Fan Fiction ❯ Room 316 ❯ Chapter 7 ( Chapter 7 )
[ T - Teen: Not suitable for readers under 13 ]
By: Desiree Dee 
Anime/Manga: Fan Fiction | Genre(s): Fantasy / Adventure / | Type: Other | Uploaded On: 12.05.2005 | Pages: 2 | Words: 2.2K | Visits: 201 | Status: Completed
Anime/Manga: Fan Fiction | Genre(s): Fantasy / Adventure / | Type: Other | Uploaded On: 12.05.2005 | Pages: 2 | Words: 2.2K | Visits: 201 | Status: Completed
Chapter 7
A long silence passed between the two. Duncan had no idea how to respond. Sure, he had been through a lot, but nothing as bad as being chained up against his will. He took a long hard look at Deirdre. She had lain down and turned her back to him. He wasn't quite sure if she was sleeping or reflecting, but he wasn't going to bother her either way. He fell onto his bed.
'I knew things were going to be hard this year, but I had no clue that I would get involved in anything like this.' He thought to himself. He wasn't sure when or how, but he fell asleep. He hadn't even realized it until he was awoken by a body moving next to his. At some point, Deirdre had snuggled in next to him at some point, but she was now stiff with her eyes wide and facing the room door. He easily guessed that someone was on their way in. When she merely jumped back into her own bed, he guessed it was nothing too dangerous. It was most likely Abby.
His suspicions were confirmed when a pile of shopping bags with feet came walking in through the entrance. He looked over at Deirdre, who was now curled under her blankets, then got up to help Abby.
"Phht." She spat a bag handle from her mouth. "Thanks, though I could have handled it myself."
"Geeze, your welcome." He retorted softly, and then subtly jerked his head towards Deirdre.
"Oops!" Abby squeaked, bringing her hands to her mouth, dropping all of her bags in the process. She quickly recovered, and gathered her bags. "Anyways," she did her best to whisper, "I have some 'unpacking' to do." She made a large gesture with the bags, and began stacking them on her bed.
Duncan moved to stare out of the window, but carefully avoided disturbing the seemingly frail figure in the nearby bed. He looked at the only tree visible from his position.
'This is going to be a lonely year.' He stated solemnly. He turned when Deirdre shifted. 'Then again, things could be worse.'
Not much else happened until orientation. When the time did come to leave for it, Deirdre had once again locked herself in the bathroom.
"Oh, come on. This is ridiculous." Abby whined.
"Just chill out." Duncan snapped back at her. "She's scared. Okay?"
"You seem to be the only person she talks to, why doesn't she at least answer you when you talk to her?" Abby said haughtily.
"Becaus e she's mute, can you read sign language?" He was beginning to feel like a babysitter for a set of squabbling siblings.
"Well, no." Abby replied.
"Well, I can only do it when there isn't a door in the way, so get off it." Duncan was not in one of his best moods. 'I'm in no mood for games today, I would rather not break down this door, but you know I can and I will.'
'But Vince might be there.' She projected a feeling of immense fear.
'Yeah, but I'll be there, and so will a lot of other people. He can't do anything to you out in plain sight.' He reasoned. The door cracked, and a lock of dark hair and one green eye popped out to fill the space.
'Okay, but you must promise me your protection.'
'No problem.'
Deidre slowly crept out, only to have Abby push her out of the way and lock the door herself. Duncan only grinned as he helped her up.
'I don't see anything funny.' she glared at him quite menacingly.
"The fact that you spend so much time in the bathroom, yet your hair stays a mess, that's what's funny." He walked her over to her bed, and grabbed a brush off of his dresser.
'No.' she said flatly.
"Why not?" He asked curiously.
'She might come out, and I don't want her to see.' The sound of the shower turning on confirmed that Abby would be at least a few minutes.
"There, you see, now what are you so worried about?" He took one stroke at her hair before she jumped back and hissed at him, but now he saw what she didn't want seen. Right where her hair had been wrapped in a cone shape sat a black furry ear. "Well, I guess the cat's out of the bag... figuratively speaking of course."
'That is so not funny.' Her exposed ear twitched with agitation.
"At least let me finish, I promise I'll be done and have it back up the way it was before Abby comes out." He wiggled the brush between his fingers in a pleading gesture.
'Only if you put it back correctly.' She was once again taking on her high and mighty air from when they first met.
"I promise." He sat behind her on the bed, and began brushing at her thick black tresses. He exposed the other ear, and she seemed to flex it in relief. He began to notice that her extremely long hair was the only thing that kept her lack of human ears from being discovered. Once he had removed the knots from the mass of hair, he began brushing to smooth it out. For a moment he thought he heard some strange noise, but then a thought occurred to him. "Are you purring?"
'I don't purr.' She stated.
"Oh, okay." He chuckled inwardly at having found out this little tidbit. He styled her hair back into place, just as Abby stepped out of the bathroom.
"You have got to show me how hair can stay like that without using gels or sprays." She commented. Duncan brought a finger to his lips.
