𝙟𝙚𝙖𝙡𝙤𝙪𝙨 𝙩𝙮𝙥𝙚 || 𝙥𝙖𝙗𝙡𝙤 𝙜𝙖𝙫𝙞

𝘁 𝗵 𝗿 𝗲 𝗲

LATE
"you mean more to me than i could ever explain in words"

~mallory~

i groan and yank the covers off me, rolling off the bed. i slide on my slippers and trudge down the hallway wearily into my kitchen and living room.

rome is sprawled out on the couch, a blanket pulled over his chest. i can hear the faint sounds of his phone as he scrolls through tiktok so i know he's awake. "morning rome."

he grumbles and slips off the couch, following me into the kitchen. he collapses onto a barstool, watching me carefully as i grab a can of cinnamon rolls from the fridge and start to place them onto a metal pan.

"what are you doing?" he sneers and my eyes snap to his. he looks between me and the cinnamon rolls in disgust.

"making breakfast?" i reply in a duh tone, causing him to roll his eyes in irritation. i think it's pretty obvious what i'm doing. "rome, don't be a dick just cause i didn't want yours last night." i sigh, walking over to preheat the oven.

he rolls his eyes so hard i think they might get stuck in the back of his head. "i'm not being a dick, i just thought you meant something different when you invited me over last night."

i stare at him in disbelief. does he really think that low of me? "you think i just invited you over for a quick fuck?"

he chokes on his words and i shove the pan of cinnamon rolls into the oven in anger. "i didn't- i didn't mean it like that." i roll my eyes. "it's just that, not a lot of people invite others over at midnight just to talk." he replies, more of a question than an answer.

"i just wanted to see you." he pulls his fingers through his tangled hair. "sorry if you saw that as me just wanting to fuck, but that's not what i wanted."

he grumbles and places his face in his hands. rome and i have a complicated relationship. we have been an on and off thing for a couple years now, but we have known each other for as long as i can remember. our moms grew up together so since they found out my mother was having a baby girl, they have had the ultimate plan to get us together. but we have never made anything official and i think it's easier for both of us that way.

we argue to often to be anything more than what we already are, but we both care for each other very much and would do anything for the other. i wouldn't exactly say that i love him, but if it ever got to that point, then maybe i could.

"look i have to go to camp nou, you can stay or leave, i don't really care." i call to rome as i leave the kitchen to go get changed. i hear rome mumble an okay and i slam my bedroom door behind me.

is all boys want sex? i invited rome over because i was lonely, i didn't just want to fuck. maybe that's my fault for interpreting that wrong, but am i not allowed to invite someone i care about over at night, just wanting to cuddle and hang out?

i pull on some athletic shorts and a sports bra, knowing i will most likely change once i get to camp nou. i pull a fcb sweatshirt on and swing my practice bag over my shoulder.

"grab the cinnamon rolls out of the oven in twenty minutes. and save one or two for me." i call out, sparing saying goodbye to rome as i jog down the stairs and out the front door. his maroon car is still parked on the curb so i know he hasn't left yet.