by J Marie
I nod our usual hello. “What’s up, Wyatt?”
“Need to talk to you about something.”
“Alright.”
“So, you know Kaylen and I haven’t been dating long, but I think she’s the one. We’ve decided to move in together. I know this is short notice. I’m sorry about that, and I’ll pay for the next month, but then I’m out.” He looks down; I don’t know if it’s out of embarrassment or he’s worried that I’ll be mad, but I don’t hold it against him.
My eyebrows raise. That is not what I was expecting. “Oh, you’re right. That does suck. Good for you though, man.” Reaching out I pat him on the shoulder.
His eyes grow wide like he wasn’t expecting that response from me. What did he expect me to do? “Wow, so you’re cool with this?”
I shrug my shoulders. “Dude… not much I can do about it. Lives change, people leave, things happen.”
“I really appreciate it, man.” He pats me on the shoulder before leaving the kitchen.
“No worries.” It’s what I say, but my real thought is… fuck… what do I do now?
There’s no way I’ll be able to pay for this place without help. After work, I get fliers printed up and ask Eddie if I can put them up around the bar. Roommate needed. I’m not sure what good they’ll do, but it’s worth a shot at least.
Within several hours I get multiple calls inquiring about the room for rent. A few mingle into the bar to meet me, but no one fits what I’m looking for yet. It’s not as easy as I thought it would go. Beggars can’t be choosers.
“So… you’re looking for a roommate to take over your friend’s lease? How’s the search going so far?” I look over to find Mia looking back at me with those bright blue eyes, her hands grazing one of the fliers I’d hung up.
I sigh. “It’s basically non-existent these days. No one’s responded to the dang things, other than a few crazies.” I cringe thinking about all of the people that reached out to me. I’m pretty sure half of them would either murder me in my sleep or get super creepy with my underwear drawer. “It’s been a couple of weeks since I put them up and still nothing promising…”
“You’re still looking though?” Her eyebrow lifts as if it’s a question and I resist the urge to say duh.
I nod. “Yep, Wyatt’s moving in with his girlfriend Kaylen. I’m gonna need someone to help out with the rent and bills. Place is too expensive for just me on my salary.”
She shrugs. “Well, I’ve got a spare room if you’re interested.” She goes back to pouring shots for some guys from the football team at a booth in the corner. They’re celebrating the big win tonight or something like that.
I can’t believe that she’s offered me her second room. My heart is on a rollercoaster as it climbs the first hill, ready to speed off down the other side in a blaze of glory with useless breaks.
“Brooks? Earth to Brooks?” she says, snapping her fingers.
I deadpan. “Uh, yeah. Are you serious?”
“Of course I am. Why would I even offer if I wasn’t?” I watch as she reaches up and pulls a liquor bottle from the shelf behind the bar and a sliver of skin peeks out to greet me. I can’t tear my eyes away from her. My fingers itch to reach out and take a quick swipe. What I wouldn’t do for just one touch.
I shake my head. See, it’s thoughts like this that make me believe moving in with Mia wouldn’t be in my best interest. If I can’t tamper down on these lusty thoughts just working together; I certainly won’t be able restrain myself living under the same roof as her. It may take all of my willpower, but I won’t pass up the opportunity to be closer to her. Call it whatever you want—a crush, an obsession—but I can’t get her out of my head.
She’s strung me in her tangled web of rainbow-colored hair and I can’t find it in me to care.
“So, where do you live?” I ask because I honestly have no idea.
Mia jerks her finger behind her. “Right down the road. It’s a two-bedroom flat on the second floor of the building. You’d have your own room. Let me know if you’re down for being roomies, and I can show you around if you’d like? I get off in a couple of hours.” She stares at me, waiting for an answer, and I clear my throat.
“Yeah, that would be awesome.” I’m excited at the prospect of seeing her home. The place she spends most of her time when she’s not at work.
