“This is amazing! Are your roommates okay with me spontaneously moving in here?”
“Yeah, it’s no problem at all, Naya. I spoke to Damian about you and your situation. He says he’s cool with it. Alexis is glad that another girl will be round. Finding you made things way more easier than hunting for a roommate on such short notice.”
Oliver walled me a though the four bedroom apartment. Looking out the window in the living room, I saw a Chinese restaurant across the street that was highlighted by vibrant neon signs, a 7-Eleven on the corner of the street, and two pizza joints on the same block. I’m so lucky I met this saint, Oliver, in my business finance class. I’m so relieved have a place to stay. Cheap apartment deals goes fast in a city like Chicago, so I must have a sign on my forehead that says “World, take it easy on me. I need an apartment to fall right on my lap!” Thanks world. We go to DeVry University, which is only a five minute walk from this apartment in Lincoln Park. The second part of the campus downtown is only some public transport rides away. Right now, I’m the happiest girl. I almost feel spoiled.
I look over the apartment with brand new eyes. From the dark brown leather sofa, the flat screen television, and books lying askew everywhere, the place seems suspiciously too clean for boys to be living here, but then I remember Alexis. I can see the feminine touch to the place; the fresh arrangement of flowers on the kitchens small island, the soft throw blanket and pillows on the sofa that and beautiful patterns on them, and the coasters on the coffee table. Walking to the bathroom, I hold my breath and think about the worst case scenarios possible. Maybe the worst that can be in there is mold, and I’d just have to wear my flip flops in the shower to protect me from fungus. I’d squat every time I use the toilet. When I walk inside I am shocked to find that it looks spotless in here. I grow caution still. It can all just be looks. It looks clean, but underneath are germs, germs, germs!
Looking at my calculating face, it’s like Oliver can read my mind and says, “Yeah, we try to be really strict when it comes to keeping shared spaces freakishly clean. Alexis won’t have it if the toilet seat still is up after use, so she really enforced cleanliness in here. She loves her baths, and I don’t mind mine either. So, the cleaning supplies are always under the sink in here and the kitchen. Like Alexis always says: Bleach is your friend!” On a smile that seems contagious, he leads me out of the bathroom and to my room. He already sat my boxes and bags in here for me near the door. The room isn’t huge, but I don’t need much. As long as I have a bed and a roof over my head, I can not complain.
I walk to the bed and sit on the soft mattress I lug with me every place I live. “This is all so nice! I can’t tell you how amazing this is for me. This is a little too much space for the city.”
“I know. We hit the gold pot of coins finding this place.”
“I’m incredibly grateful for you guys letting me stay here.”
“I’m glad there’s an additional nerd to the mix. I guess now it'll be easier to share the best science fiction books with you and not have to wait until I eventually see you again.”
liked Oliver right off the bat. Our similar interests in comic books, sci-fi books, and gadgets makes us alike. He looks, what I consider, pretty. His aqua blue eyes, short, messy dark blonde hair, and perfectly straight nose gave him a boyish charm. When we’re together, he catches the eyes of numerous girls who are envious for his attention. Little do they know, Oliver bats for the other team. He never lets them know though. He just charms the pants off everyone and never lets things escalate.
“What are Alexis and Damian like?”
Oliver leans against the doorframe to my room and looks up at nothing in particular. “Hmmm… As you probably already know, Alexis is a neat freak. She’s hardly ever here because he’s always rushing to go to the library, or she’s tutoring someone in a math class. She really is the kindest person you can meet.
I process what he’s saying like I’d have to remember it for a test, remembering it all for when I meet her. “Cool. What about Damian?”
“He’s who I get all the good sci-fi reads from, so you can also go to him for all the recommendations. He’s quiet and keeps to himself a lot. He’s alright as far as I know since he’s hardly ever around too. That or he’s in his room. Oh, he’s pretty hot too.”
Great. Now I’m probably going to embarrass myself and look a fool in front of him. I was hoping that he was ugly because my socially awkward self doesn’t know how to act whenever I’m in the presence of someone good looking. “Great,” I say trying to keep the enthusiasm going. “Does he know that you’re into that?”
“Does he know that I’m gay? I don’t know. I think he caught me checking him out a few times especially when he was in the bathroom. I know he’s straighter than a board, so I’m not holding my breath.” He rolls his eyes with a slight smile and pushes off the doorframe.
“Bummer.” I smile too.
“Yeah, I gotta go now.” He takes the keys from his pocket and heads to the door.
The smile dies on my lips. “What? Now? You’re going to leave me alone here?”
“It’s a good thing you live here now,” Oliver day on a smirk. The charm isn’t working with me now. I’m freaking out.
“But what if someone comes home and you’re not here. They’ll probably think I’m some psycho girl that broke in.”
“No they won’t think that. They know you move in today. They will expect you and welcome you. Don’t worry, please. It’ll be alright.” He walks out the door, and the sound of the lock sliding on the door finalizes his exit.
I rubbing my temples with my fingertips, I take a long, exaggerated sigh. Everything Oliver said didn’t take the worry out of me. I’m deciding to spend the rest of the night locked in my room to unpack. I will unpack ntil I fall asleep with fresh sheets. That sounds like a great plan.
I think Alexis came in as I was falling to sleep, but Damian must have came home really late or not at all. I’m also not sure about Oliver. It felt weird being a new place with new people. I don’t even know how I fell asleep because I felt so worried and uncomfortable, but I guess the move exhausted me.
