The Unexpected Roommate

Chapter 12

    "Is this seat taken?" I look up to see Eric, gesturing towards the empty seat next to me.

    "No." I look back down at my textbook. Gosh, this damn class is harder than I expected it to be. I have to keep a B or higher in this class if, I want my GPA to stay over 3.5, this semester, and its proven difficult at the moment. I picked this class because it had the word s*x in it, thinking it will be a breeze since I was sexually active. Now, not so much. Psychology of s*x and Intimate Relationships is not what I thought it would be.

    "So," Eric sits down, and I glance at him quickly, then back to my book. "How have you been?"

    "Good." I scribble down a few notes, flipping to the next page and doing the same thing. Is it too late to drop this class? Of course, it isn't, but this is the only class that caught my interest out of all the others. I'm praying it will get better over the semester.

    "What are you writing?" His cologne fills my nostrils, as he leans closer to me. Sweet baby mochi, personal space must not be a thing for him.

    "Do you mind?" I ask, easing away from him.

    "Sorry." He smiles. "So, Avery, why haven't I seen you around before?"

    "I'm not an airhead," I mumble.

    "What was that?"

    "Oh, I said because I tend to stay to myself." I smile. Where the hell is Shay? I hope she isn't ditching this class again.

    "I hope this year, you would be more open to sharing. I would love to get to know you a little better."

    "Is this what you say to all the girls to get in their pants?" I raise an eyebrow at him. "It won't work on me."

    "Not easily charmed, I respect that. However, I genuinely would like to get to know you. I think you're pretty cool." He leans back in his chair, running his hand through his hair. I search his face for any sign that he is just toying with me.

    He's telling the truth. "Well, Eric, what would you like to know?" I close my textbook.

    "First, what is your favorite color?"

    "Blue and yours?"

    "Same. Now you ask me something."

    I tap my right index finger against my lip. "Hmmm. Why did you choose this class?"

    "That's what you want to ask?" he chuckles, and I notice he has one dimple in his left cheek. Cute.

    "Well, I have to make sure you aren't some pervert." Kill me now. It sounds so much better in my head. Why can't I speak like a normal person? Word vomit will be the death of me.

    "I should be asking you the same question then." he leans closer to me, closing whatever space we had between us. "You want to know why I'm taking this class?" The smell of his cologne along with his spearmint breath wraps around me. Eric is handsome and all, but I dare not play with fire. I move away, tucking my hair behind my ears.

    "If I didn’t, I wouldn't have asked."

    He clears his throat sitting back in his chair. He scans the classroom before pointing to Shay. The hell? When did she come in and why is she sitting up front? We always sit in the middle together. I pull out my phone shooting her a quick text.

    "So, you took this class because of Shay?" I ask, and he nods his head. "Explain?"

    "I've been trying to ask her out for the last five years. She has been turning me down since Sophomore year of high school. Do you know what that does to a guy's ego?"

    "Yet, you are still chasing after her? It hasn't done much." My phone buzzes.

    Shay: No, I'm not mad at you, but I don't want to be anywhere near Eric.

    Avery: I can make him leave so that you can come up here.

    Shay: It's okay. Just meet me at the library after class.

    Avery: Will do.

    Shay: If he asks for my number tell him no.

    I laugh sliding my phone into my handbag.

    "Trust me, it has done some damage to my ego and pride." he looks longingly at her. I wonder if he and Shay had hooked up within the five years, she's turned him down. I make a mental note to ask her that later on today. One of Eric's friend calls him over, and he excuses himself. Opening back up my textbook, I start to jot down some more notes.

    The hair on the back of my neck stands up, and I don't have to look up to know he has entered the room. I hate that my body is in tune with him, it knows when he is around. I read the same paragraph over and over; the words seem to swirl into one big blob. After the night he stormed out, I haven't seen him in two days, but I know he has stopped by the apartment to get some clothes. He would always leave the bedroom a mess, clothes everywhere but in the dresser.

    I finally look up to see him taking a seat three rows behind me.

