Freshmen Dorms

"Better do it fast, Andreasis, because I can pull a punch hard enough to hurt even with Red here trying to hold me back." Connor growled.

-----

Alexis let out a quiet sleepy sigh as her eyes fluttered open. She closed them for a moment before reopening them and let them re-adjust to everything again before looking at Nova. "Hey buddy."She said, reaching over and pet his head gently before moving to sit up and had a pain yank to her scalp. She yelped and reached to her head quickly, feeling the braids in her hair and the way it all moved down to connect to a.. arm rest?

Evelyn, because she was born OCD about certain things, immediately lost focus of the situation and snapped, "I'm not a redhead!"

Seth choked, unable to take Connor seriously. Did Connor seriously think Alexis would hook up with a guy like him?

***

Nova whined at Alexis' yelp, dropping back on all fours. He attempted to climb up onto the couch but his legs were too stumpy so he sat down on his rump and barked loudly.

Alexis struggled with it, wincing in pain and reached up, trying to undo her hair from the trap. Who the hell did this, or how the hell did it just magically end up like this? She paused while struggling with her hair which was painfully being pulled from her scalp and her eyes set ablaze. "SETH FUCKING ANDREASIS, YOU FUCKING BASTARD, WHAT DID YOU DO TO MY HAIR?!?!! YOU FUCKING PIXIE HEADED C**T!" She practically screamed.

Connor went to say something else but jumped and froze up when Alexis screamed.

Evelyn's jaw dropped. Had Alexis really said that? Screeched that, rather?

A choking sound erupted behind her and she threw a glance at Seth - who was now doubled over laughing like a man possessed.

"For God's sake!" Evelyn headed out into the living room - and froze again. "Alexis?! What the hell happened to your hair?!"

Nova was now cowering under the table and he yipped pitifully.

Connor quickly followed after Evelyn and froze in his steps, staring at his younger cousin as she struggled to get her dark locks untangled from the arm chair, wincing in pain. He cracked up, trying to hold it back before starting to laugh, leaning over and wrapped a arm around his stomach due to laughing so hard.

Seth followed, eager to find out how Alexis was faring in his trap. He stopped next to Connor, watching Evelyn rush over to Alexis.

It was a scene straight out of some Frankenstein remake. The freaking scientist and the convulsing zombie. Any second now, Seth expected to hear Evelyn scream "Her hair is aliiiiiive!" while Alexis' braids rose up like the snakes on Medusa's head.

Seth sniggered again, unable to help himself. The sniggering built up into raucous laughter and he braced a hand on Connor's shoulder so Seth wouldn't fall over because he was laughing so hard.

Evelyn, meanwhile, set to work unbraiding Alexis' hair, biting her lip hard. She couldn't help a small grin trickling through as she worked. Alexis looked so ridiculous! Evelyn choked on a laugh, swallowed it down, not wanting to offend Alexis, and then managed to choke out, "Guys...shu-shut u-up!" in between repressed giggles.

"...Just laugh already." Alexis said bluntly, closing her eyes and tried to keep her cool till she could get her hands on Seth and choke him till he was as blue as a fucking smurf.

Connor wheezed for breath, doubling over even more.

Evelyn took this request to mean Alexis was pissed as hell. She worked quicker, literally biting her tongue to keep her mirth in. Several braids came free, allowing Alexis to move her head around easier.

Seth took this request to its literal meaning. He continued laughing harder, and Connor laughing right alongside only fueled the fire.

Evelyn felt metallic blood on her tongue and finished untying the last braid, standing up to smile at Alexis as best she could without breaking into laughter. "Massage your head, hon. It'll help after lifting that whole chair by the scalp."

Seth laughed even harder at this. Evelyn cringed.

Alexis rubbed at her scalp, wincing from the tenderness and glared at Seth, before jumping up and shoved him hard into the wall. "What the hell is your problem, Andreasis!"

Seth staggered, caught off-guard because he'd been preoccupied laughing his face off. He edged away from the angry girl. "Come on, it was just a little joke. Go with it."

Evelyn walked over to the table and dropped to her knees, coaxing Nova out. Alexis' scream had terrified the poor thing and Evelyn had to reach in and scoop him out, hugging his shivering frame as she stood back up.

