All Chapters of More Than Roommates : Chapter 1 - Chapter 10

Seth~ I catch myself thinking about Leo again, even though I really don’t want to. It’s the morning after everything, the awkwardness with Alex, the shitstorm Mikey caused, the press already sniffing around for a scandal. My jaw still aches from grinding my teeth all night. There’s no time to get soft or sentimental. Not now. Not when I’ve got a team to hold together, a scholarship to protect, and a roommate who looks at me like I’m either his worst nightmare or his biggest distraction. Leo’s the kind of memory I’m supposed to file away under “Mistakes I Pretend Were Fun.” But my mind goes there anyway. He’d probably laugh if he knew I still think about him sometimes. “Everyone out in three… two… out now, folks, or I’ll make you jog ’round the pitch!” Coach’s voice echoes through the locker room as he smacks the nearest player upside the head. The shuffle begins. A sea of sweaty bodies disperses with groans and curses. The scent of liniment and damp socks hits me like

Alex~ My mouth tastes like bad decisions and vodka-laced regret. I wake up groggy, my head pounding like a broken drum set after a rock concert. The room is dim, sun barely sneaking through the window blinds. My throat feels like sandpaper, and the only movement I can muster is a groan as I roll over—and instantly regret it. Every part of my body aches. I blink hard, trying to place myself in the room. I’m in bed—my bed, thankfully—but still wearing only my boxers. My jeans are tossed carelessly across the floor, belt twisted. My shirt is nowhere in sight. Great. I sit up, head still spinning, and that’s when I hear it. A voice. Seth’s voice. It’s low and unusually soft. Not the usual cocky or loud-mouthed tone he uses when mocking me or trying to make everyone in the room aware of his existence. This voice is careful. Vulnerable. I know I shouldn’t be listening, but I stay frozen. “I don’t care what the doctors say, Ma. You should’ve called me earlier,” Se

Alex~ After I lay in bed eavesdropping, I kind of have a fade to black experience where I fall asleep and I woke up at 11am on Saturday morning. From where I lay, I can see Seth’s empty bed that looks untouched, like he hadn’t lay in it last night. I brush the thought of him aside because somehow, these days he seems to be occupying so much space in my head. I go to the bathroom and brush the morning breath out of my mouth before I lean against the sink and take a good look at my face. I look like I’ve been dragged through the gates of hell for a week nonstop. I guess that’s what having a bi roommate that makes you question your sexuality while you’re actively dating would do to a person. Before I leave the bathroom, I listen to know if he is in the room and do the same when I’m about to leave the room. Just as I tiptoe into the kitchen hoping he is gone for the day, I hear his voice, deepened my his sleep. “You doing alright?” Seth’s voice pulls me out of my own

Alex Seth and I are silently preparing toast the next morning when my phone pings. It’s from Tracey. ‘You’re coming with me to Jess’s party tonight. No excuses. I already told her you’d show.’ It reads. There’s a smiley face at the end, softening the order. I stare at the screen for a second, thumb hovering over the keypad. My first instinct is to say no because body still feels like it’s recovering from the tension of yesterday, it feels like my skin hasn’t quite settled over my bones yet. But I think of the way Tracey looked at me before she left and decide that I can’t keep avoiding her forever. ‘Sure. What time?’ I text back. She responds in seconds. ‘I’ll pick you up at 7. Wear something decent. No stained hoodies.’ We can hear the music from the house before we even pull into the street. There’s music vibrating through the windows and a glow of fairy lights wrapped around the porch like it’s an artsy gathering and not a full-blown college rager. Tracey

Alex~I leave the locker room in silence, but my thoughts are anything but. There’s a roaring in my ears, like background static turned all the way up. I keep walking past the vending machines, past the empty courts, past anything that might force me to stop and think.Because if I stop, I’ll have to unpack what just happened.What almost happened.And I can’t… I can’t do that.I need air. I need distance. I need…Tracey?She’s standing outside the dorm, leaning against the wall like she’s been waiting. Her arms are folded across her chest, hair pinned back, expression unreadable.My stomach flips.“Hey,” I say, stopping a few feet away.“Hey,” she echoes. “You walked. Didn’t think you would.”I shrug. “Felt like clearing my head.”Her eyes narrow a little, but she doesn’t press it. Just nods and pushes off the wall. “Can we talk?”I hesitate but step aside to unlock the door.We don’t say much as we walk in but there’s tension in the silence and I am certain it is thick with the thin