Reconnect with the Painted Houses

Latest Guilty Pleasure

In Amber Delaimi's Point of View

Ali and I decided it would be cool to live together, with my friend, Stella, at the end of freshman year. Our schedules are coincidentally similar every time, and our lives mostly revolve around studying Health Sciences, so it made sense.

Ali takes the turn onto Paleochora and looks at me rummaging through my bag for my most important possession. "What does the planner say you are doing tonight?"

I rolled my eyes at his teasing tone. "Getting laid."

"Oh, ew," he says, scrunching his nose as he scowls. "It is bad enough you plan what time you sleep and eat, but do you need to plan having s*x?"

He is not lying about sleeping and eating. Every minute of my life is carefully scheduled in my planner, which my friends find hilarious and ridiculous. I would not necessarily say that I am a freak, but I am a woman who needs to be in control. There is obviously a difference.

I shrug, wanting to point out that at least I am getting some, unlike him. "Rian is a busy guy, and I am a busy girl. I want to see him as much as I can before race season."

Rian Dufort is five feet, nine inches. A part of IHU's Racing Electric Motorsports team, and even part of Motorsports organizations outside IHU. Even with his activeness for his sport, he is as serious about studying as I am, which makes for a perfect no-strings-attached situation. The added benefit is that Ri is the sweetest guy, so we have become great friends through our mutually beneficial arrangement.

"I cannot believe you are still f*****g around with him. He looks like he is double your size. Does he not crush you? No, wait. I do not want to know."

I giggle, pinching Ali's cheeks until he bats me away. "Sorta the whole point."

Most people assume that Ali and I are more than friends, but we are more like siblings. It is not because he is not my type, we just never had any romantic interest in each other.

Ali is much taller than me and lean like Basamum sculpted his body. His black hair is kept clean, and I swear he wears mascara because his brown eyes are framed with the best lashes you could ever see in anyone, complimenting his brown skin.

"I officially know too much about your s*x life, Amber."

Ali cannot decide if he likes Rian or not. Sometimes he is cool with him and Rian gets to see the Ali that I see - the one who is fun to be around. However, after some time, you would assume that Rian had personally ruined Ali's life or something the rest of the time. Ali can be so harsh that it can be embarrassing. It is unpredictable, but Rian brushes it off and tells me not to worry about it.

"I promise not to talk about it for the rest of the day if you promise me a ride to Rian's later."

"Fine. It is a deal."

Arriving in the place

Stella looked up from the salad she had been stabbing aggressively with her fork. "I am just saying, whose d**k is Oma Donovan sucking to get high grades for the third year in a row?"

I cannot help but shrink at her harsh tone, especially because there is a high chance that she means what she is saying. She was already feeling irritable this morning after the amounts of drinks they consumed last night for her birthday, so today was not the best day to find out that she did not get the grade she wanted.

I have heard every story about Oma for the past two years, and Ella knows as well as I do. She is an exceptionally talented actress.

"Can she not just be a normal student? And not be sucking someone's d**k?"

"Amber, will you please let me give in to my ego for five minutes and pretend I do not know she is better than me?"

Ali throws himself into a seat beside me and reaches over to pick an unmashed apple slice from Stella's salad bowl. "What are we being dramatic about?"

"Oma Donovan," Ella and I respond in unison.

"Well, she is hot. Might be the hottest girl on campus," he said nonchalantly, clearly not paying attention to how Stella's face changed to a frown. "Is she single?"

"Yo, Cupid. How am I supposed to freaking know? She does not talk to anyone. She barges in, wants the grade I also want, and carries on being a stranger to everyone after getting to get what she wants. She ruins my life with every move she does, whether intentional or not!"

"I am sorry, Elly. There is always next time." We both know it does not mean anything, but she gives me a small smile anyway. "If it makes you feel any better - I received a grade lower than Ali in our tutor session today. Professor Adam is going to work it out soon, and if I do not improve, he might banish me out of Greece."

"Oh no. You are officially a failure. How can you ever show up in tutor class again?" Stella grins, her slightly gray eyes shining as I glare at her. "You will get there, sweetheart. You are working hard." Her eyes move to Ali, scrolling on his phone, totally uninterested in our conversation.

"Huh? Sorry, yeah. You are hot too, Elly."

I am surprised I did not see the steam leave Stella's eyes yet, after knowing that he was not listening to us. Usually, she would have cussed him under her breath in full Latin. This could mean worse though.

I slowly retreat to my room to not draw attention to myself and get caught in my friends' upcoming argument. Living with Ali and Stella is like living with siblings who always wanted to be the only child in a household.

Ali, like me, is an only child. The miracle baby of his two aging, middle-eastern parents desperate to keep their marriage together. Living with other people after being his parents' pride and joy for twenty-one years was a big transition for him, and for us, who are the ones who have to live with him and his mood swings.