ROOMMATES

CHAPTER 8

“I have been paying for my mistake the whole day Mel. Have some mercy please.” Raph says as I take his hand pulling him into the ice cream parlor.

We have been running up and down since morning. He took me out for pizza. We bought some shoes and a dress. On his bill of course. And now we are at the ice cream parlor. It’s still his treat. That was my idea of punishment because he left my side at the party. I know he needed to lay someone but it’s fun.

That’s us. My best friend and I. We do this when one pisses off the other. Well, I was not even pissed off because I got to sleep in the arms of my roommate. The guy that calls the shots in the university. It’s not every time you get to sleep with a handsome guy. Not s*x. As in sleeping with your eyes closed. Thinking about it, it was good he left me alone. I can’t show Raph I was not pissed off. He has to pay the price.

“That’s what you get for abandoning me bff.” I say pulling the word bff sarcastically.

“Really Mel? Don’t you think you have punished me enough?”

“Nope. I'm so lenient on you. Don’t make me add something else to that list.”

“ugh! I need to look for another bff soon. My current one sucks.”

“I know baby. I need to change mine too and get someone who will not leave my side.” I say winking at him and he snorts glaring at me.

“So, your flavor?”

“The usual one.”

He smiles and goes to give our order. He knows me so well. I don’t need to tell him what my favorite ice cream is. I wink at him licking on the waffle cone dipped in chocolate with sprinkles. It’s my favourite. Our favourite. He groans and glares at me trying to control himself from laughing. He can’t be mad at me for long. I can’t get mad at him too.

“This is delicious.”

“I have been thinking Mel. Why don’t we ameliorate our constitution? This punishment is too much.”

“That’s because you are the one receiving it this time round.”

“but I have spent a lot.”

“Be a gentleman Raph. Just take it like you are treating your girlfriend. Assume I’m your girlfriend.” I grin and he pouts licking on his cone.

“You can never me my girlfriend Mel. I would kill you. Your stubbornness is on another level. I wonder how Matt and you are putting up with each other. You will kill each other in that house soon.”

“So I’m stubborn.”

“Yeah, very.” He says chuckling.

“Haha so funny. You need a medal for that.” I glare at him and he chuckles more.

“By the way munchkin, did you and Matt sleep together?”

“Define sleeping together.”

“Have s*x. The problem of dealing with virgins.”

“No!” I shake my head glaring at him.

“Did he touch you?”

“Nope.”

“Did he kiss you?”

“Not at all. What the hell Raph? We did nothing.”

“And I’m supposed to believe that?”

“Of course you should. I can’t do anything with Matt. I don’t deal with fuckboys.”

“I think he likes you.” He says making me choke on my saliva and he chuckles.

“Why would you say that?”

“There is a way he was looking at you in the morning. Again Matt doesn’t give a f**k about drunk ladies. With you it was different. He took you to your room because he likes you.”

“Where do you get all these crazy ideas?”

“I can sense it.”

Ugh! Raph and sensing things. I always roll my eyes at him.

“Hey guys? Can I join you.” I turn to look at who it is and our eyes meet making me sulk in a deep breath. It’s the deejay from ellaine’s party. I must admit I’m glad to see him here.

“Hey Drake.” Raph winks at me and gives him a smile. “Sure, you can join us.”

I remain silent watching him dreamly. I’m dumbfounded. Why is it that only the handsome guys are crossing my path? I should attract the ugly ones too. Okay, no one is ugly. Maybe the ones whose faces don’t make sense at all. Not my words. My cousin Irene’s words.

I need to call that b***h later. She is late for admissions but she is supposed to join our campus next week. Can’t wait for that. We are partners in crime and she will get crazy when she sees all the hunkies in the campus. I’m sure it will be fun.

“Hey.” He addresses me sitting directly opposite me.

“Hey yourself.” I blush and look at my cone trying to avoid his eyes. I hear Raph chuckling softly and I ignore him trying to fight the urge to roll my eyes or glare at him.

“You are shy munchkin.” Raph says grinning goofily and I glare at him scooping my ice cream. This might be a potential husband.

“This is Mel Drake. She is my crazy bff. This is Drake munchkin. He is a good friend and I think you can match. You will look good together.” He says winking at me. Drake chuckles softly giving me goosebumps everywhere. What’s with the men in this campus? They all affect me in one way or another. Apart from Raph only. My love for him is purely fraternal.

“I’m supposed to meet with someone sweetie. Can I leave you with Drake?”

“Our part of the punishment is not over. How am I supposed to go back to the hostels?”

