CHAPTER TWO: SNEAKY MOUSE

 “I’m homeless,” I muttered, lazily transferring my anger absentmindedly onto the paper I was holding. We just finished our class and for the first time, I wasn't able to even grasp what was taught, which was unusual considering my mind is always preoccupied every now and then with my final thesis and work; but I couldn't just because of that stupid smug face. 

  Karl didn’t even look up from her notes,“you are literally seated.”

  “I share a room with a man.” That got her attention. I hadn't told her about the verdict after seeing the dorm manager concerning the plumbing issue. She turned slowly, and blinked once. Then twice.“…A man-man?”

  I rolled my eyes. “Yes, Karl. A male. XY chromosomes, deep voice, annoying laugh, Smug face.”

  Her pen clattered on the desk. “Oh my God,” she breathed, leaving her seat, hands covering her mouth dramatically as she settled on my desk. “Is he ugly?”

  I lifted my eyes from my sketching just enough to glare at her. “That’s your first concern?”

  She leaned closer, whispering urgently. “Because if he’s ugly, we riot. But if he’s hot..”

  “He’s Ernest Malcolm.”

  Silence. Then…A scream.

  Karl slapped a hand over her mouth to muffle it, eyes shining like she’d just been handed front-row tickets to heaven. I looked around and for sure we were getting stares. 

  “YOU LIVE WITH ERNEST MALCOLM!” she whisper-yelled, eyes wild in shock. “The Ernest Malcolm? Rugby captain, campus royalty with thighs that deserve national recognition?”

  “I hate you,” I said flatly, dropping my head back down. “This is not funny.” 

  She grabbed my arm. “Olandria. This is destiny.”

  “This is a plumbing issue.” I snatched my hand away to avoid her restricting the blood flow with her hard squeeze. 

  She ignored me completely. “Do you know how many girls would sell a kidney to be in your position?”

  “I would sell both kidneys to get rid of it.”

  Karl giggled, unrepentantly. “So what? Shared room? Shared bed?”

  “Separate rooms,” I snapped. “Opposite ends. Shared living space. Kitchen. Balcony.”

  Her grin widened. “Enemies to lovers.”

  “I will rather throw myself off the balcony.”

  “Don't be dramatic Ola.” Look who's talking. She hopped off my desk and noisy dragged her seat too close to mine like I was giving her the hottest tea on campus. “So…” 

  “Karl…it's not funny. What if he's noisy? What if he crosses boundaries? I wouldn't be caught dead with him because those fan-girls will literally slaughter me, probably thinking I'm his girl or..bleh..worse” I couldn't even fathom it. 

  Karl sighed and held up my face, “It's temporary right?”

  “Yh..” 

  “You can make this work. Just show him what you got and see him swarming all over you.” 

  “Karrrll... You're unbelievable.” She laughed away, pushing her seated back to align with the rows. She was still laughing when the lecture ended. 

  We spilled out into the courtyard with the rest of campus, sunlight sharp against the stone pathways. Karl was mid-sentence, something about how I needed to loosen up and I was wondering how we are even best friends considering our very polar opposite personalities aside from our brilliance, when her voice died in her throat.

  Her eyes drifted past me. I didn’t need to turn around to know who.

  The air shifted like attention was being pulled in one direction.

  The rugby squad cut through the courtyard like they owned it; laughing, shoving, and loud in a way that made space for them automatically.

  And there he was, Ernest Malcolm. Sweat-darkened shirt clinging to his shoulders. Gym bag slung low, hair slightly damp, smile easy, presence offensively confident. He laughed at something one of his teammates said, head tipping back, sunlight catching his jaw and I looked away because it was rude to stare. God knows I wanted to wipe that laugh off his stupid face. 

  Karl clutched my arm. “Oh my God,” she whispered reverently. “He’s prettier in motion.” I refused to look.

  Karl squealed. “I’m going to meet my man,” she said suddenly, already backing away. “But I will be telling Ernest you looove rooming with him.”

  “Do not, Karoline Alexandra Steven,” I hissed.

  She blew me a kiss. “Try not to fall in love before dinner!” Laughing, she ran up to Bryan who was just walking into the courtyard. They've been together since freshman year and well, they make a pretty good couple if I say so myself. 

  Traitor.

  I stayed where I was long after they disappeared, counting breaths until my heartbeat stopped acting brand new for no reason. Fridays were my day off, I had no shift, so I headed back to the dorm.

  I was halfway down the path when I felt it.

That awareness, the prickle between my shoulders.

  Someone was behind me. I spun, swinging my bag on instinct. A hand caught the strap mid-air.

  “Easy,” Ernest said, laughing. “Violent much?”

I yanked the bag back, eyes narrowed. “You should announce yourself before sneaking up on people.”

  “I wasn’t sneaking,” he said easily. Looking less…sweaty than he was earlier, “You stopped. I didn’t.”

  I point squarely at him, “I'm not your entertainment.” 

  He scoffed, “too bad, I'm already entertained.” 

  Ughhh! Soo annoying. 

  I turned and power-walked away. He matched my pace without effort. I could feel his heat literally on my back. His presence pressing in.

  “Stop walking behind me,” I snapped.

  “We live together,” he replied. “Technically, we’re leaving together.”

  “I didn’t agree to that.”

  “Practice just ended,” he said, resting on the street lamp like he had all day. “Not my fault our paths overlap.”

  I sighed through my nose, resisting the urge to scream into the trees. Fine.

  We walked the rest of the way in silence, the dorm looming ahead. Once inside, I went straight to unpacking. If I focused on arranging my things; stacking sketchbooks, lining brushes, organizing my life into clean, and manageable sections, I could pretend this entire fiasco wasn’t happening.