Part 7

Hunter Clarington didn't really know what to think about his new roommate or his roommate's friends because from the moment he arrived they were looking expectedly at him, as if they wanted something from him. It was as if he knew a secret they had waited their whole lives to hear. They were all watching every move he made and it was a bit unnerving and Hunter had had enough.

"Can I help you guys with something", he spat and the kid that was his roommate twitched.

"Oh sorry", he said. "We're just a curious bunch and um… uh my name is Trent."

"Hunter", Hunter answered. "But I bet you already knew that."

"We do", a tallish guy said. "Carmichael told us."

"Did he tell you to stare at me?"

"No", Trent hurriedly said. "Sorry about that it's just…"

"We were just wondering if you needed help with homework or something", that small guy said with a polite smile. "We were having a study circle in room 213 and maybe you need some help to catch up? We can help you if you want."

"Yeah.. um sure", Hunter said and put his box aside. He could unpack later. It was more important to catch up with school. He was just a junior but still… these guys seemed to be juniors as well or younger. He followed the group into a room with the number 213 on the door. He had noticed boys look at that door with strange looks on their faces and his new acquaintances seemed a bit… rattled.

"So uh one question", Hunter said and they looked at him as they all sat down in their study circle, literally.

"What", Trent asked.

"Why are the boys of the dorm looking at the door to this room so strange?" Hunter asked. "Is there a freak living here or something?"

The boys laughed nervously.

"No", a boy with gelled hair said. "I mean I live here but I'm not a freak."

"This room is haunted" the blonde with a somewhat Justin Bieber haircut said. "There's a poltergeist in here!"

"Seriously", Hunter asked and cocked an eyebrow.

"Yeah!"

"What Jeff mean is", the brunette beside Jeff said and took his hand. "That strange things keeps happening in this room and the only explanation we've figured out so far is that it's a ghost."

"Really?" Hunter grinned. "That's cool. We had ghosts in the house where I grew up."

"You did", the boy that lived in room 213 asked.

"Yeah, they weren't poltergeists or anything. They just hung around. So don't worry eh… what was your name again?"

"Oh I'm so sorry", Trent said. "These are my friends Blaine, David, Sebastian, Thad, Nick and Jeff."

Hunter smiled slightly and they all started to work and Hunter got some help to catch up. He learned which boys were named Sebastian, Thad, David, Blaine, Nick and Jeff. David was the African American. Sebastian was the tallish brunette and he was dating the smallest of the boys, that was Thad. Both of them were on the lacrosse team and asked if Hunter wanted to try out. Hunter actually wanted too so they'd set him up. Blaine was the boy living in 213. Nick was the brunette that was dating Jeff, the blonde.

Trent told Hunter about what he needed to know and such. Hunter looked up and saw an Asian boy sit on the bed opposite them. He'd seen him there since they entered the room but no one said anything about him. Maybe they didn't like him. The guy had looked in their direction a few times and had looked upset. Hunter wondered if it was because these guys were mean to him and not as friendly as they seemed. After another ten minutes without anyone saying anything about the guy Hunter had enough.

"Who's he then", he asked and nodded at the Asian. The boys looked up from their homework.

"Who", Sebastian asked.

"That Asian kid sitting on the bed", Hunter said and pointed. The Asian looked up at him and looked confused. Blaine stared at the Asian and then Hunter. The others looked… spooked.

"You", Blaine stuttered. "You can see him?"

"Of course I can see him he's right there!" Hunter said and pointed again.

"I don't see anything", Jeff said.

"What are you guys blind or are you bullying him or something", Hunter asked and felt angry. "He's sitting on that bed and he's looking at me in shock! Why? Is it because I'm the only one to notice him or something?"

He looked at the Asian and the Asian spoke. Hunter noticed his new acquaintances wince in pain and cover their ears.

"Ow!" Blaine whined. "Stop it, stop it please!"

"What are you doing", Hunter asked confused. "He just told me his name is Wes."

The other boys stared at him.

"You can hear him", Blaine asked in shock.

"Of course I can hear him", Hunter said. "He's right there!"

The boys looked at each other and Thad sighed.

