Tangled With My Roommate

Chapter-4: Welcome Home

|| Arabella ||

I watched the orange cat run up to its owner's feet with my jaw-dropped. Theo picked up the cat in his arms, still glaring at me.

"You stepped on my cat?" he demanded.

"On its tail," I corrected awkwardly, getting down from the couch.

Theo's glare intensified. The cat started meowing at him, and he petted its head. Why do I feel like they were badmouthing me in a non-human language?

"Hey, in my defense, it's your cat's fault for crossing my path," I spoke up.

"Don't blame my cat for your poor eyesight."

"My eyesight is perfectly normal, I'll have you know."

"Oh, then it must be your stupidity covering your eyes." He rolled his eyes.

"Again you are calling me stupid." I narrowed my eyes on him.

"Well, of course, you are the one who took classes on it," he fired back.

"Then you must have a Ph.D. on how to be a prick."

"How about—"

"Now, now, Theo. Calm down. Be nice to your new roommate. She didn't intentionally step on the poor kitten's tail," Ian interrupted before Theo could throw another insult in my face.

"No way in hell she is my roommate."

"Excuse me, I'm not thrilled to stay with you either."

Theo ignored me and continued speaking to his uncle, "Please tell me, Uncle Ian, you're drunk and rambling nonsense."

Ian grinned and said, "Unfortunately for you, sweetie, I'm not drunk."

"If you're not drunk, then you must be joking right now, but this is not funny. She cannot be my roommate."

"Why not?" I piped in.

"Because I don't like you," Theo stated flat-out as if that was the most well-known fact on the planet.

I scoffed. "Oh, guess what? I don't like you, either."

"Great then. You don't like me, and I don't like you. Problem solved. We definitely can't stay together. So how about you walk out of that door?"

"What?" I let out incredulously.

"Oh, you don't know where the door is? It's right there," he said and pointed at the door. "I don't know why you're here, but honestly, I don't give a damn." Now that stung a bit. "I'm not willing to share the only place I'm comfortable with a person I despise—"

"Theo, stop it. You're just being a jerk now," Ian said sternly.

"I have always been a jerk anyway, that's nothing new," Theo spat out.

"Why don't you try to fix your behavior then?"

I just stood there awkwardly as Theo and his uncle argued. Well, they certainly were not on great terms. Maybe it was just a teenage rebellious phase. Then again, Theo didn't get along with anyone—not that it was a surprise. Even though he has a lot of friends, I always feel like he keeps a wall between them and him.

Gosh, what was I thinking? Thinking deeply about Theo? Eww.

"Okay, you know what? Either I go back to Atherton or Annabelle stays here. It's your choice, Uncle," Theo declared.

I was starting to feel bad. They were fighting because of me, and I didn't want that. I didn't want to put Ian in a tough spot after he was so kind to offer me a place to stay.