My alarm goes off from my phone at 7 o’clock. Groaning, I turn it off and nestle back under the duvet. Light seeps in through the holes in the curtain, softly illuminating the room. I lie there for a few minutes, letting my eyes adjust and my brain wake up, before I roll out of the bed and wrap the duvet around my body. I catch sight of myself in the full-length mirror hanging by my wardrobe. I’m really not a morning person; my hair looks like a birds nest on my head and there's mascara stains under my eyes. I stumble out of my room and manage to make my way down the corridor, banging into the doorway. The linoleum floor of the kitchen is freezing against the bare skin of my feet. I make myself some cereal and sit at the breakfast bar, slowly spooning the soggy flakes into my mouth.
“You look like shit, sweetheart.” Tyler walks in, looking flawlessly perfect. He’s wearing a leather jacket and dark jeans. An earring I didn’t notice yesterday twinkles in his ear. I give him a bland look, too tired to care, and return to my cereal.
“Not in the mood to talk, huh?” he asks, grinning at me. He puts some bread in the toaster and sits next to me. “Nice duvet.” He hides a smile.
“Piss off,” I mumble, hugging the duvet tighter around my body. I was given it as gift when I was 11 years old, and I’m too sentimental to give it away. It’s bright pink and covered in hearts and flowers.
He turns to face me, his eyes sparkling. I look at his lips. I bet they’re as soft as they look.
“Checking me out, kitten?” he says, smirking. He slides off the stool and busies himself with his toast.
“Fuck off,” I groan.
“Nuh uh, no can do, baby doll,” he replies, taking his seat again. His toast is covered in marmalade. “I live here too.”
“Don’t remind me,” I say. His scent is delicious. I inhale as inconspicuously as possible, my mouth watering, before I mentally smack myself. Pull yourself together woman.
We sit in a comfortable silence for a few minutes, listening to the sounds of blackbirds outside. I swallow my last mouthful and slip off the stool.
“So, have you got early lectures?" I ask, washing the bowl. I place it in the drainer and turn to him, hugging my duvet to myself.
“Something like that," he answers vaguely. He takes a huge bite, his eyes staring into my own. They're so blue I forget how to breathe for a moment. The light glints off them, reflecting like the sun on the surface of the ocean.
I inhale sharply and he turns away. I shake my head to clear my foggy thoughts. “Something like that?"
“Yeah, something like that," he says, his voice grating, “I don't know you, kitten, I'm not telling you every fucking detail about my life, okay?"
“Jeez, sorry," I mutter, “Asshole."
He ignores me. I push the anger down that threatens to rear its head, but it pushes me aside and leaps up.
“Fuck you," I snap. “You're such an ass."
“Me? What the fuck have I done?" He snarls, swivelling around the face me directly. Anger has tightened the planes of his face, making him look older.
“Snapping at me for no reason? I just asked you a fucking question, there's no need to go all defensive."
“I'm not obligated to answer your questions, you nosy bitch."
“What did you just call me?" It dawns on me that we're arguing over completely nothing, but I'm absolutely white-hot angry now. “You little-"
“Good morning!"
We both whip around to see Kate walk in, a blinding smile on her face. She falters, and her smile drops. “Um… sorry… hang on, do I know you?"
YOU ARE READING
The Roommate Equation
Teen Fiction"It's inevitable. Two people, living under the same roof, both single, both hot... Add them together, you know what's going to happen. It's the classic roommate equation." When Tyler Faraday moves into the room next to her own, Dee doesn't know what...
