Chapter 7

The Lair

After Jean set John and I free, I went with him up to the dorm he and Bobby shared. Sure enough, there was a calendar with a picture of a baby giraffe, just as promised.

"I don't believe this." I breathed, before collapsing onto John's bed in a fit of giggles.

"I think it's a gift from Rogue, actually. I can't believe he hung it up though. He's so whipped." John laughed, waving his lighter near the giraffe.

"Don't hurt it, it's just a baby." I laughed, shocking him in the butt.

"Ow! What was that for ,woman?"

"How nice of you to notice. So this is The Lair?" I said, looking around John's half of the room. It was a typical guy's room, posters of bands covering the walls, unmade bed, clothes hanging off the fan, and food wrappers on the desk where homework was absent.

"The Lair? Is that what you call it?" John asked ruefully, shoving some socks into a drawer.

"Lairs are where the bad guys live." I teased, my eyes sweeping Bobby's side of the room. Clothes were inside the dresser, whether they were folded or not was an entirely different story. His bed was made, and his homework sat on his desk. I walked over to look at it.

"How can you even read this?" I asked, wrinkling up my nose as I tried to decipher Bobby's chicken scratch.

"He's been my roommate for four years. It's easy." John said, coming over. "See, that's an 'e', that's an 'r'-" he showed me, pointing at the different characters from over my shoulder. I realized John was a little too close to me and I walked around him and sat down on his bed.

"What's that?" I asked pointing to a funny looking scribble.

"27."

"He got it wrong, don't copy his."

"How 'bout yours?"

"What's it worth to you?"

"My grade?"

"Bull. I'll give it to you for a dollar." I negotiated.

"That's robbery."

"Do you want me to give it to you or not?" I asked.

"Well, in that context, that could mean-"

"IT DOESN'T!" I shouted, shocking him again.

"OW!"

"I'm not here for favors, John." I said sternly.

"Ok, Jesus. Sorry. I was joking, okay?"

I glanced at the clock. 5:54.

"I'm gonna go back to my room and change my bandages, okay? I'll see you at dinner." I said.

"What bandages?"

"The ones for my ribs after hitting a car trying to escape a fireball." I replied airily.

"Oh. Sorry." John said sheepishly.

John got the door for me, and closed it as I exited.

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