Oh Cinderella: True love next door

The Rules

"What is wrong with you? Don't drop that there." Olivia exclaimed as she yanked the door open and saw Ryan dropping a throw pillow carelessly on the couch.

Her loud voice gave Ryan such a scare that he almost jumped out of his skin. He looked scared enough to run but he stood his ground. He tried to correct himself and adjust the throw pillow but Olivia hurried towards him, quickly snatched it from him and did it herself.

Ryan looked with curiosity as she took her time in dressing the couch. She adjusted the other ones as well. It seemed so funny to him that someone would attach so much importance to such a trivial thing. He tried so much to keep it in but he didn't know when he let out a giggle.

"Sorry, that wasn't meant for you." He quickly apologized when he saw the angry look on Olivia.

"Where did you get your coffee?" She asked with a straight face.

"What?" Ryan asked with so much surprise on his face.

He wondered how where he got his coffee is any of her business and most importantly, why she asked such a question.

"Do you know how to make a coffee?" She asked again, leaving Ryan in a more confused state.

Olivia saw this and decided to put him out of his misery. She pointed to her coffee machine which was on the counter but Ryan still didn't get the gist. He then made a face which implied he had no clue as to what she meant.

"I mean do you know how to use it or do you want me to put you through. I wouldn't want you ruining my things. And just so you know, I hate people touching my things without my permission. If you ever need to use any of my things, make sure you inform me prior." She chimed in firmly.

Ryan was not even paying attention, he was engrossed on the coffee machine. He kept wondering what was so special about it that would make her throw such a fit.

"It's a one-touch automatic coffee and expresso machine that can grind beans, heat milk and make a latte in less than sixty seconds with the press of a pinkie." Olivia gave a detailed description when she saw Ryan wouldn't take his eyes off of the machine. She figured he was like that because he didn't know, hence, the detailed explanation.

"Ohhhh, thank God you mentioned all these. I could have swore it was a boiler." Ryan replied with sarcasm but Olivia wasn't in a mood to banter so she ignored him.

"Here," she said while she handed a list to him which he immediately took it from her.

"What is this?" He asked without even looking at it.

"Why not go through it and see for yourself?" She replied.

"I could have swore I took you for someone who could read. Oh my bad, was I wrong?" Olivia replied with sarcasm too.

She finally returned the earlier shade Ryan had thrown at her.

At first, Ryan looked uncomfortable but he soon dropped it. Olivia wasn't at fault, considering his earlier less than friendly sarcasm. He smiled slightly and started going through the list.

"Good..." Olivia mumbled to herself as she looked back at him without expression.

"Now he knows two can play the game." She said to herself again.

That is one of the things about Olivia. She can be so defensive when she wants to be. She rarely passes on a shade. Even if she seems as though not responsive at the moment, rest assured, she has it at the back of her mind and would definitely retaliate at the perfect time. The people in her circle, Josh and Bobby know better than to get caught up in her web, because no one wins but Olivia.

"What about a chore list, don't you think we need one?" Ryan replied with yet again, another sarcasm.

"You are the roommate, so start one." Olivia replied too with a cunning smile.

No sarcasm. He liked her tentative smile.

"I'm sorry." He let out gently .

"What for?" She asked while pretending as if she doesn't know.

"I think we got off on the wrong foot and I'm sorry about that. I'm usually not the shade-throwing type, so I apologise if at any time, I was over the line." He clarified.

Olivia let out a sheepish smile. He had passed the first test.

"Not bad." She thought to herself, but she didn't want to hand out compliments soon. There was more to sharing a house with someone —a lot more. She is the gentle and reserved type as well but she didn't want a distraction or diversion from her plan.

Knowing well how intense she can be with a friend, she knew it was only a matter of time before she forgets about her plans if she doesn't draw the lines now and set boundaries with Ryan.

"It's fine." She let out with a casual smile and then went silent, not offering a reciprocating apology. —did he have the right to expect one? After all, he started it—

A few seconds of silence passed and she could no longer take the pricking guilt.

"Okay, I'm sorry too." Olivia sounded apologetic, but uncompromising.

