Oh My God, They Were Roommates

14 | Smells Like Teen Spirit

Sora huffed and glared down the sidewalk, back in the direction of the studio building. Their classmates weren't around, but there were plenty of sophomores and juniors lingering at this time of day.

They waited in silence. Ray picked at his nails, anxiously, as the adjacent walk sign ticked 3... 2... 1...

They started to cross.

Ray glanced hesitantly at Sora before skipping ahead—Sora had said that he didn't want to be seen with Ray, so Ray decided to respect that boundary. He walked ahead at a brisker pace, and Sora followed at his heels. When two footsteps echoed in the concrete structure, Ray glanced over his shoulder and found Sora a few paces back, arms crossed, annoyed.

Ray hurried a little more. He reached his car at a jog, and after ducking into the driver's seat, Ray put his head to the wheel and thought about how, the last time he had seen Sora in the parking structure, Sora had been spotted pulling a cigarette out of the mouth of some attractive stranger.

Maybe he's seeing that person again? Ray wondered. He gasped a little, bolting upright. Maybe his date the other night was with that person!

The passenger door opened.

Ray froze in fear of a complete stranger hopping into his vehicle, only to relax when he recognized Sora's glasses. The instant he let his guard down, though, he was squeaking again at the realization that Sora was in his car.

"Wh-What are you doing!" Ray cried, heat blooming in his cheeks. "I-I thought—um—you said—"

"You're going to the apartment, right?" Sora said, and if Ray wasn't, Ray felt like Sora might maim him. He would have lied and said he was, if that was the case.

"Y-Yeah—"

"Same. Might as well drive me there, too," Sora said, and punctuated the statement by buckling his seatbelt. Sora was supremely relieved that Ray was even going back to the apartment. The situation would have been far more awkward then.

Sora crossed his arms as Ray set the car in reverse and backed out of the spot, a slim smile on his lips. In his triumph, Ray couldn't hold back the shit eating grin on his face. Sora wanted to carpool from campus and by God, Ray would deliver.

"So..." Ray started, a pleased hum in his voice. "How's your day?"

"We've literally had the same day so far."

"But, like... do you work tonight?"

"Yeah, I work tonight," Sora lied.

"You never mentioned where you work—"

"I work at a bar," he said, and it was as close to the truth as he could get.

Ray wanted to slap himself. A bar! That was why Sora had such weird hours! He'd have to report back to Leo and Huey and offer it as a suggestion for Sora's place of work. Here he had been picturing Sora in scrubs working a night shift at a retirement home.

"As, like... a bartender?"

"Why're you so interested?" Sora said, and Ray shrugged.

"I don't know. I mean, we live together. I guess I should know a bit about you."

"Yeah, well, I could say the same for you," Sora huffed, and Ray wondered if the guy was serious about that. He blushed, just a little, and it was quickly stamped out by Sora muttering, "Definitely not interested to know, though."

"Geez, okay," Ray grumbled as he made a right turn down their street. "If you ever do want to know—about me, I mean—I'm an open book. Just ask."