Social Experiment

29 | Fake Boyfriend

"Poor Bennett," I sigh and, without thinking, ask: "Are your parents around to help take care of him?"

When I realize what I've asked- one of the most nagging questions in my mind- I turn to study Nathan's reaction closely. His body becomes noticeably rigid beside mine and he averts his gaze from looking at me so he can instead glare at the empty hallway in front of us with his jaw clenched.

For some reason, word vomit arose, and I couldn't stop myself from speaking again. "Maybe they could take him to the doctor so you can get a few hours of-"

"Drop it, Lauren." Nathan snaps sharply, his hands clenching into fists by his side.

I shut my mouth immediately and become hyperaware of the fact I could practically feel his playful self withdrawing to be replaced by the old, cold, hardened Nathan. The Nathan that everyone else saw, but not the one that I really knew.

In one last final attempt to make him feel better, or maybe to apologize, I wasn't quite sure, I say softly, "Nate-"

Before I can blink, Nathan pushes me against a locker, his hands slamming down on either side of my head. My breath catches in my throat when the sound of his fists hitting the metal locker ricochets through the hall. His eyes are ablaze and his breathing is ragged and deep as he leans down with a murderous look on his face.

"Damn it Lauren, I said drop it," Nathan growls angrily. "Mind your own fucking business."

My heart falls into the depths of my stomach as I watch him abruptly pull away and storm down the hall, leaving me there stunned and staring at his retreating figure. I couldn't tell if the heavy feeling in my chest was hurt or concern, but I was positive that something was wrong.

So much for my good mood.

* * *

I knock on Stephanie's dorm room door impatiently as I watch two guys stumble out of a room a few doors down and fall into the opposite wall. They guffaw with laughter as they crash onto the ground, clearly inebriated, holding poorly concealed bottles in their hands. At the disturbance, someone down the hall opens their door and sighs when he sees the two laughing on the floor.

"I told you guys no booze in your dorm," The guy reprimands as he plucks the bottles from their hands. "I'm going to have to write you up this time."

One of the drunk guys on the floor groans, "Come on Damien. Be a cool RA, would ya?"

The other guy nods vigorously. "Yeah, I'll give you a beer if you let us go."

I hear a clicking noise and look forward in time to see Stephanie pulling her door open as she clutches a towel to her body while her soaking wet hair drips over her shoulders. She looks thoroughly annoyed as she ushers me in and shuts the door behind me.

"Sorry for the wait," Stephanie says with annoyance clear in her voice. "I was in the shower and somebody wouldn't answer the door when I asked."

Steph turns to give Cara a pointed glare, who was sitting on her bed with her laptop in her lap and a bored expression on her face. Cara looks and Stephanie and shrugs. "She's your friend. You have legs. You can open the door for her."

While Stephanie looks like she's about to murder Cara, I chuckle and say, "It's fine. I was entertained out there."

She interrupts her plotting Cara's death to look at me with her eyebrows raised. "By what?"