The Boy with the Blind Eyes

TWENTY FIVE

One month later...

'Did you remember your sweater?' Johanna asked Tamsin, all out of breath, as she hauled yet another box full of Tamsin's belongings into the elevator.

It had been exactly one month since Tamsin had found what she had in dorm room 75, and nothing had changed. Everything was exactly as it was. The dust had settled, the dorm was clean, and she and Lina were moving back in today. She was happy, but unsatisfied. Her own search of trying to figure out who lived in dorm 75 had fizzled when Milly downstairs gently told Tamsin she wasn't allowed to give out information of who lived where, and it wasn't as if Tamsin could just go and spy on the person. She'd already tried that, and failed. Whoever lived there was hardly ever home, and when they were, the blinds were drawn and the door was locked. She'd lost the key card she'd gained when completing her detention duties, so she couldn't just get back in there. She could have killed herself for not finding a letter, birth certificate, passport, anything, when she was in the room cleaning.

And to top it all off, there had been no news from Holly about her brother. She called Trey every-day to make sure he was alright. He was eating and going to school, doing the same things as before. He wasn't technically being neglected, so she couldn't call Child Protective Services. She was stuck. Utterly and completely. There was nothing more to it, unless her father was one day found guilty of committing a crime, or neglecting Trey, or doing something to arouse suspicion. And until and unless he did, she was screwed.

The past month had been hell.

'I think so,' Tamsin mumbled, peering into her own box. It was full of shoes, a few odd photographs of Trey and her mother here and there, and a few bags of toiletries. There was no organisation to it. As the elevator pulled up to a stop on floor 5 and the doors swung open, Tamsin was greeted with a very pleasant sight—Brett, waiting for them in front of her dorm.

She grinned at the sight of him. She'd barely seen him all day, what with classes and all the packing she'd had to do. Practically sprinting out of the elevator, she dropped her box violently on the floor and dashed into his warm, safe arms. Not wanting to make Johanna feel like the third wheel, she gave him a quick kiss on the lips and smiled. He smiled back at her, his gorgeous blue eyes sparkling.

That was another thing. Throughout the past month, Tamsin and Brett had gotten more serious about each other. At every study lesson, they were by each other's side, getting ice cream, or walking on the beach, or having dinner together. Things couldn't have been more perfect.

Just as Tamsin unlocked the dorm with her key card, the elevator reopened and Lina sauntered out, wheeling a huge cart with all of her gigantic boxes. They all laughed at the sight of her, and she squealed in excitement. 'T! We're finally going to have our midnight jam sessions again!'

'What midnight jam sessions? We never did that.' Tamsin said, confused.

'I know. The point is, now we can!' Lina laughed, breezing through the doorway. 'I'm just happy I'm getting my room back.'

'I made sure they changed the locks on this place for you guys,' Brett said. 'Lina, your new key card is downstairs with Milly. You should go pick it up.'

'Three seconds I'm back and you're already trying to get rid of me?' Lina joked, her hands on her hips, brows raised. 'Oh, well. We'll be able to hang out as long as we want tonight—what with the party, and all.'

'Lina, not another party!' Johanna whined. 'The last one was...well, bad. Don't you remember what happened to Tamsin?'

'Big deal. The girl can't have alcohol.' Lina shrugged and turned to Tamsin. 'So, my dear, with that helpful piece of info in mind, I went out and bought you some non-alcoholic beer!' She announced happily. 'So, you know, you can drink with us. Technically.'

Tamsin shook her head, playfully rolling her eyes, and smiled. 'Thanks, Leens.'

'Of course, doll. Now, I'm going to go get my key, and then we'll unpack and head to the party, okay?'

'Sounds like a plan.'

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