Roommates

Transcending

Tris
February

I frown at the laptop screen. The photo I've been editing looks good... but it's not perfect yet. It's missing something, but I just can't seem to put my finger on it. I sigh in frustration; I've been staring at this screen for fifteen minutes and nothing's coming to me.

"Hey, Beautiful," Tobias says as he looks at the screen from behind me, placing both hands on my shoulders. "Wow. That's an amazing photo. I wouldn't mind a print of that one. It reminds me of our first date." The photo I'm working on is of the ferris wheel at Navy Pier, all lit up at dusk.

"I can certainly do that for you," I say, "whenever I figure out what it's missing and fix it."

"Well," he says, "it looks perfect to me, but you're the artist."

I quickly save my work and close out the editing software before swiveling in Tobias's desk chair and getting to my feet. I step closer to him, so there are inches between us, and wrap my arms around Tobias's neck. "Thank you for letting me use your laptop again," I say.

Tobias rolls his eyes. "Would you quit thanking me for that? I've told you over and over, you're welcome to use it anytime."

"Th-" I start, then stop myself and just smile and pull his head down toward mine until our lips meet. I give him a slow, sweet kiss and pull away before it can heat up too much; he has to leave for work in fifteen minutes.

I take a step back and turn to start gathering up my schoolwork into my backpack. "I need to go to Northwestern and use their library sometime this week," I tell him. "My professor suggested that using their library to research for this paper would be a good idea. Apparently their art history reference section is a lot more extensive than our library's. You don't happen to need to go there for anything as well, do you?" I know I can just ask to use his truck, but I still haven't entirely gotten past the caution that became second nature when I was dating Eric.

Tobias tosses his jeans in the laundry basket and pulls on a pair of basketball shorts. "No, I can't think of any reason I'd need to go there," Tobias says as he looks at me expectantly. He knows what I need, but he also knows why I don't just come out and ask, and he's going to make me say it. It's frustrating and irritating at times, the way he forces me to come out and ask for what I want, but I know he is only helping me get past the habits that were created in me over the past few years.

I pout, but relent. "Tobias, could I please borrow your truck sometime this week to go use the library at Northwestern?"

"Of course," he says. His smile is so warm and dazzling, all my irritation at his tactics melts away instantly. "I have to work late on Thursday, and I think you're off then, right?" I nod in confirmation. "Why don't you go then. All I ask is that you give me a ride home from work. It'll be pretty cold and dark by the time I get off work at eight-thirty."

"Of course," I agree. "I'll even give you a ride there."

"So generous," he teases with a smirk. He steps closer to me again. I yelp in surprise when he lifts me bridal style without warning. He crashes his lips to mine and takes advantage of my gasp of surprise to push his tongue between my parted lips. Our tongues dance together for a few moments, exploring one another's mouths, before I pull away. Tobias rests his forehead against mine.

"You have to work," I remind him, sticking my lower lip out in a pout. Tobias sighs and sets me on my feet. I grab my backpack and sling it over my shoulder.

"You don't have to leave whenever I do, you know," he reminds me. "Spencer doesn't mind you being here."

"I know." I don't elaborate, but I've been careful not to get too comfortable here. I don't want to depend upon him the way I did Eric. I want independence; as much as I want Tobias to be a very important part of my life- and he is- I want to have my own life, too.