As we walk into the dorm I can't help but notice the emptiness that surrounds it giving me a slight uneasy feeling. A single student sits on his own reading what looks to be a small leather bound book in one of the few red velvet chairs in the dorm, other than that not even one other person can be seen. It's strange, this seems to be happening a lot more now than it ever has before now that I think about it. I start to walk a little faster still making sure the others are behind me so they can tell me if I go the wrong way. After two wrong turns and struggling to help Haven upstairs we make it to Haven's room. His room is different, even from the outside that much is obvious, unlike the other dull brown doors that come with almost every single dorm room this door is white, at least it looks to be, the shading is a little different though. A small poster accompanies the unusual colouring of the door. On the poster is a man with lightning surrounding his hand along whilst in the other he holds a small blade. He wears strange looking armour that is covered in spikes that look jagged and unnatural. It's clear that this poster is from a video game because of the large lettering above the man in the poster along with the graphic quality. Haven reaches out trying to open the door pretty much forgetting about his crutches, before he can even reach the door he starts to fall, for some reason my first instinct tells me to laugh but I refrain myself instead catching him and helping him back up.
"Thanks."
"No problem bro." I say with a small reassuring smile as Brock opens the door leading into Haven's room. It looks like something out of a teen drama movie, the walls are covered in posters, mostly video game posters along with a few... others. In the far side of the room in front of the wall is a small desk with two compartments, one holds a games console while the other holds various games. On top of the desk itself is a small tv. At the other side of the room is a desk holding a large computer, certainly larger than one a student could have bought unless they had done jobs for at least a year probably more. The floor itself has clothes scattered around it making it almost hard to walk around without stepping on dirty clothes. A single pair of underwear is visible next to the bed.
"Umm bro." I say pointing at the underwear, Haven's face flushes red and he moves over to them kicking them under the bed.
"I umm haven't been able to clean up in a while and ummm yeah, forget you saw that." I can hear Brock giggling over the sound of Haven's voice and I almost break into soft laughter myself. Haven ignores us and makes his way over to the games console switching it on picking up a controller and throwing it so Brock can catch it. He throws another at me then grabs one himself. He almost falls as he moves over to the bed trying to steady himself as he does so, finally managing to sit down. Brock jumps onto the bed after him bouncing in his seat a few times, the bed starts rocking and I decide to sit on the floor since the only place to sit on the bed is next to Brock. Which would make this incredibly awkward considering the fact that- I might like him. Maybe.
"Dustin there's enough room on the bed if you want?"
"Ummm no I'm fine I just- just don't worry about it bro."
"Ok I guess." Brock gives me a strange look for a second while Haven loads the game before turning his attention to the screen. Oh god, does he know? No, he- could, shit. I try my best to take my mind of it stretching my legs in front of me. The game is some kind of war game and Haven brings up the multiplayer menu putting it into versus mode. He quickly sets up both the map and the rules before starting the game. A loading screen tells us to get ready and I do so... by continuing to hold the controller staring at it hoping the controls are the same as in similar games. Not that I was ever any good at any video game anyway.
"Haven Haven Haven Haven Haven!"
"Sup man?"
"How do you play?"
"See the front of the controller, bottom right is fire, top right grenade, bottom left is melee, top left is secondary grenade. Joystick is to move, and the other is to look around, push down on the left one to run." Brock nods in understanding but his face says otherwise, unless he already knew how to play and is just going to bluff until he ends up winning the game. And with the look he has in his eyes I wouldn't be surprised, or do his eyes always look like that? The look of passion and excitement behind them, I could stare at them for hours. Wait no what am I saying. I decide to look at the game which appears to have already started, well it has, I've died. My small screen has gone red with the black lettering saying 'dead' I press A to respawn and move around in the game trying to get used to the controls, then two gunshots go off and I see a character run past me, I know it's Haven because of the slight smirk that quickly moves onto his face before vanishing just as quickly. I press A again this time making my character move to a hiding spot that I think is safe. In the bottom of the screen is small lettering telling me to press A to climb over something that I don't see. I press the A button anyway hoping to get lucky. There's a small animation of my character climbing ladders onto the roof before the camera moves back into first person mode. I hear another two gun shots and my character dies again this time falling over the edge of the roof before the screen goes black. Another few gunshots come through the speakers and I Brock laughs, it's nice, hearing him laugh like that, if only I could hear him genuinely laughing more often.
