49. The walls have eyes!

Anderson had never seen Carl panic before.

  But that evening, he did.

Carl quickly wrapped the towel around his waist and stared at Anderson in shock. “What?” He bellowed and stormed to him, “What the hell do you mean by he just *confirmed* it?”

Anderson’s heart did a backflip when he saw the rage in Carl’s eyes and he began to stutter. “I-I…I heard it earlier but then I wasn’t sure if it was actually true. There were suspicions because they planted a few in the hallways. B-But I just got to find out that it’s also in our rooms.”

  “So, you mean that…you mean-” Carl voice grew thin until it was inaudible and he looked around, his eyes desperately searching for the secret camera. “You can’t be fucking serious! They can’t do that. They are infringing on our privacy…” he froze for a minute or so, then glared at Carl, “who the fuck are you working with, Anderson?”

Anderson’s eyes widened and the color drained from his face instantly. “W-What? What are you talking about, Carl? What do you mean…I-I am not working for anyone! Why would you even ask that?” he stuttered, his heart pounding with fear and anxiety.

   Carl sauntered to him, his hands curled into veiny fists, “You suspected that the room was bugged,” he said as Anderson slowly rose to his feet. “Then, why the fuck didn’t you say anything about it before we had sex?” he asked, his voice cold and menacing. His hand suddenly shot out and he grabbed Anderson’s neck and shoved him against the wall. “Why?!”

Anderson’s eyes bulged out of their sockets and the cold hands of death crept up his spine when he couldn’t feel the ground under his feet anymore. He desperately tried to suck in air, but he couldn’t. His mouth hung open and he choked on the air that couldn’t glide down his nostrils and throat. His face was turning blue and veins bulged out from his temples and neck.

  “Ca-Carl!” he gurgled desperately and weakly beat Carl’s incredibly strong arm weakly with his feeble hands. “I…c-can’t breathe! Carl! Please!”

Carl’s eyes blared with anger and only Anderson’s desperate please snapped him out of it. He let go of him abruptly and Anderson’s body dropped limply on the ground. “Fuck!” Carl exclaimed and ran his fingers through his hair, “you should have told me about it, you fucking idiot!”

  Anderson coughed out profusely until his bloodshot eyes watered. He clutched his chest, taking huge, labored breaths until his chest calmed a bit. His heart was still thumping pretty heavily. His life had flashed before his eyes. He couldn’t believe how ruthless Carl could be in the twinkle of an eye. But this was a situation that warranted such panic, so he couldn’t completely blame him.

   “I couldn’t-” he coughed out again and took a deep breath, rubbing the hot sore on his throat, “you didn’t give me the chance to. You were all over me the second I walked in. How could I talk?”

“Fuck!” Carl exclaimed, then picked his trouser off the bed and threw it at Anderson. “Put something on, for fuck’s sake! You look ridiculous.”

Anderson slowly slipped into the trousers and rose to his feet again, “What do we do now, Carl? We’re fucked, aren’t we?”

  Carl didn’t reply. He was staring interminably at the white wall, his brain drowned in his worrisome thoughts. This couldn’t be. If this was actually true, then there was a camera footage of him and Anderson. And if by some dreadful circumstances, that footage was leaked, he was fucked! His inheritance, gone! His name! Everything! His father would surely disown him.

    “Would you stop breathing so heavily?” He snapped at Anderson, who seated on his bed, rocking back and forth. “I’m trying to think here.”

Anderson caught his breath and breathed into his pillow when he couldn’t hold it any longer. He was so nervous. He had to calm himself down in order to text Jason, his fingers were quivering like they had been frozen for hours.

  ‘*What the fuck, Jason? What does this mean?*’

Carl was pacing up and down the room now, glancing at the walls, still in search of hidden camera. He grew more frustrated with each passing second. He suddenly stared at Anderson and stroked his beardless chin.

   “This is so fucked up.” He mumbled.

‘*This is bullshit. There is only one way to actually solve this and save a lot of our fornicating asses, Andie*.’ Jason replied.

  ‘*What is that???!'*

“There is only one way forward right now.” Carl was saying, drawing Anderson’s divided attention away from his phone.

At the same time Carl muttered it, Jason’s text popped up, saying exactly the same thing.

  *A protest*.

***

“A protest? How the hell is that supposed to help us?” Anderson asked.

Carl nodded to himself now, “Mhm hmm, yes, that’s right,” he soliloquized for a few seconds, then looked at Anderson. “Think about it. Someone has to be in the control room and it has to be somewhere hidden. I doubt that whoever that is will have access to the control room on weekdays.” He frowned, “I don’t know. I’m just lost in my thoughts right now. But the protest will serve as a distraction for someone to destroy whatever evidence they have on us. But that’s almost impossible.”

   Anderson frowned, not quite following Carl at this point. “What is? The protest or destroying the footage?”

“Both. No protest, no footage destruction,” Carl said with a frown and perched on the edge of his bed. And that is because, a protest here at Beale Crest will never be a success without the head of the student’s union spearheading it.”

  Anderson stared at him in confusion.

Carl rolled his eyes, “Otherwise known as the Student president. That is-”

  “Sam Spears.”

Carl stared at him in surprise, “I see that you are finding your way around here pretty quickly.”

  Anderson only shrugged, “Found out from Jason earlier today. So? Don’t you think she’ll be in the same mess as us? Or something similar? She’ll definitely want to lead the protest, no?”

To his utter dismay, Carl shook his head. “Not Sam Spears. She won’t do anything to go against Beale Crest’s rules. She’s like the college’s first daughter or something and she’s also very stubborn and difficult to deal with.”

  Anderson sighed shakily, “We might really be fucked this time around.” He said and dropped on his bed, staring up at the ceiling gloomily, “I’m really sorry, Carl. Words can’t express how sorry I feel for all this…you wouldn’t have had any issues if I hadn’t moved in here as your roommate.”

  “Shut up.” Carl snapped and dialed Keisha’s number. “Hey, can we meet up real quick?”

“Aww, missing me already, tough guy?” Her proud voice oozed through the phone.

Carl frowned, but kept the anger out of his voice, “Can you come to my room?”

 There was a moment of hesitation before she replied.

“Beale Crest is as hot as a bloody oven, Carl. If you want to fuck me, has to be at an hotel.” She replied, “And it’s not even a choice. I want that dick of yours.”

Carl sighed and closed his eyes, “Fine, the Magnolia Grand hotel. Seven Pm. Is that good?”

    “I’ll get back to you. Might be busy tonight.”

Carl grunted in frustration, “Keisha, this is very urgent.”

   “Uh, fine, baby. Are you this desperate for my pussy?”

“Seven pm, Keisha.” Carl stated and ended the call. He strolled to Anderson, “we can’t be fucked. What do you think the school authorities will do when they find out that their brilliant scholarship student is gay and has been getting some dick in the dormitory, huh? You have no one to enforce your stay here at Beale Crest, so I suggest you hit Mia up, fuck her out of her senses somewhere and get her to tell you anything she knows about Sam.”

  Anderson gasped when he realized what Carl was driving at, “We are going to blackmail Sam, aren’t we?”

   Carl stared at him, befuddled, “How the hell do you think I got Corson to give you your correct grades?” he asked and scoffed.

 Anderson blew air at his cheeks at let it slowly trickle out of his lips. This wasn’t just about Carl’s reputation and his scholarship. He could literally lose everything! Even his offer from…*oh no!*

  *Mr. Brimmer!*