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The cold nights breeze rustled the trees and thrashed them against the windows. On a normal night Carlos was passed out the second his head hit the pillow, but he couldn’t keep his mind off his Remedial Goodness final the next morning. He tossed and turned in his sheets trying to find the most optimized position for a good nights rest. He sat up in bed, peering around the room. In the corner Dude was snug in his bed, why couldn’t he sleep as well as the stupid dog.
“You’re still up?”
Carlos jolted his head to the side, just to see Mal flipping through channels on the dorm tv.
“Mal, it’s past curfew you’re meant to be at your own dorm.” Carlos complained, his voice still hoarse from the sleepless night.
She threw her hands up in the air. “Well tell that to Doug! Evie kicked me out so they could hang out.” Mal gruffed.
“You sound jealous.” A scoff escaped his lips, until he was stopped by Mal’s glare. “Sorry sorry! I’m just saying you’ve gotten a little to attached to Evie recently.” He tries to redeem himself.
“You’re one to talk ‘Oh Jay do you wanna walk to tourney practice with me’?” She responds, mocking Carlos’ voice.
Carlos just rolled his eyes and flopped back over into his bed. He didn’t want to think about Jay at this time of night. Always ditching him for Lani, or hanging out with Chad, or working out, or-
Carlos’ train of thought was cut off by Mal’s ringtone— a 8-bit version of Misery Business by Paramore—he could see the name Ben appear at the top of the screen.
“You gonna pick that up or…” He gestured to the ringing cellphone on the side table. Mal didn’t seem bothered by the blaring noise. Carlos knew things had been rough between them, but he didn’t think they were bad enough she would ignore his call at this time of night. “Can you at least turn the volume down if you’re gonna let it ring, a man’s trying to sleep here!”
The ringing finally stopped, but shortly after a serenade of dings came from the same side of the room. Carlos could see Mal’s face light up out of the corner of his eye. “I’m assuming that’s Evie?”
“Yup.” She immediately snatched her phone from the side table, vigorously tapping her fingers onto the screen.
“So… are you gonna talk to her about what happened after the coronation?” Carlos questioned, knowing he would poke a nerve.
“How many times do I have to say this! It was celebratory Carlos.” Mal rubbed her temples. “And if you wanna play that game, when are you gonna tell Jay how much Lani bothers you.”
“She does not bother me!” Carlos snapped back.
“Does to!”
“Dose not!”
“Dose to!”
“Who does what?” A new voice entered the conversation.
The two both looked over in unison. A smirk immediately consumed Mal’s face. “Well speak of the devil.”
“What?” Jay looked between the two with a confused expression on his face.
“Uh.. Nothing!” Carlos stumbled out.
Ding! Another text came in on Mal’s phone.
“Oh, dorms free so I’m heading back.” Mal grabbed her shoulder-bag off the couch and started out the door.
“Oh, also,” Before Mal left, she got in one last sly comment. “…Does to~”
Carlos scowled, staring down at his fidgeting fingers. It was only seconds before Jay plopped down on the bed next to him.
“So you gonna tell me what that was all about.” Jay commented, flipping his finger between the door and Carlos.
“I said! It was.. nothing.” Carlos begrudgingly answered. He rolled over to face away from Jay. It seemingly didn’t work because Jays face popped up in-front of him again. Carlos scanned over him: hair disheveled, forehead sweaty, eyeliner smudged. “What were you up to?”
“Just extra tourney practice, nothing for you to be worried about.” Jay patted Carlos on the shoulder before heading for his own side of the room. “You should sleep you know, gotta get some before the final tomorrow.”
“Yeah yeah, I know.” Carlos grumbled.
“Relax little guy, you got this!” Jay encourages, walking over to Carlos and ruffling his hair.
“Yeah?” Carlos asks looking up at Jay with a worried expression splayed across his face.
“You’re the goodiest out of all of us.” Jay teases.
“Goodiest is not a word,” Carlos chuckles before quickly adding, “But thanks.” Carlos could hear Jay rambling about tourney practice and this or that, but he wasn’t listening. He was completely lost in his own head. Thoughts were rushing in from every corner of his mind yet he simply didn’t know what he was thinking about. Before Carlos could wrap his head about his restless brain Jay shut the lamps off.
“G’night!” Jay let out a sigh and kicked his slippers off onto the rug between the two boys beds. They laid in an uncomfortable silence for what seemed like ages until Carlos broke the piercing quiet.
“So… you still with Lani?” Carlos tried to ask in the most nonchalant manner he could.
“Um still going steady… why?” Jay replied, a skeptical tone laced his voice.
Carlos tried to scrounge up a socially acceptable reason to be asking that question. “Oh… um… I dunno I just haven’t seen her recently I dunno Mal was just saying that Doug was with Evie and I was just wondering cause you never bring her over he-.”
“Yo, Carlos chill out I’m not interrogating you!”
Carlos shook his panicked expression off his face. “Yeah yeah… well good night.”
“Good night.”