The Laws of Attraction

8

”My nose...” I heard my roommate groan while he was peeking over towards the direction of the kitchen with one eye closed. If anyone were to win the biggest baby award, it would be none other than Jacob Dankoff. Oh I saw him alright, that man was about to make me feel bad all over again with his attention seeking attempts. But who knew swatting a mere Gucci tote would cause a nosebleed?

“Given up whining yet?” I asked, as he had a grouchy look on his face while he made his way into the kitchen. I had a spatula in hand, flipping over the shrimps in the pan. He ignored my statement and asked me what I was cooking. “Spaghetti and shrimp. I bet you can’t chew on anything hard since I botched your nose job .”

“Yes, and it's all thanks to you.” He said flatly, attempting to dip his index finger into the carbonara sauce. “Not with those dirty hands you’re not.” I raised the spatula instinctively and he recoiled, his hands protecting his face in defence. “Not the face again please!” He quickly said and I put down the spatula, scoffing. “I wasn’t going to hit you.”

“You sure? You know what? You really do remind me of my English teacher in grade school when she was mad.” He broke into a grin, lowering his hands cautiously. “Because we look just as scary?”

“No, it's because she was extra hot when she was mad.”

I stifled laughter and a blush. “You were in grade school for crying out loud, how did you know what ‘hot’ meant?” 

He waggled his eyebrows at me, placing one hand against the side of the stove, leaning way too much into my personal space. “Sorry, I meant when I was in 10th grade.”

“Oh so your hormones were raging and all over the place?” I offered. “I could barely contain it.” He said under his breath. I gulped, looking away flustered. He retracted his hand and chuckled, “Don’t you worry, I’ve got that department all under control.”

“Ha ha, I’m not the least bit affected by it.” I said, concealing my nervousness as best as I could.

He didn’t look too convinced but he dropped it anyway. "So, how was girls day out?” He asked as he walked over to the utensil drawers to get something out. “I had a good time actually, the girls and I had lunch and I brought Sophie around town when Nadia had to leave for work again.” I said, watching Jacob walking back towards me, stirring the sauce with a ladle he had got out. “Oh yes, that reminds me, Daniel and Sophie are having a housewarming party and told me to bring you over, that is of course, if you want to come.” Jacob said, looking up momentarily from his stirring. 

“Sophie had asked me earlier today too.” I answered. “And?” He waited for my answer. “I would be honoured.” I smiled, mixing the shrimps one last time before turning off the stove switch and dishing the shrimps on a plate. “It’s a housewarming party, not a royal ball.” I hear him tease, dishing out the plates on the kitchen counter along with some utensils. I got out two jasmine tea bags and placed them in a teapot for it to brew while I dished out the food on the plates. 

“So what did you think of the interview?” He asked as I was just taking my first bite of food. “It was like how any interview should be.” I shrugged. “Is that all?” He prodded. 

“Were you hoping that I would gush all over you just because you made one TV appearance?” I tilted my head, squinting. He waited for me to answer my own question and I sighed. “You did well, considering that you followed all the tips I told you yesterday, there you go.”

“I sat straighter than a ruler, did you know how agonising it is to sit that straight for 45 minutes?” He asked. “But surely you aren’t aiming to look like the hunchback of Notre Dame on national television, are you?”

He choked on his food and then winced in pain almost immediately, holding his nose. I stifled a laughter, dropping my fork while my hands shot out to his now covered nose. “Are you alright?” I asked, again, trying my best not to laugh.

“I’m not supposed to laugh in my condition or I might start bleeding again.” 

“Why, did you imagine yourself looking like Quasimodo for a split second?” I questioned. “Jesus, 

Rosie, how can you treat a TV star like that?” He looked at me with amused eyes. I groaned in annoyance and ignored his statement. Although he had his nose and mouth covered, I knew he was smiling. “Let me get you some tea, maybe it’ll soothe you on being less of a big baby.”

“What a nice thing to say when you practically broke my nose.”

I rolled my eyes as I got out 2 tea cups from the cabinet. “You’re a doctor, you’re supposed to know how to treat your own injuries. Do you actually cry along with your patients when they get hurt too?” I countered. I looked over my shoulder to see his jaw drop. “My patients are ones with problems up here.” He pointed to his head, “and not anywhere with plastic surgery, because I know that’s what you mean.” 

