Roommates Unraveling

Chapter Ten- Falling Asleep and For You

My professor's voice droned through the auditorium.

"And, in this scene, Lear's hamartia is his will to give his daughters his land. Shakespeare highlights the inevitability of future tragedy by..." His voice echoed through the hall, each syllable instilling a deeper sense of exhaustion within me.

I zoned out for what seemed like the seventh time that lesson. It's not that I wasn't interested in Shakespeare. I was. I loved English literature.

But I despised Mr. Cindol's voice. It was raw and scratchy, as if he'd smoked up right before coming here. And he spoke in an agonizingly boring monotone, making it sound as if he didn't even care about the greatest literary mastermind: William Shakespeare.

I buried my head in my hands, leaning over my desk. God, this was boring. In my backpocket, I felt my phone buzz. Thankfully, it was on silent. I leant over and slid out my phone, checking my messages.

Harry: Where are you?

Me: Uni. Help.

Harry: I can't turn down a plea from a damsel in distress. On my way!

I smiled to myself, pocketing my phone again and focusing my attention on the lecture. Fifteen minutes left. I could get through this. Or so I thought.

Sadly, I didn't. I fell asleep, dribbling and drooling- I'd probably snored too.

"Wake up." A deep, rough voice said. My eyelids fluttered open, getting used to the light. I yawned, stretching out my limbs. "What time is it?" I said to the unknown man.

"Ten minutes since the lecture ended. You seemed to be very into it." The guy in front of me joked. I took a good look at him. He had tousled, wavy brown hair and hazel, almost amber, eyes. Had I seen him before?

"I'm Brett." He said, standing out of the way to let a janitor through.

I got up, walking with him outside. "I'm Mia," I smiled. "You're into English Lit?" I asked, surprised. He didn't look the type. He seemed too stocky and well-built: the epitome of a jock.

He grinned. "Nah, I was supposed to do mechanics. But for some reason I need to go to one of these lessons a week. Don't think I've ever read a book."

I burst out laughing, following him as he opened the university doors and led me outside. "You got a ride?" He asked, twirling his car keys in his right hand. I nodded. "Great. It was nice meeting you, Miss. Mia."
"Same to you." I beamed, watching as he walked away.

In my peripheral vision, I saw Harry's matt black Range Rover roll up closer towards me. He rolled down his window and eyed me over, his thick black sunglasses covering almost half his face. He was barely recognizable.

"Good afternoon." I said, hopping in the passenger seat next to him and buckling my seat belt.

"Looks like you had a fine one." He said dryly.

"What do you mean?" I laughed, confused at his strange tone.

"I know you don't want to get involved with a roommate. But why him? What makes that guy so special?" Harry blurted out, keeping his gaze fixated on the road. The muscle above his eye twitched repetitively.

"What on Earth are you talking about?"

"Oh, I saw what happened. I've done it before myself. Don't think no one would notice- especially if you didn't even bother fixing your hair afterwards." Harry muttered. I looked in the side view mirror and smoothed out my scruffy bedhead hair. Why did my hair matter?

"Harry! What are you talking about?"

"You just screwed that guy." He mumbled, looking genuinely hurt. I erupted into a fit of giggles, beyond amused.

"You were bored, so you went for him. Once class ended, you two snuck into the janitor's closet, had sex and then came out five minutes later, smiling and euphoric."

I couldn't fight my laughter. "That is not what happened!"

"Then explain the post-sex hair!" He was beginning to get slightly emotional.

"I fell asleep during class. He woke me up, we left."

"That's what they all say."

"I only met him today!"

"SO?"

"So, NO. My God. Is that what you think of me? You think I have no dignity? No self-worth?" I spat, getting insulted by his accusations. How could he think I would do something like that?

"Well, he was attractive... kind of. Not really. Whatever. And of course he'd be tempted by you! I mean, are you even allowed to wear that to class?" Harry pointed to my outfit. I was wearing denim shorts and a red tank top. I'd even worn a wool cardigan in the auditorium.

"STOP!" I screamed. "Enough. You've insulted me enough as it is. What are you even trying to imply? That my clothes tempt people? That I look like a whore?"

Harry was silent. So I carried on ranting.

"Stop sexualizing my clothes. It was hot outside when I walked here. I wore this outfit to keep cool. Not to lure guys in." I retorted, turning slightly away from Harry and staring out of the window. I couldn't even look at him.

"I didn't mean to..." He said.

"You always don't mean to! But you always do. Why? Why is it that you're such an asshole?"

"I don't know."

"Why? Tell me why! You can insult me and degrade me and humiliate me- but I want to know why."

"Because..."

"Because what."

"Because I'm jealous!" Harry blurted. His hands tightened their grip on the steering wheel. "You made it clear you don't want to be with me. Me! I consider myself a catch. I have hundreds of girls throwing themselves at me everyday. I turn them all down. I don't want them. I want you. So, yeah, it pisses me off when you turn me down and I find you laughing and flirting with other guys."

I bit my lip, letting this sink in for a moment. Now I felt horrible. I didn't mean to aggravate him or upset him. "It wasn't my intention to hurt you." I said.

"And it wasn't mine to hurt you either."

"Okay."

"Okay."

"I think I'm falling for you." He said, turning his head and flicking his eyes over onto me.

"Don't." I whispered.

"I can't not. It's not my fault."

"Stop."

"Why?" He said, parking the car in our driveway. Through our hectic quarrel, I hadn't even noticed how fast he was driving. He budged the gear shift to park. "You can't just tell me to stop, Mia."

"Stop."

"No."

"You need to!"

"Why?"

"You can't give me another reason to admit I'mfalling for you too."