Roommates with Benefits [18+ only]

10. Good girls get rewards

I thought that, after my pathetic admissions, Lukas would leave without a word. I thought that because I didn't hear him come home on that same night, he had decided that maybe an expensive hotel was better than dealing with my insecurities. I didn't think he would not only stay, but he would even make sure to act like nothing happened.

The only difference was, no more flirting, no more sexual innuendos, no more breaching my personal space. In short, he's been acting like a regular roommate. I guess it took me humiliating myself to finally make him realize we couldn't go on like that.

A whole week went by in relative peace. Every morning I find him in the kitchen preparing breakfast for the both of us, even though he knows I won't eat it. He offers to drive me to campus, I refuse, so he goes without me. We're different majors and years, so I don't really see him around throughout the day, we don't have classes together. I almost never eat at the cafeteria, so I don't see him at lunch either. He's come by the café a couple of times this week, but overall I just see him back at home in the evening, and not even for long. I usually come back that he's about to go out with his friends.

That's been our week so far. Part of me is glad, because it means he understood. The other feels ashamed, because now I look pathetic in his eyes. I really need to learn when to shut up. I keep saying whatever pops up in my mind, even though it's as inappropriate as it could possibly be.

I guess my mother was right when she said I would never have friends, because who can endure my rants about things no one's interested in?

"Good morning, Cupcake." Lukas greeted the moment he saw me entering the kitchen. His smile was genuine, but way too cheerful for my drowsy self. I don't know how he manages to be always so full of energies. He wakes up at 5 am to go jogging, yet he's always in perfect shape – in every sense. I am always a zombie, whether I wake up at 7 or 11 am. It's kind of unfair.

I merely responded with a grunt as I went to sit at my usual spot at the island. Every morning I stomp my way to the kitchen, barefooted, half blind because I don't always remember to put on glasses.

Every morning, today included, I sit at the island, and he immediately places a plate in front of me. This time it was French toasts. "How many times do I need to tell you I don't eat breakfast?" I grumbled, holding my head with both hands.

"A thousand more, baby." Lukas merely replied, offering me a kind smile. I don't know why did he decide it's his duty to feed me and make sure I take care of myself.

I sighed inaudibly, feeling guilty. "I'm sorry, I just ... I can't eat breakfast, my stomach isn't used to it. I would feel nauseous all morning and I just can't afford any distraction. This is a really pivotal semester for my academic career." There I went, overexplaining again. When will I ever learn that he doesn't need nor want to hear my life story?

Lukas eyed me for a long moment, halfway been surprised and amused. "You do realize that your academic career is your excuse for everything, right?"

"What?" I barely held up my head enough to look at him.

He went over to the counter. "You have ambitions, and that's fantastic, but you need to remember you're still human. You can take a break now and then. Or at least you should balance everything a bit better."

"I'm fine," I raked a hand over my face to wake up a bit.

"Other than the fact that you barely sleep." He pointed out.

"That's a choice." I bit back. "I just read and ..." again with the overexplaining, ugh, Tara, shut up, jeez, "anyway, I'm fine." I stood up slowly, but before I could take one single step, Lukas was beside me, pushing me onto the seat as he placed my favorite mug in front of me once he'd pushed away the plate with French toasts.