S.M. ✦ Gin & Juice

VIII.

You stuck your head out of the door to look left and right, searching for people who might have seen him in the hall. Satisfied that no one was there and no one had come by, you grabbed his hand and ripped his arm forward, dragging Shawn into your dorm room. You both started talking at the same time.

"How did you know where I live?"

"I'm sorry I didn't tell you everything...."

"Wait, how did you get up to this floor?"

"I feel like such an idiot for lying..."

"CAN SOMEONE EXPLAIN WHAT THE FUCK IS HAPPENING RIGHT NOW?!"

You and Shawn both stopped dead at Caroline's raised voice and looked over at her. If this had been a cartoon, steam would have been pouring out of her ears. Her eyes were wild and she seemed to be somewhere between shock and white, hot rage. You had never heard Caroline yell that loud before. Taking the initiative for the both of you because she was your roommate after all, you stepped between the two of them.

"Uhh, Caroline. This is Shawn," you said, bracing for immediate impact.

"I KNOW WHO THE FUCK HE IS, BUT WHY IS HE HERE? WHY IS HE AT OUR DOOR REFUSING TO LEAVE?" she yelled, her whole face turning red with the force of her anger.

"You know, I'm standing right here..." Shawn said, scrubbing the back of his neck and staring at the ground. You cringed. He really needed to be quiet before Caroline went nuclear or spontaneously combusted into a pile of ash when she really let it sink in who was here. You punched his bicep, begging him to stop talking.

Caroline narrowed her eyes at the contact, knowing that you didn't just touch casually someone. Her voice rang low and her words came out slow for emphasis, "someone better start explaining shit right the fuck now."

You sighed deeply, filling your lungs and slowly exhaling, crouching and folding your legs beneath you in one smooth motion. If you were going to explain this, it needed to be as grounded as possible—on the floor was apt for the situation at hand. They both looked at you and followed your lead. Shawn sat next to you, leaning against the armoire behind him, his knee touching yours. Caroline sat across from the both of you, judge, jury, and potential executioner if your story didn't add up. Shawn reached out and threaded his fingers with yours, squeezing three times for reassurance.

The tale poured out of you with a couple of minor adjustments. When you found Shawn in the bathroom, he was just drunk like everyone else at that party. You didn't tell her that last night, when he texted, his words had so descended into gibberish you were lucky to have found him. As far as she knew, Shawn was a well-adjusted, perfectly stable, high-profile football player. Kismet had brought you together twice that first night and now you were powerless to stop it. It all sounded so much more romantic this way, which is how Caroline needed to hear it.

"Caroline, you can't say anything about this to anyone. We want to keep it a secret," you felt Shawn tense at this last bit, but you kept going, "can you do that for me? As my roommate and most trusted confidant?"

She was already nodding her head before you finished the question. Practically vibrating with excited energy, she launched herself at you, wrapping her arms around your shoulders.

"I'M SO HAPPY FOR YOU AND OF COURSE I WILL KEEP YOUR SECRET," she yelled in your ear. You flinched away from her face, trying to keep your hearing intact, and giggled, wiping moisture from your eyes when you realized you were crying. She immediately switched to Concerned Caroline, giving you whiplash, "oh my God, are you okay? Why are you crying?"

"It's nothing, I'm just...really happy right now," you waved off her concern. You looked over at Shawn and he was playing with the seam of his skinny jeans, leaving you to have a moment with your roommate. Squeezing his hand, you pulled his attention over and smiled.