4 Finals at the Quarter's End

Selene woke up with a start. She sat up, grabbing her head as the sunlight filtered into the room brightly and she held her head. "Fuck," she groaned. "My head." She winced, groaning.

"Oh, you're up." Derek blinked, looking over at her. He sipped on his energy drink. "I wasn't sure you'd wake up." He laughed, holding his head.

"Derek?" She winced, looking over at him.

"In the flesh," he laughed.

"Where am I?" She looked around.

"Cameron brought everyone back to her and Bea's apartment. She said you were sick to your stomach when she went to get the keys and brought you back."

"What?" She groaned. "I don't remember too much." Well except Dean kissing her- She felt her face flush violently. "Ugh. I gotta get ready for class."

"No shit." He laughed. "A few days before finals and we're all off to a terrible start." He shrugged, "but I already figured I was failing two classes this quarter. So it's no biggie. I'm staying here and then I'll catch a ride home soon enough."

Alex looked at everyone and sighed. "Wait. Cam, did you get Sarah?" He asked. "Has anyone even talked to her?"

"Sarah?" Cameron looked up from her coffee cup. "Fuck." She groaned, putting the cup down. "I'll call her." She walked back to her room to get her phone.

Alex sighed. "Maybe she went home with someone…"

Selene covered her face looking down. "I don't recall much of last night." Though bits were hazy she thought she remembered Dean- oh hell! She did not! No. Impossible. She felt her throat tighten.

Derek thought for a moment. "An older guy." He blinked. "Before I was outside…" he remembered.

"Older guy?!" Cameron screamed from the hallway.

"Yeah, he looked to be about... late thirties at earliest. I think. I dunno. He was pretty mature looking. I… I think." He blinked, trying to recall.

"I'm calling her." Cameron put the phone to her ear.

Derek looked at Lex. "Dude, my head hurts but Hannah… this girl at the party was pretty hot. She was at the hot tub. Said she frequented these parties." He smirked. "We gotta go to the next one. I gotta find her again."

Lex rolled his eyes. "Am I the only one that doesn't get lucky at parties? Even Selene hooked up." He groaned.

"What the hell did you do?" Derek raised a brow at him.

Selene covered her face with her hand. "I did not." She told Lex starkly.

"Really?" Derek raised his brow further as he looked at her. "You were slobbering all over Dean. I'm surprised you went off elsewhere with him."

She felt her face turn feverish. "Can we um… NOT talk about me?!" She got up quickly, groaning as she grabbed her head and sat back down quickly. "Fuck. My head hurts." She whimpered.

"Lex," Derek looked back at him. "Seriously man. How the hell did you not find a hot babe? I thought it was a singles only party."

Lex sighed. "I was too busy drunk sitting. And sorry I don't care how hot she may be, if she's throwing up everywhere-" He shook his head.

"Damn," Derek cringed. "Next time, you gotta find Suzi. She's always got the hottest girls as her friends. I swear."

"Isn't she lesbian?" Cameron came back into the room, her brow furrowed as she looked down at her phone.

"Bi. So… Some aren't interested. Some are. Eh, hit and miss. I don't mind finding out." He smirked.

"Gross." She looked at Derek. "Sometimes. I wish you didn't open your mouth and speak."

"Whatever. I don't care. Hot babes are hot babes. I like em' anyways to Sunday as long as the face is right for the kissing."

"Okay! That's enough information! Ever heard of 'TMI'?!" She shoved her hand in his face. "Gawd," she shook her head. She looked at Lex. "Mind going to Sarah's first period. Seeing if she's there? She's not picking up her phone." She wrapped her other arm around her stomach. "I'm worried."

"Why not let me?" Derek grinned.

"Because you're a pig-headed asshole and you might get distracted and I REALLY don't want to ask you for favors right now. Okay?"

"Ouch." He slipped away. "Damn. Whatever." He laughed.

Cameron looked down. "J-Just…" She looked at Lex, worried. "I want to make sure she's alright. I didn't see her last night when I came and got everyone else and I'm scared she's hurt. Especially with my ex being at the party." She swallowed the lump in her throat.

Selene felt her heart hammering in her chest, thinking about it all and she looked at Lex. "I'll go with you." She told Lex. "If you'll go." She didn't want to answer any more questions about last night anyways.