I hang out at the bar until Mia’s shift is over. The two blocks to her apartment go by faster than expected. The streetlights illuminate our path. My feet thump on each step as we climb the lit stairs to her apartment, and I stand patiently behind her as she opens the door. I’m glad I was able to walk her home.
A cotton candy scent mixes with vanilla and- is that weed- hit my senses as I follow her in. Maybe I’m just imagining it. Taking in the room, my eyes scan over every single corner of it. It’s exactly how I pictured it to be—mostly darker colors with the occasional pop of color.
Dark walls enclose light grey sofas, and a cream-colored faux hair rug lines the floor. A fireplace takes up a corner of the room, and a large flatscreen hangs above it. A black metal coffee table sits in the middle of the room. The walls are covered in abstract paintings, signed MP. Bookshelves line one wall and I notice random statues in pops of color woven throughout the room.
I look over at Mia and notice her chewing on her bottom lip nervously. It’s weird because she’s never acted nervous before now. Maybe it’s because I’m actually in her own space, invading her bubble, not just at the bar. Her long blue, pink, and purple hair hangs in curls around her face.
Bright ocean eyes find me, and she smiles a sweet smile.
“I gotta be honest. It’s exactly how I pictured it would be,” I say with all sincerity. She stares at me, almost as if she’s not sure how to respond.
“Really? Huh.” She quirks an eyebrow.
My eyes make one more pass over the room. “Well, yes and no. It’s like the clothes you wear– mostly dark but with bits of color scattered here and there. Everything is in the right spot. Perfect like it’s meant to be there. But I didn’t know that you were an artist.” I spot a gothic style painting hanging on the wall and walk toward it.
I turn my body to face her, pointing at the painting. “Did you paint this? It’s really good.”
Her mouth goes slack jaw right before she composes herself. “Stop it, it’s honestly not that great.”
“Don’t lie to yourself, Mia. This looks like gallery level art.” I watch her roll her eyes, but I don’t miss the smile that peeks out. I have no idea if the painting is really good or not, but I’d say just about anything for another one of her smiles.
“Look, I’m just being honest,” I murmur as her eyes find mine.
We’re caught in each other’s gaze. One tiny moment turns into several more moments. Deep blue eyes peer into my soul, while my own eat into hers, grasping for more. My ears feel like they’re on fire and my breath is stunted. The air levitates between us.
So many things pass without any words ever being expressed. I don’t know what’s happening but it quickly dissipates when Mia blinks and I’m instantly thankful for the loss of connection. I walk over to the bookshelf and check out her books. Mostly drink books, art books, and a few paranormal fiction reads. I expected to see romance, but there were none. Instead of bookends, she uses statues- all abstract works, dark in color.
All of a sudden, it’s like she remembers why I’m in her home. “Well let’s get the room situation squared away. I’m sure you want to see that, right?”
“Sure,” I say, but my feet remain planted to the floor. I’m unable to move simply watching her walk away. A few steps later, she stops and turns. “Hey handsome, you coming or what?”
My brain begs my feet to move. To follow, and finally, they seem to listen. My central nervous system is back up and running messages to and from the body parts that should be making me move. She stops at the first door on the left down the hallway. I stop just steps behind her, her cotton candy scent ent
wining with my airway. “This will be your room.”
Stepping aside, she allows me to check it out. Dark walls with light trim. It’s a large room, and I can see my furniture fitting in here perfectly. Where the bed will sit, the dresser, the nightstand. She’s quiet as she steps up behind me. “Not entirely sure what your furniture sitch is… but I don’t have an extra. The couch is free, or you can bunk with me for a day or two until you get things figured out.”
We step back into the hall, and she speaks again before I even have a chance to respond. “My room is the one down the hall,” she says pointing to the closed door in front of us. “Over there’s the little boy’s room, or girl’s, when I’m using it.” She chuckles and I can’t help but smile. “I’m not entirely sure what self-imposed boundaries you have on sharing a room with a girl, so…?”
A smirk curls the sides of my lips as I watch her word vomit into the air helplessly. “You’re finally taking me up on that, being ready for anything offer?”
