A dorm room

(Chapter originally written by Ewong)

MONDAY.

18 SEPTEMBER.

9AM.

BIRTHDAY.

As the clock in the campus square chimed 9am, Theresa’s (Tree, to anyone other than authority figures) eyes slowly opened. The bright light coming through the window blinded her as she tried to get her bearings. Her head was pounding, her body was numb. As her eyes slowly focused, she realized she was not in her room at the sorority house.

"Hey, you're up! Yeah, I wasn't sure you wanted to sleep in or not..." a lanky figure suddenly stood and greeted her.

Tree eyed the person for a moment. They seemed tall. As her eyes saw their face, she couldn't help but feel a pang of regret. She had most likely "spent the night" with them. Not that they were ugly. Just not her usual, though definitely not the worst she'd woken up to.

"Am I...in a dorm room?" Tree asked.

"Uh, yep." The person replied.

Tree mentally kicked herself for spending the night with a dork in a dorm room instead of a fraternity. She was about to say something when...

“Yeeeeaahh, it's my birthday!

And I ain't gotta pick up the phone!”

Tree's alarm went off, making her check the time.

9:01am.

Tree sighed and stood up. The other person in the room turned around.

"Yeah, not sure you remember my name. Uh, pretty wasted last night." They said, noting Tree's necklace on the desk, not wanting to give it back yet.

"Got Tylenol?" Tree asked, holding her head.

"Huh?" They replied, turning around and placing a hand on their brow to shield their eyes.

"My head. Is. Killing me. Do you have any Tylenol?" Tree repeated slowly.

"Yes. I do..." they replied, rushing past Tree to the other side of the room, rummaging around drawers and cabinets.

Tree looked around for her shoes, and was a bit confused as to where they were.

"I'm Carter by the way." They said as they handed the Tylenol to Tree, still shielding their eyes with one hand.

"Thanks." Tree said, downing a couple tablets before noticing Carter holding a water bottle towards her.

"No problem..."

"Not a word of this to anyone, ok?" Tree said.

"Yeah. Sure." Carter replied.

"Uh, where are my shoes?" Tree asked, frustrated.

"Shoes? That's the only thing you care that are missing?" Carter asked.

Tree looked down and gasped.

"Where are my clothes?!" She spat.

"Yeah...about that." Carter began.