Roommates

Six

When I got back to the apartment after classes, Holly looked like she was having a crisis. She was curled up on the couch, groaning, glaring at the ceiling, with a box of cookie dough bites in her mouth.

"You okay?" I asked, putting my backpack on a chair and heading over to her.

"Blake!" She said, reaching for me with a smile. But it quickly turned into a scowl. "Ugh."

Oh, dang. I'd lived with Sofia long enough to know what was happening. Looked like they both got moody for this thing. But I had to make sure it was that and not something else.

"On a scale from one-to-ten, how would you rate your day?"

"UGH!" Was her answer, along with a bunch of disgruntled noises as she turned away, clutching her gut.

"Yep, cramps," I sighed.

I headed back to the kitchen and made an online order for the closest store. While I waited for it to be delivered, I searched through the TV and found a list of Marvel movies playing. Holly told me she was a fan, and I loved the comics, so I put it on.

She un-buried her face from the couch and watched with a pouty expression. She was in a position that was almost upside down. I'd learned not to mess with girls on their monthlies, otherwise I would have made her turn back so the blood wouldn't rush to her face.

I paid the guy who delivered my order and unpacked the stuff from the bag. Charleston Chews, chocolate cookie n' cream dairy-free ice-cream, chocolates and creams, plus a few actual healthy stuff that I put away.

"Oh, Holly," I said.

Disgruntled noises answered me.

"I have food for you." No movement. "Did I mention it's chocolate?"

She sat up and looked at me, her jaw dropping when she spotted everything I had. Her eyes watered and she had an adorable expression on her face.

"You got that for me?" She whispered, her voice matching her expression.

I laughed and sat down next to her. She grabbed everything from me and popped off the lid on the ice cream and grabbed one of the spoons. She curled back up as she hoarded the chocolates.

After a few minutes of keeping the sweets to herself, she bounded over to me, pressed herself into my side and put her stolen chocolates in my lap. I laughed and put an arm around her as I sorted through the chocolate.

After we binged Marvel, Star Wars, Harry Potter, had a few more online deliveries, and finished up with Kung Fu Panda, Holly had gone through a few emotional stages that involved crying. I made her cry. Just because I got chocolate and ice cream.

She was more emotional than Sofia was.

"Blaaakkkeee," she murmured, barely looking up at me.

"What?" I asked, trying to contain my laughter.

"You're amazing," she whispered, looking at me with watery eyes and an adorable expression.

I sighed and patted her head. "I know."

She smiled and took another spoonful of the ice cream, then laid her head on my lap and closed her eyes. Her arms were wrapped around one of her stuffed animals I'd gotten from her room, and she was wrapped in a plaid blanket like a burrito.

Honestly, she was so cute and adorable when she was asleep. She looked so peaceful, and for some reason it made my heart melt. It didn't feel like that whenever I watched Sofia sleep. This was...different.

Ugh, Holly, I thought as I pushed a strand of her auburn hair out of her face. Stop making me fall for you.

But of course, she wouldn't listen. She didn't even know what she was doing.