Last Christmas (Private 0.60)

"The wonders of duct tape," he said, pointing to the metallic strip he'd secured over the lock. He pulled his

lighter from his pocket and ignited it, then gestured for Ariana to go in ahead of him.

The halls were eerily lifeless. Usually filled with laughter and loud music, they now echoed with heavy

silence. Ariana shivered in the

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cold, watching her breath rise and disappear in front of her. Silently, she followed him to the second floor,

turning away as they passed Daniel's room.

They stopped at the end of the hall, in front of Thomas's door. It was bare, unlike most of the other doors on

the hall, which were covered in bumper stickers, dry-erase boards, and pictures. He pushed the door open with

his free hand.

"It's not exactly a room at the Driscoll," he announced, holding the lighter in front of them. "But it should

work. At least for tonight."

The security lights on the quad afforded enough light for Ariana to see the state of Thomas's room. It looked

almost identical to the space she shared with Noelle, except it was about half the size. Thomas's side of the

room was sparse and neat. His thin plaid bedspread was stretched tightly over his single bed, and the desk

next to it was almost bare, with the exception of a few sharpened pencils in a pencil holder and an empty fifth

of Captain Morgan's. The essentials. The other side of the room was littered with dirty clothes and textbooks.

A large metal sign that said, it's miller time, hung over a cluttered desk, and the bed was unmade.

"Classy," she said wryly. "Did you rob a liquor store?"

"Harsh words from someone who just committed a felony." Thomas smirked. "Breaking and entering.

Considering your reputation, I would have expected more from you."

Ariana exhaled slowly. It seemed that the tension between them had dissolved as quickly as it had appeared.

And knowing that they were together in Thomas's room, out of the storm-out of

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sight-made her feel safe. She dropped her bag on Thomas's desk chair.

"You seem to be forgetting that I'm not the one breaking and entering here. I'm just the accomplice."

"Nice try. But you're in this just as deep as I am. If I go down, you're coming with me." For a moment, the

shadows moving across Thomas's face made him look different. Like a stranger. Dangerous. But then he

smiled and he was Thomas again. "Let me get the light."

"Don't." Ariana said quickly, reaching for him. She gripped his sleeve. "Someone might notice." She didn't