Signed /Dream Team/

6

Hours go by and we're still talking. It's not a surprise that we have a lot to talk about, we're going to live together for at least a week after all. And I should also mention that they're pretty easy to talk to, especially Nick.

I got to know them a little bit. Turns out they had been online friends for a while and moved here to live together with the money they made from streaming. I appreciate the fact that they made their own money and feel extremely useless remembering that I rented this house with my brother's help. Or it's more accurate to say my brother rented this house with my help.

"So why did you leave Florida?" George asks after finding out that I used to live there.

"I was living with my brother and he decided that he wants to live with his girlfriend all of a sudden," I chuckle, "I didn't even know he had a girlfriend, so that was a surprise."

They both laugh, but it's not my fault my brother worked 24 hours a day and I barely even got to see him, let alone have a conversation about his personal life.

"How old is your brother? What's his name?" Nick seems to be only interested in people's names and ages. That's the only information his brain is capable of processing, and those are the only questions he knows.

"We're twins," I hope it answers his question about the age, "his name's Max. It's Maksim but people call him Max."

I only realize how weird it is to talk about my brother's age and name when they barely know my age and name. So I quickly change the topic to something that's been bothering me for the past few hours.

"Hey, I know it's none of my business but aren't you worried about your friend?" I chew on the inside of my cheek, "I mean it's been hours and the weather is kinda brutal, I don't know."

"Oh shit, I forgot," of course, Nick forgot. Of course he did.

"He'll come back. He's just being an asshole," I wouldn't say George sounds unbothered. He sounds pissed.

"Bro, I don't know, it's kinda late," Nick checks the time. It's 11 p.m. already.

"Oh c'mon, you didn't even notice that he was gone," rolling his eyes, George gets up, "he's being ungrateful. He deserves to sleep in the streets to be honest."

Now that's a bit harsh, I'll admit. Or again, maybe I'm too kind. Either way, it's none of my business.

"Sorry for being annoying, but like, did he leave because of that hairspray thing? I didn't mean to, I could apologize."

"No, he's just going through shit," Nick speaks immediately.

"It's just a breakup, happens to literally everybody," George shakes his head, "he's being dramatic as always."

"He was saving up for an engagement ring and ended up spending all the money on this apartment," Nick defends his friend, "and it all happened in a week, I don't think it happens to literally everybody."

Their conversation becomes background noise in my head as I start to feel a level of empathy that's unhealthy for a right mind. Somehow I feel even worse for them after knowing the details of their unfortunate fate.

I sit on the couch and get lost in the maze of my thoughts for another hour, thinking about ways to solve their problems even though I had my own unsolved. I don't even hear their conversation during the said hour, all I can recall is that they're talking about streaming.

"Okay it's midnight and I'm cold, I'm going to bed," George announces as he gets up.

"What about Clay?" When Nick mentions his name, George groans in annoyance again.

"Listen, his two most valued things in life are here. He's not going anywhere, relax," he's about to go to the bedroom but Nick speaks again.

"Aw, you mean me and you?"

I'm not gonna lie, that's really cute. Yet George's answer is disappointing.

"No, I mean his PC and his cat."

I almost forgot about the cat. And oh god, I just remembered that I psps'd at it and called it Clay. Turns out it's his cat too, which makes things even more embarrassing for me. Now this is another memory I'm gonna try to block my whole life.

Eventually, they both agree on leaving the door unlocked in case their friend comes back and go to bed. They take the bunk beds, leaving the other room for me.

At first I was excited about having the big bed but after lying on that bed for 30 minutes and having to listen to it squeak every time I move a muscle got on my nerves.

I got up and went to the living room pissed that I had no other choice but to try to fit on the tiny uncomfortable couch. Not only it's too small, but it also has hard lumps in it that are poking out. Great.

One would imagine how much of a torture it was to even get close to sleeping on that thing. And now imagine how annoyed I was when every time my brain would try to shut down, that insomniac cat purred and brushed its tail on my face. I jumped awake four times in just an hour.

"Are you hungry?" I whisper at the cat.

It's silent.

"Do you want to cuddle?" I whisper again.

"Meow."

"Reasonable," I nod, "come here."

Stretching my arms towards the little thing, I pull it closer and share my blanket with it. And immediately it hits me. The poor thing was probably cold, it was shaking. We don't have the heating problem solved and it's freezing in here.

"Aww, poor baby," my voice is a bit louder than a whisper, "you have a blanket now, it's okay."

The amount of happiness I feel when the cat purrs and finally falls asleep with its cute little snout snuggled into the crook of my neck puts me to sleep in just a few minutes.

I feel bad for hoping that the guy doesn't come back and I get to keep the cat.