Lex nodded. "Yeah, I'll go." He frowned too though. "It's not like her to not answer. She'd be the first one to rub it in that she snagged someone at the party." He'd never liked hearing her talk about her one night stands. She was detailed and then ruthless if it hadn't been good.

"Okay," Cameron tapped her cheek. "Give me a call if you see her at class. I'm going to give her the worst ass chewing of her life for not answering her phone."

Selene got up. "Hey Lex," she looked at him. "Would you be willing to drive me back to my apartment first? I need a change of clothes, but my head still hurts a lot. Too much to drive." She blushed a little, looking down.

He nodded. "Yeah. Let's get going though. Class starts in about an hour." He grabbed his keys and started out.

Selene nodded, getting up after him. She held her head a moment before spotting her car keys on the counter and she grabbed them quickly, tossing them at him. "Here." She told him. "You remember which car is mine right? White Durango?"

"I remember," he said. "Do you wanna take something for your hangover," he asked as they walked out.

"I-If there's anything for a hangover. Yes. Do they have things for embarrassment and utter shame too?" She grumbled low under her breath at the end.

"I thought you liked Dean. Was it that bad?" he asked.

"I do!" She shielded her face again with her hand before looking down as she walked to the car briskly, grabbing the door handle to swing it open and jump in the passenger seat. "I was that bad. I don't-... I can't believe I got so drunk." She covered her face. She remembered a bit. "He probably thinks I'm some idiot who's never gone to a party." She groaned internally.

Lex smirked a little and nudged her. "Maybe not. Did he say anything to you before you left?"

She looked up at him, blushing a bit as she smiled back. "Can't say." She breathed out. "I don't remember." She sighed, leaning back in the somewhat reclined seat as she looked at her phone. "I know he said something about me but I can't tell if it was good or bad. Maybe he thought I was pathetic for being drunk." She tried to recall it but it just felt like she was fabricating more of the memory than anything. "Ugh, I wish I remembered."

"Cam was there right? Did she say anything?" He frowned and looked at her. "Did he-" He knew Dean's type. He wouldn't put it past him to have taken advantage of Selene while she was drunk.

"I-I think." She looked up at him and then down. "I think… I think she drove me home." She sighed. She stared at her phone a while longer when she noticed something tucked behind the case. Selene tugged at it, pulling it out to look at the small piece of smudged paper. "Or… Did something good?" She looked at Lex confused as she flashed Dean's name and phone number to him. "What do I do with this?"

Lex shrugged. "Message him. I mean he wouldn't have left his number if he didn't want you to call him," he suggested.

"What?" She looked down at it. "What if he thinks I'm completely different from last night. I don't remember what I said to him." She felt her stomach wrench a little.

He sighed. "He's the only other one who knows apparently, so there's only one way to find out. Or you can just go on not knowing what happened." He knew the last suggestion wouldn't be as appealing, but Selene would worry herself in circles.

She groaned, "I-I guess." Why didn't Cameron say anything? She chewed at her lip. "Fuck me." She sighed noisily, unlocking her phone. "I-I guess a message won't hurt." She mumbled, typing into it.

It didn't take long until they were at her apartment. "I'll just wait here for you," he said parking the car.

"Sure," she told him, getting out. "Thanks." She looked at the unsent message and mulled over it a moment before she stepped out. "I shouldn't be long." She told him, walking up to the stairs to walk up them quickly. Selene sighed, pressing send and pocketing it. If it was bad. He wouldn't answer. If it was good… Well, maybe he'd say something good.

"Here's the new apartment," Sorin opened the door with the keys as she looked at Roku. She sighed, "Two rooms." She looked at it slowly as she walked in. "I'm sure we can get walk to this," she thought about the others. They weren't too far. A few down two floors and then Z had a place to stay nearby of her own. She was kind of relieved that Luca wanted her own space and Roku was quiet enough to not bother her.

Roku walked in and looked around. He was reminded of his first apartment. It had been so cold and lonely before. At least now he was more accustomed to human society. "Which room do you want?" he asked her.

"Furthest to the back. I won't be home often. So the rest of the house is yours." She walked in slowly, hefting her backpack over her shoulder slowly as she went down the hall. "Moving trucks should be here to drop off our boxes later."

Selene walked up the stairs, looking over at her phone when she noticed a few people. New tenants? She walked past the door slowly to unlock hers. Just next door… Hopefully they were quiet.