"Maybe for you and Blaine", he said. "But so far no one else have seen him… he's the poltergeist. Ow!" The boys were covering their ears as if they heard a horrible sound, but what Hunter heard was this:

"Stop calling me a poltergeist! I am not a ghost!"

"He says he's not a poltergeist", Hunter said and looked at them in confusion.

"Ghost doesn't know that they are ghosts", Jeff said. "But um… try not to make him feel anything. When he laughs, cries, is angry or so on strange things happens."

"A few days ago he had a temper tantrum", David explained. "And the whole room was trashed."

"Tell me", Hunter said and the boys told him everything that had happened since they started the school year. Blaine told him the most because he was the one that had been having the most contact with the ghost.

"Well you can check it out", Hunter said when they were done.

"What", Nick asked.

"You can search the school records and find old students", Hunter explained. "And old newspaper to check if any student died around that time or something. It was 1889 right? So he will most likely be alive today."

"Why didn't we think of that", David asked and Thad bit his lip.

"You did didn't you", Hunter asked him and Thad nodded.

"Tell us Thad", Jeff said eagerly. "What did you find out?"

"Nothing", Thad said and they stared at him. "I got down to the archives and looked for all documents about Dalton ear 1889… they were all gone. I've sent a letter to the newspaper asking for old articles about Dalton from 1880 up to 1890, for a 'school project' and they promised to send me the articles in a few days they said… that was just after the ghost touched Nick."

"But that was like ages ago!" Nick said.

"You think there's a cover up going on", David asked and Blaine looked pale.

"What is it Blaine", Hunter asked.

Blaine told them everything that had happened between him and Carmichael.

"Is his name Arthur Carmichael", Wes asked and Hunter looked at him. This time the boys hadn't screamed in pain. Hunter narrowed his eyes.

"Is his name Arthur Carmichael", he asked.

"Uh yeah", Trent said. "Why?"

"No reason", Wes said.

"No reason", Hunter asked. "I think he attended school with my dad." But the look he sent the ghost was saying:

"We are not finished."

A few days went by and all the boys were busy with school work, Christmas shopping and researching. Just because the files from 1889 were missing didn't mean they couldn't look for their ghost in older records. Thad and Hunter were down in the archives when they had a free period and they were searching the old boxes that contained papers from 1888.

"Hunter", Thad said and the taller boy turned to him.

"What is it", Hunter asked. "Did you find something?"

"I think so", Thad said and Hunter hurried up with a flashlight. "It's a list from the school doctor at the time. Looks like he was writing down which student came when to him every month."

"So?" Hunter asked.

"A Wesley Montgomery was there almost every day, being treated for minor injuries and one broken arm."

"You think it's our guy?"

"Well… remember that list we found of boarding students?"

"Yeah…"

"It stated 20 boys by the name Wesley at the school…"

"Damn… but at least it's something?"

"We know there was a kid named Wesley back then."

"You know I've been thinking", Hunter said and leaned against a shelf.

"That's a dangerous habit."

"Says the bookworm."

"Touché… so?"

"Well what if he really isn't a ghost."

Thad looked at him.

"Then what is he", he asked and Hunter looked around making sure they were alone.

"What if room 213 is actually the center of a time-collapse or something. We see the past and this Wes guy sees the future. I mean, his greeting was on the wall and the dust… I searched the dorm records and it said that after 1890 the room had no inhabitant until 1900."

"20 years would collect a lot of dust…" Thad agreed.

"And after that the room was left empty up until 1955!"

"So maybe that dust and spider web was Blaine seeing the years when no one lived there… but that still doesn't explain the obvious."

"What?"

"Why only you and Blaine can see him and why only you can hear him…"

"Well… it's not really that I hear his voice."

"What do you mean", Thad asked.

"I don't hear his voice but when I see his lips move I hear the words said in my head… it is my own voice but…"

He trailed off.

"Maybe Blaine sees him because he needs him", a voice said behind him and they both jumped. They turned and saw Sebastian hurrying up to them.

"What do you mean Smythe", Hunter asked and watched as Sebastian first kissed Thad softly.

"I mean", Sebastian said and moved away from Thad, but still held his arm around him. "When Kurt cheated on him Blaine needed someone to comfort him and the ghost was there… they communicate and before the whole room-trashing I think they were seriously getting friendly. I mean… friends."

