30 Days Of Us

Chapter 2 - New roommate

"Leo... Leo Miller," the man said, extending a casual smile.

"By the way, are you a university student?" Leo asked, tilting his head slightly with curiosity.

"Yup! I go to Riverbend University," Lily answered as she glanced around, scanning for her boxed luggage.

"Oh, your stuff?" Leo said, noticing her wandering eyes. "They're in the storage room."

He led Lily down the short hallway toward the storage room.

Lily reached for one of the boxes, struggling slightly with the weight, when she suddenly felt a hand brush against hers. Her eyes widened at the unexpected touch.

"Let me do it," Leo offered gently, taking the box from her hands. "I owe you big time. The least I can do is help you unpack," he added with a playful wink.

Without waiting for a reply, he walked ahead to carry her belongings into her room.

Lily’s cheeks flushed faintly—half from the misunderstanding she nearly had, and half from the wink—but she quickly shook it off and focused on the tasks she still had to finish.

"Okay, if you say so," she replied. "But I think you should finish your stuff first," she added, pointing toward his unopened boxes sitting in her room.

Leo facepalmed, realizing his oversight.

"Sorry! Totally forgot about those." He quickly got to work moving them out.

Despite his baggy clothes, Lily couldn’t help but notice how his muscular build was still visible—broad shoulders, strong arms, and a firm back flexing with every lift.

While Leo paced back and forth carrying boxes, Lily rearranged the old furniture she'd borrowed from her great-aunt. The apartment was small but functional: a modest living room connected openly to the kitchen and dining area, separated only by a low half-wall. There was one bedroom, a bathroom, and a small storage-s***h-office room.

Leo, understanding he couldn’t share a bedroom with Lily, willingly volunteered to stay in the tiny office room. He was incredibly grateful that she even agreed to let him stay—most people would’ve thought it was sketchy for a guy to live under the same roof with a girl he just met.

He couldn’t help but think—maybe, just maybe—his luck was finally turning around.

---

Later That Evening – 7:46 p.m.

Leo and Lily had finished unpacking most of their things. All that remained was to organize the furniture in the bedroom.

Lily stood behind the sofa, imagining where a TV could go. Her mind wandered to a memory—she and her grandmother once went shopping for a TV in the city, but her grandma had confused a computer monitor for one.

Lily chuckled quietly at the memory.

Leo happened to walk past and saw her giggling to herself.

"Cute," he thought, a faint smile tugging at his lips before continuing with his tasks.

It was getting late, and Lily’s stomach growled. She considered running to the nearest convenience store for food when she suddenly remembered—she wasn’t alone.

"Uhm... Mr. Miller?" she called across the room.

As Leo approached, Lily froze.

His chest was bare, glistening with sweat that traced every sharp line of his toned torso. The room was warm, and each breath he took made his chest rise and fall with subtle power. His sweatshirt was slung over his left shoulder, the fabric damp with moisture, clinging slightly to his skin.

Leo leaned casually against the half-wall.

"Sup?" he said with an easy grin.

Lily looked away quickly, embarrassed by what she had just seen.

"Can you please put a shirt on?" she asked, trying to make eye contact—but her eyes kept drifting to his sculpted chest.

"Why? Don’t like the view?" Leo teased.

Annoyed, Lily grabbed the nearby rag and impulsively tossed it at him. Leo caught it just in time, laughing at her flustered reaction.

"I’m just kidding," he said with a chuckle. "And just call me Leo!" he shouted playfully as he disappeared into his room.

Moments later, he returned—now wearing a fresh shirt—and found Lily resting on the couch.

"So..." he said as he leaned over the backrest behind her.

"Should I also call you Ms. Bakers, or...?"

Lily gave him a sarcastic side-eye.

"Really?"

"Okay, got it. Lily it is," he replied, raising his hands in surrender before walking around to sit beside her.

"Mind if I join you?"

"Go ahead," Lily said, her attention still on the paper she was scribbling on. She sat with her feet up on the couch, lost in concentration. Her laced-up dress with its sweetheart neckline fell slightly, subtly revealing her cleavage—not that she noticed.

Leo, curious, leaned in slowly, trying to catch a glimpse of what she was writing.

"I have something to te—" Lily suddenly turned her head, and their faces were just inches apart.

For a moment, time froze. Their eyes locked, breaths stilled, until they both leaned away, flustered.

Still blushing, Lily asked,

"What were you doing?"

Leo scratched his cheek, embarrassed.

"Sorry, I was just... taking a peek."

Lily’s eyes widened. She looked down at herself, then back at him.

"A peek of what?!" she snapped, adjusting her dress quickly.

Leo rubbed his forehead.

"I mean—I was trying to see what you were writing!"

Then it hit him. She thought he was peeking somewhere else.

"Wait—did you think I was trying to look at your...?" Leo motioned downward awkwardly.

"No, no, no," he said quickly, hands raised in defense.

"I swear I’m not that kind of guy."

Lily still looked skeptical but handed him the paper anyway.

"Here," she said, watching his reaction.

Leo glanced at the title and read aloud:

"House Rules and Regulations."

Lily scooted closer and explained,

"I still don’t fully trust you—since we just met today. So for my safety, and to keep the place in order, I wrote some ground rules for you."

Leo raised an eyebrow, nodding as he scanned the list.

"That makes sense."

He continued reading:

"Respect each other’s privacy, keep shared spaces clean, no loud music after 10 p.m., no smoking indoors, lock doors and windows before leaving, do your chores, always knock before entering the bathroom, and..."

Leo chuckled at the last rule.

"Don’t bring strange women and/or men into the apartment."

He glanced at her with a mischievous grin.

"I don’t know if I can obediently follow that one."

Lily’s jaw dropped, her eyebrows furrowed.

Unable to hold it in, Leo burst out laughing. He wiped away a tear from laughing so hard, slapping his leg.

"You’re enjoying this a little too much," Lily said, exasperated.

"Sorry, sorry!" Leo gasped, still chuckling.

"I mean it though—despite the jokes, I’m a pretty decent guy. That, I promise you... Lily."

Hearing her name from his lips, in that deep, husky tone, made her heart flutter a little.

She smiled faintly.

"Alright, Leo."

Lily stood up from the sofa and adjusted her dress, then looked at him with a slight tilt of her head.

"Wanna grab a bite?"

Leo rose to his feet, flashing a grin.

"Sure!"

The two of them left the apartment and walked to the nearest convenience store, returning a short while later with takeout meals in hand. It wasn’t fancy, but somehow, sharing a simple dinner in their new apartment made everything feel a little more like home.