He nodded and moved to look at the other bedroom. It wasn't really small, it would be large enough for the few things he had. He sighed and looked out of the window.

"Make sure to bring in the few boxes you did bring." She told him. "And close the door." Sorin told him, setting her bag down in her room.

Roku turned back and walked out to go grab the boxes from the car. He closed the door behind him like she'd said. He sighed smelling something. Was he going to constantly try and look for her no matter where he was now that he'd seen her again?

She felt the lock click as she opened the door but when she heard the neighbor's door shut Selene went to turn her head. She heard her phone ring and picked it up, looking ahead to step forward. "Hello? -Oh. Yeah. Totally. I- Huh? Oh. Yeah, I found it. The paper… About last night?" Selene answered.

He was almost to the stairs when he heard her. He couldn't mistake it this time. He kept walking though, not wanting to stir anything up. She likely had moved on… Which was for the best, no matter how much it hurt.

Selene stepped into her house, putting the keys down as she shut the door behind her. "Yeah. I'm at the apartment." She told her. "He gave you his number?" She asked, feeling her heart skip a bit. She felt her heart elate a little. "W-Why?" Selene stepped up to the bedroom, opening it to kick off her shoes. "Okay. One minute. Let me get dressed."

Roku sighed and continued on to the car to get his things. Good thing it was just a few boxes. He could carry them easily enough.

Selene tossed off her shirt before grabbing another. She slipped on a simple long sleeve pink shirt. After she grabbed a pair of long jeans and slid them on before picking up her phone and jumping to her phone. "Okay, I'm back." She told Cameron, coming to the door. When she opened it and stepped out, she locked the door before looking up to walk to the stairs. "Well… it's not too bad." She told her. "When you say it like that." She blushed.

Roku started back up the stairs carrying a couple boxes stacked on top of each other. Good thing they were light. He was strong, but that didn't mean he had the will.

Selene came down the steps, seeing him come up and she stopped. "Oh," she pulled the phone away. "Sorry! Let me move out of the way." She stepped aside as Roku came up.

He moved to get out of her way also and bumped into the wall which caused the box on top to fall. He moved to push it against the stair to catch it so he didn't drop the other one.

Selene stopped, stepping under to catch the first box. She held it in her hands, though her phone was pinched under it. "Woah!" She looked up. "Do you need some help?" She asked him, lifting it up.

Roku couldn't believe he dropped the box. "No," he said looking at her. Would she remember him?

Selene put it back on top of the others, but she stopped. She looked at him a long while, thinking about it. He seemed familiar. Like… She felt a bit of pain at that. "U-Um, w-welcome to the complex. I hope you enjoy it here." She looked down, tucking her hair behind her ear. There was no way it was him. It was a one in a million chance…

He thought she recognized him for a second. He could see the bit of pain flash before she spoke. "Yeah. Thanks," he said.

"Yeah," she breathed, turning her head down to go down the stairs. If it was him… She shuddered. A feeling of pain and anger washed over her. No. It couldn't be. Selene went down the steps, lifting her head as she ran over to her car and jumped in. "Thanks, Lex."

Lex nodded. "All good?"

She cleared her throat, looking up as she sniffed and blinked a few times. "Yeah." She told him, rubbing at her eyes a little. "Just- Yeah, I'm ready to go."

Lex looked at her hearing her sniff before focusing on leaving the parking lot. "Are you alright? Is it about Dean?" he asked.

"No," she told him, leaning forward to cover her face a moment before blinking and sitting up. She pushed her hair back out of her face. "Thought of someone from a long time ago. Just… makes me sad." She told him. "I'll be fine." She rubbed her shoulder before looking out the window.

He looked at her for a second then just nodded. He wasn't going to press her if the subject was painful. The drive to school was quiet except for the noises of the car and the road. "Want me to walk you to class?"

Selene looked through the glass as they drove, her eyes focused on the trees and brush that whizzed past. "Yeah," she sniffed, rubbing at her eyes. "That's fine. After we check um… On Sarah if she's at her class." It was finals week. Or at least the last three days were and not many classes she had were giving finals. She only had one class left today and it was in the evening anyways. All the others had the finals done last week so the grades could be entered on time…

"Right," she sighed, looking at her phone. "Time." The phone read 7:37am on the main screen. No new texts had lit up on her phone and she held her arm around her stomach a little tighter.

