Different (bxb)

10. Roommates

Nick spends the night at my apartment even after everything that happened today. He says the fact that he now knows I'm gay doesn't change a thing, and I'm quite grateful for it. I've gotten used to have him around and him not being here would simply feel weird. He's so often at my place that he's even brought a toothbrush and a few spare clothes over. He practically lives with me now, and I chuckle at the thought. Next month, even though I've only got one bed that fits in my room, we've discussed that we were going to be roommates as he's found someone to sublet at his place. Anyways, my couch practically became his bed.

I feel like I've already used all the luck that I could possibly have in my whole life span just to get such a friend. Obviously, I'd love having him as more than a friend, but that would just be greedy of me to wish for more.

•••

Monday morning comes way too fast and slams me in the face. Yesterday was wonderful, and today reality is simply being harsh. I stop my alarm and rise to find Nick already up, looking in my fridge for some breakfast. I put on some shirt and pants before I join him in the kitchen where I find him happily munching on sweet cereals and playing some game on his phone at the same time. He raises his eyes to my sleepy face, and, just like every morning he's here, he laughs a bit at the sight of my bed hair. I grumble some words, joining him at the table with the biggest coffee mug I could find.

I'm soon ready to to go to school alongside Nick, a few yawns punctuating my steps until we get out.

We open my door to a ground where only remains a few patches of snow. March is making its grand entrance, and I peep a smile at a surprised Nick. I think he never saw me smile so early in the day. What do you want, the sun's shining and the birds are singing. Just like that, I'm happy. The terrible spring smell surrounds us, and I feel like a little kid seeing the change of season for the first time. That joy will drown in class, but for the moment nothing could bother me.

Once we reach our faculty, he hurries toward his class with a "see you later in chemistry!", and just like that he's out of sight before I can even answer. I grumble an unheard "see you later" and then slowly walk to my morning class, coffee mug still in hand. The beverage has gotten a bit cold, but I don't care as I need caffeine, no matter in which state, to get through my day. I reach one of the last seat available just before the teacher begins his two hours monologue. Obviously, the teacher starts by reminding us to study for our midterm exam, before going on with today's subject. As if anyone didn't already dread those exams...

You'd think that the coming of the midterms would stop Nick and I from spending as much time together as we used to in the last few weeks, but it in fact brings us closer. We've mostly got the same classes, and we study together at my apartment almost every day. Well... He teaches me stuff and I do my best to assimilate it. He says it helps him to explain it to me, but I mostly feel like I give him more trouble as my brain won't understand whatever is going on in chemistry.

Next Monday is the start of the sixth week of our semester, and my first exam is Tuesday in physics. Tension is slowly building up around campus as everyone is stuck in their studies. It's suffocating not to hear the animated talking in every corridor and instead to see everyone with eyes locked on a book. Don't get me wrong though: I love silence. But the change of atmosphere mostly stresses me.