Disclaimer: I don't own Caleb, Pogue, Reid or Tyler…everyone else is MINE!!!!
A New Covenant
Chapter Three: A Revelation and A Mystery
The next morning dawned entirely too bright and entirely too early for the girl in room 548. Shayla rolled over and stared bleary eyed at the alarm clock on her bedside table. Was it really already eight in the morning? She rolled onto her back and stared at the ceiling as the memories of the night before came flooding back.
She knew the moment the other girls woke up they'd want an explanation but she wasn't sure what she could say. Sighing she sat up and slipped out of bed, grabbing up her bathroom bag she exited the suite and headed for the showers that were located down the hall. Maybe a hot shower would help clear her head.
Nadice heard Shayla get up and head for the showers but her hangover from the night before was too massive for her to even speak. Why was she always the one to drink the most? Oh yeah because I have a drinking problem. She though angrily not caring that if Jo was awake she would hear it.
It wasn't like her friends didn't know about her drinking problem; she'd never keep a secret like that from them it was just that they trusted her to handle it on her own or ask them for help. She just hadn't asked yet and she wasn't sure she was ready to. She got to her feet and stumbled into the small makeshift kitchen between the two rooms. She started a pot of coffee and then went to change clothes. She'd shower after the hangover had dissipated.
Luckily it was Saturday and there weren't any classes today. The beeping of the coffee pot made her get up and grab a mug just as the smell lured Alinay and Jolynn out of bed. They grabbed a cup as well and the three of them sat on the floor in Shayla and Nadice's room in silence.
"Something really weird happened with Shayla last night didn't it?" Jolynn asked softly not wanting to speak to loud because she had the feeling that Nadice had a hangover again. "Yeah." Alinay said taking a sip of her coffee and allowing the warmth to flood over her body.
"Should we ask her about it?" Nadice asked her voice barely more then a whisper. "I think so." Alinay said with a firm nod. They had just finished off their coffee when Shayla entered the room in a pair of jeans and a tight black t-shirt.
"Morning guys." She said quietly. She grabbed a bottle of water from the mini-fridge and sat down in front of her bed knowing that it wouldn't be long before the other girls follow suit. Slowly the other girls filtered into the room and sat down around her.
"So…you wanna tell us what happened last night?" Alinay said watching her. Shayla looked down slightly before admitting something she didn't think she'd ever admit to them.
"I'm just tired of being the only one without useful powers. I mean you guys can defend yourselves with your powers and I'm completely defenseless. I don't understand why the Goddess would chose me to carry this burden." She whispered her eyes on her hands. "I guess when Zach violated me I hated myself and everyone around me because someone else had to defend me."
Alinay reached out and wrapped her arms around the younger girl. "Oh hun, why didn't you ever say anything?" she asked looking into her eyes. "Maybe it's time we got back in touch with the Goddess. I mean it's been a while. Maybe she can help Shayla." Jolynn said looking back and forth from Alinay to Nadice. "Sounds like a good idea to me." Nadice said as she patted Shayla's hand. "Then that's what we'll do, tonight." She said helping Shayla to her feet.
Shayla smiled, "Thanks you guys, I wish I had only talked to you before I made a complete full of myself in front of Reid and his friends last night." She said with a grin on her face. "I don't know hun, you might have just gotten yourself another admirer." Nadice said with a wink. Shayla smirked and followed the other girls out of the dorm. The halls were still empty and for that they were thankful.
They weren't in the mood to deal with the questions/apologies/and or comments that their classmates would offer about last night's party. They reached the Quad and saw a few sparse students wandering around looking wasted, they walked around them and climbed into Shayla's silver Miata. "Time to restock on our supplies." Alinay said as she climbed into the passenger's seat next to Shayla.
Tyler sat up in his bed and glanced over to the blonde head poking out of the covers on the opposite bed. He felt anger boiling up in his stomach. It wasn't so much anger as it was jealousy. Why did Reid get all the attention? He had nearly cried last night when Shayla had kissed Reid. Why was it always his hotheaded friend that got all of the attention? He climbed out of bed and threw some clothes on. He needed to get out for a while. He couldn't stay in the same place as Reid much longer without strangling him in his sleep.
Pogue watched Tyler glare down at Reid before leaving the dorm in silence. He had a feeling he knew what was going on but he wasn't going to comment. Instead he got out of bed threw some clothes on and went outside to call Kate. Twenty minutes later he came back in to find Reid sitting up in bed with a mirror examining his bruised face. "Not as bad as it could have been I suppose." He said quietly. He glanced up at Pogue and then over at Tyler's unmade but empty bed. "Where'd baby boy go?" he asked setting the mirror aside and stretching slightly.
Pogue shook his head, "I think he went for a run." It was very unlike Tyler to leave without telling someone first but maybe coming to California was making him a little surer of himself. Either way it wasn't any of Pogue's business until someone made it so.
Pogue laid back on his bed and stared at the ceiling, his conversation with Kate had not gone as well as he had hoped. He had tried to explain what had happened at the party but she was too distracted by whatever was going on around her while he was trying to talk to her…so he had of course gotten angry. He knew there wasn't any reason to get angry, sure it was annoying but it wasn't her fault. Still he had gotten pissed said a few choice words and then hung up. He rubbed his face with his hands; he really needed to learn to control his temper a little bit better.
"Something wrong man?" Reid said as he got out of bed and dressed. "No." Pogue answered simply. He wasn't ready to share his relationship problems with Caleb yet…which meant it would be years before he would be ready to share them with Reid. "Hey Caleb wake your ass up. It's time we found out what's in this town." Pogue said throwing his pillow at his best friend's head.
"Go to hell." Caleb said though it was muffled because his face was buried in his pillow. "Yeah yeah we all will one day but for now let's get out this jail cell and have some fun." Pogue said getting to his feet, "I'll meet you guys in the Quad after you're dressed." He said as he left the room. In truth he wanted to try and find Tyler but he wasn't sure how successful that would be.
Reid watched Pogue leave the room before turning to Caleb who was slowly waking up and beginning to look around. "Did Shayla kiss me last night?" Reid asked wondering if that part of the night had been a dream. "Yeah man she did, what's the big deal. It wasn't a serious kiss and even if it were it wasn't like it was your first kiss or even a kiss from someone you were interested in." Caleb said as he sat up and stretched sighing slightly as the bones popped and realigned themselves.
"I don't know man, it felt different. Maybe I was just really out of it from the alcohol and the fighting." He said getting dressed. "Well whatever it is we have plenty of time to analyze it later. Let's get out of here and find Pogue and Tyler." He said shutting and locking the door behind them.
(Please leave feedback?)
