"YOU'LL PROBABLY CATCH some type of STD sitting on these benches so I'd advise not to." I inform Spencer as we walk through the quiet campus of Caldwell. I was taking him on the grand tour of the school while my mother talked to the Headmaster about little ol' me.

"Oh, so it's like the library at Brookehaven." Spencer points out as I glance up at him and nod.

"Precisely."

After whining about it all day, I finally agreed to take Spencer to my dorm because he wanted to witness the fine specimen, his words not mine, of a roommate I have. The elevator was finally fixed so when the doors slide open, we file inside and ride it up to the third floor.

"I still can't believe you were put in here." Spencer cackles to himself in the small box of the elevator.

"Yes. It's absolutely hilarious." I roll my eyes at him, considering strangling him before the doors open. He glances around the halls as he follows me to my dorm and I stop outside the door, knocking on the wooden slab.

Spencer frowns at me weirdly, "It's your dorm? Why the fuck are you knocking?"

"Everett might be with a girl. I don't want to barge in and see a whole naked girl again." I whisper to him as Spencer folds his arms and leans against the wall.

"Again?"

"Long story." I shake my head, brushing my hand through the air just as the door creaks open and Chase's face pokes through the crack. He frowns down at me in confusion, "Are you alone? If not we can come back later."

Chase opens the door wider, exposing the otherwise empty room, "I told her to leave a while ago."

I walk in as Spencer follows in behind and I hang my jacket and bag onto the back of my desk chair. I turn around to face Spencer and gesture to the rest of the room, "Welcome to the shit show, I guess."

I hear Chase scoff as he extends his hand to Spencer, "Hey, I'm Chase."

"Spencer." My cousin introduces himself and shakes Chase's hand while glancing at me, "Okay, I am confusion. I thought you said his name is Everett."

" Everett is my last name." Chase informs Spencer politely, "Your cousin calls me Everett because she enjoys being difficult."

"That's me." I shrug with a small smile on my face as I glance at Chase. He chuckles and shakes his head. When Chase turns around, I lock eyes with Spencer who begins fanning himself dramatically. I roll my eyes at him as I take a seat at my desk chair. Spencer sits down at the edge of my bed, gazing around the small room.

"So are you from Brookehaven too?" Chase questions as he pockets his phone. It was weird seeing him being so polite with Spencer and I don't understand why he didn't have the same attitude with me. Okay, so I insulted him before I even knew who he was but still.

"I moved there two years ago but before that I lived in Portland." Spencer answers as Chase's face lights up in recognition.

Chase chuckles, "No way. I use to live there too."

"Really? Whereabouts?" Spencer questions before the pair starts conversing between the two of them, leaving me completely out of the loop. I didn't care though, it gave me a chance to scroll through my phone and reply to Vera who was wondering if Penn and I were up for another movie night at her place.

The next time I glance at the clock, I notice almost twenty minutes had passed and Chase and Spencer were still talking. They got along really well which was weird and Spencer wasn't openly flirting with him which was even weirder. Spencer will literally flirt with anything with a dick or boobs.

"Should I just come back later? Leave you two alone?" I question loudly as I point between them. The two laugh at me as Spencer glances at his phone and stands.

"I should be heading back anyway before Aunt Andrea starts screaming my name from across campus." Spencer chuckles to himself as Chase stands as well.

He laughs along, "Would she really do that?"

"You don't know my mother." I snort as I stand from my desk and turn around, opening my closet and pulling out a hoodie. It was colder outside now and my denim jacket was doing a fucking poor job of keeping me warm. It was super cute though.

"I'll walk with you because fuck knows this one will fall and break both knee caps on her way back here if she walks alone." Chase scoffs, pulling on his leather jacket as he gestures his head in my direction.

I roll my eyes at him as I slip my converse back onto my feet.

♤♤♤♤

"And she jumped in, almost fucking naked-"

"Hey, I was wearing underwear." I defend myself as we converse about the time I jumped into the lake. Spencer is laughing his damn ass off the traitor. He seems to be liking Chase more than me even though I'm the reason why he's here anyway.

"Okay, I'm actually so sad that I didn't get to see that." Spencer pouts dramatically as I shove him playfully.

"A video of it circulated the school and I have it on my phone. I'll send" Chase explains as my bitch of a cousin nods like it's the best goddamn idea on this planet. The two exchanged phone numbers and everything. It's fucking horrible.

"And literally anything else of my dear cousin. I want to see every embarrassing moment!" Spencer cackles manically as I shake my head. When we reach the silver car, my mother and Headmaster Sullivan were waiting there for us.

We walk up to her and my mom's eyes are glued to Chase.

"Mom, this is my roommate." I introduce her as I hold my hands towards Chase as if I was showcasing a damn art piece or something, "Chase Everett."

"It's nice to meet you, ma'am. Hayden's told me so much about you." Chase smiles softly at my mother as he holds his hand out to her. Seriously, I can't get over how nice he's being. What the actual fuck Everett? I didn't know you possessed these qualities.

"Wow. You're so damn handsome," Mom mutters in a daze, slowly shaking his hand. My eyes widen at her as she snaps out of it and places her hand on her mouth, "Oh god! I'm so sorry!"

"It's okay. Really." Chase laughs nervously as he scratches the back of his neck. I run a hand down my face and sigh heavily.

"Well, we should get going before I embarrass myself anymore." Mom announces sending me an awkward, teeth-baring smile.

Spencer was the closest to me so I turn to him and wrap my arms around him tightly.

"Keep your hands to yourself, sweet cousin." Spencer whispers into my ear quietly.

I whisper back, "Do you want to die?"

"You say the nicest things to me." Spencer gushes into my air, making me laugh slightly at him.

"We're still doing breakfast tomorrow, right? Before your flight?" I question as I step back and glance at my mother. She nods and steps towards me.

"Of course darling. You would chase the plane down on the runway if you didn't get to say goodbye." Mom laughs as we hug each other. She then whispers into my ear softly, "I'm so sorry I said that. But...wow. You two would make beautiful grand-babies."

"Mom!" I gasp as I reel back. She grins cheekily at me before giving me a tight squeeze. Why are we the same person?

After we say our goodbyes and finalise our plans for the following morning, Mom and Spencer climb into the rental car and slowly drive down the long, pebbled road lined by evergreen pine trees. I watch until the car is no longer in sight.

"It's getting quite cold, I suggest you two head back to your dorm." Headmaster Sullivan advises before he turns and enters Hawthorne Building.

Chase and I turn and begin to walk back to Elwood hall in complete silence. I play with the sleeves of the hoodie nervously. Lately, I've been more nervous whenever I'm around Chase and I hated it.

"Sorry about her." I perk up, my voice cracking slightly, "She doesn't have a filter."

"Huh, it must run in the family." Chase smirks down at me as I roll my eyes, playfully shoving him with my hip. He glances down at me, "Is that my hoodie?"

I glance down, noticing that it was indeed Chase's hoodie, "Oh, I didn't even notice. I just blindly grabbed one from my closet. I don't even know why I kept it, it's yours so you should have it back-"

"Jones, it's fine." Chase laughs as he places his hand on my arm while I'm half way through the process of taking the hoodie off, "Keep it.It looks better on you anyway."

I smile sheepishly and drop my arms, "Oh."

Oh? What the fuck Hayden?

yet another short chapter.

hayden's mom is actually so cute.

also, writing chase being so nice is actually weird. anyone else think that?