What Happens in the Dark

Chapter 13

Monroe pulled along side of my aunts driveway.

"Well, thank you for getting me away today." I smiled at him. His perfectly curved lips gave his usual half smirk that made my heart melt.

"Don't hesitate to text me if you need a friend, even if it's not school related, I suppose." He winked. I laughed and opened the door seeing Raymond watering my aunt's ferns. He turned his head towards us and Monroe stared back before raising his eyebrows and gripping tightly on the steering wheel.

"Alright Sev, I'll see you tomorrow." He said before pulling off. I looked back at Raymond who looked extremely tense. That was odd. I walked up the driveway to where Raymond cut off the hose and started reveling it back up.

"Hey Raymond." I smiled. He seemed disappointed, but still smiled at me and nodded. I furrowed my brows. I was going to walk back inside, but I'm tired of not knowing what's going on. Everytime I mention Monroe, Raymond gets tense.

"Hey, Raymond?" I asked walking back towards him. His black curly hair fanned around his face.

"What's up Seven?" He continued rolling up the hose while keeping his eyes on me.

"You've just seemed really...tense..for lack of a better term. I just wanted to make sure you were fine? Is it monro-"

"It has nothing to do with him." He said sternly cutting my off making me shift a little bit. Raymond sighed realizing he caught an attitude with me. "Look Seven, I appreciate you're concern for me and how I've been acting, however," He started covering his nose like he smelled something awful.

I turned my face in confusion. Did I smell bad? Was I sweating?  It wouldn't really be polite to try and sneak a smell of my own arm pit.

He sighed,"However it's not your concern."

"I just saw the tension between you two, what was that stare down back there?" I asked again.

"We just go way back." He answered, "There's no fighting, we just don't prefer each other. nothing for you to worry about, just be careful."

Be careful?

"What do you mean?" I asked even more confused than the beginning of this conversation.

"Just in general. It's a new town that you don't know, bad people, and you could never be too careful." He shook his head reassuringly trying to downplay his warning.

"Alright then. You too." I said walking away making a face of confusion as I turned around.

I walked into the kitchen to see my aunt. "Oh Seven! I saw Monroe bringing you home." She winked.

"Yeah he did. We finished some work for our biographies." I nodded.

"He has a nice ride." She smiled. 

I laughed, "Yes he does." I saw dinner on the bar so I decided to join her.

As I was done eating my phone started ringing, Bri.

I headed up stairs and jumped on my bed before answering.

"Hello?"

"You dumb bitch. So now you're just gonna go MIA on me. You haven't called me in three days." She said irrated. I laughed at her concern.

"I'm sorry Bri things have been so hectic starting school." I sighed.

"Like?" She asked.

"Well I'm the schools whore now."

"Damn girl! You slept with somebody already! What he look like tell me everythi-"

"Briana." I said sternly rolling my eyes.

She burst into laughter, "I'm sorry you know i love you, and you know if I was there I'd kick all their asses."

"Well I almost fought a girl today." I sighed again realizing the story wasn't getting any better.

"WHAT?" She gasped. She always loved some drama.

"Yeah I call her big bird."

She burst into laughter again, "What did big Bird do bitch? tell me all about it."

"She's obsessed with my English partner, and before you ask, yes he's gorgeous. I've never seen anyone as beautiful as him. So now I'm a whore and there's rumors circulating about me such as im easy, I'm nice with it, I'm dating her ex boyfriend, and i just got here blah blah blah." I sighed catching myself sounding like Monroe in the last bit.

"Damn so big Bird mad cause her ex, got the hots for you, Typical bird move." She sighed.

"Well her friends don't help much. They keep tabs on everything I do that concerns him." I said.

"Not Bert and Earnie!" She yelled causing me to laugh loudly.

"Briana if you were here everything would be so much easier. It's been so hard but, he has really been helping me surprisingly." I smiled.

"What's his name sev?"

"Monroe." His named rolled off my tongue like silk.

"That's a name I've not heard before on a guy. It's odd, but it's really pretty."

"I know." I smiled. "Well look bad Girls Club is coming on so I'm gonna text you."

"You so lame, but alright love you!" She hung up the phone. I really do miss having Bri by my side.

Suddenly I heard a knock on my door.

"Come in. " I called out. Raymond walked in throwing something on my bed. I looked down at the pack of cigarettes. I smiled then looked at him confused.

"I'm sorry for being cold towards you earlier, there's just a lot to explain that I don't like to get into because it's still a sensitive topic, you know? I don't care who you date or see, I mean you're cool as fuck, and of course any guy would be jealous, however I'd never be mad at you, because it's not like there's any feelings or commitment between us we're simply roommates I guess you could say." He laughed making me smile, "So please don't think it's anything like that. I've been single a long time and don't plan on getting into anything for a long time either, it's simply a family history issue, that is too much to get into and I'm sure he feels the same."

I nodded my head. I wouldn't ask anything personal like that to Monroe, we aren't even that close yet, so I understood where Raymond was coming from.

I smiled up at him,"You don't owe me any explanation, and I'm not dating him. He's just my English partner and he's been helping me out at school because the whole school talks about me apparently. We're just friends though. I appreciate you for clearing everything up, I just wanted to make sure you were okay. Oh, and for the smokes."

He smiled back at me in response, "Well goodnight, Seven." He grabbed the door and headed out.

"Night." I called back.