the fourth roommate » alex ernst

SIXTEEN

"You brought a boy?"

I sighed, feeling my entire being deflate. My grandma was dying and all I wanted was to know which room she was in, but they wanted to rag on me no matter what. It was exhausting; I couldn't see how they were so negative all the time. Did they not get tired?

"The boy brought himself," I corrected, smiling up at Alex in an attempt to calm myself down. He held my hand tightly to help me find my chill, but it wasn't doing much. "But yes, this is my boyfriend, Alex."

"You're gone six weeks and you've already got a boyfriend?" my mother sneered and I couldn't stop my eyes from rolling back into my head. It was such a waste of energy to even try to fight with her.

"I'm here for Grammy," I stated. "Where is she?"

"We need to talk to you, Mason," my dad interjected on behalf of my mother. I was less likely to snap at him and he used that to his advantage. "You haven't even attempted to contact any of us since you left."

"Wonder why?" I responded bitterly. Alex squeezed my hand as a reminder to stay cool and not let them get to me. The amount of times I had complained about them was endless, so he knew just how ticked off they made me.

"The only way we can see you is in those stupid Youtube videos. We don't like the people you hang out with. Your roommate deals drugs, for Christ's sake! That is unacceptable, and we don't want you out there anymore," my dad raised his voice and I cringed, not because I was scared but because Alex was awkwardly standing next to me.

"I'm nineteen years old, you don't pay for shit for me, so you have no say in anything I do. Where is Grammy?" I repeated, putting emphasis on my question. I wasn't fucking around this time, I was completely and utterly done with my family. My parents sat on the couch, mouths open and closing like fish. I huffed and walked toward the basement door, realizing that the basement was the only room my grandma could possibly be in. Alex followed behind me quietly and was probably too scared to say anything to me. I found her sitting by the window, staring out at the backyard.

"Grammy," her head snapped to me and a smile slowly began to grow on her face.

"My darling," her hands flew to her face which she held in shock. "I didn't think I'd ever see you again."

The words alone brought tears to my eyes. She thought I abandoned her, which broke my heart. My grandma didn't have a cell phone; she didn't believe in them. It was super hard to contact her with her living in my parents' house.

"Grammy, you know I'd never leave you like that," I approached the bench seat and settled myself next to her, wrapping my arms around her in a snug, but not too tight, hug. It was a beautiful, familiar feeling that I had missed more than anything in Georgia. "I love you."

"Who's your friend, darling?" she asked once she pulled away, and I laughed at the fact that I had completely forgotten Alex was standing watch by the steps.

"This is my boyfriend, Alex," I waved him over with a flick of my wrist. He immediately approached, sticking his hand out for Grammy to shake.

"Hi, I'm Alex. It's nice to meet you. I've heard so much about you," he was so cute and polite when talking to her; my heart absolutely melted.

"Alex, you can call me Eloise. I've seen you in those videos, you're very cute. Do you yell at my granddaughter like that?" she asked, hands still holding his. I wanted to laugh, but thought she would be offended.

"No, ma'am, she's too sweet to yell at," he chuckled and made eye contact with me. We talked for a few more hours until Alex texted me and said he was hungry. I told her we'd be back and we went to Waffle House.

I had expected to see someone I knew because, well, it was a small town after all, but I hadn't expected to see Jack, my ex boyfriend. The life drained from my face the second he approached our table. Alex had left to go to the bathroom, which I didn't recommend but he went anyways, when Jack walked through the door and came to our small booth.

"Mason! What's up, babe? Haven't seen you in forever," he seemed genuinely excited to see me which just pissed me off. How dare he want to be friends after ruining my life.

"Hi, Jack," I gave the tightest smile imaginable. He swallowed and looked me up and down.

"You look good. You here alone?" he looked toward the empty half of the booth and I almost thought he was going to sit down, but a voice behind us stopped him.

"Actually, she's not." It was Alex. I gave him a grateful smile and watched as he patted Jack's back before sliding into the booth across from me. "Do you need something?"

"Nah, man, just checking up on my girl," his smug smirk made Alex clench his jaw, and I gently grabbed his hand across the table to calm him down.

"I don't see your girl anywhere, so I think you're good to go, man," his voice was tight and pissed and so, so hot that I wanted to cry. Jack just smiled widely and waved, calling over his shoulder a loud, "See you later, babe" and moving to the opposite end of the restaurant with some boy I'd never seen. Alex's nostrils were flared and his hand was gripping mine tighter than usual, almost painfully.

"Baby," I warned, squeezing his hand as a reminder that he was crushing mine. "It's fine."

"That's him, right? Your ex?" I nodded, taking a sip of the Coke in front of me. I wasn't that worried about it, he pissed me off but hey, what can you do? Alex on the other hand was very, very angry. "What a fucking douche."

"Yeah," I agreed because there was really nothing else to do. Alex calmed down once we got our waffles and seemed to be more at ease once we paid and left the restaurant. In the parking lot, I hugged him for a while, rocking us back and forth. "You're the best. Thank you for sticking up for me. It means everything to me."

"I will always stick up for you," he kissed the top of my head and released me. We got into my car and drove back to my house, although a bit unwillingly. I didn't want to be back with my parents, but if it meant staying with my Grammy, I would do anything.

We went downstairs as soon as we got back and stayed until ten o'clock, when Alex went to the bathroom. My grandma grabbed me the second he disappeared up the stairs and looked at me with a serious face. She said, "Darling, I wish I could be there to see you marry that boy."

"What do you mean?" I giggled. "We just started dating, Grammy, we aren't in love or anything."

"The way that boy looks at you..." she trailed off, looking out the window with a smile on her face. "Baby, it's a look worth the whole world. You may not be in love with him, but believe me when I say he's in love with you."

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