Open Book

Chapter 10

"Hazel!"

Who the hell is in their right mind to be shouting my name so unbelievably loud?

"Hazel! Come on sleepy head!"

I open my eyes in a flash, becoming infuriated with this patronizing. I look around and realize Jaz is the one yelling my name. If I didn't love her half to death she would be floored on the ground right now, cowering in pain.

"Alright! What is it?"

"Haha. You are finally up! It's currently 9:00 and breakfast is served in the Caf at ten."

"Um, Caf?"

"Yeah, where you eat? They serve breakfast, lunch and dinner for us, for free by the way. It's pretty decent food too."

"That's pretty sweet, I didn't know they had that here."

"Yup! It's on the lobby level, a big open room. I'm going to go take my shower and then the boys will meet us for breakfast down there. If you need a shower they have a whole bunch on the third level."

"Oh thank you Jaz." I say smiling. She's just so nice. I grab my shower supply's and make a beeline for the third floor, desperation coursing through me for a shower, and manage not to trip over any of the steps. I follow the sign pointing to the bathrooms and halt right infront of the door. YOU HAVE GOT TO BE KIDDING ME. The sign painted on the door shows both genders, these bathrooms are coed! Lovely!

I decipher whether I should use them or not, not wanting to use the same showers as the males but also the need to get the dirty, disgusting feeling off of my skin. The hell with it! I need one.

I whiz through my shower at blinding speeds, not wanting an unexpected visitor to open my shower curtain. I am drying off now when I realize I forgot my clothes to change into, leaving me only a towel to hide my naked body. You have got to be kidding me! How does someone get this unlucky? I gently open the plastic curtain, peaking my head out to see if an male figures are in the sink area, thankfully there are none so I walk out with my towel wrapped around my body. I'm walking down the stairwell to my level when a guy is walking up the steps.

Oh no. Don't look at me! Please don't notice me! Clearly God doesn't listen to my prayers.

"Well who do we have here?" I keep walking down my flight of stairs, trying not to make eye contact or invoke and communication whatsoever. I walk by him, hoping to get away, when he clasps his hand over my upper arm.

"I said, who do we have here?" he says repeating himself.

"Let. Go. Of. Me." I spit.

"Oh you're gonna be sassy about it? Two can play at that game. I don't find out what he was going to do next thankfully, when the door to the third floor creaks open.

"Hazel!?!" Dex says worry raising thick in his voice. He looks at what's happening and his jaw clenches, every muscle in his body becoming tighter.

"Jaxon get the hell away from her."

"Oh come now, we were just having some fun." As he says this he winks at me, fear cascading my whole being.

"Jax! Now! Leave!" Dex steps closer forcing him farther away from me.

"Alright, alright. I'll see you around Hazel." With that he takes one last sniff of my hair and leaves the stairwell to the third floor.

That was one of the most horrible moments of my life. I didn't realize but I was holding my breath the entire time, so I let it out in one false swoop. I realize now too that I am shaking, with tears tricking out of my eyes. I never want to see that man again. Never! I don't wanna know what he was going to do to me. I'm having a panic attack I realize, when I'm hyperventilating and I drop my shower supplies on the floor.

"Oh Hazel." says Dex. He rushes over to me, wrapping his arms around me in a protective vice. If it weren't for Dex... oh I can't even think about it. Wondering about the possibilities brings on a fresh new wave of tears. They slowly subside after a while, with Dex's rhythmic rubs on my back.

"Hazel?"

I look up and stare into his blue eyes, they get me every time, turning me to mush

"Y-yeah?"

"It's okay now alright? I'm going to pick up your things and walk you to your room. I can't really say anything right now, so all I do is nod my head in acceptance. The whole way back he keeps his arm secured around my shoulder, keeping me safe even though there is no known danger. He opens the door for me and we walk in to see Jaz and Josh sitting on the beds.

"Holy crap! What the hell happened? She looks like she's seen a ghost."

"Yeah, he was pretty darn close to one." replies Dex. Or even worse, I think to myself.

"Man what happened?" questions Josh.

"Jaxon happened."

I can't even describe the look that has now appeared on Josh's face. Somewhere between fear and anger I assume.

"He's a bad news bear, don't go anywhere near him."

I speak now, regaining composure. "I didn't know who the guy is and I certainly didn't plan on going anywhere near him!"

"It's okay Hazel, get ready then we will go down for breakfast." Jaz says.

"Alright."

As I walk into the bathroom with my outfit for the day, I go over the things I just encounter. I will forever be afraid of this man now, his touch, his gaze.

Everything about his screams, runaway.