Roommates

Chapter 11

It didn’t take long for Jack and I to hit it off. After he offered to drive me off from the party, we sat for a while in his car which was parked near the apartment I share with Ryder.

We talked for more than an hour, and we just seemed to have a certain chemistry between us. As it turned out he wasn’t trying to get into my pants, but he said that he wouldn’t mind, which I brushed off as a joke.

We kept meeting up afterwards. I got to know that their group had split up. Tyler, Vanessa, Jane, and Ryder have become a clique of their own. While Jack and Jessy parted from them.

The thing that pissed me off the most is that Ryder didn’t believe us. He took his girlfriend, and Tyler’s, word and believed them. Oh, and also, he hasn’t talked to me since the party. Can you believe that? We literally live in the same room, sit on the same couch, and use the same T.V. yet we never talk.

I kept my promise though. I promised him that we’ll have dinner together so he wouldn’t have to eat alone, and that’s what I did. Every night we’d sit and eat a meal in silence.

It was bittersweet.

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"For how long are you gonna keep doing this?" I asked him but he didn't answer.

I was lying on the floor with my legs plopped on my bed. Don't ask me why I just find it comfortable to lie down with my legs pointing up.

"You know you're gonna have to talk to me eventually" I added, but he still didn't say anything. It was making me sad. It wasn't my fault or my mistake but I always end up apologising for crimes I did not commit.

I kept watching him as he was sorting some stuff around the apartment.

School had started last week, and Ryder still hadn't found a job so he was really low on money. While I on the other hand, was working well at Crusty's, plus my dad had been sending me money every week.

Usually he sends me a monthly allowance, but whenever dad makes business deals and his business is booming, he sends me more frequently. I have a really nice dad I'm not gonna lie.

I watched as he flopped down on the couch and started flipping through the channels on the TV.

I sat properly on the floor. I was in one of my moods that I think are caused by depression. It happens that I get really restless and I just have to move around or do something or sit weirdly. It's a very different mood and I don't know how to explain it properly.

I stood up and fixed my sweatpants. While Ryder was wearing full on casual clothes, I was wearing only sweatpants.

I took the few steps and sunk into the couch next to him. He was watching a very lame looking movie.

"Can you change the channel?" I asked politely. His eyes were fixated on the screen and he pretended that he didn't hear me. He spends so much time with Jane he became so childish like her.

The remote was put neatly in his lap so I went to grab it but he snatched it really quickly as if he knew what was I going to do.

"Give me it!" I demanded, but in vain.

I tried to take it out of his hand but he extended his arm away from his body so it was out of my reach. I felt like some kid trying to take something out of the hands of a grown up. My height didn't help much.

Eventually I inched more and more towards him, until I was halfway over his body, and I still couldn't reach it. That's when I felt suddenly disoriented and fell along the edge of the couch to the floor, landing straight on my head with a thud.

"OUCH" I yelped. I wasn't that hurt but I wanted Ryder to feel guilty. It worked.

"SHIT ARE YOU OKAY?" he panicked and was instantly over me checking my head for any injuries.

"It hurtssss" I cried in fake pain "I think I'm losing sight" I placed my hand on my forehead.

"You bastard I thought you are actually hurt" he scolded me. I deserved that but hey, he was finally talking to me again. Even though he was the one who was supposed to make the effort, I was the one who ended up doing it. But it was okay with me because I don't really have much people in my life. Pathetic I know.

I grabbed the remote in the wake of all what was happening and climbed the couch from the back. What I didn't know is that Ryder was climbing after me, and that's when it happened.

He landed atop of me on the couch, trying to take the remote out of my hand. He didn't realise his body was hovering over mine, chest on chest, and his face was inches away from mine.

Suddenly, all the thoughts of the TV were gone. Along with it every drop of anger I had towards him, every regret, all dissipated in the thick air circulating with static around us.

When Ryder realized the compromising position we were in he froze. His dark brown eyes were still, pupils wide and dilated with pent up lust and frustration.

I could smell the faint odor of cologne seeping through the black Henley he was wearing. It stirred so many things inside me that I didn't know if I wanted him to take me then and there or if I wanted to drown through the couch.

His breath got shallower, while mine was barely even there.

Did I want him to kiss me? Did I want to kiss him?

More importantly: Did he want to kiss me?

He looked like he wanted to. But what about Jane? What about he not believing me and believing her? Even though I was the one who was right and she was the one lying. Who knows if she is still lying to him? Who knows if she is still hooking up with Tyler, or someone else even?

Did I care about her now? With Ryder on top of me, sharing his body heat with me. His scent and my scent creating a cloud of heat, frustration, and emotions.

He didn't make a move. He was just there, still as a statue.

My hand felt numb and the remote control dropped to the floor, but it didn't seem to faze him or break his trance.

His eyes finally drifted to my lips, which were in a semi confused pout. My heart was beating faster and faster as he eyed my longing lips.

Kiss me.

I was sure I wanted it. I hated that I wanted it.

His eyes lingered from lips to my eyes, back and forth. And then he stopped at my eyes. He licked his lips and inched closer.

Closer.

Closer.

And then he stopped, his lips merely an inch away from mine.

He took a deep breath.

To be continued.