Heat snakes up her face, her creamy skin turning a shade of pink. She opens her mouth, but words never part with it.
“Anyhow, I’ll take it. The room that is.” I smile.
‘Well, I’m going to ask you to sign a contract. Nothing personal, just like having things in writing. Plus, you’ve gotta take my word that I’m not a serial killer or anything.”
“I trust you, Mia.”
“Why?”
I shrug. “You haven’t given me a reason not to.”
“Where are you from, handsome? It’s clear you aren’t from around here because no one is that trusting. People don’t just shack up with people they don’t know.”
“Maybe you just ain’t found someone worthy of your trust. The way I see it, we’ve been working together for over a year, Mia. We may not know each other as well as I’d like yet, but I think it’ll work out just fine. Plus, you know your way around the bar, and maybe if I moved in here, you could show me some of the crazy bar tricks you have.”
“You want me to teach you how to sling drinks like some fancy mixologist, Brooksy?”
“I’ll take whatever training you’re willing to offer.”
“Don’t ask for things you can’t handle, Brooks.”
“Um…”
She laughs and sticks out her hand. “Alrighty, then. Guess you’ve got yourself a new roommate.”
My hand moves to shake hers, but when we touch, a current of power zips through us. Shocking us to the core. “Wow. You got some magical pixie powers or something.”
Heat creeps up her cheeks and she clears her throat. “So, we’re good?”
“Yep, as long as you’re good, I’m good.” This is the craziest thing I’ve ever considered, but I’m all in—any chance to spend more time with the real life pixie standing in front of me.
“So when do you want to do all this? It being close to the end of the month and everything.” My mind still can’t comprehend that she’s okay with me just moving in here.
“When does it work for you?” I ask heart in my throat. I can’t believe this is actually real. I’m giddy in a way I’ve never felt before, and I’m hoping my face doesn’t betray how overly eager I am to be in her space. That would definitely freak her out and send her running. She gives off the runner vibe for sure.
“Well, if I remember correctly, we’re both off this Friday. So, how about then?”
My mouth drops open. “That’s soon. You sure you don’t want to like, wait a week?”
“Brooks, you second-guessing it now?”
“No, just want to make sure you’re ready.”
“Already told you before, handsome, I’m ready for anything.”
“Uh, okay, then. Friday it is. You sure you’re okay with this?”
Her gaze darts to mine, light blue colliding with chocolate brown. “You keep asking me that I’m going to forget the whole thing and take back my offer.”
“Nope. We’re good.” I’m backpedaling fast. I don’t want her to take away my chance at spending more time with her than just in passing as we changed shifts at work. She nods once, and I let out the breath I’ve been holding.
“Wait, one more thing…”
God, I hope she isn’t going to take back her offer now.
“Yeah…”
“You don’t have like, a crazy girlfriend or anything, right? I don’t need some psycho coming in and fucking up my place because you decided to move in and not tell her.”
A sigh rumbles from my lips and I breathe out again. “Um. Nope. We’re good on that too. No girlfriend here.”
“Okie dokey then, Brooks. Looks like you got yourself a new roomie. And this doesn’t have to be the regular friends only type roommate’s situation either. I’m open to anything. You’re single. I’m single… endless possibilities.” With a wink she’s off again.
I watch her as she walks away and wonder what she means by that statement. There’s something about her that seems closed off like she’s putting up a façade for the world to see without ever really letting anyone in. I’m going to figure Mia out, and I’m going to keep her. Just need to find a way in…
I lift the joint to my lips, inhaling the fragrant aroma of weed. I sigh when the all too familiar taste of bitter citrus hits my taste buds. There’s just something about marijuana that makes me feel good. Yes, it’s more than likely its little friend, THC, but I’ll take it. I lean back as the smoke trails from my lips, evaporating into thin air.
Anytime I need to chill and shut down my brain for a while, I smoke. More often than not Zara tags along on my high. My smoke and chill sister from another mister and my coworker at Topsy Turvy.
