Insufferable

Part 5

Two months later

Alex was surprised at Henry decision to stay in the dorm but he barely sees him even though they are in the same room. Usually when Alex is awake, Henry is long gone and by the time Henry comes back into the dorm room, Alex is out for his classes and when Alex returned Henry is already fast asleep. It was their routine and when weekend hits, Henry was gone for the rest of the day and by the time he comes back Alex was gone the whole night partying.

Alex felt weird not seeing Henry or even talk to him and he wonders if Henry is adjusting well seeing he barely seen him on campus ground either. The last time they spoke he was a jerk to him and he barely get to know him. For what he sees Henry is someone who like his privacy and rather being alone than to hang out with friends. He doubt Henry had any friends seeing his only time is either at class or at the dorm room. But he wonders also what he did when he was gone and what he does during the whole time to keep himself busy.

He was having brunch with Nora and she was rambling on and on about the guy she met months ago and that was the last time she sees him so she was sure she might sees him again. Alex never cared to listen to her pining over some guy that she met and all the time he was staring at his glass of mimosa in his hand watching as the beads water drops down on the coaster.

"Alex!" Nora smacked him out of his trance and he gasped at her sudden gesture. "What?" He asks clueless and she sighed, "Have you talked to him yet?" She asks and Alex returned his gaze back on the glass and shook his head softly. "What's got you so upset? You hated his guts and now you regretted it?" She asks and Alex's turn to exhale an exasperation sigh towards her question.

"Maybe I was too quick to judge on people. I mean if Henry wants to-"

He was interrupted by Nora raising her palm and stopped him, "Woah, woah. Wait. Hold up. Your roommate name is Henry? As in Henry Fox?" She asks and Alex had his eyebrow furrowed, "Yeah. You know him?" He asks straightening himself on his seat before leaning his elbow on the table. "He's the guy I met. Wait, he's gay. Ughhhh..." Nora groaned slumping down on her seat as she took another sips. "Wait you told me the guy you met had a panic attack and you helped him. When was this?" Alex asks and Nora paused before she answered. "Maybe two months ago. Why?" She asks and Alex huffed leaning himself back against the seat. "I was an asshole." He replied and Nora retorts back. "You are, but why the sudden realization?" Alex glared at her acknowledging his words.

"Nothing." He shortly replied and he can see Nora is upset now seeing her crush is no longer her option. "Hey." He nudged her legs from under the table and she returned her gaze back at him. She had her arm crossed over her chest with her eyes shot an angry look towards Alex. "One day." He says and slowly her furrowed eyebrow relaxed and a smiled crept on her lip before she nods softly at him.

By the time they had finished their lunch, Alex told Nora he didn't feel like going out to party that night and instead he wanted to head back to his dorm. It was Saturday and initially he feels like he wanted to go to the gym but now he feels like he wanted to head back to his dorm and curled up in a blanket to watch a movie or something.

The moment he entered his dorm room, Henry is standing there and in the middle of changing his clothes. It's not that Henry half naked body exposed in front of Alex that got his attention but rather the bruised on the side of his chest that worries him. Henry hurriedly pulled his shirt down to hide his bruised but he knew Alex saw it. "Henry what happened?" He asks closing the door behind him. Henry shook his head dismissing his worried expression before he grabs his slacks and put them on his each legs.

"None of your business." He replied after buttoning his pants and it got Alex triggered the rage inside of him. "Fine." Alex couldn't care less if Henry barely says a few words to him but he can see how he was struggling to bend down and picked up his papers that fell from his file as he clutched his side in pain. Alex sighed bending down and helped picking up his papers and couldn't help read the title, "You're studying literature? Isn't it kind of cheating? You guys are hopeless romantic already." Alex asks and Henry tried to grab the paper from Alex's hand but he held it higher.