Table For Two

49 - Ali

I can hear Ryan moaning and grumbling from outside his door. There is a girl across the hall from him who is filing her nails while she leans against the frame and some sort of EDM music and incense is thrumming out behind her. It's... an interesting mixture. She nods at me and Leon, her neon blue hair falling in her eyes.

"You beat him up again?" She points the file at me as she speaks. She's also chewing gum as she does so. It's pretty irritating as she's so loud about it and I'm wound tighter than the skin of a drum.

"No. Harvey."

She seems to soften a bit at that.

"He alright?"

"Not really but he will be."

Leon sticks his head into Ry's room and says something before turning back to me.

"Just knock when you're done, alright?" Leon says as he heads in behind the blue haired girl, threading an arm around her waist.

"Got it. Thanks."

Leon nods as he lets the door swing shut. Ryan's door is on the latch and I just nudge it open. Last time I saw his room, it was dark as anything and I was drunk so I didn't really pay much attention. Now I realise it was barely more than a place to sleep and shag for him. There is hardly any decoration. He has clothes on the floor and a messy pile of course textbooks next to his laptop on the desk. It's almost sad.

Almost.

I hear him groan from the bed again and just cross my arms in front of me.

"Stop playing to the nonexistent gallery. You deserved far worse" I spit angrily. I see Ryan still as he eases himself up to look at me.

"What do you want?" he demands. I just huff a breath out of my nose. If I was smoking, I would look like a dragon.

"To tell you something"

"Ugh whatever mate just go an-"

I march up to him and smack the ice pack out of his hand, listening to it scatter on the floor as I grab his collar.

"You are going to listen and you're going to get this through your thick fucking skull. You do not get to take out your frustrations or whatever the fuck this is on me or Harvey. If you are sorting through some shit then sort through it. And if you want to talk about shit then be a fucking grown up about it and ask to talk. What you don't get to do is swagger around like your shit don't stink and be a homophobic little bitch. So when you are ready to stop being a prick and own your issues, then text me and I can maybe help you out. Because I have been there. And Harvey has had to do it too. We both know what it is like to hide something about yourself because you're scared of what it means and what the implications are. And maybe, just maybe, sleeping around and telling people to stifle it isn't the best way to go about things because how do you think that makes people feel?"

He doesn't say anything. Just stares impassively. I shake my head at him.

"You're either going to learn to deal with your shit, or you'll keep getting your shit rocked because you try using it to be a bigoted trash fire of a human instead. Take your pick. If you pick the former, then I'll help. But you need to pick soon. And if you ever dare try pulling a stunt like that again, you'll end up shitting out your own teeth. Got it?"

More glaring.

"Fine. Sit and seethe. But you better apologise to Harvey at the very fucking least."

I don't wait for any response and turn to leave. As I get to the door, he speaks.

"Why did you tell him?"

"Tell him?"

"Harvey. Why did you tell him we hooked up?"

I sigh. Well... we're getting somewhere at least.

"I bumped into him on Freshers week after I was leaving your room and he was leaving the kitchen. I'd actually seen him earlier in the night when I was working and his first ever date turned into a disaster. He made me a cuppa and we talked. He asked why I was here so I told him and explicitly said for him not to tell anyone. I wasn't going to be responsible for outing you before you were ready. And he has only told you. If he had mentioned anything else to the others, I would know by now. So he's as good as his word."

A defeated sigh. He deflates.

"Oh..."

"Is that really where all this came from? You freaked out because he knew?"

His silence answers for him.

"Look... for what it's worth, I'm sorry. I shouldn't have told Harvey."

"Thanks" he says after a long pause "and I'm... sorry for giving you the come on."

"Apology accepted. Just make sure you apologise to Harvey as well."

He nods.

"And I'm serious, by the way. If you want to talk shit through, you know how to get hold of me. Even though you have been an egregious asshole, I'll be around if you need."

With that said, I take the door off the latch and close it quietly behind me. I knock on Leon's door. After a bit of rummaging around and chatter coming from within, he opens the door and using it to cover his lower half. Ah. Right.

"I'm done with him. Just letting you know."

"Ah sweet. Let Harvey know I'm here if he wants anything, y'know."

"Cheers."

That was awkward. I head back to Harvey's room. There's quiet chatter and a little laughter coming from it as I hove back into view and all eyes are on me like a bunch of meerkats looking up for predators. Dee was sitting on Harvey's desk and had her feet propped up on the end of the bed. Anwar was sitting with Nia and Harvey who was still nursing his drink.

"Don't let me interrupt," I say with a smirk.

"Where did you go?" Harvey asks quietly.

"To sort this out. And I think I have."

"Really?"

"Really."

Everyone seemed okay with that. Except Dee, who was fixing me with a look that says that if I have killed anyone then she knows she'll be arrested as an accomplice. Fortunately, we avoided that. I get Anwar to scoot up so I can cuddle into Harvey.

"I love you" I whisper to him.

"Love you too" he breathes back.