Tempted By My Roommate

“Good, we’ve got all of the boxes in his room,” he tells me, wiping some sweat from his forehead.

“Want me to order some pizza or something?” I offer, but he shakes his head.

“I’m going to get home to Nora and the pups,” he says as he digs his phone out of his pocket.

“Oh, okay. Tell her I said hi.”

“Will do,” he says. “I’ll see you later, Brooks!”

“See ya! Thanks again,” my new roommate calls back and I watch Gray go, wondering if I should make the same offer of pizza to Brooks.

I walk closer to the open bedroom doorway and peek in. He’s busy putting some of the boxes away, and I step closer.

“Need a hand?” I ask and he looks over at me.

Those blue eyes meet mine and I stop breathing.

“No, I got it.”

He looks back to the box at his feet and I take a deep breath.

“I was going to order pizza. Do you want anything?”

“No, I’m going out to meet Ender here in a few. Thanks though.”

I stand there awkwardly for a minute, watching him unpack before I turn and head down the short hallway to my own room. I’m right next door to him and the bathroom is just past my room at the end of the hallway.

My stomach growls, reminding me that I skipped lunch because I was running late to my afternoon class and I pull my phone out of my pocket and pull up my favorite pizza place’s menu.

I hear the front door open and close as I place my order and I don’t know why that makes me so sad. It’s probably for the best that I don’t spend that much time with Brooks. It seems like every time I’m around him, I fall for him a little more.

Everyone agrees that he’s a good guy. He gets along with everyone from Eye Candy Ink and gives good advice. At least he did to Banks because that’s why he pulled his head out of his butt and went after Palmer when he thought that he was too old for her.

He’s kind and patient with everyone and is always willing to help out, even though he’s still healing from his injuries.

I wonder what he thinks of me.

I put on my pajamas and answer the door when my pizza is delivered. As I grab a slice and curl up on the couch, I wonder if this is the life that I want.

Is my mother doing the same thing right now? Is she happy?

Somehow, I doubt it. I actually can’t remember the last time that I saw her smile or laugh. I’ve been trying to live up to her standards since I was a kid and I know that she’s happy that I’ve never brought around a guy or dated, but is that what I really want? Or am I just trying to live my life to make my mother proud of me?

I think I know the answer to that question and I take a big bite of my pizza so that I don’t have to think about it.

I shouldn’t even worry about any of this. Brooks is the first man that has ever made me want a relationship or anything more and I don’t think that he’s interested in me. Besides, he’s going to be my roommate for the foreseeable future so I shouldn’t get too worked up on this.

It’s just a silly crush. I’m sure that it will pass soon.

That thought feels like a lie though, so I grab the remote and try to drown out my thoughts.