He Is My Roommate

Chapter 16: In Love And In Lust

"Aunt Silvia", I sigh as we stand outside later that day gardening the daffodils.

"Yes sweetheart?", Aunt Silvia raises an eyebrow at me looking concerned. She had a small mud stain on her forehead from all the harvesting we had done and held a small clipper in her hands .

I turn back to the daffodils clipping away the dried ones. " Were you inlove with your husband?"

She stops clipping and stands there staring at me from underneath her glasses as I quicken my clipping.

"Forget I said anything" I fake laugh regretting my silly question.

"I was inlove with him more than you could ever imagine."

At her sudden response I turn to face her surprised. She was smiling such a genuine smile and her eyes lit up as if she seemed to be recalling all the happy memories they had together. It was a face I've never seen her make before.

"Were you attracted to other men during your time with him?", I ask her curiously.

Aunt Silvia chuckles and I scratch my head smiling shyly.

"Well of course", she pulls out a packet of seeds. "It's in our nature no matter how inlove we are to find ourselves involuntarily attracted to other beautiful people as well."

She kneels down and begins to scatter them into the soil. "But it is also up to us, to voluntarily resist them."

I listen to her intently, her wise words touching me deeply.

"They are like roses", she walks over to the pile of roses across the garden and I follow behind her.

"Beautiful to see but should not be touched."

An image of Damon pops up in my mind. After his little "kissing lesson offer" earlier that day, I found myself dismissing him with a "shut up" before he snickered and explained how I was not his type anyway. I then took a shower and ignored him, skidding down to meet up with Aunt Silvia in the garden. But I had to admit that a tiny part of me felt a little disappointed at how he had bluntly stated I was not his type.

"Daffodils however", Aunt Silvia turns around to look at me caressing my cheek. "Are bright and warm."

Mike's gentle smile and long lashes cross my memory.

"Do not pick a rose over a daffodil Zoe. You'll only get thorns."

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And just like that the next day was Monday and I had college. Aunt Silvia's words kept circling through my mind the entire night. I knew I was attracted to Damon, but I also knew that the one who I loved was Mike. I also knew that I had to face him today, and anticipate any rejection I was about to get.

"Hey" I greeted Trish timidly.

I was leaning on the door as soon as she walked out of class with a couple of papers in her hands. She looked fashionable and colorful as usual in a pink polka dotted dress and a 90s headband.

"Hey", she stops in front of me her voice sounding curt.

I took a deep breath and let out a sigh. "Listen I'm so sorry for ignoring your calls after Gabriel's party. I had so much on my plate, with the running auditions and the whole-", I pause scratching my head. "Mike thing..."

She was silent for a few moments as I nervously shifted in my place.

"You acted like a dick" she mumbled.

I almost laughed. Well she was talking to me at least.

"I know and I'm sorry. If something, I should've talked to you about it. That's what friends are here for."