Before you knew

29. Relationship

Alyssa and Clay decide to cook dinner together. They sing/scream along with the loud music, making me laugh and shake my head as I'm sitting in the living room. 'No! Don't burn it!' Clay yells as Alyssa laughs. 'What are you doing?!' I decide to take a look at what's going on.

When I step into the kitchen I see spices spread over the counter as various glass bottles have fallen over. Clay has spots off.... something, on his clothes. Alyssa is laugh, and some red substance clings to the tiles on the wall. 'Jesus christ.' I say as I look around. 'Catch!' Alyssa says as she throws a tomato at Clay. He moves to grab it but hits his hand on the burning pan. He makes weird sounds before dropping the tomato on the counter and flapping his hand around.

'Come here.' I says as I walk over and grab his hand. I turn on the tap and hold his hand under lukewarm water. The skin is red but it's nothing bad. 'Stop messing around, please.' I beg them as I look at the mess. 'I'll clean it up.' Clay says. 'Just stop making a mess.' I say. Alyssa keeps an eye on the food as I make an attempt to save some of the herbs and spices on the counter. 'This is insane, you two aren't cooking again.' I say.

Dinner tastes quite alright, and like he promised, Clay is in the kitchen after we ate, cleaning up the mess that was made.  I look around at the now spotless kitchen when I walk in. Clay is putting away the clean dishes, so I help him. 'Thanks for cleaning.' I say. 'Yeah no worries, was half my fault anyways.' He says. I smile softly as I put the last two glasses away and close the cupboard. 'By the way, Nick texted me if we could meet up tomorrow.' He says. 'I have a night shift tomorrow, but sure.' I say. 'Alright.'

The evening passes as we play games and watch weird and funny tv shows.

I lay in bed on my stomach, lights already off. Clay enters the room and goes "wheee" when he decides to jump and fall on top of me. I groan at the heavy weight on my back 'the hell are you doing?' I mumble, nearly having fallen asleep. He giggles and moves away. He lays down and well and shifts so he's facing me 'hi.' He says with a bright smile. 'Hello?' Just my head is sticking out under the covers and my face was facing where he's laying so I'm facing him directly. 'Holding hands again tonight?' He asks as if it's normal. I let out an irritated sound which makes him chuckle. 'I'll take that as a no.' He says. 'Yeah, do that.' I say. I close my eyes and hear him move around before complete silence fills the room.

'What would happen if one of us got a boyfriend or girlfriend?' Clay asks, pulling me away from nearly being asleep again. 'I don't know.' I mumble, not even thinking about an answer. 'Like, there'd be this guy around you all the time.' He says. 'So?' I ask. 'It would be annoying.' 'Wait- why would he be around all the time? Who do you think I am?' I say suddenly actually letting the words reach my brain cells. 'Alright not all the time, but he'd still be staying over right?' He asks. 'The Same would go to you. What if you get a girlfriend and she stays over?' I ask back. 'Wouldn't you find that annoying?' He asks me. 'Yes-' I bite my tongue, not having ment to let that slip out. 'I would too! We need to make a rule about that or something.' He says. 'A rule?' I ask. 'Yeah, like.... like, only staying over once a week. Or- or no touching around the other roommate.' He says. 'So... that's just don't be in a relationship when in our house.' I say. Clay stays quiet for a bit. 'I just don't want you to bring some guy home, it would make me unhappy.' He says. I want to protest, but I know I wouldn't be happy about Clay bringing home a girl either. 'Same here but we can hardly forbid each other to have a relationship.' I say.

There's a silence, and I think the conversation is over, so I close my eyes.

'I should just make you my girlfriend, then the problem would be solved.' Clay says softly. 'Make- what?!' I say as I now prop myself up on my elbows to look at him. He laughs 'what? That would solve the problem wouldn't it? We both wouldn't be able to bring anyone home cause that would be cheating.' He says. 'No way.' I say as I move to lay on my back. He chuckles before another silence falls.

What the hell.