"Can I have your key?" Drew asked when we reached my room.

With shaky hands I pulled the key from my pant pocket and handed it to him almost robotically. I couldn't think straight, and I was too weak and cold to argue.

He quickly unlocked the door and held it open so I could enter.

I stood in the middle of the room, lost. I didn't know what to do with myself.

"You should take a shower to warm up." Drew suggested, sounding genuinely concerned.

I nodded and got a new pair of pjs, and then headed for the bathroom.

Once I stepped under the hot water I started to feel a bit better.

As I washed my hair I tried not to think of anything negative, but that was an impossible task. Someone murdered my family, and I had no idea who or why. And if I was next.

A knock at my door brought me out of my thoughts.

"Are you okay? You've been in there for a while."

"I'll be out in a minute." I called back.

Why was Drew suddenly worried about my well being? Maybe, just maybe, he wasn't such a bad guy after all.

Two minutes later I was dressed and sitting on my bed.

"I don't think you should be alone right now." Drew said as he took a seat on Sky's bed. He was wearing different clothes now, so he must've left to change while I showered.

"You shouldn't worry about me." I muttered. He had no reason to help me.

"Where's Skyalr?" He questioned.

I sighed, they picked the perfect weekend to ditch me. "Her and Jess are home for the weekend."

Drew furrowed his eyebrows as he thought and I almost laughed. He did that every time, it made him look like he was in pain when he thought too hard. All I could picture was his head exploding just before he finished his thought.

"I'll stay." Drew stated, breaking me out of my thoughts.

Wait, what? He can't stay. Not only was that against the rules, but it was also weird. And he didn't even ask.

"I don't care what you say, I'm staying. I can't just leave someone who, and hour ago, was outside in the dark, crying." He added, leaving no room for argument. And he was right, I couldn't be alone right now and I didn't have anyone else that could keep me company.

"You're sleeping on the floor." I replied. He was definitely not sleeping on Sky's bed, or mine.

"Fine." He replied, shrugging his shoulders nonchalantly.

I looked around the room uncomfortably, what were we suppose to do now?

"We should go to sleep." Drew replied to my thought.

How does he do that?

I got under my covers and turned off the lamp on my night table once Drew was set up on the ground between the two beds.

Was I supposed to say goodnight to him?

"Goodnight." Drew whispered, again answering my thought.

"Goodnight." I whispered back, and quickly fell asleep.

• • • • • • • • • • • • •

"Wake up!"

"Cora wake up!"

"Damit."

"Please stop screaming."

I opened my eyes to Drew hovering over me with his hands on my shoulders.

"W-what are you doing?" I exclaimed, pushing him away.

Drew slowly sat down on the floor as he replied "You were having a nightmare. I was trying to wake you up because you were screaming."

I felt something wet on my cheeks and wiped them away. Tears.

"Crap, I'm sorry."

Drew let out a humorless laugh, "You're sorry. For what? Having a nightmare? That's not your fault."

I looked into his eyes as he said that. They were filled with panic and anger.

"What happened to your aunt?" He quietly asked when I didn't say anything.

"What are you talking about?" I played dumb. How could he possibly know about my aunt?

He shrugged, "You mentioned her when you were having your nightmare."

"She died, I got the news last night." I told him, too exhausted to make up some excuse.

Drew looked at me with a strange expression I couldn't quite put my finger on, and simply said "I'm sorry."

"What time is it?" I asked, changing the subject. Hopefully it was late enough to get up.

Drew got out his phone. "5:38 a.m."

Perfect, I could get up and grab some breakfast.

As I got out of bed I looked down at the ground Drew had slept on. No blanket or pillow. He slept on the cold wooden floor.

"I'm so sorry. I should've got you a blanket and stuff." I apologized, and Drew just shrugged in reply.

"So you don't have to stay anymore. I'm fine now." I told him as I walked to the door. I wasn't really fine, but he didn't have to babysit me anymore.

"Where are you going?" He asked, ignoring what I said.

I rolled my eyes, he really didn't have to be a hero right now. "Breakfast."

"I'll come with you." He offered, and I wasn't going to say no. He was going with me whether I liked it or not.

We walked to the cafeteria in a comfortable silence, which was definitely a first for us. It was almost nice having him for company. Even if he was only being nice because I had a breakdown in front of him.

Just as we walked through the doors of our destination my phone started ringing. I didn't know why I even brought my phone, but I was glad I did.

"Hello?" I answered.

"Hey it's me, I'm on my way back to school. My family let me go early because I lied and said I have a test I need to study for. I'm coming to save you from your boredom."

"That's great! Not the lying part of course but I'm glad you're coming back." I replied, and my heart felt a little lighter knowing that Matt was on his way. I really needed a friend right now.

"Well I have to go, I'll see you in a couple hours. Bye Cora." Were Matt's parting words.

I muttered a quick "Bye." Into the phone right before he hung up, and rolled my eyes at his eagerness to come back.

"Who was that?" Drew asked when I put my phone in my pocket.

I jumped at the sound of his voice, I'd forgotten he was here.

"Matt, he's coming back early." I answered, and a smile creeped onto my lips. I couldn't help but feel happy, he's just what I need to help me cope with the news I got last night.

"I have to go." Drew suddenly said.

I looked at him, confused at his suddenly grumpy voice, and opened my mouth to ask what was wrong but he was gone before I could utter a single word.

What was his problem?

I shrugged off his weird mood swing and smiled at the cafeteria lady as I got my food.

