Fan Fiction ❯ Room 316 ❯ Chapter 8 ( Chapter 8 )

Chapter 8        &nb sp;        “How on earth did she manage to get you to do this?”  Abby asked Duncan.                “I’ve been asking myself the same question all day long.”  He responded.  The two of them were in line to order food at a local vegetarian place.               “I’m always glad to help pay for things, but I’m grabbing a burger on the way back.”  Abby grumbled as she looked at the menu choices.  This caused Duncan to stiffen just a little.                “If you’re going to do that, would you mind eating it on the way back?  Deirdre’s kind of a vegetarian.” He was quiet for a moment as Abby turned and gave him a strange look.             &n bsp; “Kind of?  She either is or she isn’t, besides, she’ll probably be in the bathroom like always. So, what should it matter?”  She ended with a glare.                “Your right it shouldn’t matter and I do understand that it seems I’m asking you to do a lot for her.   You just have no idea what she’s been through or is going through right now, and I’m just asking you to believe me when I ask you not to have meat around her.”  He gave her a pleading look.             &n bsp; “Jesus, Duncan, I have no idea how to respond to that, I know that roommates have their problems, but everybody has shit to get over in their lives.  It’s all a part of the college experience.  You check your baggage at the door, and find out who you really are, not make everyone around you adjust to your life.”            & nbsp;  “Yeah,” he responded, “But what happens when the baggage starts hunting you down?”  There was an awkward moment of silence between them that was interrupted by the cashier’s friendly “May I help you?”    ~`~`~`~`~`~`~`~`~`~`~`~`~`~        &n bsp;      The ride back was fairly quiet; Abby didn’t even stop for her burger.  Once they were back at the dorm, it followed them all the way to the room, where a familiar face awaited them.             &n bsp; “Hey there, your majesty.”  Jeff teased as the two walked up to the door.  “What’s for lunch?”                “Your majesty?  Did I miss something?”  Abby asked             &n bsp; “Abby, Jeff, Jeff, Abby.”  Duncan introduced to two.  “I met Jeff at orientation.”                “Please tell me this pretty little thing isn’t your girl either.”  Jeff’s tone kept it’s teasing quality.                “I think you know the answer to that one, she’s my roommate.”  Duncan replied.              ;  “They must have been packed this year, to have coed rooms.”   Jeff’s tone became serious, “Unless…oh!  Never mind.  May I join you two for lunch?”                “I don’t see why not.”  Abby said, and pushed through the door.  Deirdre sat calmly on the corner of her bed, flipping through T.V. stations.  When Jeff walked in, she gave him an absentminded wave, and continued with her channel surfing.  “My, my, isn’t this a change of attitude.”  Abby commented.            &nb sp;  ‘Bitch.’  Deirdre glared at her and shut off the T.V.   She sniffed the air slightly, and perked up when she looked at the bags Duncan was holding.                “Actually, Abby, Deirdre met Jeff at orientation already.  I think that’s why she’s not scared of him.”  Duncan said.             &n bsp; ‘I’m not scared of anyone, but Vince and you know it.’  Deirdre shot at him.  ‘I just don’t trust humans, and you and the nymph over there are both far from it.’  Duncan just shrugged and they all headed over to the beds.  Jeff sat with Duncan as they began spreading out their own mini salad bar.             &nb sp; “Man, you think you got enough?”  Jeff inquired.            &nbs p;  “Well, we weren’t sure what everyone wanted, or liked so we just stocked up.”  Duncan replied.               “Shit!”  Abby spat. “I was so pissed with you, I forgot my burger.”  She got up.  “I need to stop taking you places with me, I keep forgetting things that I want to get on the way back.”  With that, she slammed the door, then left.  Deirdre had already baegan making a plate when Jeff spoke.                “So, what’s the human’s last name?”  He asked. The two remaining in the room gave him strange looks.             & nbsp; “Don’t tell me you didn’t know.”  He said flatly.                “Know what?” Duncan cautiously asked.                “This school, it sort of caters to a certain kind of student body.  It’s very rare that a human ever gets into here for real that’s why I wanted to know her last name.”            & nbsp;  “It’s Hildegarde, but what’s that got to do with..”                “Oh, she’s a guardian.  That makes sense.”  Jeff thought out loud.  Deirdre was now just sitting on the floor, staring at him with wide eyes.             &n bsp; “What the hell is going on here?”  Duncan questioned.            &n bsp;  “Alright, here it goes this school was originally established as a way for People with mystical backgrounds to learn how to function in the human world.  We’ve all gotten so good at it lately that eventually, the school started letting humans in so that no one would find it suspicious that we were all going here, though even the humans have to have something special about them to make it past the entrance exams.”                “What’s that got to do with Abby?”                “She’s a guardian.  Somewhere within her is the need to protect the unprotected.  If she really wanted to learn, she could use all sorts of defensive magics, it would come quite easily to her.  Especially being part of the Hildegarde bloodline.”  He leaned back against the wall.  “I’m not quite sure what you are though.”  He looked at Deirdre.              ;  “That’s not important right now.  What is important is why we didn’t know that little fact about this school.”  Duncan called back Jeff’s attention.            &nb sp;  “Well, why did you apply here?”                “Actually, it was the only one that seemed to get back to me on my scholarship..”                “Hate to break it to you, but you got tricked.  This school doesn’t accept scholarships.  Someone wanted you here, and it seems that they’ve succeeded.”  Jeff shrugged.  Duncan turned and glared at Deirdre.              ;  ‘Hey, don’t look at me.  I’d never heard of you, much less met you until you got here.’  She crossed her arms.             &n bsp; “Sorry, but I think I know who put me here.”                “Who are you apologizing to?  Oh, I get it, you two have a mental link, she’s a psychic.”  Jeff looked proud of himself.              ;  “Uh, yeah, that’s it, only she’s mute.”            & nbsp;  “Oh, tough break, well, feel free to ‘talk’ to me anytime.”  He stood up.  “It seems I’ve left you guys some things to ponder.  Later, your majesty.”  With that, he left.                ‘Um, is it ok for me to eat now?’  Deirdre asked.  Duncan just half nodded and starred off into space.  With her mouth full of carrot, Deirdre asked Duncan a question.  ‘So, who do you think it was that got you here?’  He turned to look at her, and had a look of hatred in his eyes.             “My parents…my real parents.”