"It's not a fucking joke, it hurts you ass hole! How would you feel if I tied your fucking balls tightly to a flag poll hm? It'd fucking hurt, right?" Alexis said, hitting him hard in the chest.

Connor wheezed for breath, watching.

"You're really helping this situation," Evelyn said to Connor, walking over to where the rest stood with Nova huddled in her arms.

Seth winced at this threat to his manhood. "Hey, if your hair falls out, you can always regrow it. I can't regrow them," he pointed out matter-of-factly.

He glanced over her head at Connor and Evelyn. "Yo, you guys wanna come out with us tonight?"

Connor went to say something- squeaked, tried again but busted out in laughter again.

Alexis scowled and slapped Seth harder then she had before and quicker before turning and grabbed her things from the living room and went to her room to, hopefully, calm the heck down.

Seth rubbed his cheek. "God dammit, she's going to ruin this awesome look." He caught Evelyn's disbelieving glance and shrugged. "What? You can't be a straight chick and deny it."

He glanced at Connor. "I'll assume that's a yes. Alexis is going, by the way." This was to Evelyn.

Evelyn raised an eyebrow. "Do I want to know what sick deal you made with her to get her to go out?" Seth grinned and shook his head.

"Yeah, sure, I'll go," she said, turning and carrying Nova to her own room. She grabbed up her purse, unlocked her room and then called over, "Wait, where are you planning to go?"

Seth shrugged, punching Connor's shoulder to get him to stop. "Some bar with an open-mic night. Fake ID would be a good idea. We'll dance, shoot some pool maybe. Actually, we can just go to this one place. It's a lounge that has everything, DJ booth, bar, pool tables, mic nights, the works. "

Evelyn blinked. "If you get wasted, we're ditching you."

"I figured," Seth shot back as she walked into her room.

"Okay.. Okay, I'm good." Connor chuckled, standing up straight and took a deep breath. "Dude.. you are a genius."He grinned.

Seth snickered. "Oh, you ain't seen nothing yet." Alexis had taken her laptop. He had to act fast.

He headed across to her room, pausing before saying to Connor, "Can I trust you won't have beheaded Red while I turn my back?"

***

Evelyn was seated at her laptop. She needed to check Facebook again. She'd been browsing while walking home and what she'd seen had made her halt in her tracks.

Now, she set Nova on her lap as she leaned back against the headboard of her twin bed. From her view, she could see Seth and Connor talking through the open door.

Okay, so it was bluntly obvious Seth had had some fun on Alexis' account. Those messages to Luke. And she highly doubted....was Alexis serious in her random cloud nine statuses?

But some of those things didn't sound like Seth at all....Alexis really did loathe Jake.

And she disapproved of their "relationship". Evelyn didn't even know what that relationship was anymore.

"I'm onto you. Quit screwing with her. -___- She's in a bad spot right now and you're using her, you sicko." Alexis had written on Jake's wall. Jake had clearly seen it and was dumbfounded...as if he really had no idea what she was talking about.

Evelyn swallowed. It was true though. She was in an unusually vulnerable position.

The thing that had really hit home with her though, was the comment Alexis had left on Evelyn's relationship status.

"C'mon, he's a manwhore. He's probably been hooking up left, right and center, Ev, hon. You don't need his crap. -__-"

Not after James, she didn't. She couldn't take that again. She still wasn't over it all with him, no matter how hard she tried to ignore it.

What the hell am I doing then? Evelyn wondered. Alexis had warned her before about these boys. Evelyn wished she'd listened. She sunk down lower in her seat and let Nova climb over her to lick her face, barely feeling doggy drool on her cheeks. She felt a little nauseous after reading this. Because Alexis was so right. Again.

Why am I even this...social with him? Is it even him "using" me? Or am I just turning into a whore?

Evelyn sat up, massaging her forehead, and flicked out of Facebook, unable to think about this any longer. She went onto Youtube and found a cute puppy video. Maximizing the screen, she set the laptop on her bed, watching Nova poke his nose at the screen and yip excitedly as he hopped around on her mattress.

"I'm out dude, I need to go check on Frankie." Connor said, ruffling his hair with a grin before turning and strutted out of the dorm and back to his own.

"Leaving at nine," Seth yelled after him and then poked his head around the doorway of Alexis' room. "Yo, Lex?" he began cautiously.

