had a relaxed expression on, wearing long sweatpants and a white T-shirt which clung to the sides of his body. For some reason, I couldn't stop picturing him being forced into the unicorn costume Rav made me put on last night. That led to a laugh escaping my lips which I disguised into a cough.

   He threw a strange look my way but only gestured for me to come into his room—well, our room for the night.

   I waited for a bad feeling to engulf me at those last thoughts that never came.

   Everything about Dorian's room was so... precise. Even though it was basically a replica of Rav and Camila's room, his room acquired a sense of uniqueness due to everywhere being unnaturally clean and arranged. It was like he cleaned up before and after the motel cleaners who came around once every two days.

"So," I mused as I placed my barely zipped backpack containing my sheets, pillow and other minor things I thought I may need on the only couch in the room. "The weather, huh?"

"Do you mean that in a good or bad way?" He frowned while asking. "Because it's getting worse."

   Almost on cue, the windows in Dorian's room burst open, granting cold, harsh winds and stray droplets of rain permission to go right through.

   Dorian swore under his breath as he rushed over to the scene. Feeling awkward at the idea of standing around doing nothing, I followed suit to help him in the struggle to shut the resisting windows.

   When we succeeded, I glanced down at my frame before moving to Dorian's. It seemed like both our bodies had their share of rain water. My eyes travelled to his face, widening when I realised his were already on me.

   All the chilliness in the room disappeared. Suddenly, my heart appeared to be giving a thousand beats per second as nerve wracking heat crept to my cheeks, continuing to the rest of my body.

   Despite all this, I couldn't get over how striking his green eyes were, how they didn't even have to try to succeed in entrapping me so fast.

   Why wasn't he looking away? 

A/N: I've been waiting for this not gonna lie! So, so excited for what happens next! Are you?

If you so, please vote and comment your predictions 🎊❤️

QOTD: Do you share Tali's 'go for it' view, or you're too chicken... like me lol?