"It's a secret."
Once the arrived at the administration hall, it was teeming with new students and panicked faculty.
"Wow." Abby said, then rushed off towards a group of girls whom she had met shopping. Deidre clung to Duncan's elbow.
"You know, if you keep acting like this, people are going to think that we're a couple or something." The statement only caused her to squeeze tighter. "Better safe than sorry, I guess." They were pushing their way through the masses when they bumped into someone. "I'm terribly sorry.uh." Duncan lost his words when two chocolate orbs set their sights on him.
"Jeff." The slender young man extended his hand.
"Duncan." He extended his free arm in reciprocation.
"Yo u use your given name?" Jeff asked him. Duncan gave him a questioning stare.
'He smells like magic.' Deidre informed him. 'I think he is a nymph.'
"Oh," Duncan gasped in realization, "well, I have been about long enough that it wouldn't matter either way."
"Really," Jeff replied. "Who's your girlfriend?"
"She' s not my girlfriend." He stated casually. "I am merely protecting her." Jeff nodded back in recognition.
"Are you here to get your schedules?" He asked. The two nodded in unison. "Well, it's over there. Maybe, when you have some free time, we can discuss just how long you've been around, Duncan." He smiled warmly.
"Maybe." He replied, and headed in the direction of the schedule line.
'Why Mr. Aubrey, that sounded like an invitation.' She mocked, temporarily forgetting her fear.
"It probably was. I didn't realize that so many creatures of magic existed among normal people."
'I'm just as surprised as you are.' She stated.
Once they had their schedules, they headed over to have their pictures taken.
"I don't how, but for some reason I ended up in that class dealing with ancient myths and legends, and strangely enough, that's the only class you have that isn't independent study." He gave her an accusing look.
'I didn't do it; I signed up for all independent study. That is merely coincidence.'
Ther e was a small problem since they had to separate to take their pictures, but it was all taken care of quite quickly, and they were on their way to see where Duncan's classes were, and where Deirdre would have to report for her initial independent studies.
'This isn't going to work out at all.'
"Why is that?" He asked.
'I still have to go to classes to pick up and turn in material. You have your own to be at. How will I be safe?'
"Don't you remember? Safety in numbers."
'Most people haven't realized that you are talking out loud to yourself, how are they supposed to help me?'
"I'll worry about that later tonight. Until then, how about something to eat?"
'Not in the cafeteria.'
"Don't worry about it. I think I noticed a salad place the other night when Abby and I went out."
'How about you go, and I stay in the room?'
"But then I won't be there."
'Just put a spell on it like you did before.'
"I'm not going to win this one, am I?"
'Nope, not a chance.'
Thanks for hanging in there, I also have the rough draft of the prequel to this up, so if you want a little more to read, check it out! I do my best to keep going. Later!
A long silence passed between the two. Duncan had no idea how to respond. Sure, he had been through a lot, but nothing as bad as being chained up against his will. He took a long hard look at Deirdre. She had lain down and turned her back to him. He wasn't quite sure if she was sleeping or reflecting, but he wasn't going to bother her either way. He fell onto his bed.
'I knew things were going to be hard this year, but I had no clue that I would get involved in anything like this.' He thought to himself. He wasn't sure when or how, but he fell asleep. He hadn't even realized it until he was awoken by a body moving next to his. At some point, Deirdre had snuggled in next to him at some point, but she was now stiff with her eyes wide and facing the room door. He easily guessed that someone was on their way in. When she merely jumped back into her own bed, he guessed it was nothing too dangerous. It was most likely Abby.
His suspicions were confirmed when a pile of shopping bags with feet came walking in through the entrance. He looked over at Deirdre, who was now curled under her blankets, then got up to help Abby.
"Phht." She spat a bag handle from her mouth. "Thanks, though I could have handled it myself."
"Geeze, your welcome." He retorted softly, and then subtly jerked his head towards Deirdre.
"Oops!" Abby squeaked, bringing her hands to her mouth, dropping all of her bags in the process. She quickly recovered, and gathered her bags. "Anyways," she did her best to whisper, "I have some 'unpacking' to do." She made a large gesture with the bags, and began stacking them on her bed.
Duncan moved to stare out of the window, but carefully avoided disturbing the seemingly frail figure in the nearby bed. He looked at the only tree visible from his position.
'This is going to be a lonely year.' He stated solemnly. He turned when Deirdre shifted. 'Then again, things could be worse.'
Not much else happened until orientation. When the time did come to leave for it, Deirdre had once again locked herself in the bathroom.
"Oh, come on. This is ridiculous." Abby whined.
"Just chill out." Duncan snapped back at her. "She's scared. Okay?"
"You seem to be the only person she talks to, why doesn't she at least answer you when you talk to her?" Abby said haughtily.
"Becaus e she's mute, can you read sign language?" He was beginning to feel like a babysitter for a set of squabbling siblings.
"Well, no." Abby replied.
