Pride and Prejudice

Chapter 5

Ivy

The first week at my new job went by quickly. I met Arthur's wife Gabriella who owns the diner with him. She's very nice. She gave me a bunch of the leftovers to take home after a late shift. Me and Nate devoured them while binging a bunch of episodes of friends together. It's kind of become our daily ritual. After I come home from work I usually take a shower and meet Nate in the living room. We just watch TV and talk until we're so too tired to keep our eyes open. Walking up to the 4th floor together while being high on sugar and low on energy is one of my favourite things now. Nate reminds me of my brother in some ways. But I don't like to think about him much. I don't even know where he is or if he's alive, so I just push those thoughts to the back of my mind. I'm just so happy to have a friend. I haven't had someone to laugh with for a long time. And never someone like Nathan. I also met the last roommate in this enormous townhouse. Xavier. He's tall, not as tall as Gideon though, he has dark hair, dark skin, dark eyes. He seems older than Nate and Landon but younger than Gideon. I'm bad at guessing ages but they all seem to be in their mid-to late twenties. Gideon on the other hand is 31. I found that out because I overheard Landon and Nate talking about throwing Gideon a birthday party in a couple of weeks. I haven't seen much of Gideon but every time I do, he seems to suck all the air out of my lungs. We haven't said a word to each other since our first encounter in the kitchen. I don't know what they all do for work but they seem to be working at the same company or something. When I asked Nate, he just said that it's complicated, but Gideon is basically their boss. I thought it was weird that they all live together in their boss' house but Nate told me that they're like brothers. They all practically grew up around each other and spent many summers in this house. I didn't want to pry but Nate sometimes talks like a waterfall. Once he starts there's no stopping him. And I was intrigued to say the least to learn more about the mysterious man with the dark hair and green eyes. He told me that the townhouse belonged to Gideon's aunt, and she passed away almost 2 years ago. She left it to him. No one touched the house until a year ago. They all came here to help Gideon sell the house and sort through everything, that's when Nate came up with the idea of the moving in here together. When he told me that story Nate gleamed with pride. Gideon renovated the entire top floor, and they moved in 2 months later. He didn't have to say it, but I knew that the room, my room, used to be hers. That night I sat on the bed with the lights on and studied every picture on the wall, every book on the shelve and every dress in the closet. From this room alone I could tell that she was a remarkable woman. The shimmering ball gowns that looked like they were from the 90s, classic romance novels with worn out pages next to travel guides and fairy tales. The pictures lining the walls showed places I could only dream of seeing. Paris, London, Rome, New Zealand. I think I would've liked her. I was still sitting on the bed in the bathrobe I've been wearing every day after I showered, flipping through the pages of a travel guide to Iceland when someone knocked on my door. I pulled the strings of the robe tighter together before answering.

"Yes?"

The door opened without another word.

"We're all having dinner together in an hour."

His voice burned through me to my core. I looked up to meet his frozen stare. Raven hair and deep dark green eyes met my gaze halfway. I've only passed him in the hallway a few times this week. 3 times to be exact. The first time was the day after our encounter in the kitchen. I had just come home from work and walked up the stairs when I saw him walking down. I gave him a small smile. He just walked past me. The second time was 2 days after that. I was on my way to go and buy some clothes with the money I made from the diner so far when he walked in the door. His hair was messy from the wind. He wore a long black coat that made him look elegant and dangerous. That time he didn't even look at me and just brushed past me, walking up the stairs. The third time was yesterday. I was walking up the stairs with Nate at 2am after we just finished the first season of friends when he walked up behind us. When I noticed him, I took a step towards Nate so Gideon could pass. But he didn't. He just stood there glaring daggers at me. I don't know what he could possibly be mad about but it's safe to say that we're no going to be best friends in this lifetime. But here he was. Standing in the doorframe looking like he just swallowed his own words. His eyes travelled down my body from the spot between my breasts where the fabric of the robe parted over half exposed thighs all the way down my legs and back up to my face. I felt exposed under his gaze. But I didn't mind it one bit and that was scarier than any other though. I liked the way he studied me. Calm and Careful.