The tip of a black pen glided across the margin of my Econ notebook as I drew doodles to the monotonous sound of my professor's voice.
At first, I tried to pay attention to his lectures. It took me five of those to realize I wouldn't pass the subject easily.
The uni I'd transferred to was one of the best in the country. Unfortunately, starting over was never easy. Everything was way harder here - the treatment our professors gave us was too impersonal, and the way they taught the syllabus to us felt too rushed at times. They assumed we knew things and didn't want to spend too much time explaining what they thought was obvious.
For the first time, I found myself struggling with my studies. Deep down, I knew that the situation with Paul was to blame for my inability to focus and my lack of motivation. I needed to pull myself together and do something before it was too late, but it was easier said than done, especially because I found myself making all sorts of impulsive decisions instead.
Asking Liam, Aiden's friend, to move in with me on the first day I met him was probably the craziest of them all.
I needed money to pay for my expensive apartment, that was true. My parents wouldn't be able to give me more, and the photography gigs I managed to get were few. Making a name for myself in a new city took time, and that was the only thing I didn't have when my bank account already had a massive dent in it, and my parents thought I was in the south of France. Oblivious to the changes in my life, they transferred money to my bank account each month. Now, it wasn't enough.
Glancing at my watch, I let out a relieved sigh. I would be free in five minutes. Then, I would see Liam.
There was something special about him, apart from the fact that he was raising his little brother on his own.
Liam seemed quiet and reserved. Unlike Paul, he listened way more than he talked. Judging by the little I saw, he was affectionate with his brother, who clearly adored him.
The commotion around me signaled the end of the lecture. I shoved my notebook and pens into my purse and made my way out of the lecture hall.
Liam and I agreed to meet in a small pâtisserie close to my university.
Wrapping my jacket around me tighter to protect myself from the cold wind, I crossed the street and rushed toward the cafe.
It was still early when I took a seat at a round table in the corner and smoothed out my blond hair, hoping I didn't look like a mess after the morning full of boring lectures.
Letting my eyes soak in the beautiful decor of the place that was all pastel colors and white furniture, I ordered myself to relax.
In the worst of cases, I would be forced to look for someone else to share the apartment with, but if Liam meant what he said, my money problems would be solved.
The sound of the door creaking open made me direct my gaze toward the entrance.
I barely recognized the guy who walked into the cafe. In a white button-down and dark gray slacks, Liam looked different.
He was handsome without even trying, and I failed to conceal the traitorous blush that crept up my cheeks at the sight of him.
"Hey," Liam greeted me and leaned down to kiss my cheek. The smell of his cologne seemed to overpower the vanilla scent lingering in the air of the pâtisserie despite not being that strong. He barely brushed his lips across my skin. Somehow, that small gesture seemed intimate.
"I'm sorry if I made you wait; the traffic was insane."
"It's okay." I smiled.
"Let's order something first, okay?" Liam asked, nodding toward the front of the cafe where they had displayed all kinds of pastries imaginable.
"Coffee or tea, Sky?"
"Coffee. Black, no sugar, no cream," I said.
"Anything else?"
I shook my head, unsure of what the right thing to do was.
Directing his attention to the waiter, Liam said, "Two black coffees and a chocolate éclair."
I raised my eyebrows, and he shrugged, smiling with just a corner of his mouth tipped up.
"You were looking at it," Liam said. "Unless I'm wrong, and you weren't."
"No, you're not," I replied, looking elsewhere. Admitting that no guy had ever done something like that for me would seem pathetic.
Liam took the tray with our order to the table and placed it in the center of it before gracefully lowering himself onto a seat across from me.
As he moved to hand me my cup of coffee, I caught a glimpse of something tattooed on his skin next to his neck. The way his lean muscles flexed under the thin material of his shirt was enough to make me blush again.
I found Liam attractive, which wasn't good if we were going to live together. It would create unnecessary awkwardness and complicate things.
"So," Liam said, taking a sip of his coffee, "I wanted to talk to you about the apartment and stuff like that."
"Okay." I nodded.
"I'll be honest with you- I've never done it. I mean, I've never shared an apartment with anyone. I thought that maybe we could establish some ground rules to make it easier."
Liam's eyes-a beautiful mix of hazel and green-stared into mine, making me squirm in my seat.
"Ground rules?" I echoed his words, hoping he wouldn't notice the effect everything he did seemed to have on me.
"Yeah. I mean, who does what and all that. I guess we'll split the bills, right?"
"Yeah." I nodded. "Can you cook?"
"Of course. You?"
"Same," I said.
"Then we'll take turns making lunch and dinner. Is that okay?"
"It is."
"Okay. Obviously, I'll clean our room and the bathroom, and then we'll-"
"Take turns?" I smiled.
"Yeah." Liam chuckled, playing with his coffee cup. "It seems easier than I thought it would be."
