Chapter Three

Both Kristi and Mason shared a look of confusion as Rori led them toward the facility building insead of the student dorms, “umm Roro did you hit your head or something,” Mason inquired playfully and Rori spun on her heel before punching Mason in the stomach and she knew it was hard enough to shut him up from the hollow sound her fist made against his washboard torso. “No just shut up and come on,”she snapped and grabbed Mason by the wrist.  Rori was now pulling both Mason and Kristi by the arm toward a stand alone building with a private elevator and armed guard on each side. Mason gasped and Kristi started to speak but Rori elbowed her as they reached the elevator. Rori slid her card in the reader prompting the elevator to open and stepped inside, followed by Kristi and Mason who turned to look at the guards with a devious grin, “Man does anybody else smell wet dog...gross,” without another word Mason hit the button laughing. Rori thought she heard growling but figured it was the groaning sound of the elevator, “damn Mason did you hear that? you might wanna cut down on the snacks the elevator sounds like it's gonna drop us.” Rori threw her head back laughing and Kristi elbowed her brother giving him a dirty look, Mason only shrugged and cocked his head to the side with a small grin. 

When the doors opened it looked like any normal dorm hall, except there was a very small entrance area with what looked like only five or six rooms. As they stepped out of the elevator Rori froze and Kristi ran into the back of her, “what the hell Rori,” she laughed and then looked past Rori to see Max leaning on one of the closed doors. “Wow you take forever,” Max said out loud peering over the top of his sunglasses. “You know you usually take your glasses off when you are inside right,” Rori snapped in his direction as she made her way down the small hallway to the door she assumed was hers, since there was a single lilly taped the door. 

Headie had started doing that for Rori when he was the overseeing headmaster at one of her prep schools, he had asked her why she didnt go home on weekends like other kids and her brutal honesty at such a young age moved him. So he started placing flowers on her door and told her they were a way for the school to welcome her back home after such a long time away. 

Rori smiled as she took the flower and nuzzled its sweet fragrance before opening the door to her new home. Rori gasped immediately the place looked amazing, dark charcoal floors and walls while all the countertops and cabinets were white. Everything looked modern and smelled clean and fresh. Rori sighed in delight, the place was truly beautiful but it was more of an apartment then a room she noticed. It also had a full kitchen and separate bedroom. There was a small white breakfast table that separated the kitchen from the larger living room space. The sitting area had a light gray sectional that wrapped around one wall with a t.v hung on the opposite wall, but the huge picture window and small balcony that sat between them had Rori’s undivided attention. She wandered almost hypnotically toward the balcony and almost tripped over her bags, but just as she was about to reach for the door handle an arm shot in front of her and closed her hand around the knob. “Not so fast, missy I need to check the balcony first.” Rori looked up to see Max was connected to the arm but was so startled she screamed anyway. The sound caught Max off guard and he grabbed his head with both hands trying to block the sound from entering his ears, both Kristi and Mason shot through the door to Rori’s room so fast they bumped into each other as they squeezed through the threshold. Mason jumped over the kitchenette table like it was a stepping stone, closing as much space between them as possible. Mason arrived at the pair and used his momentum to plant a flat palm in the middle of Max’s broad chest and shove the larger man back hard enough to cause him to stumble but not fall.  “Rori are you ok what's wrong we heard you scream,” Kristi blurted out as Mason crouched slightly to get Rori’s attention, he knew she didn't really like being touched so he tried his hardest to respect that, she was like a second sister to him, not as close as his twin but still a little sister he loved and felt the need to protect especially since she was so fragile. Mason knew how painfully small her world was, he knew she had more or less grown up in private schools so any world outside of that was alien to her completely. 

Mason cradled his hands under Rori’s elbows but he still did not touch her, he waited for her to hug him first. Rori’s version of hugging Mason was to fold her arms into herself and curl into his chest while he wrapped his arms around her and rubbed her back until she calmed down.   

Max stared at the weird pair as Mason waited for Rori to crash into him like a title wave. Kristi calmly walked up to the half confused driver and touched his arm gently, “What the hell did you do?” she said sweetly and Max almost melted on the spot before he reminded himself he was actually here on a job officially, “but Kristi was definitely going to complicate things,” he thought to himself. Max put his hands up in surrender and shrugged his shoulders. “No clue beautiful I tried to stop her from going onto the balcony until I have secured the area and the minute my hand touched her’s BOOM she did...whatever that is,” Max said and pointed his chin toward Rori who was pouting and grumbling into Mason’s chest as he rubbed her back and reassured her that she was safe. Mason shot a dirty look at Max and Kristi,“don't worry Ro I will keep you safe from the big bad wolf,” he soothed and Kristi rolled her eyes as Max growled under his breath,“Your brother is a jackass.” Max cleared his throat as he walked toward Rori with his hands out in front of him in a show of submission “Listen Ms. Rori? Im sorry I scarred you it was out of line for me to touch you like that, I just haven't checked the perimeter properly yet and my employer would have my head if anything happened to you so please understand it is in my best interest to protect you...that means I would never do anything to hurt you,” and Max shot Mason a telling look both demanding and pleading with him to not make the situation worse. Looking almost defeated Max turned his back to Rori and Mason, he glanced at Kristi, “I will be just across the hall if you need anything sweetest Kristi,” and he strode out of the room closing the door behind him. 