• • • • • • • • • • • • •

"Matt!" I called as I saw him get out of his car. I'd been waiting outside so I could see him as soon as he arrived.

"Cora you look like crap." Was his oh so pleasant greeting.

"Wow, thanks. Great job boosting my ego." I sarcastically replied.

"I didn't mean it like that!" He exclaimed, "Your eyes are just kind of puffy and red, and you haven't brushed your hair."

I touched my hair self consciously and felt a very knotty spot. With all that happened I didn't pay any attention to how I looked, and now I was regretting it.

"What happened?" Matt continued, giving me a concerned look.

"Nothing, I just hate being alone I guess." I lied. I didn't feel like talking about it now, or ever.

"Well I'm here now." Matt quietly said as he pulled me in for a hug.

I wrapped my arms around him and we stayed like that for a minute. Being in his arms was oddly comforting.

"So what's the plan for today?" He asked when our hug ended.

"Want to go play cards or something?" I suggested. Why not do something mindless like playing cards?

"Alright, it's on. I'm totally gonna beat you in Go Fish."

I rolled my eyes at his cocky reply. He had no idea how badly he was wrong. I was the master of Go Fish, I won every time.

Once we got to the music den and set up the cards, I gave poor Matt a smirk.

"What are you looking all smug for huh?" He questioned, giving me a fake intimating stare.

"Oh you'll see." I replied cockily.

An hour and six games of Go Fish later, Matt realized why I had that smirk on my face.

"How do you do that?" He whined after I won for the sixth time in a row.

"I guess I'm just good at Go Fish." I replied, looking at him innocently.

"You hustled me!" He exclaimed when he realized I knew all along that I was going to win every game.

I shook my head and giggled, that poor sucker.

Matt pouted as I laughed at him, and then suddenly picked me up and put me over his shoulder.

"Hey! What are you doing?" I exclaimed as I tried to wiggle out of his grasp.

"I'm going to carry you around like this until you admit that you hustled me." He replied calmly as he walked out the door and into the hallway.

"You're gonna get in trouble." I told him, hoping that was enough for him to let me down.

He laughed, "Do you really think that's gonna stop me."

I sighed in defeat, why would I ever think that was going to work?

"If you just admit-"

"Never!" I yelled, cutting him off.

"Oh c'mon Cora."

I giggled, "It's not gonna happen."

"Just admit it." He sighed.

"What the hell are you guys doing?" A deep voice suddenly said, causing Matt to jump and almost drop me.

"Oh, hey Drew." Matt greeted when he saw who it was.

"Um, Matt? I think you can put me down now." I interjected, tapping him on the shoulder.

He let out a dramatic sigh but gently set me on my feet.

"Do you want to hang out with us?" I asked Drew when no one spoke. As much as I didn't want to see him, I felt bad for hogging his best friend.

"Uh-" Drew started but Matt cut him off.

"That would be great! My favourite guy and girl both hanging out with me."

Favourite girl huh?

"I guess." Drew replied when he realized that Matt was not going to take no for an answer.

"We can go to the gym and throw around a football or something if you two want?" Matt suggested as we started walking down the hall.

"Sure."

"I'm down."

Drew and I said at the same time

"You're pretty cool Cora Steele." Matt complimented me with a big smile on his face, obviously happy that I was alright with doing a "boy" thing. Little did they know that Go Fish wasn't my only hidden talent.

My dad was obsessed with football, so he taught me how to throw one as soon as I was able to hold the ball.

"Do you want us to get a smaller football so it's easier to throw?" Matt asked when we stepped into the gym.

"No, I think I can handle a regular one." I replied.

"Alright, your funeral." He teased.

Once he got the ball we spread out into a triangle. The cycle was Matt threw to me, I threw to Drew, and Drew threw to Matt.

"You can do better than that Matty!" I called once I caught the ball he threw. It was the softest throw I'd ever witnessed.

"I just don't want to hurt you." He replied as I threw a perfect spiral right into Drew's hands.

"Holy crap." I heard Drew say under his breath right before Matt exclaimed "Damn girl! Where'd you learn to throw like that."

"My dad wanted a boy." I joked. It was nice that I could mention my parents without feeling sad sometimes.

After throwing the ball around for half an hour we got bored and decided to play a game. Drew was the quarterback, Matt was on defense, and I was the receiver.

"Hut!" Drew called, and backed into his throwing position.

I juked Matt out and ran to where Drew threw the ball.

Matt had caught up to me by the time I was about to catch the ball, and tipped it so it went a bit higher and above my head.

I jumped and stuck my right hand up, hoping for a miracle, and then fell to the ground.

"What?!" I heard Matt yell.

"Did she get it?" Drew called.

I looked down at my stomach where my hands were, and saw the ball securely in them.

"Can anyone say Odell Beckham Jr.!" I exclaimed as I stood up and raised the ball over my head.

They both cheered and laughed as they ran over to me.

"Hey, wanna be on the team?" Matt joked as he gave me a pat me on the shoulder.

"No, all the other guys would feel bad that a girl is better than them." I replied, sticking my tongue out at them.

"That was just a lucky catch." Drew commented.

"If you threw the ball better I wouldn't have had to jump up and snatch it." I retorted.

"Hey, Matt tipped it. The ball would've landed in your hands if he hadn't." Drew replied, chuckling.

I could see the happiness in his eyes for the first time ever, and it was beautiful. His blue eyes seemed so much brighter.