Roommates

chapter 19

Bentley was able to set up a date for me and Cullen to meet a week later.  This time, only Bentley and Vaughn came with me and I plan to actually keep my hands to myself.

Elon and Rhett are at the condo with Zola, Lennox, and Daya. They chose to make sure the girls were fine while acquainting themselves with Scampi.

I'm not gonna lie, I feel like that dog is my son.  I didn't think I'd care about Scampi this much, but he's always sleeping on me and doing cute shit.  It was hard not to fall in love with him.

"Here he come, Lee." Bentley tapped my arm and nodded towards the double doors.

Vaughn suggested a rustic diner to meet in, he thought it would be safer to meet in a public place and he's sure I'll be less likely to jump over a table with children around.

Once I could see Cullen, I felt disgusted and a little afraid.  The man looks like he lost half of his weight.  He's even paler than before and his short, brown hair looks brittle and thin.  Cullen's cheeks are unhealthily hallowed and his wide, pink lips are chapped and cracking.

Zola couldn't be more correct when she said he looked dead.  My mom even described him as a white walker, but I didn't believe either of them.  Even if I did, a verbal description couldn't have prepared me for this.

"You guys see this shit too?" Vaughn asked in a curt whisper.

"Hell yeah, I see that. You see this, Lee?"

"Unfortunately, man." I watched Cullen slouch to the table and slide into the only seat across from us.

I'm speechless.  It goes against everything I believe in and I hate to say it, but I feel bad for the shell of a man in front of me. I cleared my dried throat and took a sip of my Sprite.

"Cullen," He fixed his dark eyes on me and I had to stop the shiver creeping up my spine, it truly looks like this man has been touched by death, "Why did you grab Zola at the park?"

He looked behind me and shrugged.

Vaughn, Bentley, and I looked behind us. 

Nothing is there.

"What's up with you, man?  Why you look like this?" Bentley leaned across the table, I could tell everyone else is disturbed by Cullen too.

"I lost everything."

We all looked at each other, then back to Cullen, who chuckled darkly.

"You ain't hear?  I lost my scholarship, they kicked me outta school."

"Why?"

"I... I did it again, but she was underage and her dad was the dean of students."

My head fell and I let out a shaky breath.

Bentley and Vaughn looked equally disturbed, but they were too stuck to say anything.

"Cullen... don't tell me you were the guy who raped-" I couldn't even finish the sentence, his face told me everything I needed to know.

A few weeks ago, a rumor about some 16-year-old getting assaulted at a frat party floated around.  The rumor was killed off as fast as it was spread around.  I never thought to link it to Cullen.

"Her dad got me kicked out of school and the dorms but he didn't press charges because he didn't want anyone knowing it was her, he tried to keep it all low-key and shit.  I'm not in school, I don't have a place to stay, and he's still after me."

"Man, what the fuck is wrong with you?" I looked up and Bentley clapped my shoulder.

I appreciate the gesture, but I couldn't fight Cullen in this state. It wouldn't be fair. It would probably feel like fighting bones, and I was taught to never fight anyone who didn't have a fair chance at beating you.