The Last of Them All (editing)

I regained my composure and calmly stated, "Let's go meet up with the boys."

Clara agreed and we walked down the long hallway to the meeting area at the end. Sitting in the middle on comfy looking bean bags were Justin and Andrew. This was the first time I got to get a good glance at what the commons area looked like up close. It was a lot larger than it looked from the outside. There were plenty of bean bags and couches and chairs, and one of the walls was basically a giant window that led to a balcony overlooking the other stories of the building. The other walls held doors that led to other hang out areas, one that was playing a lot of music, another with a pool and foosball table, and one that held vending machines and more tables and chairs.

I turned to Clara, "Are all the common areas like this?" I knew that there were individual common rooms on each floor but ours seemed really nice.

"Just about. Some have other features too, but they're basically set up the same way."

"Hey guys!" Andrew called over. He stood up from the beanbag he was lounging in and walked over to where Clara and I were standing next to each other. The boys had a board game of sorts that they were trying to figure out sprawled all over the floor around them, pieces scattered everywhere like a minefield. Clara perked up, recognizes the tossed about pieces.

"Oh I know this! Here, let me teach you guys!" We all sat down in the beanbags, Andrew and Clara on one side, with Justin and I on the other.

Clara quickly explained the rules and we began to play. The rules were pretty simple, when it was your turn you took a card from your hand and placed your token on the board matching the card. The goal was to match the pattern displayed on another card with your tokens. Clara was helping Andrew figure out his turn when I felt something brush my hand.

I looked over and one of Justin's hands was casually resting on top of mine, the other holding his cards, while he was looking at them intently. I don't think he even realized where his hand was placed.

It was warm, but not sweaty, gross warm, like the warmth from a campfire on a cool summer night. His fingers twitched slightly a little bit, and he continued gazing at his cards. He only looked up when Andrew placed his token on the board and announced that it was my turn.

Justin noticed where his hand was positioned and quickly moved it, crimson color flushing his cheeks, and I made my turn. Justin made his shortly after, and his hand found it's way back to mine. I didn't say anything about it, and neither did he, the two of us just sat there silently.

We each took a couple of more turns before the room got oddly quiet. The normal yellings and gigglings from the various people around the room stopped, and were replaced by hushed whispers and awkward glances. Justin quickly nudged my shoulder and I glanced over to see what everyone was so concerned about. To my surprise, relief, and possibly annoyance, it was simply Jarvin, standing in the doorway, his eyes scanning the room. His penetrating eyes landed on me and I felt my stomach drop.

"Alanis, Justin and Andrew." He called out. Andrew, Clara and Justin all looked towards me and each other. They nudged me and we all stood up. Now everybody's eyes came towards us. I felt like I was completely naked in a concert. "I need to speak with you three." I glanced towards my friends for comfort, but they all had looks of helplessness on their faces. Reluctantly I followed Jarvin out onto the balcony.

As soon as we stepped out the cool summer evening air hit my face. It was slightly moist, yet humid at the same time, and the sun was beginning to sink, casting an amber and purple hue throughout the skyline. Jarvin led us to the corner where there were several lawn chairs set up around a small fire pit. He motioned for me to take a seat, and so I did, justin and Andrew doing likewise. Jarvin sat across from me, and placed his hands neatly in his lap, crossing his legs.