I took a bite of my éclair to give myself some time to put my thoughts into words.
"Liam," I said when I stopped chewing, "there's something else."
"What else?"
"If you want to...you know, have sex with someone, you could, just tell me in advance, so I-"
"Sky, it won't be a problem," Liam said, not a trace of a smile on his face. "If I wanted to sleep with someone, I'd do it elsewhere. You've forgotten about my brother. Besides, I don't date."
"At all?" I heard myself ask, regretting the question as soon as the words left my mouth.
"At all, so you have nothing to worry about. The place is yours, though, so if you want to bring a guy, do it. I'll use the earplugs, and-"
"I won't," I said, staring at the half-eaten éclair on the platter in front of me. My love life was a disaster. I didn't see myself starting another relationship with anyone. Despite that, Liam's refusal to date disappointed me, and I had no right to be. A guy like him would never want to be with me. A guy like Liam was more likely to go for a stunning false-lashes, D-cup bra-wearing girl who was confident in bed and didn't have the issues I had.
Even during the short while we spent at the gym yesterday, I saw the way girls looked at him. It was the same way they looked at Paul, and it was clear that Liam was popular with them, just like Paul was.
Liam went quiet for a short while, saying nothing before he looked me in the eye. "I hate to sound like a broken record, but are you sure about us moving in with you? You still have time to change your mind."
"I'm sure. I need money, Liam, and I need someone to help me with the expenses. So, it's up to you."
"Well, okay then. I guess I'll start bringing my stuff at the end of this week if that's okay with you."
"It is."
We let the silence engulf us. I finished eating my pastry while Liam quietly observed his surroundings, glancing at me every now and then.
I had no idea what he was thinking about, and the lack of knowledge was unnerving.
"Have you known Ellie for a long time?" Liam asked.
"We met in August when I locked myself out of the apartment."
I smiled at the memory of my best friend rescuing me and feeding me éclairs when I was a tearful mess after my breakup with Paul, sitting on the floor in the foyer and crying my heart out. Meeting Ellie was the best thing that happened to me since I moved to Paris.
"What about you and Aiden?" I asked.
"We met in May. I was teaching him French, and we became friends. I'm glad he and Ellie are back together, you know? It's great to see him so happy."
"Yeah. Ellie is happy, too. What about you? Have you been in Paris for a long time?"
"Almost two years now," said Liam. "I love the city. I just hope Tim will, too."
"He doesn't like it much, does he?"
Sighing, Liam studied his empty cup. "His school is the problem, but today my boss told me he knows the principal of one of the schools in the area where you live. Tim and I will go there tomorrow. I hope they can accept him. The school year has already started, and I don't want him to miss classes. He didn't manage to make friends in his other school, you know, and I think he needs to spend time with kids his age. He's surrounded by older guys all the time. Having friends at school would help him have a normal childhood."
"You're taking good care of him, Liam." I smiled. "It's clear that he looks up to you."
Liam chuckled. "Yeah, I hope he does. Half of the time, I don't know what the fuck I am doing. Well, enough about me. What about your university? I bet you're a good student."
I snorted. "If only. I'm winging it this term. Econ is a nightmare. I don't understand the syllabus, and it gets worse with every lecture."
"What's your degree?"
"Business." I sighed.
Liam smiled. "That's a good one. Really useful. You can do whatever you want afterward."
"Yeah, I guess. I wish it were easier, you know?"
"Yeah, but it hardly ever is, Sky."
Liam's phone vibrated on the tabletop in front of him. Frowning, he picked it up and shoved it in his pocket after casting a glance at the screen.
"Sky, I would've gladly stayed chatting with you, but I have to pick up my brother. Can I give you a ride home?"
"You don't have to; it's near here."
Laughing, Liam hopped to his feet. "You're stubborn, huh? I have my car, and it's cold. Let me do it. You're doing me a favor letting my brother and me move in with you."
"Okay," I muttered, blushing. I was sure Ellie would have lots of fun watching my cheeks turn pink so many times in a row.
"By the way," Liam said, opening the cafe door for me, "what did you and Jeff talk about yesterday? I saw him look at your photos. I don't want to pry; I was just curious. You don't have to tell me."
Following Liam to his car, I answered, "He wanted me to take pictures of people working out in the gym to promote the place. I need money, so I said yes. I will go there this week."
"Then I guess we'll see each other there as well, roomie."
"I guess we will," I said, sliding into the passenger seat of Liam's car.
I didn't have to tell him where to go. He was, undoubtedly, a good driver, attentive to his surroundings.
The soft music playing in Liam's car almost lulled me to sleep. I was disappointed the drive was so short.
"Thanks for taking me home." I turned around and looked at my future roommate.
His eyes lingered on mine for a tad too long. Leaning in, Liam pressed his lips to my cheek.
"Never thank me for something like that, Sky. I mean it."
So...thoughts?