Tempest (#1)

Chapter Two: Boredom Kills

"He is just unbelievable!" I paced back-and-forth in Des's room, complaining about the oh-so-great neighbor from down the hall.

She sat up against her headboard, watching me with tired yet amused eyes.

"I mean, who goes around and pushes people against walls like that? And for no good reason to boot! Where does he think we are, a Harlequin romance novel? Oh! Not to mention he keeps calling me by my government."

At that, Des busted a gut. She began to squirm as she tried not to cry. "Oh! Ow! My stomach. Stop, Petite, stop!"

I scowled at her laughter. "I'm serious, Des."

"Oui, I can tell." She said between gasps of breath. "I'm sorry, Cherie. It's just, are you sure you do not like Jack? Whenever you two see each other, you can't seem to speak of anything else."

I gaped at her, disgusted. No, more than disgusted—nauseated. "That was probably the cruelest joke that ever came out of your mouth, Des." I replied. "There's no way in Hell's deepest, darkest pit of fiery torture that I could ever have feelings for Jack Hamilton." I paused for a moment. "Unless those feelings are contempt and frustration."

Des smiled at me as if she knew something I didn't. I almost wanted to question it, but I had the feeling her thoughts were something I'd rather not know—like it was something I wasn't ready to hear. She got like that sometimes. Appeared or smiled in this otherworldly way. I'm still pretty sure it's because she's related to a certain Amazon princess.

"Well, I think he has a thing for you." She began to approach me.

I shook my head vigorously. "No chance. He just likes to bug me."

She grabbed on to my shoulders. "Kindergartners."

I rolled my eyes at her. "Whatever. I'm going to bed. See you in the morning."

Des gave me a light peck on the cheek. As she tried not to giggle, she whispered, "Night, ma amie."

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My alarm clock screeched at me like it was going to explode any second. I glared at it, briefly remembering that part in The Amazing Spider-Man where he destroys his alarm in one swift pounce and goes back to bed.

Ooh, how I wish I could do that right about now.

But if I did, my brother would kill me. He bought it for me as a going away present. My little bro thought that cell phone alarms were too 'unreliable,' and insisted on me using this one. And since he has little to no money due to an allowance that comes only when the Wicked Witch of the West is drunk and generous, I figured I better not destroy what his hard-saved cash has given me.

Truthfully though, I cherish it. We don't give each other many things, so this sleep-wrecking clock did more for me than wake me up for my classes. It reminded me why I was here at CSU. 

I yawned as I miraculously dragged myself out of bed and towards the bathroom.

"Morning, Penn!" Des cheered loudly from our kitchen. "Would you like some food?"

"Eeeeeehhhhhhhhhh..." I groaned, closing the door to the bathroom and leaving behind it the bubbly, bright creature that was my roommate.

I'll never understand how she can be so awake at eight in the morning.

I turned the shower on and stared at myself in the mirror before brushing my teeth. My honey blonde hair came up to my chin and my bangs—which were normally at eye level—blended into my bedhead. My eyes were like mood rings. They shifted between any type of blue or green it felt like. My tiredness left them a bluish-gray for the time being. My normally fair skin looked sickly as the mirror started to fog up slowly.