“What the fuck is wrong with that guy,” Rori’s voice sounded muffled due to the fact she still had her face in Mason’s stomach. Mason laughed and let go of Rori, “Yea and he still never checked out here,” as he opened the door that led to the narrow balcony outside and Rori followed. The view wasn't stellar by any means it only gave a view of the school grounds and the highway behind it but Rori liked the feel of the wind so the view was no big deal for her .“This is awesome,” Rori squealed and her and Kristi giggled again in unison. After a few more minutes Rori turned around and went back inside to inspect the file folder Headie had given her. It explained that this would be her room and that the entire building was separated from all the other staff aside from the adjoining rooms on her floor  the only way to gain access to her floor was with the key card Headie’s file went on to explain that the dorm was set up originally for the headmaster and his family to utilize, but since Headie had no family he never lived in it and so the place sat unused for the most part, unless they had guests. The letter also explained that the other rooms were empty and she was welcome to discreetly invite friends to stay if she so chose, but they would not be admitted to have their own cards as the keys also opened up most of the faculty facilities. 

Mason plopped down on the sectional and stretched out on his back with his feet up and his hands behind his head. “Thats fuckin sweet Rori, does that mean I get to stay in one of the rooms down the hall because you love me so much and we all know i’m your favorite twin,” almost as soon as the words left his mouth Kristi jumped, elbow first into the center of her brother, Mason’s body folded around her with a painful groan. Rori rolled her eyes as Mason started to tickle Kristi until she was begging for him to stop. “You guys go do whatever, I'm sure the rooms are furnished so go ahead and find the one that suits you, or stay here whatever... but i'm gonna shower and probably take a nap or something I have a ton of unpacking to do.” Kristi and Mason stopped horsing around and stood up, Kristi ran over and wrapped her arms around her friend, “Roro I just want you to know I love you so much!” and before she could utter another word Mason wrapped them all up in a group hug “alright you sappy hoe’s break it up,” he chirped and the two girls laughed again. 

Rori felt so thankful for her friends at that moment, Kristi and Mason both released their friend and turned to walk out of the room when Rori remembered the conversation her and Kristi were having on the way here.

“Oh Kris what time is dinner?” Rori asked, she suddenly had a feeling that Kristi had not told her brother because of the way Mason whipped his head around to look at his sister. Kristi shot Mason a pointed look and looked at Rori, “umm dinner is at 10 is that ok?” Rori’s mouth dropped open “yea, but holy shit Kristi why so late?” Kristi and Mason both laughed and Mason added “My dad has been working late hours and wants a family dinner so 10 it is'' Rori looked sad suddenly and started to fiddle with her hands. “Oh if it's a family dinner maybe I should just rain check, I have a ton of unpacking to do anyway...besides you know your dad doesn't really like me.”  

Kristi stomped her foot in protest and Rori jumped looking her friend in the eye. “Now hold on just a damn minute Rori Lovell, you are just as much family as my dad and he does like you, he’s just not really a friendly kind of guy.” Mason crossed his arms cuckling, “first off my dearest sister don't lie to our only friend... dad doesn't like anyone, especially his own children.” Mason looked Rori dead in the eye with a huge grin, “we have an ongoing bet that the only person he really loves is mom, he just tolerates us because we are related.” Rori laughed and shook her head, “I'm gonna shower what time do I need to be ready by?” Kristi clapped her hands and jumped up and down “yea! and you can get Max to drive us there!” Mason rolled his eyes and made a gagging sound as he walked out the door, Rori just laughed and stuck her finger down her throat making the same sound Mason did “You are shameless Kris.” Kristi put her hands together pleadingly and stuck her bottom lip out, “pretty please Roro, for your bestie” Rori laughed and shook her head lightheartedly, “Ok fine you win, how about you go tell him we are going and then you can sit in the  front with him so he knows where to go,” Rori gave Kristi an exaggerated wink, both girls giggled relentlessly again and Kristi blew Rori a kiss before she skipped out of her room leaving Rori standing alone in her new place. 

Rori took one last look outside before grabbing the  bag containing all her toiletries and towels, then digging through another to find some spandex biking shorts and a large t-shirt with the school's mascot on it. Rori laughed out loud as she thought about how Headie looked a lot like the mascot, it was a large, plump mole character with a huge smile, bottle glasses and a book in one hand. 

Rori walked into the bedroom and gasped, the bed was huge and had a dark gray dust cover that matched the walls. The room was spacious and had a large glass wall window just like the living room, although there was no balcony access. She walked into the bathroom and gasped again. It had a single pedestal sink and floating mirror with a vanity next to it that had a full length horizontal mirror that covered the remainder of the wall. The toilet she assumed was behind the small door at the end of the mirror, Rori spun around and almost fell into the sunken jacuzzi tub in the center of the floor. Rori squealed with delight and said so many silent thank you’s to her headmaster; she made a mental note to make him some oatmeal chocolate chip cookies for giving her such an amazing room. Rori glanced up and noticed that there was a skylight that matched the size of the tub and she couldn't wait to take a bath by starlight. 