Ryan stood silent for a few minutes with his eyes fixed on the three full pages of "dos and don'ts" Olivia had listed out.

He carefully stepped past Olivia and picked his way to the center of the room as he flipped to the second page. He didn't even look up as his eyes was fixed on the list. When he was finally through with it, he heaved a deep sigh and let it out slowly. He wasn't even sure if it was a sigh of relief or worry as he turned back to face Olivia.

She had indeed left him speechless as he kept staring at her, not knowing what to do or say.

"Don't you think this is a bit over the top?" Ryan finally let out as he moved towards Olivia and returned the list.

It wasn't so much about the three long pages but the absurd rules. He would have to turn to a different person entirely for him to adhere to the rules.

"Why take in a roommate if you don't want to share your space or see the person's face?" Ryan thought within himself.

In that moment, he decided it was best if he moved out and look for a better and accommodating roommate.

Just as he was about to break this to Olivia, he caught a glimpse of her and it felt different than what he had been seeing. Of course, he has spent over twenty-four hours in the house and though, Olivia had barely said a word to him since the interview, he has taken his time to get a good look at her face.

This time, it was different. Beneath the fierce and harsh exterior, Ryan could see a soft, nice and gentle heart. It finally became clear that Olivia was only putting on a front to avoid getting hurt.

His earlier assumption about her dissolved like salt in the water and he discarded his decision to move out.

It was as if Olivia could read his mind too. She gave him a swift once-over and leaned back into the couch.

"I'm a detail-oriented person." She chimed in in her gentle tone which further convinced Ryan of his new theory.

"Look Olivia, I know how exhausting and out of place it may seem at first. Having a stranger invade your space, which I'm guessing in your case is a very private space. But you have to realize that things will be like this for a while. I mean, we are roommates now. I live here. We live together and trust me, we will need to have some common grounds for a smooth cohabitation." He clarified.

"Well, maybe roommate is a loaded word which you don't fancy." Ryan chimed in while he let his smile turn rogue. Seeing that didn't go over well, he removed any hint of innuendo.

"Maybe I should call you something else?" He politely asked.

"You can call me Ms. Lanes." Olivia said and she almost burst into laughter. Saying her name out loud like that sounded so funny to her. It took a lot of restraining for her not to break out.

Though she was unbending a little, she was still setting boundaries.

"Ms Lanes it is then." Ryan said in a respectful manner.

How tables turned so fast. Ryan should be the one mad at Olivia for coming up with such a ridiculous list. Not to mention he actually did her a favour by moving in — she would have been asked to leave without the rent— But all thanks to Olivia who played her game well, Ryan now thinks he's at fault and now the one trying to make her reason with him.

"At least give me a week before you assume the worst about me." He chimed in slowly while Olivia frowned, studying him like a bug under glass. Her shoulders drooped slightly.

"A week?" Olivia replied while making it sound like a lifetime as the list slipped out of her hand.

"It's fine. Thanks for your understanding. But, please try to adhere to the rules, even if not all, maybe half." She let out firmly.

"And, the pillow..."

"Will always be arranged just the way you want it." Ryan quickly added before she goes back to reprimanding him for disorganizing the living room.

"I like everywhere neat and arranged." Olivia added in her defense. She could sense subtle judgement in Ryan's words.

"I will try to be careful and also follow the rules to the best of my ability. Deal?" Ryan said and then held out his hand.

Olivia bit her lip before she accepted the gesture. Her hand was cold and trembled slightly before she withdrew it.

"I'd be in my room then." She said.

He got the hint. She isn't ready to be friends yet but if he could prove himself worthy, things might work out between them. He found himself curious though.

"Why a roommate?" He asked.

"You wouldn't understand even if I tried to explain." Olivia replied and then began to walk away.

"I was left with no other choice." She mumbled to herself but Ryan caught it.

He however didn't bother to ask her about it as he felt on firmer ground. It felt good to know Olivia needed a roommate just as much as he also needed an accommodation.

He tilted his head, studying her as she made her way into the room.

"She only needs time..." He muttered to himself as he continued staring blankly at the empty hallway. He nodded his head at intervals as if doing some deep thinking.