Rooftops (BEING MAJORLY REVISED)

Chapter 7

Once I felt humiliated enough by Ellie, I decided a shower was in order. Even once I left the kitchen, she continued to yell crude comments about me – about me and Tom. I could only hope Tom was in fact asleep and heard none of it. I have said it once and I'll say it one thousand more times; Ellie was infuriating. But she and Tom were now behind the closed bathroom door and down the hall and that was far enough for me to relish in just a bit of sanity and peace for a little while.

~

Stepping into the shower, I stood under the shower head for a moment letting the hot water run down my tense shoulders and back. Taking the shampoo in hand, I squeezed a dab onto my palm and began to scrub it into my hair. Closing my eyes, my thoughts take me back to last night.
None of it makes any sort of sense. I mean, all I remember is meeting Tom. He was drunk. He was definitely not a gentleman. And I drank some. That's it. I don't know what the hell Ellie is talking about. What's this about me getting lost? He lost me? And he "flipped out" on me? Ugh, this is why I stopped drinking. And honestly, even if I did get lost, why would he even car– oh my goodness..
My hands stopped mid scrub on the top of my head and my eye shot open as I recalled last night's events.
Why do you even care?
I said that to him...
He was yelling, and angry, and that look he gave me was so dark but so... alluring..
What the hell did I drink last night?
And to think I thought Ellie was just making this all up for the sake of a good tale.
With one more exaggerated sigh, I continued to scrub my head and vowed to never drink again.

~

I was in the midst of towel drying my hair when I entered the living room and you would never guess who was finally awake. Oh goody.
"Finally," Tom got up off the love seat advancing towards me. Oh my, I forgot how tall he was. "I was beginning to consider urinating on your front steps."
And at that, I grimaced. Could he be anymore unattractive while being so damn attractive? I decided to just bite my tongue, and allow the rude blonde to walk away threat free.
Once I heard the bathroom door shut (with a bit of a slam might I add), I turned to Ellie who was casually reading a magazine I'd reckon she's read so many times she could probably recite it by memory.
"You know I hate you, right?"
Without even bothering to look up at me, she turned the page of her irrelevant gossip and said, "Yes, I'm fully aware."
"Ellie, this isn't funny." I crossed my arms. "This is your fault."
With a mock scoff, she tossed her shit magazine on the coffee table and finally looked up at me with an amused smirked curved on her lips. Waving her pointer finger side to side, she laughed at me. Actually laughed at me.
"Oh no. This was all you babe. I couldn't possibly take any of the credit. He-" She pionted behind me towards the bathroom. "is here because you wanted him here." She crossed her arms, her smirk never faltering.
"Bullshit," I spat.
"Don't bullshit me," She cut me off. "You actually invited him over. You wanted nothing more than for that man to stay here."
"I was drunk! I actually remember none of this! I mean honestly, you know me well enough to know I would never consider letting a stranger into my home upon just meeting them if I was fucking sober!"
"Tom isn't necessarily a stranger." she shrugged her shoulders innocently.
"He might as well be! When was the last time you've actually seen him before last night, huh? For all you know he could have went through some recent physiological mental thing and like be totally fucked up up in that head of his and have possibly murdered us all in our sleep over night! Did you ever think of that?!" I finished letting my hands fall to my sides followed by a well needed exhale.
Ellie only stared at me with wide eyes for a second and then did what she did best. She laughed at me.
I closed my eyes and exhaled resisting the erg to kill my roommate. I buried my face in my hands, rubbing my eyes suddenly feeling absolutely drained. "Ellie, just .. what the hell is so funny." I finally spoke.
"You know, you're probably right about the whole murder overnight thing," Raspy, deep, and right behind me, that voice could only belong to one certain blonde. I turned around slowly, cursing my life as I did. There he was. Shoulder leaned against the hallway entrance, arms crossed over his long and bare torso, disheveled hair, and nothing but my embarrassment causing his amused grin. I could feel the heat rise in the back of my neck, "lucky for you," he continued. "my doc. has so kindly medicated me for my 'recent physiological mental thing' and I have the proper sense to spare your life. You're welcome." He finished using air quotes to make his point.
The heat has now reached my cheeks and my conscious has threatened to kill me multiple times in my head as I stupidly utter the words, "You weren't meant to hear that."
Tom let out a wry, absolutely mocking laugh that only made me feel worse. "You don't say?"
I opened my mouth, shut it, opened it again, and just when I thought I had something intelligent to say, I remembered that I actually have a headache that could possibly kill me. Well, that'll save my conscious the trouble.
Rubbing my temples for what has felt like the thousandth time this morning, I sighed and sat on the love seat next to Ellie burring my face in my hands.
"Would you like some asprin for that?" I swear I could hear the grin on Ellie's face.
I groaned a "Yes please." and rested my head on the armrest. I felt the space next to me rise as Ellie got up to go to most likely the bathroom considering that's where all the meds are.
I sat there for a moment, eyes closed, pain pulsing through my head when suddenly felt the space next to me sink. Assuming it was Ellie, I opened my eyes, and held my hand out to her muttering, "Drugs please." but just my luck, it was not Ellie but Tom.
"Sorry, I've used up all mine, but I think Ellie will be back in just a sec." He spat, not a lick of humor in his tone.

