Roommates with Benefits

Chapter 2

Waking up from my slumber to the sound of loud talking on the television inside another room, I roll on my back and push the sheets off my figure to climb off the small bed as my stomach growls. Outside my window I can see the sun has already set and the time is now twelve minutes after ten on my clock on the bedside table. The talking gets louder as I'm stepping out my bedroom, trudging down the hallway towards the noise, thinking it's my friends.

To my surprise there's a man sitting on the sofa eating takeout, drinking a beer watching television when I enter the living room rubbing one eye tiredly. I wrinkle my brows with my hands crossing over my chest asking rudely "Who are you?"

The tatted man in dark clothing looks back over the sofa, eyeballs me up and down then continues watching tv, resting his legs on top of the coffee table. "Who are you?" He asks mockingly.

Is he one of Chrissy's old flames? No way. He isn't her type. She prefers bald head bearded men in polo shirts and khakis.

"Um, I live here," I scoff, glaring at the back of his head that's covered with dark fine hair as he drags his feet off the coffee table.

"So do I." Keeping his eyes on the glowing screen, he tilts the beer bottle at his lips and gulps.

I'm about to reply with a rude remark but then it hits me.

No way.

He can't be.

"You're Chrissy's brother?" I blurt out, moving around the sofa, a bit closer to him so I can see his face more clearly. He's in shape and he's really good looking. The size of his biceps are bigger than my thighs.

Setting the bottle down on the floor beside his right foot, I notice he has an ankle monitor on. He's on house arrest.

He leans forward with his elbows on his knees as he opens a takeout box in front of him on the coffee table, grabbing a pair of chopsticks out of the clear bag. "Yeah. I'm Damien." He begins slurping noodles and vegetables when I realize he's eating my dinner.

"Hey, what the hell? You're eating my food!"

With raised brows, he looks at me with a noddle hanging in between his lips as I glare at him. "Why are you eating my food?" I raise my voice because he's not reacting at all. Instead, he slurps more noodles and then chuckles.

"This your food?" He grabs the clear bag and reads the receipt that has my name on it in black ink. "Brandy..."

With a hand over my chest, I say through gritted teeth. "I'm Brandy,"

Damien lets out a breathy chuckle, leaning back against the sofa, grabbing his drink off the floor. "Well, damn I didn't know you were even here. I came through the door and saw the bag on the dining table and thought maybe my sister had grabbed the wrong order," he shrugs nonchalantly.

"So you just decided to eat it?" I glare at him.

He shrugs again and sips more of the beer, smiling at me. "Do you want some?" He offers standing on his feet and then wanders inside the kitchen.

I roll my eyes, grumbling."The food is almost gone now," he laughs pulling the fridge open.

"Would you like a beer then?" When I don't reply he returns, standing in front of me giving me the cold beverage.

Sighing, I take the drink and twist the cap off as he sits down beside me. "Where's Chrissy?"

Glancing at me while eating, he shrugs. "As soon as she had dropped me off here she went back out."

I'm eager to give her a call to tell her about her annoying brother. Damn it, I left my phone on the nightstand. Groaning, I set the bottle on the side table and then stomp back to my room, slamming the door behind me.

The small bell above the door chimes as I step inside the warm building that's playing Christmas music the next afternoon right when I get out of school. The place is surprisingly empty and the windows are frosted while two tall and buff security guards are standing at the entrance. Rubbing my palms together, I shiver, walking directly towards a man behind the counter with his back facing me while he's making copies on the printing machine.

"Welcome to Hilltop Bank. I will be right with you in just a second," the man says in a calmly manner, picking up a folder off the counter. His voice is deep and soothing it's like listening to asmr.

I stand back and wait patiently, reading the labels that's taped to the walls around the inside of the building about saving your money and planning better for the future.

"How can I help you?" The same man asks me a question, pushing his glasses up the bridge of his nose. I take on his appearance and can't help but blush because of how attractive he is. Tall, slim, wide shoulders, dark brown eyes with short dark fluffy hair and pale skin. He looks neat. His uniform is nicely fit, very clean and ironed to crisp. It's like looking at a life size Ken doll.

I can't help the wide smile spreading across my face. "Hi, is the manager here?"

"You're looking right at him," he tells me in a cheerful tone. I glance at his name tag. It says Manager Tristian Payne.

"Oh? Okay." Breathing out a chuckle I then say "I was told you guys were hiring." politely, sliding my hands inside my coat pockets.

He smiles, sliding a clipboard and a black pen across the counter towards me for me to sign. "Yes, we're having open interviews this Friday only between the hours of nine thirty am to three pm. Please write down your name, age and email."

