(#1) Roommates by Day, Enemies by Night

Chapter 25

We all live in suspense from day to day; in other words, you are the hero of your own story.~Mary McCarthy.

Dedicated to the wonderful Snowdah, you and me, Stydia bros for life! Awesome talking to my twin, this one's for you!

Dylan

Waking up and finding your mother has called you repeatedly has got to be the scariest thing to ever happen to someone. I'm serious. I think Voldemort would have cowered in fear if he saw his phone and it said, "five missed calls from Mom." Because that's what mine looks like now.

The screen glowered in the darkness of my room, for I had drawn the shades and was in relatively darkness. I squinted, trying to block out as much of the light as possible in my sleep muddled state.

I swiped across the screen, calling her, and held the phone to my ear. "Mom?" I said thickly, my voice clearly displaying the effects of sleep.

"DYLAN HENNS, WHAT IN THE WORLD ARE YOU DOING?" My mother shouted into my ear, sounding like a Howler from Hell.

I jerked the phone away from my ear and tried to clear the ringing out by banging the side of my head. Ouch.

"Mom, what are you talking about?" I asked into the phone, wincing at my pounding headache.

"I'm talking about you coming the day after Christmas over break! Why can't you be here to spend it with us?" She whined.

I sighed, sitting up in my bed and switching on the lamp light. My mother was obsessed, and I mean obsessed, with Christmas. How that woman manages to love the holiday so much baffles me.

"Mom, didn't I tell you?" I asked. "I wanted to spend it with my friends; it's my first Christmas away from home."

"But Dylan, sweetheart, we all miss you here, and we really want you home for Christmas."

I raised my eyebrows and said, "Wow, I'm sure Michael's missing me while enjoying my big room and comfy bed." I remarked sardonically.

She sighed in disappointment. "So you're not coming home for Christmas?"

"Mom, I promise I will be there the day after."

"I suppose that's the best I'm going to get." She sighed. "By the way, how are things going with Siena? You finally work up the guts to tell her how you feel?" She laughed.

"Mom." I hissed, covering my hand over the earpiece and making sure no one was listening. Ok, so I was a bit paranoid. "Stop it. Don't you think it might be time to let that go?"

"Dylan, I am your mother. I have seen you be in love with her for years. Literal years idiot. Get it together." She said.

"Mom, I have another girlfriend now. Her name is Emma. I'm pretty sure she would not like you telling me this." I explained, getting up and stepping into the bathroom to brush my teeth.

"Dylan, you need to tell that girl how you feel. Otherwise, you're gonna lose her again." My mother said, hanging up the phone after.

I let out a breath and dropped my phone on the counter, bracing my hands on either side of the sink and staring at myself in the mirror. I looked awful, with huge bags under my eyes and a tired expression. I splashed some water onto my face, trying to wake myself up so I looked better.

While I was brushing my teeth, I went through the landmarks that Black Hawk and I had visited so far. If the clues were still left in important New York City landmarks, then the person who hid them was running out of places.