Page 30 of Roommates
The moment I managed to get my phone out of the pockets of my discarded pants, the ringing stopped.
Of course. Only a moment later, though, it started again. The caller ID showed me that it was my mom desperately trying to reach me.
Had something happened to her or dad? Anxiously, I answered the call. “Mom?”
“Please tell me it's just a fling.”
“What?” I was definitely not awake enough to understand what she was on about.
“I was talking to Mrs. Mayberry from next door this morning.”
Mrs. Mayberry... I knew her of course. Her son was on my team. Suddenly I understood where this conversation was headed. I knew the rumors would reach my mom eventually, but I didn't think it would happenthisfast.
“Is it true that you're in a relationship with your roommate?” my mom asked. “Is that why you won't let me help you find a good mate?”
I glanced at Lucas, who was sitting up now, rubbing the sleep out of his eyes. Were we in a relationship? Last night had gotten pretty intimate, and I didn't even mean the sex, but what had happened after...
You didn't do stuff like that unless you were pretty close, right? Still, I didn't think Lucas would like it if I declared that we were in a relationship, even if I sort of wanted us to be.
“I'm not in a relationship with my roommate,” I told my mom.
“Don't lie to me. I heard you were seen kissing him last night after the game.”
“Mom, please, were you in a relationship with everyone you've ever kissed?” I didn't like to think about my mom's sex life prior to dating my dad, but I wasn't stupid.
“So you were just playing around?” my mother asked next.
That was not what I would call it...I wasn't playing around with Lucas. While I was talking to my mom, Lucas rose from the bed and gathered his clothes from the floor. I got a very nice view of his ass as he bent to pick up his pants.
“Adam?” my mom prodded, reminding me that I still hadn't given her a response.
“I don't know,” I said, exasperated. “Why does it matter, anyway?”
“You know why it matters,” my mother launched into a rant while I watched Lucas get dressed, tuning her out. Lucas didn't look sad this morning. No, he looked... resolved. I couldn't tell exactly what was going on with him. I simply hoped that whatever had been weighing on his mind the night before wasn't an issue anymore. Turning around, he caught me staring at him as he smoothed down his shirt.
The light shining in through the window hit the tips of his hair in a way that made them look copper, giving his look something fiery as his eyes bore into me.
I got the feeling that I'd done something wrong, even though I didn't know what.
“I'm going out,” he said softly, and then he left the room without giving me a chance to respond.
“Adam, are you even listening?” my mom snapped at me through the phone.
I had not been listening. How could I, when I didn't know what was wrong with Lucas? “I'm sorry, Mom. This is not a good time. I have to go to class. I'll talk to you tomorrow, okay?” With that, I ended the call. My mom was probably going to be mad at me, but I didn't care. I was miles and miles away and she was going to calm down eventually.
Before putting my phone away, I checked the time. It was just after 11am, which meant I'd missed the one class I had on my schedule for that morning. It also meant I had about half an hour to get ready for my shift at the coffee shop.
Groaning, I rolled out of bed and got ready for the day that lay ahead, trying but never quite managing to keep my mind from drifting to thoughts of Lucas.
I SHOULD HAVE SEEN this coming, but every time there was a lull in customers at work that day, Nathan wasonme like he was a dog and I was his favorite chew toy.
“I can't believe you kissed him in front of everyone,” he said for what was probably the fifth time.
“Better start believing it, because I'm gonna do it again.”
“I'm honestly a little impressed,” Nathan admitted, glancing at me as he wiped coffee stains off the store's dark countertops. “You really don't give a shit what people say, do you?”
To be honest, I did care, but there were other things I caredmoreabout. Like Lucas. Turning to Nathan, I gave my friend a shrug. “I'm kind of tired of doing what I'm expected to do. So what if people talk? Let them.” I would be fine as long as I could keep Lucas.
