My Brother's Roommate

t w e n t y t h r e e

Chapter 23 : Thankful

"This book is blank. What idiot buys a book with no words?" Jay questions, as he holds up a red book. We were currently in an antique décor store.

"It's for decoration, you don't read them." I answer him.

"Oh." He scoffs. "Well, that's dumb."

I thought for a second. "Yeah. It seems cooler to have a library of books that you've actually read through."

He laughs. "No."

"Well, who asked you?" I dart back.

"I asked me and that's enough."

Before I could reply, Camila and my brother came up behind us. "You guys done looking around?" My brother asks.

"Yes, please. Let's leave." I spoke a little too quickly.

I lead the group out of the store and stop outside. "Where are we heading too next?"

After we left the store, we dropped the groceries off at the house and drove back out to town. We've been walking in and out of shops for over two hours now.

"Are there any other cool places around?" Camila asks.

"There's always the rooftop bars we can go hang around in. One of my favorites is down this street." My brother chimes in.

"Oh, but Aubrey can't go." Camila pouts. She seemed very motherly, always caring to everyone around her.

I wave my hand. "I don't mind, I'm a bit tired anyways, so I'll go sit by the fountain for a while. Trust me, you guys go."

"Are you sure?" Camila asks me.

I hold up a thumbs up. "Positive, but if there's any chocolate cake, bring me a slice."

"Got it!" She beams and turns around with my brother. They head in the direction of the bar.

Jay sticks around for a few seconds. "Shame you can't come too, perdente." He stuck his tongue out at me like a kid, and I did the same. (Loser)

"You know you'll miss me." I tease and turn away before he can respond. I walk over to the fountain and look around.

The area was made up of a large stone circle path, with the large fountain in the middle. Benches were scattered around the circumference, and grass field beyond the stone, with some trees littered about.

The trees were bare, the leaves long gone. I'd assume the leaves covered the roots, but the snow from yesterday was still a blanket on the grass, so I couldn't tell.

I walk to the bench I spent many days crying on, and sit down. I don't want to remember this fountain and area as where I was sad, I want happy memories.

I didn't know how I'd make good memories when all of my friends were off drinking at 1 in the afternoon.

I lean down, putting my chin in my hand and huff. I'm bored.

I haven't felt this bored since I was at the apartment last week, when Jay was avoiding me. Which, thinking about that if he likes me, why did he avoid me? Was he embarrassed or trying to suppress them?

I chuckle quietly at the thought— a though guy being scared of a little emotion.

I lean back on the bench and slouch down. My lack of sleep was now catching up with me. This town was a pretty safe place so people would nap in public and not be bothered at all.

Maybe I should take a nap in the meantime. I zip up my jacket all the way and pull it up over my mouth for warmth. I sink further into the bench, which of course didn't feel like a bed, but I didn't expect it to.