Let's Play a Game of Telephone (DISCONTINUED)

The Roomate

"Tony, this is Jeff Andonuts. He'll be your new roommate."

Andonuts?!!? My eyes go wide. ANDONUTS!!! OH MY GOD, HE'S DR. ANDONUTS'S SON!!!

"Hello," he says cooly. "Pleased to meet you."

Oh my gosh! He's so cold yet refined! "H-Hello...." I stammered. "N-Nice to meet you...."

"Help him get settled, Tony! He just got off the train a couple hours ago, so he might be a little dizzy or something." My stomach knots at the word train. The teacher that escorted him in waves goodbye. "He's an Andonuts, though... probably won't need much help!"

She laughs at her own little joke, then leaves the room. Jeff looks around– not much to see, to be honest. He unpacks his bag, moving with lightning speed, then sits down on his bed and opens a book.

"I–" I gasped. "How did you–"

"Skill and practice," Jeff says. "An inventor needs rapid movements to finish things within the deadline."

Wow... even things that have such a simple answer are so classy when he says them! "Oh..." I say awkwardly. "C-cool...."

"Lights-out in ten!" a teacher shouts from the hallway.

"Better wash up." He sets down his book and walks into the bathroom, leaving me standing there.

***

Jeff's breathing is rapid, terrified. "No... no, no, no...." he mumbles in his sleep.

"Eh?" I wake up, sleepily rubbing my eyes. "Jeff?"

"No, I don't want to!" His voice is louder now, desperate. "You can't make me!"

"J-Jeff!" I shout. "Wake up!"

"N-no!" he screams in his sleep. "Let me go! AH! STOP IT! STOP IT!!! NO!!!"

"JEFF!"

"STOP! STOP!! STOP HURTING ME!!!"

"JEFF!!!" I run over to him and slap a hand over his mouth. "WAKE UP!!!"

"AH!" His scream was muffled by my hand. "Mmmhhhpphh?!!!?"

"You're lucky the walls here are soundproofed!" I whisper-yell. "They don't like us having nightmares... think it makes us look weak...."

I should know. I have enough nightmares without them screaming at me.

Then I feel the hot tears on my hand. Jeff's crying. "Jeff?" I remove my hand from his mouth. "Are you okay?"

"I-I'm fine...." he whispers, wiping the tears away. "G-go to sleep.... We'll get in trouble for being up late...."

"We can just say it was to go to the bathroom or something," I mumble.

"They stopped accepting that as an excuse after a group of boys used it to escape...." Jeff reminds me.

"H-how do you know that?!" I ask, surprised. "You've only been here for seven hours or so...."

"My father was a highly regarded student here, remember?" Jeff says. "I know how this place operates."

"Right, right...." I flush a shameful shade of red; thank the Lord it's dark. "O-Okay then...."

I hop back into bed, yanking the covers over my head, drowsiness hitting me instantly. Only one thought hits me before I'm pulled into the void of sleep:

I wonder what he was dreaming about....