I waited for him to actually answer my question before he sighed, “No I don’t cry with my patients.”

“Atta boy.”

He offered to clean up since I made dinner but I made him go take a shower since he was all bloody and bruised, also he needed all that sleep he could get before his big surgery. The bathroom downstairs was still in need of a repair and since the repair guy had it rescheduled...that only meant we still had to share a bathroom. 

The bathroom was still warm and steamy when I walked in. The smell of an aftershave and something rather manly wafted through my nose and I breathed it in, nodding in approval as I shut the door behind me and began my shower ritual.

It was not too long later when I heard someone talking, like talking really loudly. I frowned as I turned off the shower handle and poked my head out of the glass stall. There, I heard it again. It was all muffled at this point, but then music blared through the speakers. “What in the world?” I said to myself, wrapping a bathrobe around myself as I stepped out of the bathroom, walking over to the balcony area of the second floor of the loft, which gave me a full view of the lounge room below. Jacob was there, pressing switches on the remote control of the speaker, looking confused at first. “What the hell are you doing?” I asked. “You’re gonna wake the neighbours downstairs.”

“Why is your speaker remote in Japanese writing?” He asked, waving the remote at me and then attempting to lower down the volume of the speaker. “Is that?” I asked as the lyrics were much clearer now from being heard in the bathroom. “My loneliness is killing me..” he belted out the lyrics, mimicking my nasally voice earlier, nodding. I felt my face burned in embarrassment as I rushed downstairs.

“You like it?” Jacob nodded, a full blown mischievous grin broke out. I also happened to realise he was very much half naked, only clad with pajama pants that hung dangerously low around his hips. “You’re just in time for the second chorus, sing it with me! Wait, why is the volume getting louder?” 

“That’s because that remote you’re holding is the ceiling fan’s remote, you dumb ass. And this is the speaker’s remote.” I waved it at him when he tried to snatch it out of my hand. “Don’t you dare turn this thing off.” He warned.

“Why the hell not?” I asked, turning the volume down while he attempted to snatch it again. “You’re slow, for a guy.” I taunted. He didn’t look too pleased. “I’ve spent a good couple of minutes trying to figure out how this thing works, don’t just turn that off.”

“Well, I don’t like this song.” I argued, fidgeting with the remote.

“You don’t like this song, or the way I’m singing it?” He countered, laughing. “Both.” I grabbed another remote by the TV console and scrolled through the TV to pick another album. “Not my fault you’re so tone deaf.”

“I’m what?” I scoffed, my jaw dropped as I stared at him incredulously. 

“Oh pick Taylor Swift!” Jacob pointed towards the TV screen. “You don’t watch TV yet you know who Taylor Swift is?” I asked, raised a brow. 

“Everyone in the English speaking world knows who Taylor Swift is.” 

“Fair enough, but just so you know, I’m not tone deaf.”

“I’ve heard it first hand today, so I beg to differ.”

“You insole..” I began as he quickly blocked his face, chuckling. 

The doorbell rang twice and our heads shot right towards the door. “It’s almost 11, who could that be?” I asked, then looking over to Jacob. “I didn’t call the pizza guy.” He looked just as curious to see who it was. “I’ll go get it.” He says but I grabbed his arm, stopping him.

“Not when you’re not properly dressed, also I’m in a bathrobe, I don’t think this looks too good to whoever’s right outside that door.” I hissed. “Why?” He asked, but he already knew the answer. But he was waiting to hear it from me. “Why Rosie?” He pressed further, a grin forming on his lips.

“Because nobody knows I’ve got a roommate yet and in this type of clothing, people might think we just..”

“We just what?” He raised his brows, waiting for me to continue. The doorbell rang again, followed by knocking. “Rosie, are you home?” 

“That’s a man’s voice. Tsk tsk Rosie, I didn’t know you were that type of girl.” He teased and I smacked his arm. “That’s my friend, Cain, the fellow attorney at work I was telling you about.” 

“Well, he is gonna find out eventually that you live with another person now.”

“Yes, but not dressed like this. Go to your room and don’t come out until I tell you. I don’t need him hounding me with questions at this hour, not after that massive headache you just gave me with your complaints and bad music all evening.”