At this point, I don't even understand why I feel so damn horrible about this. This man has invaded my apartment and is now mocking me while he sits next to me on my love seat in, again, my damn apartment. I should be angry not sympathetic. He should be like.. apologizing or something. I was beginning to grow impatient with this man who must believe he was some sort of saint in this situation.
"Look," I started, "I don't know who you think you are but-" and then as if on que, there was a knock on the door. Great.
Igroaned and pointed a finger at Tom, "Stay put, I'm not done with you."
With an eyeroll he muttered, "As you wish, your majesty."
Ignoreing his comment I made my way to the door and took a look through the peephole and oddly enough, I could only see red hair. Leaving the chain on, I opened the door just enough to see three figures standing before me.
"Well Goodmorning, love."
I remember him. The red headed dude and he had the same name as the one other dude.. Max?
"From the look on your face, you might be trying to remember who I am. I'm Goff. We met at The Night Club last night." He smiled, big and happy.
I quckly shook my head, and gave him a sheepish smile. "No I, uh, I remember. I mean, you're right I didn't remember you- but I do! I just didn't remember your name.. but I remember you. I remember last night."
Goff and the duo behind him snickered a bit as I finally shut my mouth and took a deep breath fighting the blush in my cheeks.
"I'm sorry. I'm.. this is- sorry." I stammered regretting ever getting out of bed this morning. "You've just witnessed me on a bad morning."
"No worries love, we've all been there." Goff said, giving me a warm smile that made me feel a lot better about embarrassing myself just now.
"So," the guy who I'm sure was Max number two suddenly spoke. He called himself like Clifford, I think.. no that's not it.. "we were just wondering if Tom was maybe available."
"I'm over here lads!" Tom yelled from the love seat before I could say anything else.
"Oi, mate! We got your text-" Goff started and I quickly ended as I put a hand to my head and another to motion Goff to hold a second. He seem to understand, as he backed up and I shut the door to remove the latch.
"I'm sorry." I said once the door was wide open. "Massive headache." I pointed to my throbbing skull. "Please come in." I managed to smile as they walked into my home and towards Tom who was now standing greeting his friends, agitation written all over his face. I then began to wonder where the hell Ellie was with my asprin.
"Oh look! The whole gangs here!" Ellie chirped practically skipping into the living area with a small white bottle in hand.
Thank the heavens!
With a "Hi Ellie!" here and a hug over there (followed by an eyeroll courtesy of Tom), Ellie eventually made her way over to me with my savior in her samll hands.
"Alrighty dear, these should make your noggin feel right again." She smiled all too big as she placed two small capsules in my hand. "Now go get some water to take those."
"You're awfuly.. peppy this morning" I narrowed my eyes at her as she waved me off towards the kitchen.
I let the faucet water run cold for a second before filling a cup and downing both pills at once.
At this rate I would take the entire bottle to stop my brain from shaking. Filling the cup a few more times, I drank cup after cup realizing just then how dry my throat was. Eventually I set the cup on the counter and made my way to the living area which suddenly seemed too quiet. I stopped short when I noticed everyone looking down at Tom. Ellie sat next to him, her face that was radiating happiness just minutes ago, now overtaken with absolute saddness. It was Goff who was talking. Tom looked furious. His eyes hooded, his arms leaned over his lap, elbows resting on his knees as he looked down at his intertwined hands.
"Just go back, try aga-"
"I'm not going back to that house." Tom said suddenly his voice spitting venim and his eyes never leaving his hands.
"Mate, you can't just-"
"Can't just what?!" Tom's voice suddenly boomed, making me gasp and even Ellie jerk back a bit.
He finally looked up at Goff, who seemed to be absolutely unaffected by Tom's sudden outburst. "I will not go back to that house just to have the damn door slammed in my face again." Tom spoke each word slowly and carefully as if he were talking to a five year old child instead of Goff.
"It's been almost a year. A fucking year.." Tom stopped. He looked looked down and suddenly got up. Not a single person said a thing as he picked his shirt off the carpet, pulled it over his head, put his boots on, and slamed the the front door behind him without even a glance back.