The Roommate

24

She turned around immediately recognizing me, and I wondered if I looked as frail and ghastly as before. As my familiar figure registered in her brain her stare hardened. "I have nothing to say to you." Andrea snapped, obviously not phased by the fact that I was here. She looked exactly the same as she always had. She never changed.

"You called, not me." I reasoned.

"I called because I was worried about you, not because I wanted to talk to you. I just wanted to make sure you were okay."

"Well I'm not." I said finally admitting it. "But I'm sorry I didn't tell you it was me, I don't want you to get mad. I'm going through some stuff right now and I just couldn't bring myself to hurt you by letting you see me this way."

"If you think I'm mad because you didn't tell me it was you, you're dead wrong. I understand that part, but if you can't really think of what you did to me, then you don't deserve my forgiveness." Her words were like shards of glass piercing me, like I'd felt in the car when I'd been in the accident.

"I'm trying to apologize-"

"MAYBE YOU SHOULD HAVE DONE THAT 6 MONTHS AGO!" She cried, "YOU'RE A LITTLE LATE!" The mop that had been in her hands clattered to the floor.

I heard rustling in the kitchen, "Everything alright Andrea?" Mabel called.

"Everything's fine Mabel." She responded before turning to me, "I think you should leave."

Feeling like any further persuading would be a hopeless cause, I made my way out the front door feeling as if I'd been kicked out of my own life. I was no longer the bubbly blonde girl that had bounced from table to table serving people smiling even when there was nothing for me to be smiling about. I wasn't allowed to go back to that it seemed, and I found it highly unfair. It's not like I wanted my job back, I just wanted my friends and my apartment and my innocence.

I opened the car door sitting in the passenger seat. I was trying not to burst into tears to spare Chase from having to comfort me for the millionth time, but I watched as he stormed back inside the diner. He said a few words to Andrea before leaving, not allowing her a response. She grabbed the mop angrily as Mabel joined her giving her a pat on the shoulder. Chase slammed the car door and began driving away, forgetting to be cautious.

We were speeding down the road when I finally asked, "What did you say to her?" I stared down at my hands still trying not to get too upset.

"It's going to be okay Emerson." Was all he said as we pulled into the apartment complex.

The second we got in the door I made my way to the couch. I just needed to lay down. Chase sat next to me letting me lay my head in his lap. He ran his fingers through my black hair sighing. "I miss its natural color."

"Me too."

~

I woke up the next morning to the sound of music floating from the kitchen. I got to my feet throwing on a t-shirt creeping down the hall. When I walked in the room I saw Chase making french toast dancing crazily. It was highly adorable, and I found myself smiling at him trying to be quiet so he wouldn't hear. He spun around seeing me, and I swear he jumped a foot off the ground. I laughed as he caught his breath. I strutted over to him wrapping my arms around his neck kissing him on the cheek.

"Good morning huh?" I teased.

"Yea actually... you won't believe what happened!" He said as he handed me my plate.

We sat down on the couch, "What?" I asked.

"Well I didn't want to tell you yet but... a few weeks ago I applied for a job at an animation studio and I had an interview and everything... I got a call this morning and... I got the job!" He exclaimed.

"Chase that's amazing!" I gushed.

He looked so happy, and I was proud of him. He really needed something like this. Something good. We finished our breakfast and carried on cuddling while watching cartoons. All of the sudden he rolled on top of me, his weight crushing my small body. I squealed trying to free myself, but it was no use. He had me trapped.

"Chase!" I cried trying to remove him from me.

Finally he gave up allowing me to straddle him down on the couch. He just laughed at me playing with my fingers in his hands. All of the sudden a worried look crossed his face, it kind of came out of no where. "Everything okay?" I asked.

"Why'd you do what you did to yourself?" he asked, the question must have been bothering him. "Was it-was it because of me?" His voice was shaky and I saw his eyes begin to water. I'd never seen Chase cry before, but it broke my heart.

I shook my head, "Chase it wasn't you! There were a lot of rumors going around and my dad..."

"Yea but if I hadn't left you, you wouldn't have been doing it." He reasoned, "It's all my fault."

"Don't say that."

We were silent, I played with his hair aimlessly hoping the topic would pass over us. I leaned down kissing him on the lips, but as I pulled away I felt myself being pulled right back down for more. We kissed until we accidentally rolled off the couch hitting the ground with a thud. We laughed looking at each other. He leaned over kissing me on the forehead, and then the nose, and then finally my lips. I closed my eyes wishing he would say something, but when he staid quiet I knew it was time to ask.

"Why did you leave me?"

I opened my eyes to see a pained look cross his face, "I was in love."

"With someone else?"

"No Em, with you. I was in love with you, and I'd never felt that way before and I wasn't sure how I felt about it. I got scared so I thought it would be better if I left, so I did." He explained.

I nodded, trying to act like this was all okay, but it wasn't. The fact that he wasn't able to deal with having feelings for someone wasn't good. It scared me that he had left for that reason. I kept wondering if it was possible for him to do it again. I knew it was something I couldn't deal with, that would be three times in a row. I knew the way I had treated him when he left was no better, but it still bothered me. I didn't want to make him think I didn't trust him by saying something, so I kept my mouth shut. Chase knew what I was thinking though.

He propped himself up on his side leaning in, "I won't do it again." He whispered in my ear, "I promise."

I breathed a sigh of relief, "Good."

He sat up now, the whole encounter dissolving into thin air. "Lets go out tonight! Are you doing anything?" He asked, we both needed a change of scenery.

I got to my feet now, "No. I'll be back from work before dinner so we can hang out after that. But speaking of work I need to get ready." I said as I made my way to the closet. I grabbed some clothes quickly changing. I kissed Chase goodbye hurrying down the steps to my car.

I passed someone who lived in the apartment below me, she smiled, "I like your tattoo." She nodded down at my ankle.

"Thanks!" I replied.

I got in the car pulling my leg up onto the seat. I stared intently at the simple moon that would forever be inked on my skin. I traced the outline with my finger. The moon represented a lot of things, but for me it was my life. The moon's cycle was constantly changing from getting fuller to getting emptier. My life was like that too sometimes. I hadn't thought much about the meaning of the moon when I'd gotten the tattoo, and I smiled putting my leg down and starting the car. I just hoped that it would be a full moon for a long, long time.

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