Accidental Roommate (NEW)

16

Something was wrong, Cameron decided as he dried himself.

He didn't know what exactly was wrong. Sharon was quiet as she usually was after work. She said the same thing about being tired when he commented on it. He could understand that. He even felt a bit guilty since he was the reason she was staying back.

Knowing her, he knew she would stay till the end of time if that was how long it'd take to get to the bottom of this. So he had not been happy to receive the call from her. He had even been on the verge of dragging her out but she managed to convince him about the merits. He hadn't even known why he agreed but hearing the delight in her voice made him back off. As a result, he had spent the next three hours in his car or walking around the block, waiting for her.

He let out a breath as he got out of the bathroom. He was surprised he'd waited that long. In hindsight, it astonished him. He hadn't even entertained the thought of going back to the apartment. It was as if Sharon had consumed his mind. He hadn't even minded the first hour passing. The second hour made him wonder about what she was doing. It had been during the last hour that he had finally had enough. He had nearly gone to the office to grab her but something made him give her a call. Luckily, she was done with whatever she wanted to do. Although she had been noticeably withdrawn and quiet.

Now that he had time to think about it, he had to wonder about her quiet. She was usually quite chatty during the drive back. Not talkative in the normal convention but she would introduce a random topic and they'd discuss about it while stuck in traffic. Even though he might be unfamiliar with some of the topics, their discussions would be lively and a welcome distraction from the honking and glares of other drivers. He had a feeling that this was one way she would unwind and he found he liked it.

Tonight, it felt like she was mulling over something. She hadn't spoken a peep during the drive back and he felt, strangely, rejected. As if he had done something wrong. He tried to draw her out, asking her about what she had found. When that didn't work, he tried to talk about a news article he had come across earlier that day. In the end, she had told him she was tired and closed her eyes for the rest of the ride back. He knew she hadn't been asleep since she kept fidgeting, playing with the straps of her bag and shifting in her seat.

He tried to talk to her after the ride but she had gone to her room the moment they'd stepped into the penthouse. The slam of her door was a clear "DO NOT DISTURB" sign and, as much as he wanted to barge in, he had respected it. He had to admit that this was the most effort he had exerted getting a woman to talk and he was frustrated that she wouldn't.

Walking out of his room in his sweatpants, he had to wonder whether she would ever talk to him. He was feeling quite dejected. She was the first and only person he had talked to about Logan. It stung that she wouldn't confide in him. Eyeing her closed door briefly, he let out a sigh and continued on his way to the kitchen.

As much as his stomach was protesting its emptiness, he found his appetite was leaving him. Even the thought of dinner, Texan chili, his favourite dish, didn't excite him. He didn't want to think about why but he knew it had something to do with Sharon.

They always had dinner together. He knew it was odd for roommates to have such a set pattern, Sharon and him had, somewhat, settled on a daily routine. And he didn't mind it. In fact, he enjoyed their times together. She was a fun person, her reserve gone when with him. She would blurt out the weirdest, most random things, sometimes embarrassing. He found himself laughing often with her.

And she was honest. A rare commodity in the world today. She confided in him things he was sure even Amelia was aware about. Like her childhood. Her strained relationship with her mother. Her job. So he was puzzled as to why she was so close-mouthed about whatever it was that was bothering her.