Cobweb Head

n i n e

I hadn't realised I'd fallen asleep until I woke up in a puddle of my own drool.

The morning sky lit up the dorm, and I could hear the shower on in the bathroom. It took me a moment to process what'd happened the night before.

Leo's ring and the nightmare, the Order of Frights, the deal we'd made.

I bolted upright, clinging to the blankets with sweaty fists. I was dizzied for a moment as the cold pressed against my freckled shoulders. I'd shrugged my shirt off during the night when the fear induced warmth had become overwhelming, as if I had just gulped down a bucket of hot water.

My heart softened. It was the weekend, my saviour. I almost laughed. I fell back into the bed, running my hands down the warm sheets and turning over. I could sleep all day – I didn't have to worry about Leo and his stupid ring.

The shower switched off and not long after Leo entered the dorm. "Whoa, what're you doing?"

I grunted.

"You can't sleep the whole day; we've got stuff to talk about!" I could hear the smile in his voice and I didn't like it. I pulled the blanket up to my cheek. "I need to tell you about the fifth hunt, and... to see if what you're saying is true."

I opened my eyes, curling my lip. I knew he couldn't see it. "Don't test me, Leo."

"No, I'm serious." He didn't sound serious at all. "You could be lying to me."

"For what, huh?" I sat up, dropping my legs over the edge of the bed and running a hand through my tousled hair as I looked up at him. He was biting his lip.

"For attention." His eyes darted to the side, an eyebrow quirked.

"Why the fuck would I want your attention? No offence, Leo, but you'd have to be an idiot not to see how I've been avoiding you these last few weeks." I pulled myself to my feet.

He breathed out. "I'm starting to miss the polite you."

I pulled out a long-sleeved shirt and wrestled it on. The wide collar dropped from my shoulder. "I'm only saying this because the only way I could prove it to you would be by telling you your fears," I looked down. "And that usually doesn't end well."

The warm look on Leo's face softened as he stood. "It's fine – I'll be fine, it won't be anything I don't already know."

I clenched my jaw. "Phobias pop up – I can't decide when to hear them. Fears are something else. The worst ones are subconscious, and if I try to focus, I won't be able to know which one's are and which ones aren't. I could open you up to something... you don't want to hear."

"Will, I'll be fine, I just need to—"

"No."

There was a moment of silence, where I noticed the inky black curls twirled up on Leo's head and the button-down shirt draped over his shoulders. If I focused, I could see the bulk in his arm where the bandage was hidden underneath. Guilt pressed against my chest like cold stones – I'd been the cause of that, I'd tried to steal the ring.

"Fine." He breathed. "But we still need to talk – let's go to town. Have you been yet?"

I shook my head and searched my clothes for a pair of black jeans, tugging at the loose piece of thread that'd come undone on my sleeve. "No."

His eyes widened – he watched me as if I had just sprouted a second head. "You haven't left the school at all since you've been here?" Genuine horror was displayed across his face. His lips were parted and downturned sadly.

"Nope." I found the jeans.

"So you've never seen America outside of Windsor's?" A grin was then growing on his face, spreading like a nasty infection.

"I've seen the airport." I had fallen asleep on the car drive here.

"That doesn't count." He ran a hand through his hair, dampening his skin, and excitement glowed in the colour of his honey-comb eyes. "In that case, we're definitely going out to town – and don't come looking like... that."

I glowered. "I'm not even out of my pyjamas yet."

"Looking at those jeans, you didn't need to be."