"Well, I can only do it when there isn't a door in the way, so get off it." Duncan was not in one of his best moods. 'I'm in no mood for games today, I would rather not break down this door, but you know I can and I will.'
'But Vince might be there.' She projected a feeling of immense fear.
'Yeah, but I'll be there, and so will a lot of other people. He can't do anything to you out in plain sight.' He reasoned. The door cracked, and a lock of dark hair and one green eye popped out to fill the space.
'Okay, but you must promise me your protection.'
'No problem.'
Deidre slowly crept out, only to have Abby push her out of the way and lock the door herself. Duncan only grinned as he helped her up.
'I don't see anything funny.' she glared at him quite menacingly.
"The fact that you spend so much time in the bathroom, yet your hair stays a mess, that's what's funny." He walked her over to her bed, and grabbed a brush off of his dresser.
'No.' she said flatly.
"Why not?" He asked curiously.
'She might come out, and I don't want her to see.' The sound of the shower turning on confirmed that Abby would be at least a few minutes.
"There, you see, now what are you so worried about?" He took one stroke at her hair before she jumped back and hissed at him, but now he saw what she didn't want seen. Right where her hair had been wrapped in a cone shape sat a black furry ear. "Well, I guess the cat's out of the bag... figuratively speaking of course."
'That is so not funny.' Her exposed ear twitched with agitation.
"At least let me finish, I promise I'll be done and have it back up the way it was before Abby comes out." He wiggled the brush between his fingers in a pleading gesture.
'Only if you put it back correctly.' She was once again taking on her high and mighty air from when they first met.
"I promise." He sat behind her on the bed, and began brushing at her thick black tresses. He exposed the other ear, and she seemed to flex it in relief. He began to notice that her extremely long hair was the only thing that kept her lack of human ears from being discovered. Once he had removed the knots from the mass of hair, he began brushing to smooth it out. For a moment he thought he heard some strange noise, but then a thought occurred to him. "Are you purring?"
'I don't purr.' She stated.
"Oh, okay." He chuckled inwardly at having found out this little tidbit. He styled her hair back into place, just as Abby stepped out of the bathroom.
"You have got to show me how hair can stay like that without using gels or sprays." She commented. Duncan brought a finger to his lips.
"It's a secret."
Once the arrived at the administration hall, it was teeming with new students and panicked faculty.
"Wow." Abby said, then rushed off towards a group of girls whom she had met shopping. Deidre clung to Duncan's elbow.
"You know, if you keep acting like this, people are going to think that we're a couple or something." The statement only caused her to squeeze tighter. "Better safe than sorry, I guess." They were pushing their way through the masses when they bumped into someone. "I'm terribly sorry.uh." Duncan lost his words when two chocolate orbs set their sights on him.
"Jeff." The slender young man extended his hand.
"Duncan." He extended his free arm in reciprocation.
"Yo u use your given name?" Jeff asked him. Duncan gave him a questioning stare.
'He smells like magic.' Deidre informed him. 'I think he is a nymph.'
"Oh," Duncan gasped in realization, "well, I have been about long enough that it wouldn't matter either way."
"Really," Jeff replied. "Who's your girlfriend?"
"She' s not my girlfriend." He stated casually. "I am merely protecting her." Jeff nodded back in recognition.
"Are you here to get your schedules?" He asked. The two nodded in unison. "Well, it's over there. Maybe, when you have some free time, we can discuss just how long you've been around, Duncan." He smiled warmly.
"Maybe." He replied, and headed in the direction of the schedule line.
'Why Mr. Aubrey, that sounded like an invitation.' She mocked, temporarily forgetting her fear.
"It probably was. I didn't realize that so many creatures of magic existed among normal people."
'I'm just as surprised as you are.' She stated.
Once they had their schedules, they headed over to have their pictures taken.
"I don't how, but for some reason I ended up in that class dealing with ancient myths and legends, and strangely enough, that's the only class you have that isn't independent study." He gave her an accusing look.
'I didn't do it; I signed up for all independent study. That is merely coincidence.'
Ther e was a small problem since they had to separate to take their pictures, but it was all taken care of quite quickly, and they were on their way to see where Duncan's classes were, and where Deirdre would have to report for her initial independent studies.
'This isn't going to work out at all.'
"Why is that?" He asked.
'I still have to go to classes to pick up and turn in material. You have your own to be at. How will I be safe?'
"Don't you remember? Safety in numbers."
'Most people haven't realized that you are talking out loud to yourself, how are they supposed to help me?'
"I'll worry about that later tonight. Until then, how about something to eat?"
'Not in the cafeteria.'
"Don't worry about it. I think I noticed a salad place the other night when Abby and I went out."
'How about you go, and I stay in the room?'
"But then I won't be there."
'Just put a spell on it like you did before.'
"I'm not going to win this one, am I?"
'Nope, not a chance.'
Thanks for hanging in there, I also have the rough draft of the prequel to this up, so if you want a little more to read, check it out! I do my best to keep going. Later!