A disappointing look settles on my face. "I won't be able to make it in time. See, I'm a student and I don't get out of school until three pm during the week,"

He lifts a brow curiously. "You're in high school?"

Knitting my brows, I shake my head. "I'm in college. It's my last year actually."

Rubbing the bottom of his chin thoughtfully, he nods slowly with a deep frown on his face, glancing at my university hoodie. "Well, are you available this Saturday? We'll be open until 1pm on that day but we're closed on Sundays. I can squeeze you in for thirty minutes if you decide to come by."

I let out a squeal with a huge smile on my face, tempting to not jump in the air right in front of him. "Yes! I can make it!"

"Okay, write down your information on this clipboard and bring your resume with you to the interview as well." He instructs while I scribble neatly on a piece of paper. I give him back the clipboard and thank him.

"Would you like help with anything else?" he smirks, holding his coffee he had grabbed off the counter a moment ago.

"Oh um, no that'll be all. Thank you."

"I will see you Saturday," he lastly says to me while I'm halfway out the door, lip singing to the song Santa Clause is coming to town.

Walking inside the apartment after closing the door behind me and holding a junk of mail, a program runs on the television while I slide out of my wet boots and put them in a corner. The smell of spices travels in the air as I'm moving towards the kitchen where I hear someone chopping food on the counter.

"Brandy, is that you?" Chrissy calls for me as I round the corner, seeing her back towards me and a glass cup of red wine sitting next to her on the counter.

I drop the empty smoothie cup in the bin, putting the mail down on the island, hopping on a stool while sliding my backpack off and setting it down on the floor. "The one and only," a boiling pot sits on the stove with steam rising in the air, disappearing afterwards. "What are you making?"

"Damien wants beef soup, rice and fried chicken," she pours some chopped green onions inside the pot. Ugh, I forgot he was here. I didn't see him this morning when I woke up.

Next to me there's a lit cigarette in the ashtray beside a pack of smokes and a white lighter that I know belongs to her. "Is he here?" I slide a cigarette out the pack and stick it between my lips, cupping my hand around it while lighting the end. I need to quit smoking.

Turning around she grabs the glass cup and then leans over the island. "Yes, he's sleeping in my room. I told him I wanted to watch a movie so we switched places." She sips the wine after declining a phone call. "Oh, I forgot to ask, what was it like meeting my brother for the first time? He told me you two met last night."

Smoke travels through my nostrils as I give her a blank stare. "I think he's a jackass. Did you know he ate my food last night?"

Chrissy laughs, pouring herself more wine. "Why did he do that?"

"The jerk thought you picked up the wrong order." I repeat what Damien told me last night with bitterness in my voice.

"It had your name on it." She snorts, grinning from ear to ear as if what I'm saying is the funniest thing on earth.

I huff out a breath, holding the cigarette between two fingers. "That's what I said. I think he ate it on purpose because he didn't even apologize. Instead, he offered me the last bite."

"Sounds just like him. Growing up he used to always eat my food and then offered the last bite." Standing in front of the sink, she opens a pack of chicken wings while the rice cooks in the rice cooker on the counter.

Her bedroom door slowly opens and a shirtless Damien walks out with only a pair of briefs on, hair disheveled while he's combing a hand through it. We make eye contact and I quickly look away after stealing a glance at his abs. Jesus, this man looks like a fitness model on a magazine cover.

"Hey, Chris." He mutters, sleepily and then pulls open the fridge. She speaks to him, playfully swatting him on the arm when he bumps against her without saying excuse me.

Holding a water bottle in one hand, he shuts the fridge and leans his back on it, settling his gaze on me while I'm trying my best to avoid him. "Hi, Brenda. Nice to see you."

Is he for real? It hasn't even been twenty four hours since we met and he's already forgotten my name.

"Brandy..." I correct him, giving him the side eye, smashing the butt of the cigarette in the ashtray after another drag. He ignores my attitude by sending a dumb smirk my way.

He inhales deeply, twisting the top off the water bottle and then tells his sister. "Chrissy let me borrow your car. I need to make a trip to the store."

"My keys are in my purse." She sing songs, stirring the food in the pot while sprinkling a small bottle of seasoning in the food. Her brother wanders inside the living room to slide on his clothes that's lying across one of the sofas.

Chrissy looks back at me. "Do you want anything from the store?"

After thinking for a second, I then reply. "I want a soda and more cigarettes."

"Good because I need more wine. Go with him and bring me another bottle. Take my credit card." She ushers me out the kitchen as soon as her phone rings again.