"Damn Brock you're pretty good." Haven's words snap me back to reality and I press the A button again moving my character around mostly trying to avoid both Brock's and Haven's characters. More gunshots, I expect my screen to turn red but it doesn't, instead my character keeps moving, at least my character isn't dead again yet. This time I see what I recognise as Haven's character run round the corner, no gunshots, he just makes his character keep running and something happens, I'm not sure what but my screen goes red and the lettering shows up again., I suddenly remember what Haven said about there being a melee button, though I myself have forgotten what the button is itself. Fuck I'm hopeless when it comes to videogames. I can see the points in the bottom corner, each character's face is displayed next to the points, Haven is currently winning with Brock just two points behind, I on the other hand, have zero points, I literally have no chance of winning and I still haven't figured out the damn controls. Not that I would be any good if I figured them out anyway, at least not anywhere near the same level as Brock... And Haven. The red screen and the lettering appears again, okstop thiinking about Brock, concentrate on the game- that I have no chance of winning. I make my character move behind a barrel and the lettering telling me to press A turns up at the bottom of the screen again. This time I ignore it and stay hidden. This time when I hear the gunshots I don't die, either they missed me, Haven died or even Brock. Still I stay hidden behind the barrel waiting. Brocks character and I break cover aiming and pressing what I remember to be the fire button. I hold it down and multiple gun shots fill the air and Brock's character dies.
"Yes I finally got a kill."
"No fair I didn't know you were there." Brock frowns but I hear Haven laughing.
"I seriously ship you two." Haven keeps laughing while my character dies again, I don't notice, I'm too busy concentrating on the reddening of my cheeks to care. I manage to press the A button again but I don't do anything to make my character move. The game seems to go by quickly and the whole time I don't move after what Haven said I don't like what my mind is drifting to, it will do things that should not happen in public. Ok ok just stop thinking about Brock.
"Ok right let's play again, but this time-" Haven trails off and goes onto the character menu screen, he gives both himself and Brock various disadvantages like speed decrease along with no explosive weapons and a few others. On the other hand he gives me more advantages, most of which centers around increased health and speed.
"Ok there now Dustin might actually have a chance."
"Yaay Dusty might win this time."
"Awwww he even has cute nicknames for you- Dusty." Haven starts laughing so hard that he starts rolling around on his bed.
"Fuck you bro." This only makes him laugh harder and he even starts smacking the bed. By this point he's basically howling with laughter and his face looks to have gone a dangerous shade of red when he suddenly stops.
"Shit guys look away, look away right now, cover your eyes."
"Why what's happening, are you ok bro?"
"Just look away, please, for a few seconds, make sure you cover your eyes too, please." I decide to do so covering my eyes and looking away, he better have a good excuse for this- even through my hands and closed eyes I can see the intense bright light, it almost hurts and it leaves a multicoloured imprint in my vision when I open my eyes, I blink a few times and it goes away.
"What just happened? Wait Haven you can control light?"
"Yeah, and create it. I- well I don't know how to control it properly yet so when my emotions get too out of hand my powers go off, I almost blinded my mom last time it happened."
"So-"
"Dusty you forgot to ask if Haven's ok."
"Oh shit yeah, sorry. Are you ok?"
"I'll be fine-" A sudden sharp pain hits me in the back of the head and I look up to see Brock's hand receding.
"What the hell was that for?" I say rubbing the back of my head while the pain dulls until it's completely gone.
"You said a bad word again, stop saying bad freaking words."
"I said one earlier you fu-dging- you know what, nevermind sorry."
"Hmmf."
"Seriously if you two aren't dating you should."
"Oh my god, Brock can you smack him?"
"Nuh uh."
"What why? You smacked me."
"You said a bad word."
"Oh my god they're not even that bad, you said freaking, I don't like that word how about I smack you?" Why am I even arguing about this? I look ridiculous and now he'll hate me.
"Dustin just give up you're not gonna win any arguments with Brock."
"Yeah but- fine, whatever can we just start playing the game again?"
