The Roommate Equation

Chapter 3

Hello everyone :)

Thanks for reading my story! I didn't think anyone was reading it, but I just checked and the number of reads had shot up, so thanks so much for that!

Enjoy, and please comment on any mistakes I've made.

Chapter 3

The next day is a Saturday. I lie in bed for a long time, relishing the warmth of my bed. Unlike most people, I hate Saturdays; at 6 O'Clock every week I have to go to work, and work means 8 hours of waiting tables and swatting off wandering hands at the local pub.

I hate it there; its loud and noisy, always claustrophobic, and there's never a quiet moment when I can just relax and take a break. Its just a way of paying the bills while I look for a better job.

It's past 11 by the time I get up. I take a long, luxurious bath, soothing my muscles, then take a little longer getting ready, straightening my hair and choosing a presentable outfit to wear. As I pluck my eyebrows in front of the mirror, wincing at the pain, I'm telling myself that this is not for Tyler, but for myself.

Not for Tyler. Not for Tyler.

I deem myself acceptable as I look at my reflection. I've put on a pair of dark jeans and a white blouse, my hair is uber-straight and shiny and my make-up is flawless. Completing the look with some leather heeled boots that make my legs look longer, I saunter out my bedroom, feeling confident, attractive even.

Tom wolf-whistles when I walk into the kitchen.

“Damn girl, what you getting all dressed up for?” he crows, checking me out from the sofa where he was playing COD. Kate, curled up next to him, hits his arm with a scowl.

“Ouch!” He grins at her. She mock-glares at him, then turns to me.

“Wow, you do look great, what's the occasion?” she asks.

“This old thing? It's nothing," I say airily. She raises an eyebrow at me but refrains from commenting on my strange behaviour.

Ethan and Jakob, two of the others that live with us, are staring at me. I know I look good, but not that good. They obviously aren't used to me wearing actual nice clothes rather than legging and a tatty hoodie.

“Oi, boys,” I say, pointing at my face. “Eyes up here.”

“You look hot, we're guys, what do you expect?” Ethan replies, grinning at me. He's not bad himself, if you like the American surfer boy look. We're just friends. Kate thinks there could be something further, but there's a difference between attraction and harmless flirting, although there is a little chemistry between us.

Jakob, a sweet, black haired boy from Denmark eventually lifts his eyes up to my own.

“Wow,” he says simply.

I'm blushing now. Embarrassed, I turn away, tugging my blouse up. It is a little low cut, and now I look closely you can see my red lacy bra peeking out from behind the cotton.

I turn to the fridge and pull out a carton of vanilla yogurt and a spoon from the drawer below. At that moment, someone enters the room. I look up, expecting Tyler, or perhaps the twins. Instead an unfamiliar girl is there, wearing nothing but a long T-shirt. Her hair is fake blonde, and she looks like a stripper.

“Oops!” she giggles when everyone stares at her. “Tylie, baby, you didn't say there would be other people here!”

Tylie? What the actual hell?