Roommates & Soulmates

Ch166: Jordan's Novelty

"Is that all your stuff?" Maia asked when he'd brought home his last box and placed it on the floor by the dresser. Jordan nodded. "That's it?"

"Don't need much," Jordan shrugged.

"Clearly," his girlfriend replied.

"All you need is love," Jordan grinned at her.

Maia giggled, playfully punching him in the shoulder. "Don't go quoting The Beatles on me, unless you plan to sing." Jordan quickly fell silent, worried he'd be asked to sing. "As I suspected." She grinned at him, and Jordan leaned over to kiss her. He'd intended it to be sweet and short - but like so often with Maia - it lit a spark. She pulled him closer and tangled her hands in his hair. Jordan broke their lips apart to kiss down her neck.

"I love you," he whispered against her skin. It had been his reality for some time, but expressing it in words was still relatively recent.

"I love you too," Maia whispered back. But her returning his love in words so easily might always feel shiny and new to him.

In reality though Jordan was gonna miss living with Jace and Jon. Just guys was such a different dynamic than living in couples, even so he knew he was exactly where he was meant to be. In life there's always things you miss as you move forward, but it's all worth it in the end.

"I can hear smacking!" a sharp voice called through the door. They were in their bedroom with the door closed, but the curtains were open to let in the afternoon sun.

"She's just jealous," Maia giggled.

"Oh please," Jordan scoffed. "Isn't Simon home?"

"He's at work," Maia answered, still trying not to laugh.

"Then who is she talking to?" Jordan asked. He'd noticed two muffled voices earlier while it was quiet.

Maia shrugged. "Probably Clary?"

"Speaking of," Jordan grinned, "don't you have job hunting to do? Or do you plan to let those two girls beat you?"

"Oh shut up," Maia said, pretending to hit him again. Jordan mouthed 'ow' in mock horror, which only made her swing at him again.

Seeking escape, Jordan opened the door and ran out into the living room to find Clary and Isabelle sitting at the dining room table looking very serious.

"Oh no you don't!" his less than serious girlfriend said following behind him. Before Jordan had time to react she'd pounced, sending them both crashing to the floor.

"Got you," she grinned from where she lay on top of him.

"Oh no," Jordan said, his tone calm and a smile on his face. "Whatever will I do?" He reached up to tuck her hair behind her ears and then she kissed him.

"Get a room, you two!" It was Izzy again.

"We had a room," Maia stated firmly, looking up to stare at her roommate. Izzy muttered something under her breath that Jordan couldn't hear, but he could guess at what it meant.

"Don't you have job hunting to do?" Izzy asked Maia.

Maia just shrugged, sitting up and trapping Jordan even more completely beneath her. "The grocery store isn't so bad for now. I'm not in a rush to find my career. Besides I majored in Management so maybe one day I'll manage the grocery store?"

Jordan knew Maia would be wasted working in a grocery store her whole life, but he also knew he wasn't going to push her just yet, especially while he himself was still a student. Jordan felt certain that in time Maia would outgrow the grocery store and move up in the world. And who knows? Maybe the management experience she can gain there might open doors for her one day. Either way he knew he would be there to support and encourage her to reach her potential when the time came.