The Undergrowth

Chapter 2: Oh, Romeo, Romeo

 I'm just finishing blow drying my hair when there's  a knock on the door.

"Come in." I call.

"Charlie and Cody are here. They are waiting to meet you." Felicity sticks her head in and motions me to follow her. I shove my feet into my favorite flip flops and head down the hall to the living room. Ebon sits at his computer, headphones on his head. His fingers moving swiftly over the keyboard. I tear my gaze away from him.

"Amelia, this is Charlie." She motions to a girl with shoulder length brown hair. Okay, so Charlie is a girl. 

"Hey," she smiles at me.

"Charlie is my BFF. She used to live with us. But she just got engaged. Show her your ring, Char."

Charlie extends her hand and I admire the small diamond on her ring finger.

"She moved across town with her fiancé, Cody, who is around here somewhere." Felicity is on a roll again.

"They are getting married next summer. Charlie picked out this gorgeous Vera Wang wedding dress, but her mom won't pay for it because she thinks she can do better than Cody."

"Felicity," Charlie chides.

"But she's Cody's mate, so there's no stopping their union."

"Felicity, you don't have to lay my entire history at the poor girl's feet."

I laugh. "Well, it's nice to meet you, Charlie."

"You, two." She pats the spot beside her on the couch. "Come, sit."

I oblige, and sit next to her.

Another tall good looking guy with a buzz cut and an eyebrow ring walks in.

"That would be Cody." Charlie beams. Cody looks over at her and his eyes light up. He walks over and bends down to kiss her.

"Cody, this is Amelia. The new roommate. She's in my old room."

"Hey, nice to meet you." He smiles. "Better be careful wearing that shirt around here."

"Why's that?" I look down at my University of Texas shirt.

"It's the wrong color orange." A new male voice chimes in. When I look up, my mouth drops open. The new arrival is the epiphany of tall, dark and handsome. His hair is a black as night and falling in his face. He wears a black leather jacket, black jeans and a black Henley. His eyes are some sort of green that t I can't quite make out from my spot.

He licks his lips and a smile plays across his lips. "In fact, I'd warn you to take it off right now and never wear it again. Burn it in fact."

"This is my favorite shirt. I'm not burning it." I cross my arms across my chest.

"O, she doth teach the torches to burn bright." He sighs and shakes his head.

I narrow my eyes on him. "Are you quoting Shakespeare at me?"

He laughs and claps his hands together. "Hot damn, she gets my Shakespeare references."

Charlie rolls her eyes. "Please don't encourage him. He will go all night."

He places his hand over his heart. "Wound me not with thine eyes, but with thy tongue."

I giggle. I fucking giggle. I don't giggle, but there is something about this sexy as hell man in a leather jacket quoting Shakespeare. He looks like he should be on the back of a Harley. I can't picture him cracking open a book, much less the Bard.

"What lady's that which doth enrich the hand of Yonder knight?" He crosses to the couch where I sit and extends his hand. "If I profane with my unworthiest hand."

I take his hand and he pulls me to my feet.

"Oh. Romeo, Romeo, wherefore art thou Romeo." I respond with the lamest and most overused Shakespeare quote ever. But his eyes, which dance between hazel and green, sparkle.

"Oh, I know that one." Felicity interrupts. "That's from that Clare Danes and Leonardo DiCaprio movie."

The handsome Shakespeare quoting a stranger and I both laugh.

"Romeo and Juliet." I look over at Felicity, who's sitting on the arm of the sofa.

She lets out a sigh. "Such a romantic movie."

"It's really not." I shake my head. "They are two dumbass teenagers who commit suicide because they think they fall in love at first sight."

I glance back at the man, still holding my hand. His eyebrow raises. 

I laugh. "Don't tell me you believe in love at first sight."

"Quite the contrary." He smirks.

"Come on man," Cody clamps him on the shoulder. "Let's go grab some beers and leave the ladies to it."

He brings my hand to his lips and kisses it. "O, wilt thou leave me unsatisfied?"

I smile. "What satisfaction canst thou have tonight?"

His grin widens and he winks at me. I watch him as he follows Cody to the kitchen. He takes the offered beer, then looks back at me before they head outside.

"Who, do pray tell, was that?" I ask with a sigh.

"Is she going to start speaking in riddles too?" Felicity asks.

"I doth know, my fair child."

"Oh no," Felicity groans. "Not you too."

I laugh and sank back down on the couch.

Charlie nudges me with her shoulder. "That, my new friend, was William."

I chuckle. "Of course that's his name."

Charlie chuckles too. "I never thought about that. We all just call him Liam."

"Liam.' I say the name just to hear it pass my lips. I may enjoy living here after all.