Jax (Male P.O.V) 

Date: September 14, 2238

I limped into my dorm room, holding a bag of ice in one hand with a small brown box tucked underneath my arm. The pain in my knee had lessened to a dull throb, so I decided not to go to the infirmary. I wouldn't waste time bothering the doctor for that tiny ache. Instead, I would use the time to come up with a solution to my problem.

I dropped my tired body into the leather desk chair behind one of the two desks dividing the room. After placing the ice on my knee, I tossed the package over my shoulder onto my bed. It bounced in the navy blue rumpled sheets before falling to the clothes-strewn covered floor.

"I'll pick that up later," I mumbled, resting my head against the headrest and closing my eyes. With my legs splayed wide, I basked in the cool air-conditioned air as it chilled my heated skin. I sighed when not even a minute later, my computer beeped and disrupted my tranquil silence.

I shook the mouse and ignored the red notification telling me to update my virus protection. While simultaneously reaching for the black earpiece, laying next to my keyboard. I picked it up and placed it in my ear. "Hey, what did you send me?"

"You didn't open it yet?" A small smile tugged at my lips at the sound of the soothing voice in my ear. I was used to and loved Amber's straightforward approach. It was a welcome change when you were used to so many people beating around the bush or just being an asshole. Lawrence was the latter.

I shook my head, clearing my thoughts of him.

"No, I just walked into my room and sat down." I glanced at the box before rolling backward in the chair, pushing aside crumpled clothing until I reached my bed.

"Long day, hmm?" The sound of her humming in my ear immediately triggered a response from my dick, causing it to twitch beneath my sweat-drenched briefs. My body was exhausted, but the sound of Amber's voice was the cure for at least one part of my anatomy.

I glanced down at the crotch of my pants. Calm down, boy. She's not interested in this package.

"Yeah, very long," I responded, picking up the box and rolling back towards the computer. There was no way I would tell her the exact details and risk further humiliation. "What's in this thing?" I asked, shaking the package in one of my hands.

"What's taking you so long to open it?"

"I had to pick it up off the floor-"

"What?!" She hissed, and I immediately stopped shaking the package. I grabbed the scissors, laying on the edge of my desk. "Jax, I'll kill you if you broke it."

I gulped, very grateful she couldn't see me.

"Jax?" I didn't bother to respond as I placed the box on the desk and dragged one blade of the scissors down the middle and across the ends, cutting the tape. I pulled back the flaps of the box and removed the glasses from the bubble wrap surrounding it.

"Are these new camera glasses?" I asked carefully, setting them down on my desk after pushing aside the few scattered papers covering the space.

"Sort of. They're new to you. I finished restoring the glasses yesterday and had someone deliver them to you today. Hurry and set them up! Play around with them and call me back to let me know what you think." An unknown perk of being close friends with Amber was that I got to test out the newest or restored gadgets before anyone else.

Even though I preferred it when she created new gadgets, one of my favorites was the X-Ray specs that allowed the user to see someone's skeletal frame. Another favorite was the earbuds that allowed me to hear through these thick dorm room walls.

"Alright." I answered, my attention divided between the glasses and Amber before the earpiece went silent.

Ten minutes later and I sat staring at my screen monitors as they displayed my "Hang in there, baby!" cat screensaver.

I raked my hands through my unkempt dark brown hair and flinched away from the stench coming from my armpit. I was in desperate need of a shower since I was still wearing the clothes that I had exercised in, but my focus remained on the glasses. I glanced at the bag of ice, now water, sitting next to my boots as I leaned over to unlace them.

Nothing. Not even a status bar popped up on the screen in the time it took me to untie my shoes and nudge them off my feet.

What's wrong with this thing? A frustrated growl forced its way past my tightly clenched lips before I slapped one of the computer monitors. I winced and shook my throbbing red hand that had come into contact with the rigid plastic material.

The corners of my lips tilted up in a smile when the sound of beeps came from my computer speakers. When I realized it was the update virus protection notification and not the glasses connecting, my smile deflated. I grabbed the mouse with my uninjured hand, wishing for some more ice as I closed the notification tab.

"You like them?" Amber asked through the earpiece returning at the perfect time.

"I can't even get them to work," I grumbled.

"Did you try holding down the power button?"

"Yeah, and nothing happened," I leaned back in the chair and scratched my chin.

"Maybe you broke them, Jax. Why were they on the floor, hmm?"

"I uh..." My mouth repeatedly opened and closed, struggling to find an excuse. I had forgotten that I had thrown the glasses and shook the box like an idiot.

"It's working!" Both of us exclaimed at the same time when the cheery ping of the notification came from my computer speakers. I picked up the glasses, placed them on my face, and turned around to look in the mirror that hung on the bathroom door.

"How the fuck you get in here?!" I asked, jumping in my chair at the sight of a guy lingering in my doorway. The chair rolled backward, bumping into my desk, causing my computers to wobble until I reached back to steady them.