The last wall had a corner with a stand up shower in it, Rori immediately stripped off her uniform and tossed it on the bed before running back into her bathroom and taking the hottest shower she could stand. 

After the shower Rori’s body was so exhausted from the heat she barely got herself dry and her hair in a towel before she slipped into her clothes and collapsed on the enormous bed, falling into a sleep that hopefully would involve sweet dreams and help her forget about the hell that was her step father. Rori woke up with a start and from the look of the sun coming in through the window it was late afternoon. Rori’s body let her know that it needed food and now by making a horrible groaning sound. She stood up holding her stomach, again it growled so loud she swore it echoed in the room. Rori waltzed into the kitchen frowning, “she should have thought to go to the store before she showered and slept,” she thought to herself, but decided to open the fridge anyway just out of curiosity, when she looked at interior door she found an entire stock of condiments and jams, with her mouth open she glanced further into the refrigerated unit and found there were sliced deli meats and cheeses of all kinds. Under the shelves were  two drawers one full of fresh fruit, the other full of greens and vegetables. Rori moaned in pleasure and made another mental note to make Headie cookies and a huge double chocolate cake for stocking her fridge. 

She grabbed a small bag of carrots and some ranch hummus laying on the shelf before she found a bottle of water in the door. Rori set her bounty on the island behind her and opened the pantry, she squeaked in pleasure when Headie had delivered yet again. All her favorite crackers and cookies along with a few different types of sliced bread, all sorts of dry goods and sauces along with a few peanut butter spreads. Rori bit her bottom lip and moaned before grabbing a package of chocolate chip cookies. She closed the pantry and hopped up on the counter to munch on her snacks. Rori was absolutely starving, but didn't want to eat so much she wouldn't be able to dine tonight with Kristi and her family. Rori was sure the twins father was not fond of her regardless of what they said to her and Rori assumed it was because of Henry, most people were under the impression she was a spoiled brat and Rori had exhausted years trying to prove people wrong, she finally came to the conclusion it was better to let people think what they wanted because the ones worth keeping around would figure out the truth on their own in time.  Rori stuffed a few cookies in her mouth before she tossed the package on the counter and tore into the bag of carrots and hummus. She had just popped a few smothered carrots into her mouth and began to chew when her door flew open and Mason’s body went sailing through the air like they were in an action movie, Rori screamed and dropped everything she was holding, causing it to splatter all over the floor and cabinets. Max came storming into the room as Mason was trying to collect himself from the floor, the young man was laughing and Kristi soon followed, grabbing Max by the arm pulling him to a stop. “Im sorry Max! please listen its just a prank ok... he does this stupid shit all the time!”

Rori was staring at the trio trying to process as much as she could when she saw Max start to scratch feverishly from his crotch and down his thighs, she realized why Mason was now laughing and Kristi was apologizing. “ Mason must have filled Max’s pants with itch powder, a classic prank he had taught her years ago,” she thought trying not to follow Mason, who  was still laughing, “careful Kristi it looks like your prince charming has a little problem, maybe he caught something from a stray,” Mason cackled. Rori laughed in spite of her fear and suddenly all eyes in the room were on her. Max looked around like he just realized where he was and to Rori’s horror he started running toward her. 

She was so petrified with fear she couldn't understand the words coming out of his mouth and sank to the floor holding her head. Rori squeaked like a helpless animal as she heard his feet slip on the hummus covered marble floor and with a huff of air escaping his chest Max hit the floor flat on his back. This action only caused Mason to erupt in a fit of laughter again and Rori could hear Kristi giggling a little. 

Rori looked up to see Max lying next to her on the floor staring at her, “are you gonna tell your dad,” Max asked with a straight face and Rori couldn't believe her ears. He sounded like a teenager, she laughed in spite of herself and huffed, “Henry is not my dad.” Max sat up and Rori flinched, falling and covering the back of her shorts. Kristi ran over and stopped just behind Max. “RO I wanna see if you're ok but i'm not ruining my shoes in whatever that is,” Rori rolled her eyes, “Its ranch hummus” and she looked at Max “If I agree not to tell Henry then you owe me,” she stared into his pupils so he knew she was serious. Max looked up at Kristi who blushed and started to fiddle with her fingers,  he looked at Rori with a half amused smile “deal Ms. Rori'' and extended a dip covered hand to her, Rori laughed and shook his hand. “One more thing Max, stop calling me miss ok its creepy,” and she rolled her eyes. 

Mason walked around the other side of the  Island and offered Rori his hand. She took it and not so gracefully began slipping to her feet before grabbing the counter.   “Thanks Mace,” Rori said and grinned when he looked at her making an exaggerated frowning face, “sure eww though,” Mason exclaimed and as he tried to let go of her Rori threw her arms around his neck and pulled herself close to his chest, trying to avoid stepping in anymore of the smeared dip on the floor. “Take me to the bathroom, Hi, Ho, silver” Rori shouted and Mason groaned as he slung her over his shoulder and galloped away toward her bedroom, leaving Max and Kristi alone staring at each other.//