Platonic /L.H/

Chapter 4 Houston We Have a problem

Piper POV

It's a Thursday night, I have an exam tomorrow and I've been sitting at the library starring at my laptop screen for five hours. I should go home. I yawn and pack up. I get up winching at how my legs hurt due to me sitting so long. I stumble out of the library and out into the cool night air and wait for my Uber. I look at my watch and see it's 10 PM. That late huh? I see my ride pull up. The ride is uneventful and I'm tired and just want to go to bed.

So tell me why when I get home I hear my roommate moaning. I groan she literally gets laid twice a week. 

"Oh hi." I jump out my skin and turn to see a guy who I've never seen before in my life sitting on my couch. 

"W- who are you?" My voice shakes along with the rest of my body as I try to figure out what to do."Oh Allen, nice to meet you." He says. Wordlessly I go into my room and watch my picture slide off the wall as Amanda moves her bed. I pound on the wall. But it's useless. I poke my head out of my room and see her boyfriend Adam leave her room and trade spots with the dude on the couch. Horrified and disgusted I go back into my room and get my things together and text Luke.

Hey I know it's late but can I stay over? I have an exam tomorrow and I came home to Amanda fucking her boyfriend and a random dude on my couch.

Shit yeah sure, I'm just studying.

Awesome I'll be over in fifteen.

I get to his apartment quicker than that after blaring some pop-rock to release some of my anger toward the situation. 

"So the roommate situation has gotten worse?" He asks when he opens the door.

"Dude you have no idea." I take my backpack off and lean it against the couch before sitting down. 

"This is offense number what now? Seventy- seven?" Luke questions.  I pause before reply as I look over at him."You wear glasses, sorry that's off-topic." 

"Yeah at night." He says. "I like them."

 "Thanks." 

"She's an awful roommate like she has people over all the time and never fucking tells me! I just want to pass my classes but she wants to party and get wasted all the time.

"Last week she..." I swallow. "What did she do Piper?" I don't like talking about race with my friends because I walk a very fine line being a Black female at a predominantly white institution who the majority of her friends are white. But when I get racial slurs thrown at me? That's a problem.

 "She called me the n-word last week," I say and look down at my vans my shoulder slump. "She what?" His voice is full of concern. I look up at him and he frowns. "I'm so sorry is that all she has done? "No, her and her friends say racist jokes all the time on top of everything else and tonight was the last straw." I bite my lip to keep from crying.

"Piper I'm sorry I know she sucked but I never knew how much." "I never bitch to you about this because I don't want to be that girl, I'm already an outsider on this campus." "I get it these campus diversity numbers are laughable, and I have no idea how you feel but know I support you okay? You're not alone in this." He smiles. "This is why we've been best friends since we were thirteen." "Yep! I'm going to go study some more but feel free to use anything."  He offers.

"Thanks again for letting me crash here."  I reply.

"Of course, see you in the morning." 

"Maybe you will, I have an 8 am so." 

"Yikes!" He makes a face. "Uh-huh, night Hemmings." I watch as he goes down the hall and open my laptop and finish up studying.

Sleep that night is impossible as I'm stressing about my exam tomorrow and am trying to turn my brain off. By the time my alarm goes off, I'm bleary-eyed as I get dressed. "Morning. "Why are you up so early?"