“Girl, I’m still confused about why you agreed to let him move in with you…” Zara says to me with a quirked eyebrow. Truth is, I’m not one hundred percent sure why I did it. Normally, I enjoy the peace and quiet of my own space, but for some reason, I enjoy hanging out with Brooks even if it isn’t that often. He’s different from the regular guys I pick up. He doesn’t have arm sleeves of tattoos and piercings in every orifice of his body… not that I’ve seen every orifice.
I have a terrible habit of picking the cheaters, the liars… one’s just like my father. My attraction to him is something different.
Some part of me feels like he’s safe. Another part of me can’t quite figure him out, and I’m intrigued. Most people show you who they are in the first half an hour of talking to them. I read people, and for some strange reason, I can’t get a good read on Brooks. Maybe I see him as a challenge, one I’ve happily accepted. I want to discover the bed of secrets he’s hiding. No one is that pure. I take another hit on my joint and sigh.
Ignoring her question, I reply, “How do you always manage to get your hands on the best weed in the city?”
“I’ve got good connections, and hello, it’s a college town.” She signals around us from the front window.
“That’s what I’m saying. College towns always have shitty weed, but you manage to find the best strains.” She finishes hitting the current joint and plops down on the cushy chair next to mine.
“What can I say, I have good connections… I’m not giving away my source if that’s what you’re asking. Oh, I almost forgot…” She gets up and leaves the living room.
“Huh, alright then.”
Strolling back into the room, she plops down on the couch, a new baggie of weed in her hands. Quickly rolling up another joint she hands it over. “Here… try this new hybrid I just got in. It’s called Purple Platinum Cookies. Amazing for relieving stress. Sixty percent indica, forty percent sativa. It’s a cross blend between Purple Haze and Platinum Cookies.”
“Yes, please.” I could use some stress reliever in my life right now. I hit the joint, and my taste buds rejoice at the fruity, sweet flavor of it. Reminiscent of my favorite OG strains.
“So… Brooks?” Clearly, she’s not giving up on this grill session when all I want to do is chill, so I decide to appease her.
“He’s hot, o
kay? I think he’d be an excellent lay and what better way to get in his pants than to let him move in with me?” It’s only a partial truth, but these days no one gets the whole truth. Why bother telling people anything when chances are, they’re only going to hear what they want from what you’ve said. People are fake. A shell of who they really are on the inside. They’re drunk on fun, debt, money, gambling, or prostitutes.
The truest person I’ve ever met is probably my best friend, Macy. She’s married to the love of her life now so I’m on my own. Occasionally she graces me with her presence, but it’s never enough.
My gaze turns back to Zara and I notice her lifted eyebrow. “What?”
“Where are you at today? Seems like you’re not here with me.”
I roll my eyes. “I’m high. I’m never here with you, Zara.”
She lifts the drink she procured while getting up to roll the last joint. “Touché.”
I feel like she’s still waiting for me to spill my guts so I decide to give her a little more information. “Look, he’s just looking for a new place to live. His roommate is moving out soon and it just so happens that I have an extra room available. Somewhere in my brain, I decided that it would be a good idea to invite him to live with me, so I asked him. He couldn’t say yes fast enough.”
“And he didn’t even want to see the place first?”
“Oh no, he saw it, but I don’t think he needed to. He didn’t seem to be paying attention when I gave him a tour. He just kept staring at me.” That thought alone gives me weird vibes. He’s willing to put his complete trust in me. Yeah, we’ve worked together quite a few shifts over the last year, but it still baffles me. How can you trust someone you don’t know?
She snorts. “Clearly, he’s not from around here…”
“I know, right? At least he doesn’t have a girlfriend. You know what that means?”
She seems to think about it for a minute before responding. “I got nothing.”
“It means I don’t have to be confined in the friend zone. He’s single, I’m single. I wanna see what he’s packing down below and I bet he’d be down for it.”