"Hey Lex," she looked over at him. "D-Do you ever-" She looked down. "How do you handle things that make you feel small?" She asked him softly.

Lex looked at her and frowned a little. "I- don't really know. What do you mean?" Her question worried him a little.

She drew her legs, pulling her feet onto the seat as she leaned against the door. Selene sighed, pushing her hair out of the way as she looked out the window again. "I mean… I mean to say that I don't feel like I have the ability to be outgoing and every time I get close to a guy I like, I always feel inadequate and inferior in some way." Her long ago mistake of a fiance started it, but Roku… What did she do wrong? She felt her throat well up and she tried to keep herself together. "I always feel like I'm going to screw things up. I don't feel like I'm cut out for being that confident girl everyone else wants me to be." Now Dean…

She felt like she was on the verge of an identity crisis every time she wanted to get in a relationship with someone.

Lex sighed and relaxed into the seat more. "You know… I think we all feel that a little bit. I mean at least with anything new." He looked at her. "You're not though. Inadequate…"

"It sure feels that way," she told him, frowning. "I can never seem to keep a relationship together and it feels like I always invest in but- Maybe I'm too eager… Or maybe I'm not what they thought I was."

"Or the timing is off. There's so much that plays a factor and it's not always something to do with you." He sighed. He wasn't saying this right. "Is there a particular instance you're referring to?" Something had to have brought this up.

She chewed at the corner of her lip, "I want to believe it but somehow things fall out." She hung on his question a moment before looking at him. "What if… what if I told you that the last time I saw someone was at a grocery store before I got shot?" She felt her stomach clench, "And when I woke up at the hospital I was alone?" She looked down at her hand, pressing it into her cheek as she tried not to cry. "And I just remember being at home by myself for weeks and I messaged him multiple times but he never returned my calls or voicemails."

His eyes widened. Holy shit she had been shot! He kept his shock to himself as best he could. It wasn't about that. "That doesn't mean you did anything wrong. What if he got hurt too, and wasn't able to get a hold of you or call you back. I-" he sighed. "I don't know that forsure, but I know that it's not your fault."

She chewed at her lip… Never calling or texting her back for years- She severely doubted it. "Yeah," she murmured but she was unconvinced. "Maybe. Doesn't help the fact that no matter what I do, I never seem to be successful with keeping a relationship." She pressed her shoulder to the window and she was glad it was cold, it felt nice with how much the blood seemed to rush to the top of her skin talking about all of this. Honestly, she was more embarrassed than anything. "Sorry for unloading that on to you. I'm not trying to make you uncomfortable."

Lex sighed and rubbed the back of his neck. "Don't be… I just don't want you to feel bad about this. There's still a chance, you know." He was trying to cheer her up.

She knew he was trying. Selene drew her eyes up to look at him and she mustered her best smile despite feeling low. "Thanks," she told him. She brushed his shoulder with her sleeve, "You always know how to comfort someone." She laughed, rubbing her arm. "I appreciate it." She pull her hand back to rub at her upper arm as she closed her eyes for a moment. She knew the college was only a few minutes away now.

He looked at her and then back to the road.

As the car pulled up to the school, Selene had fallen into an easy daze that left her nearly asleep.

From across the way, the large pillars stood tall. Students weaved in and out of the hall as Selene blinked a few times in an attempt to wake herself up. "Ugh," she groaned. She was so tired. When they stepped out of the car and walked in, she rubbed at her eyes tiredly.

Sarah was running late. "Shit! She breathed as she hurried down the hall. She had her hoodie over her head and large sunglasses on. She'd woken up with a terrible migraine, but this was finals week and she couldn't miss.

Lex didn't even recognize Sarah as she pushed past him. He just happened to recognize her hoodie. "Sarah? Hey!"

Sarah winced and turned to look at him. "I can't talk right now Lex. I'm-" she grabbed her head.

Selene looked at her and she turned. "Where were you?" She winced, holding her head. Damn it was hard to focus being so tired.

"The party…" she winced. "I don't remember-"

Lex frowned. "You stayed there all night?"

"Maybe? I woke up at home. I think."

"Are you alright? How much did you drink?" He didn't remember Sarah ever having a hangover.

