Roommates with Benefits

Chapter 1

"What are you doing for the holidays?" The tall slim white man in his mid thirties, dressed in a business attire asks me, sitting in a small chair with one leg crossing over the other. There's an open file in the middle of his lap as he clicks repeatedly and annoyingly on his pen.

That clicking noise is driving me insane but I remain calm focusing out the window at all the snow that's covering the ground like a blanket right along with frozen grass and different shoe sizes making patterns in all directions.

Even though it's below twenty degrees today somehow the students at this university can still stand outside and have a chat with their group of friends knowing it looks like a blizzard out there.

"Working." I scoff, watching students in layers of clothing carrying backpacks and books, walking back and forth across campus in groups, pairs or by themselves entering and exiting buildings underneath the thick snow falling from the gloomy looking sky.

Sliding a pack of brand out the small pocket on the front of my black purse, I take out a single and a red lighter glancing back at Dr. Peterson, my therapist, asking for permission to smoke in his office. "Do you mind?"

The light blue eyed man with his dark brown hair pushed back from his face politely shakes his head no with a small smile, closing the manila folder and setting it down on the glass coffee table.

Cupping one hand around the flame as I light the end of the single in between my lips, I inhale for a little and then exhale opening the window letting the fog of smoke air out.

"You're not spending time with your family?" Mr. Peterson slowly gets up off the chair and walks towards me. I take more drags from the single staring at nothing in particular as he stands so close behind me rubbing both hands down my shoulders in comfort with his face in the crook of my neck.

"Nope." I blow out a trail of smoke, tapping the ashes outside. "Me and my family are not close. We stopped celebrating Christmas or any other holiday a long time ago."

"You could always visit me, Brandy. I would enjoy your company." My f**k buddy starts kissing on the left side of my neck as I toss the cigarette outside then close the window, stepping away from his embrace.

"You have a wife, Adam." I mutter, flopping downward on the long sofa crossing my arms in front of my chest.

I stare at the certificate frames cluttering the wall in between a book shelf and a tall wooden trophy case to ease my mind as he remains behind the sofa I'm sitting on and massages my tense shoulders.

On his desk there's photos of his family and friends being snapped all across the world and one picture of his wife. Beautiful wife might I add.

You would think I'd feel bad for sleeping with a married man but I don't. It was his wife's idea to have an open marriage from the beginning.

"But she'll be with her boy toy for the holidays. I would like to have you all to myself." Mr. Peterson moves around the sofa and kneels in front of me, pulling up my black pencil skirt. "I mean who wants to feel unwanted during this time of year anyways?" Is the last thing he says before burying his head in between my thighs.

With my hands gripping the roots of his hair, I open my legs wider, lean my head back against the sofa with my eyes closed.

===

Entering the cold lobby, I brush the snow off the bottom of my shoes on the welcome mat, ignoring the receptionist behind the desk yapping on the phone, filing her nails and head down the hall after brushing more snow off my big coat.

There's a sign on the elevator that says DO NOT USE. Groaning, I carry up the stairwell holding one hand onto the long railing that leads me to the fourth floor. After climbing a few more steps, I arrive at the small apartment I share with a woman who believes in ghost and all dogs go to heaven. The heat warms my body up instantly as I slide off my shoes.

"Hey," My roommate, a thin average height pale skin woman that goes by the name Chrissy with dyed dark red hair sits in a corner in front of a desktop typing on a keyboard in front of two monitors.

I shrug my coat off and hang it up on the rack next to hers before walking further inside the small living room, flopping on the long L sofa smashing my face on one of the fluffy pillows.

Chrissy sighs and asks in a sweet tone. "You're home early. What's wrong?"

I lift my head up and say "I quit my job then after that I went to go f**k my therapist." then bury my face back down on the pillow letting out a loud groan.

Looking clabber and before Chrissy can say anything else, someone pushes open the front door and walks in. "Knock, Knock." A cheery voice enters the apartment.

I sit up on my bottom to see who's coming in without our permission. It's another friend of mine that I have a love and hate relationship with. Angelica Murphy.

The party girl who's sleeping with one of the teachers on campus. Only I know that because I caught them two in action. I swore I wouldn't tell anyone because it isn't my business.

She steps in with one hand covering her eyes. "If you're naked please cover yourselves up because I'm coming in."

"Don't worry. We're both dressed." Chrissy chuckles typing up an article at the desktop while a cup of coffee is beside her near a stacked of textbooks about philosophy. Angelica moves her hand then looks directly at me confused.

"What's the matter?" She sits down next to me.

Sitting criss cross with a frown on my face, I hug a pillow against my chest and sigh annoyingly.

