Achilles

Chapter 7: Mango

"Bad news, your roommate is a bitch," Achilles says with a smile, his gaze reaching past my head.

I turn my head, following his gaze to the face behind me. Fawn's familiar narrow face is staring back at me as she dries her hair with a microfiber towel.

Her eyes flick over to Achilles's, "you're a bigger bitch, loser!" Fawn playfully rolls her eyes.

"Quite the impression Fawn..." Achilles tsks, waving his pointer finger.

Fawn closes her eyes and discards Achilles' words. Once she opens them again they land on me and her expression brightens as her mouth forms an 'O'. "It's you!" She says, "I wasn't expecting a roomie this late in the semester but I'm excited anyway!" Fawn beams. "It was Nari, right?" I nod, giving her a quick sign. "I'm sorry I wasn't here to help you unpack earlier, I was getting my braids undone, was kinda feeling the natural look, y'know?" Fawn continues to ramble.

"It's fine," I respond in a small voice.

"Oh! My art stuff is probably taking up all the space in the closet, isn't it? I'll go move that stuff and I'll help you finish unpacking! Oh! Oh! Then we can watch a movie later or something afterward!" Fawn rushes into our bedroom. She quickly rushes back out the door, out of breath, "if that's okay with you?"

"Ne, yes... I'd like that." Wow... she's nice.
(Korean- Yes.)

I turn my head at Achilles's chuckling, "'if that's okay with you?'," he mocks Fawn in a girl voice.

"Shut up Ira! Why are you even still here?!" Fawn quips at him as the deep merlot flushes in her cheeks.

"Okay, okay, I'm leaving." Achilles holds his hands up in surrender. Fawn disappears back into the room and Achilles turns to me. "Well... bye." Achilles turns his back to me and heads for the door.

I lunge forward and grab his hand, stopping him. He starts to turn his body but I place my free hand on his rippling back, keeping him facing the door.

"Don't turn around, just listen to me," I say, still holding his hand. "I'm sorry," I whisper apologetically, squeezing his pointer and middle finger.

"Thank you... but what for?" Achilles turns his head over his shoulder.

I push his face in the opposite direction, turning his eyes back to the door. "Don't turn around!" I shout but Achilles disobeys.

Achilles whips his body around—sending me into a full-out fight against him—and grabs my hands when I try to redirect his gaze. He pushes my back against the wall and pins my hands above my head.

I give up fighting him and drop my head, hiding the embarrassment on my cheeks. "I know I'm a little slow but did I miss something?" His words stun me and fill me with guilt.

"It was wrong of me to call you stupid." I peek at Achilles through my bangs, not exactly brave enough to raise my head entirely.

"Oh... that," Achilles recalls, nodding his head slowly.