“You’re particularly concerned about this.” He tapped his chin. The doorbell rang for the third time, “Coming Cain!” I answered loudly. “It’s not getting warmer out here.” I heard Cain answer. “Get moving Jacob.” I moved around him and pushed his back, getting him to move out of the lounge room. I wish I could have some time relishing at the feel of his muscles against my skin but someone else was at the door right now.

“Wait, wait, not your room.” I hissed. “Why not? Is he gonna sleep over?” He asked. “No, I mean, I don’t know. He might, when his sister’s boyfriend comes over. Let’s just hope tonight that’s not the case. And he never goes into my room, so you’re safe there.”

He groaned. “But why? I wanna watch TV.”

“You have a laptop for that purpose, hurry, off you go.”

Once I got Jacob locked in my room, I dashed towards the door and opened it. Jacob was right, Cain had an overnight bag with him, slung over his shoulder. “Your sister is at your place huh?” I asked. 

“She is, with her loud teenage boyfriend, I’m sorry to be a bother at this hour.” 

I hummed in reply as my eyes darted towards the second floor of the loft, hoping that Jacob wouldn’t sneak out. “Do you want tea? Coffee?” I asked hastily as I dashed into the kitchen, filling up the pot. “A hot drink would be fine, thanks.”

“So, how’s things at work?” I asked. I heard Cain sigh out loud, “Busier than ever, I’m tasked to defend another CEO slapped with fraud allegations.”

“Did he do it?” I asked, looking up from the stove. 

“I highly doubt so, this guy’s record is far too clean. Well, you know that goes both ways. Either he’s really clean, or he’s got things to hide and he’s pretty good at it. Anyways, do you have something to eat? I just got off from work not too long ago and I haven’t had dinner.” Cain asked, moving towards the TV console. “Taylor Swift?” Cain asked, looking back at me. 

“There’s some leftover spaghetti, do you want me to heat it up for you?” I asked.

“Yes please.”

There was a sneeze that came from upstairs and I winced, hoping Cain would not realise. Cain was distracted for a bit and he looked up. “Is someone else here?” He asked, looking around. 

“Of course not. That was my notification, to remind me uh, to water my plants.”

“Your plants always end up dying because you forget about them all the time.” Cain chuckled as he turned back his attention to the TV. “Can I use your bathroom for a bit?” He asked. “Yeap, go on right ahead.”

When I heard the bathroom door closed , I made a quick dash upstairs and went into my room. “What did I say about making any noise?” I whispered yelled as I closed the door behind me. “That was the most painful sneeze I ever had.” He said, rubbing his nose gently , scrolling through my laptop.

“What are you doing on my laptop?” I asked. “You said I could watch TV on here.”

I sighed in frustration. “Lucifer Season 1 all over again huh?” Jacob smirked. “You’re obsessed with his inappropriately dressed me, aren’t you?” 

“Yes of course. Why? Do you have something that I could ogle at too?” My hand flew to my mouth and I realised it was too late. He started laughing and I dashed over to my bed, covering his mouth with the duvet. “I take it back.”

I also realised he had wrapped himself with my pink duvet. “So is he staying over?” He asked after he calmed down. “Unfortunately, yes.”

“How am I gonna sneak myself out later?” He asked. “You’re leaving early in the morning, and Cain’s a heavy sleeper. So it's fine.”

“Aren’t you changing out of that?” Jacob pointed to my bathrobe. I sighed in frustration, “I forgot all about my clothes.”

“Go ahead, I won’t look.” Jacob said. I was rather unconvinced so I pulled the duvet over his head. “No peeking.” I ordered. “It’s not like I’ve not seen a naked woman’s body ever.” His voice came out muffled under the heavy covers.

I hurriedly picked out an oversized t-shirt and pajama bottoms, legs into the pants first and I undid my bathrobe, letting it slip to the ground. “Wow.” I heard him say. I whipped my head around so fast to check if he was peeking. “I was only pulling your leg.” His chuckled came out muffled.

“Alright, I’m gonna head out right now, no snooping around my underwear drawers.” I made my way towards the door and flicked the light switch off.

“Wait!” He hissed. 

“What?”

“Just how long did you not get any action?”

I gritted my teeth and ignored him, shutting the door behind me. This is going to be a long night.