Eric comes back taking a seat next to me, as Professor Carter walks in. Today she is wearing a flowy red dress with dinosaurs. I don't know why, but I love her sense of fashion. I honestly think it’s because she reminds me of Ms. Frizzle. The class quiets down as she goes through the points we will be covering today.

    "Eric," Avery whispers harshly. I watch Eric look behind him. "What the f**k are you doing man?"

    "Eric and Avery, Am I interrupting you?" Professor Carter waves her hand. "Care to share what is so important?"

    "Nothing," Eric says turning back in his chair.

    "Interrupt my class again, and you two will get an automatic zero." Professor Carter looks between the both of them. "Now, before we jump into today's lesson. I want to go back over last week, topic. Specifically, this question. Which is better: a live-in relationship or marriage? Who would like to start this off?"

    "A live-in relationship is the better option." A guy a few seats ahead of me answers. Professor gestures for him to continue. "I mean I don't have a reason to why it is, but it is."

    "Marriage is the better option of the two," Shay speaks up. "There is more stability for one and two, you know, you aren't wasting your time."

    "That makes no sense Shay," Avery responds. "People who are in marriages for decades get a divorce and still feel like they wasted their time."

    "Not true." another girl speaks up. "Most marriages that end after decades—they fall out of love, or they've grown apart. Not that they wasted time on one another. My parents were married for two decades and decided they wanted to get a divorce. Not once have they said they wasted their lives, because of the other. People grow and change."

    "We aren't talking about your parents, Lily-Marie." someone from the other side of the room yawns.

    "So, since it doesn't make any sense Avery, why do you think live-in relationships are better?" Shay turns around in her chair glaring at him.

    "Marriage is merely a formalization of a relationship, in the eye of law. If I truly love and commit to someone, formalization or no, it will not entail any change in the quality of the relationship. Also, divorce is too messy. It is far easier to break off a live-in relationship than a marriage. No financial burden when you split."

    "i***t," I say shaking my head.

    "Do you have something you want to add Ms. Levin?"

    I shake my head no.

    "Don't be scared." Eric smiles at me. "It's just a friendly debate," he adds and that was all the pep talk I needed.

    "Actually, I do," I say turning around. "So, Avery, what I'm gathering from you is that you prefer a live-in relationship because it's easier for you to break-up with the person and keep all your money? Correct?"

    "I didn't say that."

    "Not in those words, but you did."

    "So, let me guess, you prefer marriage because that's what you've grown up to believe that's what you need. Some stupid certificate to say you belong to someone."

    "I didn't grow up believing that I needed to be in a marriage. I grew up wanting commitment. Marriage has commitment built in, and cohabitation does not. A marriage is built on trust. Cohabitation is built on doubt. Why not get married? Because if things don't go your way, you can't leave without things getting messy. You'll have to pay? Give me a break Avery."

    "Live-in relationships help you see the person for who they really are before taking that giant step." he shakes his head. "That's what makes it great."

    "Live-ins, are just experimenting because you always can move out and, in most cases, it ends up being casual whereas marriage is all about commitment/compromising a few things for the greater good." I glare at him.

    "So why not just have fun?" I catch the double meaning in his question.

    "Because the guy turns out to be a man-w***e, who dips his p***s in everyone. It's so annoying. Who would want to have fun with that?"

    "For f**k sake, the guy will see that the chick he is screwing is having some weird internal battle with her feelings and pushes him away, so if he wants to dip his d**k in whoever she shouldn't care."

    "You're right she shouldn't. But then when you come home with another female wanting to kick her out of her apartment, that's when she cares. And that's why she went to the office this morning and got another application. So now he can live there by himself, dipping his p***s into whomever."

    "You didn't?" He leans forward in his seat.

    "Sure did." I roll my eyes, turning back around in my seat.

    The lecture hall is eerily quiet, and everyone eyes are either on Avery or me. Damn it. I look over at Shay, and she smiles at me. Just my luck.

    "Alright, that is enough for today, the class is now dismissed. I think everyone needs to go and take a breather. We shall pick up today's lesson next Wednesday." Professor Carter says, and the class takes a second before registering her words. I stuff my books into my satchel making a beeline out the lecture hall. Shay calls after me, but I'm already taking off into a jog to my car.

    Can this day get any worse?