"I'd love to." Brocks tone of voice has changed from happy to that of annoyed and I don't like the sound of it, especially when it's being directed at me. I should have never started arguing about something as stupid and petty as that. Now he'll hate me. The game starts up again and I decide to stop thinking about Brock, at least for the rest of this one game. I somehow manage to get the first kill by using the same trick I used on Brock on Haven. After this I run to the other side of the map and hide somewhere else. After a while Haven is the one in the lead and again Brock is second, I however have managed to get five kills at this point, so at least I'm doing better than the last time. This time using a sniper I climb the same ladder I did before onto the roof looking around to make sure it's safe before managing to kill Brock. I move spots again and the tactic seems to be working, I haven't been killed as often though I am still getting killed more than the other two but considering my skill level I think I'm doing ok- probably because of the advantages I have been given but that's besides the point. I manage to figure out what the melee button is as I run past Haven's character killing him. I have seven points now, and Brock has twenty four while Haven has twenty nine. Haven will no doubt win unless Brock can make a come back, or I make the mother of all comebacks, but that will never happen. My screen goes red again and I notice Brock's score go up by two, which means he killed Haven too. I manage to get revenge by killing him twice, I kill Haven afterwards bringing my score up to ten. Somehow Haven hasn't gotten another kill yet and Brock now has twenty nine points. Which means both have to get one more kill. Whoever does wins. My screen goes red again and again I notice Brocks score go up. He's at thirty and as I notice this his screen goes green with white lettering that says victory.
"YAY!" Haven starts to bounce up and down on the bed and after a few seconds he starts to levitate slowly gaining height until his head hits the roof. He starts to go lower until he is around half way between the roof and the bed.
"I won I won I won I won!" The smile he had before the argument, it's back and from down here it looks adorable, the way one side of his mouth lifts slightly higher than the other, the way his eyebrows move when he smiles, the way his eyes widen with excitement. The way he's still practically bouncing in the air while trying to keep his arms by his sides. How I was ever able to even argue with him for a second I have no idea.
"Oh my god you were awesome Brock, that comeback, Jesus I wasn't expecting that."
"Heheh." He keep smiling as he starts stroking the back of his neck, the excitement mixes with a nervous smile and he lowers himself until he's sat on the bed again. For some reason we stay silent, I feel like I need to say something but I can't, mostly because I'm not sure what it is I need to say but also because I get the strange feeling that now wouldn't be the right time to say it anyway.
"Hey have you guys looked up your names on the urban dictionary thing?" Haven asks in an obvious attempt to break the sudden silence. Me and Brock both give him a confused look. Why Brock is looking at him that way I have no idea, but I don't know what the urban dictionary is.
"Oh my god you haven't, look I'll show you them." Haven stands up and runs over to his desk opening the laptop quickly typing urban dictionary into the search engine. Multiple websites pop up and Haven clicks on the top one which brings him into a website that has urban dictionary written at the top of the page. Haven types his name into the websites own search engine.
"See, mine is a person of intellectual beauty, typically intelligent and athletic, and Dustin yours is-" He trails off typing my own name into the search engine.
"Ok here it is- A hunky sex of a man... well that's not true, what are the others like?"
"Rude." Haven just shrugs and scrolls down in response.
"Ok here's one- a brave, loving,caring and paranoid person- eh I guess." He shrugs and types Brock's name into the search engine.
"Ok so, a kind, caring, loyal, loving, gentle but strong man. Ok that one is pretty accurate." Brock's cheeks immediately go red along with the tips of his ears, he starts stroking the back of his neck giving another nervous smile.
"So what do you guys wanna do now?"
"We could hang out outside again maybe?"
"Ummm maybe."
"I say yes." My reply is a little too enthusiastic but thankfully they don't seem to notice, Haven manages to grab his crutches standing on them yet again. Brock doesn't help this time like he did before, it's strange, I expected him to, but in fairness Haven has stopped wobbling on them. Instead he seems to move with relative ease, in fact he's moving faster as well, around the same speed as me when I walk. Could he have faked it all? It's possible but I had dismissed it earlier, it doesn't matter. I decide to dismiss it for a second time, there's no need to start over thinking this, Levi likes the guy so it's better to give him the benefit of the doubt, for now anyway. We start moving out of the dorm and school gates without a destination. We're just walking, it's like in the movies when the protagonists destination is undecided, like an adventure movie, is it adventure? I can never tell. It's leaves a strange feeling in my body, something like nostalgia if it can be described that way. It's calming while at the same time managing to make me nervous, we could get lost but who cares, what matters is that we're together walking- or moving in Haven's case. We don't talk just, walk. Adding to the feeling of comfortability. It's a shame Levi isn't here, it'd be cool to have us all here, all of my friends, even though I still don't understand how any of the three can stand me, though Haven has only known me for a day, so there's an excuse, giving me the benefit of the doubt like I am him. Eventually the school completely leaves my field of vision and admittedly we are very lost. The only way the situation could get 'worse' is if it starts to rain. As this thought passes through my mind I feel a single raindrop touch the tip of my nose before heavy rain- torrential even starts to pour onto us immediately making me cold.
