Leah
Rrrrring rrrring
I felt my jaw tighten as I waited for my phone to stop ringing for the third time. Sitting on my chair with my hands crossed on the table, I was surrounded by dim yellow light streaming from the table lamp. The dullness aligned with my emotions as I waited for the vibration to end.
The time on the alarm clock showed 23:58. Two minutes to my birthday.
I grabbed my phone and moved toward the queen-sized bed in the corner. The only pieces of furniture in my mid-sized room were a bed, a study table, a nightstand, and a cupboard.
As I covered myself in a soft brown sheet, I heard a familiar ringtone followed by a voice from the room beside mine.
"Hey, Jason. Oh, her phone might have been on silent." Pause. "I'll check if she's awake." There was a screech of chair moving, then a click of a door opening. I closed my eyes in time before light flowed in. A shadow fell on me as my roommate stood at the door.
"She's asleep," Charlie whispered to the person on call. "Good night." I hadn't talked to Jason in the last five months, but he kept trying. Charlie thought she was being discreet, but I was aware of her updating him about my well-being every few weeks when he called. I sometimes wondered if it was a good thing or not that the walls of this house were so thin.
"Leah, I know you're awake. Please talk to him. He misses you." When I made no sign of acknowledgement. She sighed, "Also, happy birthday."
The door shut behind her. My fingers went to my phone and unlocked it. Swiping to the gallery, I scrolled till I found the last picture I had of the four of us- Jason, our parents, and me. It was taken on Christmas two years ago when things couldn't have been better. As my emotions came to the brink, the screen turned black.
Shoving all thoughts of my family behind, I slipped into the darkness.
...
I woke up to the sound of falling utensils. Like every Sunday. The person responsible for this noise was why the number of breakable crockery was minimum in this house. Some would say that I was part of that reason, but they don't know what they are talking about. It was only thrice that I ended up burning food items in the microwave and twice that a dinner plate fell from my hands.
Not much.
"When will these guys learn?" I muttered before shouting, "Cameron! Get out of the damn kitchen!"
"I didn't do anything! It was Xander!" Cam shouted back from downstairs.
Cam and Xander lived across the street from us. Constantly bumping into each other at grocery stores and bus stops eventually got us to start talking and become closer. Xander first met me at the neighborhood gym, though. They are also tenants of Charlie's parents since both our houses are owned by them. Mr. and Mrs. Martins had, however, given their daughter the responsibility of maintaining the properties. They talked to the potential tenants and dealt with all the rent issues, but the other regular problems like leakage, repairs, and replacements were hers to handle.
I put aside my blanket and went to do my morning routine before heading into chaos. Sundays were usually spent with us holed up in our living room to play video games and sleep. Well, Charlie took time to study, too.
Thunder by Imagine Dragons was blasting from the speakers when I walked into the kitchen/living room.
"-You're always riding in the backseat
Now I'm smiling from the stage while
You were clapping in the nosebleeds
Thunder, thunder, thun-
Thunder, thun-thun-thunder
Thunder, thunder
Thunder, thun-, thunder
Thun-thun-thunder, thunder"
Cam was sitting on the platform, swinging his legs as he sang loudly and badly, using a spoon as a mic. Somehow he had not been thrown out of the kitchen by Xander, who was chopping vegetables, and Charlie, who was stirring what I assumed was soup for noodles. 'Looks like we are having a good meal,' I thought.
"Morning. How is everyone suddenly in the kitchen today?" I called out. All of them turned together, giving me a pointed look.
"HAPPY BIRTHDAY, LEE!" Cam jumped from the platform and rushed to hug me.
Oh, Charlie told them. I wanted to keep it lowkey because, well, what use was my birthday when I didn't have a family to celebrate it with?
"Happy birthday!" Xander and my roommate joined in. I smiled lightly. "Thank you."
"You don't seem happy turning 19," Xander asked once everyone pulled back. I glanced at the the other who had returned to what they were doing earlier.
"I'll be fine." I shrugged, thinking back to the texts I read before coming downstairs.
Jason: Happy 19th Lee! I know you're upset but know that I'm just a call away.
Jason: I love you
Turning my back to my concerned neighbour, I joined Cam. He was singing and eating vegetables that Xander had chopped and put aside.
"Cam, no!" He complained. I laughed before grabbing more and running out of the kitchen to set the plates.
Soon, the others joined and sat down to eat.
"Hey Charlie, when will that Zach dude be coming?" I heard Xander ask as he wiped the side of his mouth. My eyebrows furrowed in confusion, having heard the name somewhere.
"Who?"
"Leah, please," Charlie said, giving me a cautious look. I straightened, leaving the bowl on the table. Sensing that I was not going to react any further, for the time being, she continued.
"He's going to be living with Xander and Cam. And he is coming later this week."
"This week?!" I exclaimed in surprise. "Were you even going to mention it to me?"
"I told you a month ago!" Oh, right.
"Whatever." I took the remote that controlled the speakers to change the song and increase its volume. How would a new roommate affect me anyway?
-x-
Happy reading!
-Sam
YOU ARE READING
Here To Stay
Teen Fiction[Forced Proximity + Best Friend's Brother] With a twist, of course. Zach: A boy who has spent most of his life protecting his siblings and won't hesitate to take anything upon himself to protect them. ... Will you be able to return safely?" Charli...