“I will drop you there.” Drake offers quickly and I see Raph winking at him. What are these two up to? So he is setting me up with his friend?

“Yeah, he is responsible and will make sure you get back to your room. You just need to trust him.”

“But Raph…”

“Bye baby. See you later.” He interrupts me with a kiss on the forehead and walks out hastily.

The type of a friend I have! He will get it from me later. How am I supposed to behave with a cute guy giving me all those stares? I swear I will kill Raph. I know this is the hundredth time I’m saying this but this time round I will do it. Maybe stuff him with a pillow in his sleep. Yes, that sounds perfect. The thought of all that makes me chuckle. This is not the first time he has tried setting me up with his friends. I always wave them off. Some are too soft. Some too proud and some just after getting into my pants. I chuckle when I remember how he introduces them to me.

“You look so happy.” Drake has a dark gaze on me and it makes me blush continuously.

“Sorry about that. I have just remembered something. Forgive my manners.” I say blushing.

I can’t look him into the eyes. My eyes are focused on the table. A blushing Melanie? This is funny. I have never done that. This is the first time I’m blushing because of a man. No, not the first. I did it in Matt's room. Matt. He is so arrogant and full of himself but cute in a way. I shiver when I remember how his hand grazed on my skin. Thinking about it, why did I moan? Why was I left breathless.

Shit! I'm thinking about another man and I have not heard what Drake has said.

“You have not answered my question Mel.”

“Sorry. What was your question again?” I ask twirling a strand of my hair on my finger.

“Tell me about yourself.” One mark out. I hate such questions but because he is cute I will tell him.

The next one hour is spent on telling each other about ourselves, chuckling, blushing. The list is endless. I have known a lot about him. Music is his passion and he likes playing all the musical instruments. We click on that. I like music too. I like singing and playing the guitar. It’s my companion and never leaves my side. Apart from when I’m out on dates.

“Do you need anything else here?” he asks giving me a warm smile.

“I don’t think so. You?”

“Nope. Let’s go then.” He offers his hand to me and I take it grinning sheepishly. I'm just behaving like a teenager in love. Raph should see me like this and he will make fun of me the whole day.

I lean on his car admiring his smile. Well, not just a car. A Lamborghini. He looks loaded but that’s not what I’m after. I’m after a relationship if it will work. That fast? Yeah. That fast. There is nothing to wait for.

“I have been thinking about you since I saw you at the party yesterday Mel.” He says tucking a stray strand of hair behind my ear making me shiver involuntarily.

“About what exactly?” My eyes are on his lips.

Ooh these lips. I want to crash my lips on his so badly. I'm yearning for his kiss.

“How I would like to know you better.”

“You already know a lot about me.”

“Not that Mel. Better as in be in some sort of relationship with you.”

“That fast?” why am I pretending? This is what I want.

“it’s not that fast. We get to know about each other better first then we see if it will work out between us. Because I want you Mel. I don’t want something casual. I want something serious.” Oooh God! What am I supposed to say to this? That I want him so badly too?

“mel.” His voice is in a whisper.

“I don’t know what to say Drake.”

“Say anything.”

I shrug my shoulders and bite my lip nervously. He smiles. A smile that gives me goosebumps everywhere. I have noted something. He has a great smile.

“How about this?” he pulls me to him crashing his lips on mine. Wow! This feels great. It’s what I have been longing for. I respond by opening my mouth for him to gain better access. He rolls his tongue on mine making me moan. We kiss in a frenzy. Hungrily. Not wanting to let go of each other. Some passersby gasp and Drake pulls away grinning at me.

“let’s get out of here baby. We have too much audience.” I’m speechless. All I do is nod. He opens my door and after planting a light kiss on my lips goes to his side. He settles on his seat and looks at me smiling. That smile. The Drake smile.

“Let’s get you back to the hostels Mel.” All I do is nod making him chuckle. It’s not my fault. His kiss has made me speechless. I'm just like some zombie.

We drive in silence, stealing side glances at each other. With our fingers intertwined. Well, this feels great. He parks outside my house, okay, our house. With Matt and gazes at me, his eyes boring into mine.

“Come in with me Drake.” My voice has turned into a whisper.

“Are you sure about this?”

“Yeah. I have my guitar. We can play it and sing. We have the same passion.”

“Wow! That’s a great idea. My guitar is on the back seat. We can compete in playing it.”

“Wow! It will be so much fun.”

“Yeah, let’s do it.” He says running to my side to open the door. He takes the guitar and takes my hand leading me to the door.

I open the door and gasp at the sight before me.