Roommates

Chapter 4

<Ryder>

I was standing outside like a creeper once again. The air was warm and breezy, and the sun was out and bright, but it wasn't shining at the restaurant. Its position was strategic because it only gets light, but not the hotness.

I was watching from the glass front of the restaurant. It wasn't crowded, it never was. I suddenly found myself checking Spencer out, following each step he was taking. My eyes were on him but my mind went beyond that. It was analysing each of his movements by itself.

He didn't look anything like himself.

This wasn't the guy that tickled me and crawled from under my feet.

This wasn't the guy singing his heart out while strumming the guitar ever so lightly.

This wasn't the guy with a huge smile on his face when I entered his room, expecting to see someone he likes.

This guy didn't look like any of those. He was worn down. Torn down too. I felt like there was more to him than the annoying sarcastic person I met.

I was determined to make him my roommate.

<Spencer>

It gets boring you know. When all you do is write the same orders over and over on the small notebook, it becomes a boring routinic work.

You'd think that with our "Extra Extended Menu" people would order something different and unique everyday.

No.

They all order the same thing every single time.

To think of it from a wider perspective, I think everything is boring.

I look happy all the time, and I laugh at the silliest things, and I joke around all the time. All of this would make anyone see you as a happy spirit.

It works for the most part. I like it that way because the happier you look to people, the less they butt into your life and consequently the less questions they ask.

"Hey nerd get us another another coke over here" the annoying guy yelled from his table all the way from the back of the restaurant.

Like was that necessary? Waiter, boy, dude, garcon for goodness sake? He could've used any of those bit he went with 'nerd'. Then again it's better than faggot.

I drag myself to the drinks fridge and fetch him a coke.

He was sitting at a table with another guy and two girls. They were all giggling as if calling me 'nerd' was the joke of the century. Like did they not know that I get called a nerd a handful of times a day?

I can't blame them for that. I do wear nerdy glasses, button up shirts, I carry pens on me almost everywhere, and I do research on random stuff for fun. Plus reading comics from time to time. And let's not forget playing video games when I'm home.

The bell at the top of the restaurant door chimes indicating someone's arrival.

I cursed internally when I saw who it was. Only because I'm not allowed to curse out loud while working.

Why did he follow me here? Can't I get a break?

"Ughhh What do you want?" I sighed a question when I saw he was following me instead of taking a seat or going for the coffee station.

"For the last time: I'm sorry. Now come back to the room." he apologized.

"Something I don't get" I said as I walked to the orders station to drop the orders I took "You don't look like a guy who is apologetic and clingy yet you are being both"

"It's impossible to talk to you" he grumbled but was interrupted by another shout from the same table by the same guy wanting ANOTHER damn coke.

When Ryder heard the voice he stiffened. "oh shit what are they doing here?" he asked himself more than asking me.

"Making my life miserable" I let out before I could hold it in. "Wait do you know them?" I added.

"Yeah they're my friends. Shit."

"What a lovely bunch" I went and grabbed another coke and returned to their table. Apparently they saw Ryder and waved at him to go to their table.

"Anything else?" I fake smiled, which is what I do Twenty four/seven.

"If we need anything we'll call for you" one of the girls, the blonde, said while twirling her locks. Did she not know how unsanitary that was since she was eating?

By that time Ryder had arrived to their table.

I turned around to move away but I was still in earshot so I heard what the guy said.

"Hey man what are you talking to that faggot for?" And there it was, my last sane nerve.

I turned back to the table ready to smash his head with one of our food trays but Ryder stopped me by putting his hand on my chest, keeping me off and away.

"Don't call him that!" Ryder said "It's not cool man" he stood up for me. He actually stood up for me and he didn't know me much. It made me feel a little happy. Genuine happiness and not my usual fake one.

"What's with you man? Why are you defending him?" the guy, who I learned that his name is Tyler because one of the girls told him to lay it off.

Ryder on the other hand looked uncertain about if he should keep his ground or surrender.

"I'm not defending him. It's just he's a waiter and he can spit in your food without you knowing so be nice" he said jokingly, obviously trying to brush it off as nothing. Still it was a nice gesture of him.

Tyler hummed and went back to eating his food.

"Tha-" I tried to thank him but he didn't even let me finish.

"Forget it" he walked past me and consequently left the restaurant, leaving behind him nothing but the ring of the bell.

The guys were acting like nothing happened and I had only one thing in my head:

The homophobe defended me.

A lot of time I'm really stubborn. But today I wasn't feeling it. I was too proud of Ryder for standing up against what's wrong, which assured me that he isn't as tough and bad as he looks. I was now sure that underneath that bad boy there's a guy with the potential of being great. And so I decided I was going to give him another chance.

So I went back to my dorm, gave Nicholas my goodbyes for the 2nd time, and repacked what I have already unpacked.

I dragged my heavy suitcase to the small room once again. When I was there it was around 1 am.

My shift had dragged on, and I had to take a shower and change after I got back to the dorm. And I may have got distracted by a book I was reading. Note to self and others: one more page is not a good strategy.

I knocked on the door and waited.

I did it again.

And again.

And again. But no one answered the door. I was feeling my breath tightening from the walk here so I fished out my inhaler and took a drag. Then I sat on the floor, and leant on my suitcase in waits that my breath gets better. It usually takes around five minutes.

The next thing I knew was seeing a bright light.