"Friends with a ghost", Thad said with a smile. "I can't deny I'm a bit jealous. I mean… it would be amazing to see this ghost for real. All we have is Blaine's description. I mean… do we even know if the guy is real?"

The trio looked at each other and then heard the bell ring. They decided to get back later. Today was the game against the Boston Bears, the lacrosse game.

Blaine, Trent, Nick and Jeff were watching their friends play on the field. They were being amazing, but Blaine couldn't shake the feeling that something was wrong. Hunter and Sebastian were both playing attackmen with a third guy. Thad was one of the three midfielders, then there were 3 defenders and a goalkeeper. Thad and the other midfielders could move all over the field, the defenders usually hung back but if one of them got the ball and decided to run up towards the goal a midfielder would fall back. Sebastian, Hunter and the other attackman were mostly up at the other team's goal, but sometimes fell back to help the midfielders and defenders. They usually didn't have to but the Boston Bears were big and brutal.

"Ooooh", Jeff said and winced as a midfielder from their own Dalton Academy Cassowaries was tackled so he flew backwards. "That has got to hurt." But the guy was up and running again.

"They have lots of protection", Nick calmed a worried looking Trent. "Besides we're on the last of the 4 quarters."

"And it's three minutes left and tied", Blaine said and smiled softly. "Wow Thad, Hunter and Sebastian are on fire." The last he said when the trio scored, again.

"Totally", Nick said. "I've never seen them play like this. But I must admit I'm a bit worried."

"Why?" Trent asked.

"Because Thad is a little cassowary and he's being chased by big bears."

It was true… and that's when it hit Blaine.

"Thad!" he exclaimed and the others turned to him.

"What is it Blaine", Jeff asked.

"The time jump! Guys it's this match!"

The boys stared at each other and then at the field. Did Thad know? They watched their friend get the ball and run. The Bears knew that if he scored the Cassowaries would win and there was just one minute left… they had to stop him. At any cost.

Sebastian saw Thad run with the ball and noticed the Boston Bears all heading for him. Sebastian felt fear in his stomach and ran as fast as he could. His teammates saw him run and all charged as well. Hunter and Sebastian the fastest because they were remembering what happened in the time jump. The Cassowaries headed for the group that was now encircling Thad, they were running around him to block him and lock him in.

The Boston Bears were famous for their scaring tactics but Thad was not going to fall for it. He was not gonna let them get to him. If that ghost didn't scare him this fuckers couldn't either. To the shock of the bears and everyone else Thad ran at the wall surrounding him and shoulder-tackled his way out of the ring. Sebastian grinned as he watched his boyfriend run down the court.

The Bears were shocked into a standstill. They hadn't imagined the little squirt being so strong. Thad smirked as he threw the ball into the goal and everyone cheered. He got tackled then, but by his own team cheering loudly for him. The last whistle sounded, the match was over, they won and Thad was alright.

The boys were sitting in room 213 having a little private celebration. Thad, Hunter and Sebastian were shining with pride for the game they had played. The Bears were the better team based on statistic and tactics but they had managed to get them. Thanks to that time skip.

"Why did you decide to tackle them", Jeff asked. "I nearly had a heart attack!"

"I decided", Thad said. "That if I wasn't letting myself getting scared by a ghost then I wouldn't let some stupid teddy bears from Boston do it!"

Sebastian kissed his cheek and Hunter patted his shoulder.

"I hate it when you boys play lacrosse", Trent said. "I get so worried because it's so brutal! You better keep an eye on your boyfriend Sebastian Smythe or I will castrate you!"

"Why me", Thad asked.

"Because you are a little cassowary", Nick said happily.

"You're one to talk", Thad said. "You're not that much bigger than me!"

"True, but you're still a dwarf."

"I'm not a dwarf!" Thad objected and everyone laughed. Thad shook his head and looked at the desk by the window… and saw it… no him. He for the first time saw the ghost. The ghost looked up at him and smiled slightly. Thad couldn't help it. He smiled back.

TBC

936361 - I'm innocent! Anyway thanks for your review and I try to update as often as I can. Mostly once or twice a week ;)