My Gay Roommate (L.S)

Ten

I grab my book, pencil case and notebook, grabbing my phone, sending a quick text to the family group chat that I'm fine and going to go to the library to study. Dad replies with a have fun, kiddo! Smash it! Mum replies with a thumbs up and Gemma just keeps me on read.

I slip my feet into my boots and I walk out the house, going to the university building and into the library. 

The scent of books hits my nose and I soak it in. There's books upon books with broken spines within each bookcase that are across every surface and open space, making a maze. There's tables in the middle of the room, people sitting and studying there. The floor is carpeted, snuffing out most noise that feet create on hardwood floors. 

I see Marie at the counter, grabbing a pile of books and going over to the shelves to stack them.

I go over to her, lightly touching her arm. She turns and grins when she sees it's me. 

"Hi," She whispers. "What you up to?"

"Came here to study. Want to keep me company?" I ask just as quietly.

She nods, sliding a history book into its rightful place. "Let me put these back and I'll be with you."

I smile, turning and going to one of the tables, sitting down on the plush chair and laying my stuff out along the table. I open the book and begin writing the essay we're meant to write by Monday.

Marie comes over.

"Have you done the essay yet?" I ask her.

She shakes her head. "Can I borrow some paper?"

I nod. Ripping some paper from my book and handing it to her. She steals one of my Biro pens, writing her name in the margin. 

"Do you need to read from the book?" I ask.

She nods. "Sure. You have more tabs on the side than mine back at the flat." She comes round to sit beside me instead of opposite me so we can both share the book. 

I begin writing the question at the top of the page, scanning through the book and its techniques, writing down some good pointers onto the page.

"So how's it with you and Lou? Still not talking to him?" She asks.

I shake my head.

"You smell like him," She whispers.

"I used his shampoo, if that's what you're implying. I ran out. In fact, after this, we can go to the co-op to get some more." I go to the next paragraph, looking over to the book to read the next part where the tab is at.

"You need to talk about it soon, H. You're confused and might possibly just be one gay panic." I look to her, eyes narrowed slightly and she puts her hands up in surrender. "I'm just saying, Niall probably can see the gay panic and he doesn't even understand the definition of it."

I shake my head. "I'm not in any gay panic."

She pats my arm. "You tell yourself that, love." She continues writing on her page for a while before looking back over to me. "So what did he say when you asked to use his shampoo?"

I shrug. "Told me I only talk to him when I want something then told me I could use his shampoo."

She coos. "Sounds like someone is falling."

I push her slightly. "Shut up. You spend too much time around Niall, you're sounding like him."

"We're on the same energy wave length level thing, love, of course we sound the same."