***

Evelyn had gone over to her closet to pick out something to wear. She rifled through a bag of her old things from Ash Creek, figuring she'd have something she hadn't worn in a while in there. A masquerade mask in white and gold tumbled out from the folds of a paper-wrapped, long, silvery, silk dress. Was this the one she'd just worn recently?

No, that mask had been black and gold. Where had this come from?

She frowned, somewhat thrown by a nagging memory. She picked up the mask, tracing its engraved design and feathery ends with a finger, biting her lip as she cast her mind back.

Of course. It hit her. She put down the mask and, carefully undoing the paper casing, tugged out the long silvery dress that trailed when she'd worn it almost a whole year ago. Her cousin in Seattle had fallen in love with it upon sight, had wanted it as her prom dress because it was in pristine condition, but Evelyn had been unable to part with the souvenir of one of the most memorable nights of her life. And not necessarily in a good way. She shuddered, remembering a certain dark-haired boy bleeding on a cold balcony floor. Then she shook herself out of it.

That nagging returned, an urgent, yet strangely petty feeling. Evelyn returned both dress and mask to their spots and continued rummaging through the bag, yanking out a sheer silver, thigh-length racerback tank dress she'd gotten while shopping with Ashlee back in Ash Creek. It was a little low-cut, but no where near vulgar (like her skanky outfit at that awful party a few days ago).

She shoved aside a souvenir T-shirt she'd gotten from her week-long summer trip to France - and then it clicked. Just what about that mask had been bugging the hell out of her.

She owed somebody. Quite big.

"GO AWAY, ANDREASIS." Alexis shouted, before turning up her music and shoved her headphones in to her ears, staring at her screen as she played some random game.

Seth covered his ears, grimacing. Instead of taking the (extremely blatant) hint, he sauntered in and sat down on the desk by her laptop. "So you have to admit, that was quite the sight. C'mon, if I'd done that to Red, you wouldn't have laughed even a little?"

"No because it hurts like hell, asshole. Now fuck off." Alexis frowned, tapping her mouse-pad rather hard.

Seth reached over, feeling a twinge of guilt - It was still too amusing for him to really be bothered though. He tapped Alexis' fingers on the mousepad. "Careful there. You almost broke my face today. You gonna break this now?"

***

Evelyn had packed her Ash Creek bag away and puled out a pair of lacy leggings, laying them on her bed beside Nova's yipping and bouncing form. She placed her silver racerback tank dress next to the leggings ad heaved a breath as she picked up a black clutch she was planning to use. She pulled out her wallet and counted the wad of cash she had on her currently...

Not enough.

Evelyn bit her lip. No way in hell was she returning it herself. But it would drive her OCD mind crazy if she didn't do this. She wanted no strings.

She picked up her phone and dialed Ashlee out of sheer desperation. It came back busy. Evelyn frowned. What the hell? Maybe she's on the phone? Probably.

She put her phone back on the night table and then figured she'd go hit an ATM. She picked the phone up again, dumped it in her current bag along with her wallet and a pair of sunglasses, ruffled Nova's head and headed out the door of her room.

"Lex, be back soon," she called, figuring the boys had left.

"Don't. Touch. Me. Andreasis." Alexis said lowly before looking over at the door when Evelyn talked. "Kay."She called as calmly as she could sum up before turning around to look.. well, glare, at Seth.

Evelyn paused, overhearing Alexis' latter comment. She wondered if she should - nah, Alexis would handle that boy.

Then again, you're going to be stuck with Seth and Connor tonight, she reminded herself. Well, whatever, she'd have her own fun and leave the disastrous duo to their own.

She wasn't completely sure she was a-okay with Alexis though. Ashlee might come with them and elevate the situation...or not?

Evelyn headed out into the hallway. There was an ATM just nearby the cafe.

[[Evelyn to AC]]

***

Seth cringed and got off his seat, hands in the air. Alexis meant business. "Fine, fine," he relented. "Look, it was a joke. You weren't supposed to flip shit. Remind me you have a low threshold for pain," he said meekly, backing away. He sat down on her bed instead, leaning back against the wall with his long legs dangling off the edge.

"Most girls do when it comes to their hair, douche." Alexis frowned and put her head in her hands, rubbing at her scalp with her finger tips.