The Fear of Falling

Chapter Three

At the crack of dawn, I rolled out of bed to the glorious scent of bacon. I rubbed my eyes, convinced I had been transported home overnight.

When I slipped on my house shoes and opened my bedroom door, I fully expected to see my parents' smiling faces.

Instead, Gavin glanced up from the stove.

"Morning," He huffed.

My shoulders, and hopes, fell. "Yeah, you too."

I thought I saw him roll his eyes before turning back to the delicious-smelling breakfast he was slaving over.

I crossed the living room and made a beeline to my cabinets.

Whole wheat cereal. Bread. Protein bars. Ugh.

I made a mental note to invest in some fattening foods, including bacon, the next time I went to the store.

After growing up with my parents stressing "healthy body, healthy mind", I had forgotten how the other half of the world lives.

So now I'm left envying my roommate's breakfast.

I glanced at the pan and watched the grease pop in a mouthwatering spectacle. Before I could help it, my mouth watered.

Gavin scoffed, "Alright, you can have some. Just quit drooling,"

I blinked, and a strained noise fell out of my mouth. "You don't have t-"

He held up his free hand while the other flipped pancakes on the top burner. "It's the least I could do. You prevented my cousin from being date-raped. Well, you would've if she was in any real danger,"

I ignored the obvious snark in his voice and nodded, "Then I accept your patronizing but delicious reward."

He smiled, genuinely, and for a moment I had hope that we could coexist. Maybe, just maybe, I wouldn't have to live under a bridge somewhere to escape his stubborn scowls. I smiled back and then, Fiona Airos came stumbling out of Gavin's room.

"Oh my God," she scrambled across the living room with smudge mascara and a backward t-shirt, "I cannot believe it's already eight."

Gavin's eyes brightened, "I tried to wake you up an hour ago, and you punched me."

I snickered, and they both turned to me. "You must be Meg," Fiona raised an eyebrow and looked as if she was considering shaking my hand, "I've heard a lot about you."

"Good things, I hope," I said while staring at Gavin wistfully.

Fiona chuckled before reaching across the counter for one of the bottles of water Gavin set out. "I like you," she took a sip and turned to Gavin, "I like her."

He rolled his eyes. "Do you enjoy having your clothes on backward too?"

She glanced down, "Shit." Fiona placed her water down and peeled off her shirt. I stared at her half-naked body and fought the urge to giggle.

"Jesus," Gavin swore and averted his eyes, "Grow up."

"Clearly, I have." She pointed towards her rounded tits, hidden only by her lime-green bra.

Gavin mocked her voice but still refused to look until she had her shirt back on.

"Happy?" she scoffed while Gavin placed food onto a paper plate and presented it to her.

"Eat,"

Fiona stared at her breakfast and then at the door. "Sorry, Buddy. I have to run. Today is the first day of clinicals." She grabbed the nearly burnt piece of toast off the plate and chomped down on a slice of bacon before recovering her purse and dashing out of the apartment.