"She had quit her job," Chrissy answers for me. "Then f****d her therapist."

Angelica scoffs, tucking some of my loose hair behind my ears. "Woah, you f****d that hot married man?"

I nod then tell them a lie. "They're separated but whatever."

"Why did you quit the bank? You were the best they had. Always came to work and you were never late." Angelica notes as I slump my shoulders.

"The manager was talking down on me for months and I had enough so I threw coffee on her and then stormed out the building." I roll my eyes, sliding my phone out of my back pocket and then putting it down on the armchair.

Chrissy joins the conversation trying her best to comfort me. "Oh don't beat yourself up about it. I'm pretty sure that b***h had it coming. You're probably the first person that ever stepped up to her."

I sigh deeply, staring down at the floor. "How the hell am I gonna save up for my own place now? I don't even have a job anymore."

Angelica lifts both brows, speaking in a hopeful voice. "Oh, there's another bank on scaleybark avenue that's hiring for customer service representatives."

I grab a pack of smokes right along with a lighter off the coffee table. "I don't know s**t about that side of town," the cigarette stays between my glossy lips while I'm lightening the tip. "also, scaleybark is too far. I would have to catch two busses and a train to get there."

"Yeah but they pay well. Hey, if you don't want the job then suit yourself." Angelica says sarcastically, thumbs repeatedly tapping on her phone screen.

Chrissy prints out copies and then stacks them in a folder. "Don't worry about transportation. It's too cold outside to be sitting at the bus stop. You can use my car. I work from home now," she graduated from the same college a year ago and is now owning her own business.

With smoke blowing from my mouth, I tap the ashes in the ashtray on the coffee table."Are you sure? I'm fine with taking the bus."

"Don't be silly, Brandy." Chrissy chuckles, printing out more copies.

Angelica sighs dramatically. "Well now that thats settled, I'm starving. What are we having for dinner? I was thinking some Thai food. There's this restaurant Theo and I went to last weekend and you two need to try it. The food is delicious."

"A pizza is cool with me," I'm a very picky eater.

Angelica stands on her feet, sliding on a red bubble coat and a pair of black winter boots. "I swear your taste in food is really depressing. Do you ever get tired of the same s**t?"

I give her the middle finger, smashing the butt of the cigarette into the ashtray. "Where are you going?"

"I'm going out to meet a friend for an afternoon drink," Angelica flips her long dark hair behind her shoulders and then zips up her coat"...while I'm out, text me what you two want for dinner and I'll pick it up on the way here. Got it?"

"Sure, have fun slut." I throw a pillow across the room almost hitting Angelica in the face. She scowls at me, swinging the door open and stepping out into the hallway.

The red head slides back from her desk and stands up holding the folder in one hand. "Well, I have to run some errands and pick up my brother from the airport. He's been texting me nonstop asking me if I'm there already and his plane hasn't even landed yet."

"Oh, your brother is staying with us?" I ask as she's sipping the rest of her coffee. She never told me anything about him moving in. All she mentioned was he has been released from prison.

Chrissy nods, carrying the cup inside the kitchen, placing it inside the dishwasher. "Yeah, right now he doesn't have anywhere to go and I don't want him out in the streets again because he will get into trouble again knowing him." The bottom of her shoes taps against the floorboards as she moves around the apartment searching for stuff.

He doesn't have any friends? I know it's wrong to turn your back on family, but this guy is nothing but trouble. Everywhere he goes, drama follows. I never met him and I don't plan on it either.

"And where is he gonna sleep? There's only two bedrooms," grabbing my backpack off the other sofa, I take my laptop out and then log in.

Chrissy returns inside the living room wearing her trench coat, white scarf, matching gloves and knee high boots. She says "He'll be sleeping on the sofa," while sliding on her beanie. Her phone chimes on the desktop. After my laptop finally decides to boot up, I begin working on my assignments for all my classes.

"s**t, I'm running late. Tell Angelica I would like some Pad Thai with extra shrimp. I'll be back before seven." I wave goodbye as she grabs her phone, keys and then hurries out the front door.

Oh, another roommate. Just f*****g great.

Not being able to concentrate, I shut my laptop and then head down the hall to the bathroom to take a hot shower. Maybe a nap afterwards will make me feel a little better.

Standing in front of the mirror with the hot water flowing, I slide out of my old work uniform shirt, rip off my dark blue jeans, socks, panties and then step inside the shower, letting the steam engulf my body.

Returning inside my room after brushing and flossing, I send Angelica a text about what Chrissy and I want for dinner, and then changed before climbing into bed.