"Shit we gotta go back, or at least try, come on." I start to turn around and head in the other direction, back the way we came, the others quickly follow behind me.
"Shit bro your cast,won't getting wet destroy it or something?" I ask with sudden concern in my voice, which is unusual for me.
"It'll be fine as long as we get inside before it- well we just need to get in fast because man it's raining hard."
"Really I thought it was sunny, like blistering heat and sunburn you know? Nevermind."
"Don't be a meanie!"
"I'm not I just- ok maybe I am but I couldn't resist."
"Meanie."
"Hey you hit me earlier so if anything you're a meanie."
"You said a bad word first we're even!"
"Ok ok fair enough."
"See he knows he can't win now Brock, which means-"
"Fu-dge you."
"I do like fudge, you should give me some, I have a broken leg, it still hurts every day, I'm in so much pain."
"Yeah well you're putting me in pain, like right now bro."
"How?"
"Just the sound of you-"
"Hey oh my god it's the cute one from swimming practice." Don't blush, don't fucking blush. Fuck. Lynn quickly catches up, somehow completely dry, smiling as he slings and arm over my shoulder. He looks at my face and immediately starts laughing, that same laugh that makes me want to smile and make him happy, god dammit.
"It's way too easy to make you blush buddy." I can't help but notice the other's silence, why are they quiet now, of all times? When I really need them. My cheeks are bright red and tingling but they're silent.
"Umm how aren't you wet?" Haven half mutters breaking his silence. Thank god. Lynn points above himself revealing a small sheet of ice that's protecting him from the heavy rain, only just big enough for him.
"I just made a sheet of ice out of the rain drops, it's pretty simple, watch." He waves his hands just above his head gesturing to above our heads, the rain drops quickly stop touching my freezing body and I can hear the steady beating of rain drops hitting solid ice just above us.
"There we go, now cute swimmer boy doesn't get wet." This makes the tingling in my cheeks come back and I try my best to ignore it but with Lynn laughing again it's hard to do.
"Oh my god cute boy has cute friends. You sure do know how to pick em buddy." He says loud enough for the others to hear as he nudges just below my ribs with his elbow, I flinch away not wanting to feel the weird sensation that comes with being touched below the ribs. I look over at the others and notice Brock looking at the floor with his hand stroking the back of his neck, he's not stopping which can only mean that he's uncomfortable. I don't say anything not wanting to draw attention to him in case it makes the situation worse. If I do he'll probably hate me, not that he doesn't already given our previous argument. We keep walking and I let Lynn lead for the most part, not that I have a choice, he's the one walking fastest, he's ahead of me while somehow keeping his arm around my neck pulling me along. The others try to keep pace and manage to do so, though for Haven this pace probably isn't helpful considering the crutches.
"So what are your guy's names?" Lynn says calmly looking back at them.
"Haven."
"Brock." both replies seem to be without emotion, Haven I'm not too worried about but this is completely unlike Brock. He's normally happy and bubbly and bouncy but right now he just seems like a shell.
"So what kinda stuff do you guys like? I mean you've got to be pretty cool if Dustin likes you guys."
"Video games." Haven replies, Brock doesn't, he shrugs and keeps stroking the back of his neck, just more rapidly this time.
"Your friends don't talk much do they buddy."
"Oh they're just shy is all. I reply quickly, glancing at the others. I catch a small smile coming from Brock just as it leaves his face.
"Huh- well they're cute so it's all good." Lynn makes a face that says 'whatever' as he finishes speaking. We stay silent for the rest of the journey home.
I walk through the dormitory doors and quickly break away from the others heading to my room. My hair and clothes are all still wet making it incredibly cold. The air conditioning is on and it's horrible. I make my way over to my room as fast as possible pulling off my shirt as I walk in on Levi sat in front of the laptop making notes on some astronomy stuff. I walk to my wardrobe and quickly get changed into dry clothes not bothering to dry my hair. Instead I pick up a science book ready to study again.
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A/N: So yeah I hope you like the chapter :D