Selene looked at her, worried, and for some reason after seeing her new neighbor, then looked deep at Sarah's features. She got closer, reaching up to touch her cheek. "Geez, your eyes…" She stopped, "You don't look like you slept Sarah. I don't think you should be at school, not like this at least." She felt uncomfortable looking at her and by chance, took a glance at her neck through the hood but she couldn't see anything from the shadow of her hood. What was she thinking? Why did she feel suspicious yet concerned something happened to her neck? Her head started to hurt a bit and she felt like maybe it was her hangover as well.

"Ugh," Selene let go, grabbing her head. "Anyways, we came looking for you. Cameron called you multiple times and we were all worried since you didn't tell anyone where you went. You know there's been disappearances at campus recently. It's dangerous if you don't let your friends or at least your family know of your whereabouts."

Sarah winced and looked away pulling her hood closer around her. "I'm fine."

Lex watched her. She looked so pale and sick. He wasn't convinced. "Sarah let me take you home and you can rest."

"N-" she didn't even get it out before she collapsed.

"Shit! Sarah!" Lex managed to grab her before she fell to the ground, but her sunglasses fell off and hit the ground popping one of the lenses out. Lex was shocked by what he saw. Her eyes were totally sunken in and purple. There were a couple small bruises on her neck and chest. "What the fuck?"

Selene held her head, squeezing one eye shut tightly as she watched Sarah fall. "U-ugh," she turned her head away, missing the opportunity to glance at her neck and chest but she caught sight of her eyes. "My head hurts," she told Lex. Even with the pain meds….

"Let's just take her back to Bea and Cam's place and call her family. Maybe she'll-" She grit her teeth, feeling her head tense and she squeezed her eyes shut. Damn it was so bright outside. "Ah fuck. We can figure out if she needs to go to the hospital after. Bea's studying to be a nurse anyways."

Lex gathered Sarah into his arms. "Let's go then." He looked at Selene. "Are you gonna make it?" He couldn't carry both of them.

"Just my hangover," she told him. "I'm fine. Take her back to my car." She waved with her other hand. "I'll call Cameron when we get back to the car." She wanted to throw up. Selene drew in a tight breath, lifting her head up before she exhaled. "In the meantime, do you need my help? Should I open the car door?" She didn't want him to worry about her. Not right now, so she could save face and keep herself going.

"Yeah, if you could get the door for me when we get there." he said as he started out.

"Yeah, I can do that." She mustered the strength up to walk ahead of him back to the car. What the hell was Sarah thinking anyways?

Lex sighed and looked at Selene when they got to the car. "You sure we shouldn't just take her straight to a hospital?" Sarah looked terrible. This wasn't just a hangover.

She looked at Lex and bit her bottom lip, looking through the window. "H-how bad is it?" She asked. "Do you think we should call the police?" Her stomach churned. She was a little scared too, honestly.

He frowned and shook his head. "I don't think we should involve the police until we get to talk to her." He looked at Sarah. "Let's see what Cam says."

"You know they're gonna ask if we take her to the hospital." She felt her throat tighten as if guilt was in the back of her mind. She chewed at her lip, pulling her phone up to her ear after hitting the speed dial button for Cameron. "If you start driving, I'm sure we can get there quickly. My cell service should be strong since they live in the city."

He nodded and started the car. He tried to still his trembling hands a little. Was he scared Sarah was going to die? He looked back at her as he pulled out of the parking spot. Why hadn't she called them?

Selene dialed up Cameron's number. When the phone rang a few more times, she started to worry till she heard Cam's voice.

"Hello?"

"Hey! Hey Cam! I-I… we uh. We found Sarah. We're bringing her right now."

"What? Bringing her?"

"Yeah. Is Bea home? Can she check on her?"

"Mm, lemme' check." She breathed. She covered the phone and Selene could hear shuffling of feet as she walked through the apartment. "Bea. Bea!"

"What?" She heard the door to the room open.

"Sarah is coming back here. Selene and Lex are bringing her. It doesn't sound good."

"What? Why? Shouldn't she go to a hospital then?"

Selene felt her stomach clench.

"Just until she wakes up and can talk to us." Lex chimed in hearing a little of the phone call.

Bea heard his voice but she was suspicious. "Alright. Hurry up though. I don't want to keep her from a hospital if she really needs one."

Selene looked at Lex, her stomach clenched. "Of course."

Lex wasted no more time and left the school quickly to go back to Cam's.

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