The Roommate

28

The following few days Chase continued to give me the cold shoulder, it was seriously pissing me off. We were laying in bed watching TV one morning when my phone rang, my face lit up when I saw it was the director. I answered excitedly, hoping for the news I wanted so badly to hear, that he'd gotten the audition information for me. What I heard did not meet my expectations, not even close.

"Emerson, I'm afraid I have terrible news." He said solemnly.

"Wh-What?" I stammered.

"They won't let me wait, you either take the role or you don't. You have to decide now."

"Right now?"

Chase had turned his attention towards me, giving me a quizzical stare. He didn't know about this yet and maybe it was good that I hadn't told him. I should have known better than to get my hopes up. I knew I had to take this role, if I didn't Chase would be upset with me and I might never forgive myself for giving up this offer. I sighed taking in a deep breath as the cartoons played on our TV, Chase oblivious to the spark of hope we'd had only moments before this phone call.

"I'll take it."

"I'm glad Emerson, and I mean it's only a year and a half. It'll be over before you know it."

I hung up, my heart felt heavy in my chest, only a year and a half. It didn't seem like a short period of time at all, and I highly doubted it would go fast, but I had to do this. Almost immediately Chase was in my business, wanting to know what I'd just agreed to. "What was that all about?" He asked.

"The director thought he could get me a role that was being shot here, but he said he couldn't hold my place in that role so I had to take it. I tried Chase I really did I'm sorry-"

He cut me off, kissing me passionately on the lips. "It's okay." he whispered in my ear, "I love you I'm so sorry for treating you this why I was being a dick face."

"You kind of were." I laughed.

He just pulled away smiling, but before I knew it was I was pinned down on the bed again his lips traveling across the exposed skin on my stomach. I giggled, wiggling beneath him. He stopped, "Does that tickle?" I nodded biting my lip, this only encouraged him to continue. After a while of me laughing and trying to escape, he stopped still hovering above me.

"What now?"

His smile faded realizing that tickling the living shit out of me wouldn't solve any of our problems. He laid his forehead on mine, "I don't know."

My hand brushed against his cheek, "I love you too." I finally said. His hands slipped up my shirt attempting to pull it off, "Chase... now?"

"Well we only have a month left I just thought-"

I laughed, leave it to Chase to want to spend the next month feeling me up before I left. I guess he was onto something though, I wasn't going to see him for a while once I left so I slipped my own shirt off. His face lit up, "This is why I love you." He said in between kisses.

"I really hope that's not the only reason." I teased.

~

Chase had fallen asleep next to me almost immediately after, it was kind of typical for him though. I got out from under the covers quickly throwing on some clothes, but I had been too noisy. His eyes opened and he saw me standing in the door frame.

"No! Why'd you put your clothes back on?" He whined.

I just rolled my eyes playfully, "It's already noon, do you want to go out for lunch or something?"

"Only if you go naked." He taunted.

I don't know why, but as soon as he said this a smile spread across my face. I felt like things were back to normal between us. I didn't feel so sad anymore, I didn't feel like a part of me was missing. I didn't feel like he was always trying to save me, and take care of me. For a moment my mind drifted back to the old apartment, and the way things used to be. Funny how one moment that seems so unimportant in the scheme of our lives can make us feel this way.

"How about you go pick up some pizza, and when you get back-"

He was already on his feet putting on his clothes and hurrying out the front door, keys jingling in his hands. I just snickered at him, even after all this time that had passed since the first day in my apartment, even as much as things seemed to change... Chase was always the same guy who had taken me out on his motorcycle that one night and had trying to get me to give him a blow job the first day I knew him. He was still the guy who hadn't taken advantage of me drunk. I just hoped I could rely on all of this to be the same when I returned from Australia.