Floor 68.

XIX. - Stones and Blood.

Duke Hart opened the door to his mansion, sighing in exhaustion. He hated Monday to no limit, especially during the winter; he had a tough time leaving his warm bed to go to school. Lately, his teachers have been talking about one topic, which was SAT/ACT tests. Their talks made Duke want to jump out of a bridge; as if school wasn't depressing enough they had to add horrible tests that lower your self-esteem. Shaking his head as to forget about these topics, he let himself enter the kitchen only to face the last person he wanted to see right now.

Chace was seated on a kitchen stool, elbows on the counter, patiently waiting for him. He rose his head at him, a cynical smile on his features. Duke frowned at this scene before directing himself towards the fridge, seizing a jug of juice and pouring himself a glass.

"What are you doing here?", Duke asked in a dry unwelcoming voice. Chace's eyebrows raised at his question. It's been days and days since their "fight" and nobody tried to make things right. Duke considered the whole thing to be Chace's fault; he punched him, so if it was to anyone to make amends, it was him. But knowing Chace, he was the last one to apologize about his deeds and that was the reason Duke didn't bother.

"Is that how you welcome your best friend?", Chace ironically asked before smirking. Duke knew he was provocating him but didn't react. He wasn't giving him the satisfaction of seeing him upset over nothing.

"You can find your way out", Duke calmly replied, putting his glass in the sink. Chace rose to his feet and got closer to his best friend, still smirking.

"Best friends don't let each other down over a girl, Hart", he informed in a serious voice, the smirk leaving his face. Duke laughed at his line as he backed himself against the fridge. Chace's facial expression was something similar to hurt and if Duke didn't know him too well, he'd say he was stricken with immense pain.

"Best friends don't punch each other, to begin with", he retorted shrugging his shoulders, indifferent.

Chace frowned at the remembrance of the scene. He surely was mistaken to hit his friend but he was furious, enraged to the point he didn't have the time to think about the good and the bad.

"You gave up on me for a freaking girl!", Chace's voice was like a rock falling over a cliff. Duke's voice shrieked the silence as he laughed, angering his friend.

"Do I even need to remind you that you were seeking her friendship first?", he reminded with a glare, crossing his strong arms around his chest. "And you chickened out letting Matthews treat her like shit in front of everybody".

Chace gestured with his hands as to make him shut up because he hated being recalled about that particular scene.

"Why do you even care about her?", he questioned with a suspicious look, taking steps towards his friend.

"Because she's true", Duke honestly replied with a smirk.

"Why did you leave the team?", Chace changed the topic, frowning. He was surprised when the coach announced that they needed another player to fill for Duke. At first, Chace thought he was sick; half of the students suffered from the flu but right after, Mr. Smith announced it was permanent for Duke Hart has left the team.

"So you'd enjoy it by your own", Duke replied on a sarcastic tone. Chace clenched his fists in anger, feeling he was about to punch him again and this time, he would probably deserve it.

"Come on Duke; the team needs you", the captain sighed, tired of his friend's comments. "We can't do it without you".

The centre burst out laughing as a maniac by the end of the sentence. "Now you're talking as a team, you bastard?".