Professor, Professor || BWAM

the forty-second.

—ADEOLA–

Neruda University - Off-Campus

The House of Internationals

11:03 AM

"So, what do you think about the poutine?" Ilya's eyes leer into me as he watched me test-taste the tenth typical Canadian food.

I try my best to swallow the food without making a face, "Cheese curds on chips is certainly... different."

He laughs, "You don't have to eat it if you don't like it," He then grabs a napkin, placing it under my chin, "Spit."

"Oh, thank God." I take it from him and spit it out before balling it up and tossing it in the trash, "I know I don't but it's hard when you come from a 'eat everything on your plate' family. But, at least I had some of the Canadian experience."

He smiles, "That's right." he lays back on his pull-out couch, "I don't usually eat that shit anyway. I mostly cook my own food. Although, it's a little difficult when you have like twenty roommates."

"I've been wondering about that. What happens if someone steals your food from the fridge?"

He shrugs, "You beat their ass. Nah, just kidding, there's cameras."

I lay out on my stomach in the space next to him and his speech slows as he watches me, "So, what do you wanna do now?"

"We can watch some TV, I guess. I'm too full to really do anything else."

He chuckles, "No problem, it's the weekend. We can just stay right here, all night."

His tone is suggestive.

Eyes expectant.

Here we go.

"Not all night. I have a kind of early morning tomorrow."

"Oh, do you? On a Saturday morning?" He leans in and lays kisses on my shoulder, "Really?"

"Yes, really. Alright, that's enough." I gently push him away.

"Is it?" he says, his hand rubbing my body and lips scaling up to my neck, "Are you sure about that, Adeola?"

I take him by the wrist and return his hand to his space, "I already said enough." I assert firmly.

His kisses stop in their tracks and he looks up at me, "Wait, are you serious?"

"Must I really repeat myself?"

I've been talking to Zaain too much.

"U-uh, okay." He stammers as he sits up straight, "Sorry."

He clicks on the TV and we start watching the middle of some random reality show about bad drivers in complete silence and on opposite sides of the couch.

It always gets so awkward after you simply say no. Like I didn't say fuck off, just enough. No need to pout about it.

After the show cuts to a commercial break, he mutes the TV, "Can I just know why?"

I turn to look at him, "Why?"

"I've known you since literally your first day here, we work together, hang out together and..."

I turn to face him and he looks down at the floor, "And what?"

Don't do it.

"And... I don't know. I just thought that, you know, you were into me."