The Roommate Assignment

11

Grayson

After my last final (accounting) on a Wednesday morning, I found myself with Ian, shotgunning a beer at the early hour of eleven in the morning. It was freezing outside, the weathermen were forecasting at least seven inches of snow indicating the perfect way for me to get out of going home before Christmas day. As Ian and I stepped back into the house from the porch we saw Kate dragging Aspen behind her into the apartment. My stomach dropped slightly, we both were avoiding each other since the other night in the kitchen. I scratched the back of my neck, remembering the way she looked at me.

"Finals are over!" Kate exclaimed, jumping on Ian's back, "Time to drink!"

"We've already started," I pointed out, Kate smacking Ian's head.

"You said you would wait for us, traitor," Kate cursed, hopping off Ian's back and unzipping her bag. Aspen repeated the action unveiling a bottle of tequila and some limes, Kate revealing a case of Twisted Teas.

"Alright let's go shotgun, Aspen, gotta catch up," Kate grabbed Aspen's arm and pulled her into the freezing weather.

"What's going on with you two?" Ian demanded, smacking my arm.

"What do you mean?" I hissed, rubbing my arm where he hit me.

"I mean you two avoiding looking at each other like middle schoolers being forced to see each other in the hallway," Ian chuckled, "What happened."

"Nothing really," I shrugged, grabbing some glasses and pouring us all tequila shots.

"Something did spill idiot," He urged, I huffed and set the glasses down.

"She got on my ass about being jealous, saying since I wasn't committing to her or making a move I can't say anything which was just really close to home for both of us because of the whole argument last year. Then we cooked together angry at each other and I swore she was going to let everything on the stove burn but then she pushed me away," I confided, pouring tequila into each of the glasses.

"Ah, a little angry se-" Ian smirked, getting cut off by the squeals of Kate and Aspen outside. It had begun to snow, we walked over to the porch seeing them twirling around as the snowflakes fell. I watched Aspen's face light up, her cheeks rosy from the frostbitten wind. She was incomparable. Her eyes smiling as she laughed and squealed, Kate and her dancing. Snowflakes dusted Aspen's dark hair and her shoulders. God I loved her. It breaks my heart every day I have to be around her and am unable to do anything about what I feel for her. Ever since my dad dropped the news I would be moving to Italy after graduation to pair up with his partner Frank Hugh to expand the company internationally, I have been avoiding her. Attempting to ignore the pang in my chest every time she was near me. I wanted to be with her more than anything but how could I just expect her to do long distance with me? Not just a few hours away or states, but a whole continent away. I just didn't want to get my hopes up she would want that.

"I'm moving to Italy," I spoke aloud, Ian's eyes breaking from the two girls to look at me.

"What?" Ian clarified, "Italy? Why?"

"Dad is expanding his consulting branch," I shrugged, staring longingly at Aspen.

"That's why you've been avoiding her," Ian realized, I'd never heard his voice sound pitiful, "Well no wonder. Have you told her?"

"How can I?" I whispered, voice wavering. How could I be responsible for crushing that beautiful soul that danced in any weather?

"You're going to have to figure it out because the longer you keep that from her the worse the heartbreak is going to be," Ian told me, clapping a hand on my shoulder, "But hey, today let's just drink and have fun with them okay? Celebrate being a semester away from being officially done with college."