Waking up out of my sleep, it took me a second to look around the pitch black room and realize where I am. I have to pee. I look over to my digital clock on my bedside table and it read 2:00 AM. Getting up from bed, the cool dark wooden floor made me watch to curl up back in my warm bed. I’m not going to pee on myself, so I force myself out of the room and try to remember the way to the bathroom with no lights. I didn’t bother putting my glasses on, so I’m basically blind. Walking into the bathroom, I close the door and turn on the light. It blinds me even more for second until my eyes adjusted to the light. Good. Now I’m just blind and not really blind. Sitting down on the toilet, I relieve myself with a content sigh. I tried to be as quiet as possible when peeing, but the point of that effort was ruined by me, loudly enough, passing gas. I mentally died of embarrassment for possibly… most likely being heard. I curse myself as I flush the toilet that is also loud too. I literally want to flush myself down the toilet. I wash my hands quickly, turn out the light, and make a beeline straight to my room. Along the way, I’m grasping to my surroundings so that I won’t trip and fall or bump into anything. I’m almost there when I heard something. Then, all of a sudden, I’m bumping into a rock-like chest and stumbling back. I’m losing my balance, and my hand automatically goes out to reach for something to catch my fall, and someone does catch me.
“Oh, my god! I’m so sorry. I could see you because I can’t see. It’s so dark and I need my glass—“ I felt something brush against my leg and I gasp. “Are you naked!? What the h—“
“Hey! I didn’t know you were going to—“
I didn’t get to hear the end of that sentence because I made a run for my room and slammed the door. Gosh, I’m so mortified. I keep replaying everything that has just happened until sleep took over.
I’m the morning, Oliver woke me up by peaking in and checking on me. I pretended to be asleep to avoid talking to him about last night, and I’m sure I heard him leave. I’m deciding that I can hide in my room forever since I do have class at 10 o’clock. Looking at the clock, I have a little over a hour until I have to leave. I put on my emerald green framed glasses and stretch. I get up and get my toothbrush, hop in the shower, and get dressed. Peaking my head through the door, it’s quiet. I guess I’m home alone, or some people are sleep still.
I walk into the kitchen and start the coffee machine. Reaching for a cup, I hear someone walking in and I jump at the noise. The cup I picked teeters, and I try, with good effort, to save it. After a few seconds of getting a good grip on it, I clutch it to my chest and huff out a breath.
“You just can’t stop, huh? You like a walking accident waiting to happen.”
I turn around, mad a little now that I keep making a fool out of myself in front of my new roommate. “You scared me. I didn’t know you were here. You should consider wearing a bell or something so that I can hear you coming.” I look at who I’m assuming is Damian, and know I hate myself even more.
Oliver so glossed over his hotness. He’s not only good looking, he’s too good looking. It’s claimed so by the good looking people committee. I look in his light brown eyes that are shaded by thick eyelashes. I’m jealous and confused as to why he gets the good lashes here. I bet he doesn’t appreciate them like how any woman would.
“Are you like a nudist or something?” It’s like he refuses to wear shirts. I wouldn’t be surprised if he left here like that and spent his days shirtless.
“No. I’m like a Damian Santos or something,” he says while a smile tugs at the corner of his full lips. He reaches his hand out for my to shake, and I do so.
“I’m like a Naya Weston or something,” I said for good measure. He chuckles as he walks to the refrigerator and picks up cream cheese. As he does so, I watch the movement and bunching of his abs, biceps, and back muscles. I look away to pour my cup of coffee and down my oatmeal. I hear him move about the room, fixing himself a bagel.
“I’m sorry. I’m not good in social situations. New people make me nervous, so last night was a real treat for me,” his eyebrows arch in question. “Oh, no. Not you being naked was a treat. I meant that the situation of meeting you naked wasn’t a good first encounter… for my social anxiety self.”
Arching his dark eyebrows, he says, “Why do you have social anxiety?”
“Because I just do.” Duh.
“You could have been born afraid. It’s learned. Something made you this way.”
“I don’t know what could’ve made me this way.”
“You were probably alone growing up. If you don’t have any siblings that could play a part.”
“I don’t have any siblings.”
“There you go.”
“Do you have a sibling?”
“Two brothers. Enzo and Zane. I’m the middle child.
“Wow, you’re lucky then.”
“No. You’re kinda better off being an only child because my parents always showed some kind of favoritism with us. Plus, we always fought a lot. Being an only child seems more peaceful.”
“I guess you’re right.”
“So, what was you living situation before this?”
“I lived in a one bedroom for a while, but once my lease was up I couldn’t afford to keep living alone. I also don’t like living with people.”
“No, really?” The sarcasm oozed off his non-question question. And I squint at him.
“Luckily, I found out Oliver was looking for a new roommate. Here I am.”
“Here you are. This roommate situation may be good for you.”
“Yeah? How so?”
“You’re shy and maybe a little insecure. You just need to relax and not care what people think.”
“Well, I know you think I’m strange but—”
“I don’t think you’re strange. I think it’s actually nice how you’re not full of yourself. I’m around people who don’t care what people think all the time. I’m one of those people too. Not any better, but you case is way more stressful.”
“Hmm… What if we balance each out. When I get all scared, you help me not care, and when you don’t care enough, I’ll help you not be such a prick.”
“You have a deal Naya.”
“Now I’ve got a question for you.”
“What is it?”
“Why were you naked last night?”
“Because I sleep naked. It’s more comfortable for me,” I roll my eyes while shaking my head. “If you don’t believe me, try it for yourself.
Also hearing you cutting the cheese last night woke me up.”
My eyes widen. “You heard that?”
“Yep. I thought it was Oliver, but I was shocked that wind came from you. You can really let one loose, Naya. That could be my new alarm clock ringtone.” We both laugh.
I look at my phone screen to see the time. “Damn, I missed my 10 o’clock class. If I try to get there now, it’ll almost be over.”
“Don’t go to it. I skip all the time.”
“Well, I don’t have a choice now.”
“What are you in school for?”
“I’m in graphic design.”
“You’re a creator.”
“Yep. What about you?”