My gaze never left the guy as I tilted the glasses down on my nose, checking with my eyes if he was there and not the glasses malfunctioning.

My eyebrows rose probably, disappearing into my hairline when the guy continued to advance in the room without answering my question.

I squinted and tilted my head. "Oh, it's you. Man, thanks again for helping me off the field." My heartbeat slowed now that I recognized him, but I couldn't recall his name.

"I'm fine now. I don't need any more help." I stood up to show my knee was better and the exit.

He nodded and continued to move around the room, touching every piece of furniture. "Wow, this is some nice stuff you have here!"

My eyes widened in disbelief as I watched his black-painted fingers glide over the knobs of the wooden dresser caressing it. His lips puckered, and his eyes twinkled in fascination when he spotted the wooden brush and comb laying on top. He picked them up and closely examined each object. 

Not once did he look at me.

The fuck? I looked up at the ceiling and blew an exasperated breath from my lips as I stood there with my hands on my hips. He ignored me as he wandered around my room as if this was a museum.

Okay, maybe not a museum. Because at museums, they had ropes and signs that made it clear that you weren't supposed to touch the art. Nothing in the room was art, but still...

I wasn't bothered by him touching my stuff until he walked over to the other side of my dorm room and picked up a picture of me and my brother Troy. I quickly crossed the room, snatched the picture frame from him, and gently placed it on the dresser.

Technically, Troy wasn't my biological brother but calling him best friend wasn't enough to classify our relationship after what we had experienced together.

"You have cameras in here. Where are they?" He asked, moving away from me and sitting down in my chair. He spun the chair around and looked through the footage. His head remained firmly glued to his chest and his back hunched as he rewinded the footage of the last few minutes. From my position, I glimpsed brown eyes and a slightly crooked nose before I pressed the button to turn off the monitor.

"Hey, what was your name again?" I asked.

"I'm Ashley, sorry." He apologized, flashing a quick smile in my direction as he stroked the armrest.

Oh, sure. Just make yourself at home. I kept my face blank as he leaned back and crossed his ankles, relaxing in my chair. It was clear he had no plans to move anytime soon.

"Well, Ashley, was it? I was kind of in the middle of something..." I trailed off.

"Okay, I understand. Go ahead and continue. Just pretend I'm not even here." Ashley said as he blinked both eyes at me, not moving to leave the room.

"You're funny," I said through gritted teeth trying to control my annoyance. "But you see, Ashley, I need to be alone..." I continued walking backward toward the door and gesturing with my thumb for him to leave.

"Got it. Hey, maybe we can hang out sometime." Ashley suggested as he stood from the chair and glanced around the room once again.

"Yeah, uh... maybe. Just one question." I scratched the back of my head and adjusted the glasses on my face.

"Hmm?" Ashley hummed as he stepped out into the hallway. I didn't bother to look at the few people passing by as I kept my gaze firmly locked on him.

"Ho-ho-how did you get into the room? You need a key card or the code to unlock the door." I stood with one hand on the open door and the other on the door frame blocking his view of the room with my body.

"Ha, ha! It was slightly open. I can't believe you don't remember Jax. Anyway, I got to get going. I'll see you around." He strolled down the hall laughing until he turned the corner and disappeared from my view.

Closing the door, I returned to sit at my desk while I replayed the strange encounter.

"What was that about?"

"Fuckkk!" I exclaimed, jumping in my seat at the sound of Amber's voice in my ear. I slowly breathed in and out, trying to calm my racing heartbeat before I said, "I don't know. I was just about to check the footage."

"Well, he seems strange."

"Yeah. I can't believe you stayed quiet through the entire thing. What if he tried to kill me? What would you have done?" I asked, turning my chair so I could keep one eye on the door.

"Stop being dramatic, and I would have eventually called security."

"Eventually? Dang, that's messed up." I told her as a smile spread across my face.

"Well, next time, don't throw something I send you on the floor." She replied as I tried to control my laughter.

She sighed, "I got to go, Jax. Let me know what you find."

I nodded, forgetting that we couldn't see each other before I said, "Alright, I'll talk to you later."

I removed the earpiece from my ear and set it on my desktop. When the keypad beeped and the lock disengaged, I swiveled around in the chair facing the door. Troy pulled open the door, walked into the room, and headed towards the bathroom.

"Hey, how was..." I trailed off, noticing the drops of water dripping from his hair onto his face and his clothing plastered to his body.

"It's pouring out there. Why are you sitting in the dark?" He asked, nodding to the blind-covered window before he flicked on the light switch.

"I didn't notice." I turned towards the window glaring at the rain-streaked glass.

Why couldn't it have rained earlier?

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*Author's Note* Sorry if this chapter is boring but the camera glasses will be used to help solve the mystery. 

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