The Other Roommate

11 - A Good Friend's Caution

The night at the rooftop was technically the third day of seven as it was past midnight. However, Alex earnestly wanted more. She had never been so happy, so exhilarated at the thought of finishing challenges. It was just completely out of character. It didn't even have to be a laugh - the requirement was the simplest form of a genuine smile but she demanded herself to laugh.

She had to laugh as far as she was concerned.

Everything felt so surreal to her that she was pumped up, awake, despite the long shift - like there was a constant supply of caffeine to her system.

They laid down on the spread out blanket while the other draped over them as they watched the sky slowly brighten up until darkness was shooed away by the blaring yet beautiful sunrise. They held each other for warmth that was not just skin deep, Callie's head on Alex's chest, their arms around each other.

The view was definitely captivatingly breathtaking as they immersed themselves in the stillness of the early morning. It was the dawn of a new day - a day that Alex knew in her heart that she was, in fact, falling for her other roommate.

Callie sat up as the sun was directly in front of them, prompting Alex to do the same. The entire atmosphere was tranquil despite the slowly forming yet imminent hustle-and-bustle of the streets of Chicago. The big, bright star provided light and just enough warmth as the looming winter air swept her hair back along with the scent of her tropical scented shampoo and her sweet, floral perfume.

The aura caused the green-eyed brunette to sit up and take the deepest inhale as her eyes were sealed shut, basking in its full glory.

Callie intuitively twisted her head to her roommate's direction and went with her guts - particularly her own cravings and desires. She memorized Alex's features as her eyes were gently closed that the smoky make up that grazed her lids were fully exposed - the minute silver nose ring that accentuated her Greek-shaped nose - the shimmery glow that coated her plump pink lips. The slightest blemishes that scraped her smooth porcelain skin - Callie saw them all and she was in love with all of them.

Alex only felt the warmth in Callie's right hand as it was positioned on her cheek and jaw before another spine-tingling, stomach-fluttering and heart-palpitating gentle kiss. She took a sharp breath as soon as she felt her roommate's full lips.

It was short but brimmed with tenderness and affection.

"I like kissing you." Callie whispered as she rested her forehead on Alex's, smiling to herself.

The green-eyed girl let out a sigh that emanated from her holding her breath. She was still coping from the initial shock and her heart was still pumping at a rapid pace.

"You have no idea." She breathed, shaking her head.

It was true, Callie had no idea about the unmistakable colossal effect she has on her roommate. Her chaste kisses were divine and the slightest touch of her fingertips was ecstasy.

They waited another couple of minutes before they decided to go back to their apartment with both women holding a blanket, hugging them against their chests.

The green-eyed brunette was not particularly happy considering it was a Friday and Fridays always meant unwinding for everybody else but the service industry. But she was happy right there and then and that had to be enough for the mean time.

With that, she decided to be proactive - getting ahead of the game before she had to beg her roommate to make her laugh again. But wasn't such a bad idea to ask either.

"Are you sleepy yet?" Alex probed as Callie unlocked the door to their apartment. She was bracing for some bad news, already cringing at the thought of disappointment - but she had to try.

"No." Callie retorted truthfully before pushing the door open, letting her roommate in first. Curiosity got the best of her, prompting her to just ask. "Why? What do you have in mind?"

The green-eyed brunette grinned satisfyingly before swiveling back to face her co-worker who was standing underneath the doorframe.

"I'll make you breakfast." She smirked, the signature Alex Rivera smirk which used to irritate Callie but grew to love eventually and the very same one that her sister told her not to do. "You can shower or do whatever you want for the mean time." She proposed, raising her thick brows expectantly.

Callie let out a breath through her nose with a closed-mouth smile, concealing her pearly whites. "Shower sounds good."

She offered to take the blanket back to her room before she headed to take the shower she wanted to take.

The younger came back dressed down in sweat pants and a tank top with a towel twisted above her head. Alex had already made breakfast. She made Cuban Pork and Plantain Hash which is cooked the same way as the hash browns, and Huevos Motuleño - a Cuban favorite that is comprised of eggs in corn tortillas with cheese and black beans which she smothered with peas, ham, plantains and salsa.

"Did you know I like bananas?" Callie asked not necessarily enthusiastically as she carefully inspected the food on the table - hunching over. She was preoccupied by the meal they were about to partake.

Her gaze never left the wonderful sight in front of her as the succulent aroma grazed her nostrils. The all too blissful feeling in her chest had spread down to her stomach. There were many ways to Callie's heart, a labyrinth of paths, and one of them is through her stomach.

The green-eyed brunette unsurely shook her head, thinking she had missed the mark on her supposedly specially prepared breakfast. Her eyes were glued to her roommate whose brown ones were plastered to the food. She always tries to make Callie the best, most delicious meals every morning but on that day, she tried harder.

"I always thought you love strawberries - you always buy them." She cautiously muttered, studying the serious expression on her roommate's features.

Suddenly, Callie looked up - her lips beaming, exposing most, if not all of her front teeth. "I love bananas more."

Alex had just hit the jackpot.

She instantaneously mirrored the satisfied smile that was aimed at her. The tender look in her co-worker's eyes made her feel warm in her chest and her stomach twirling in delight. She was proud of herself that she was just very tempted to tap her shoulder in approval.

"You're very Cuban." She teased, gripping the top rail of Callie's usual chair that she was standing behind of.

The brown-eyed brunette straightened herself, standing tall as she proudly stated, "Well, I might as well be."

Moments later, both women had started eating with Callie moaning in pleasure as the flavor grazed her taste buds. It had taken her back to the days when her mother would cook for her when she was a child. It was nostalgia yet she was making new memories with the porcelain skinned brunette who was staring at her intently.

"When are you going to stop cooking for me?" She probed playfully yet worried at the back of her mind. She had adored spending her first hours in the morning with her roommate. If she were to stop, Callie decided she would cook for both of them instead.

They had never discussed the breakfast dates before and Alex was not as sure of herself as when she planned it. She c****d her head sideways, narrowing her eyes. She was uncertain of the primary purpose of the question - whether it be to make her stop or to ask her to keep going.

She looked up from her hash with her hands still gripping the cutleries. "Do you want me to?"

"No." The younger brunette retorted simply, shaking her head before putting more corn tortilla wrapped eggs in her mouth with her bare hands.

Her roommate was more than pleased to hear her answer. The warmth in her chest had been exponentially high as she was convinced she could light up a house with thermal energy.

"Then I won't." Alex contentedly muttered, liking how the conversation ended. She beamed at her roommate. It was her toothy grin that made her look sexy and adorable at the same time.

It was still very early in the morning and the women still had at least twelve hours before their shift starts and enough time to sleep. Alex and Callie were standing in front of the sink, washing their dishes and pans together.

It wasn't just Alex who wanted to spend more time with each other, it was Callie, too. She was as energized, maybe more than the green-eyed brunette she lives with.

"Do you want to watch a movie or something?" She probed, concentrating on scrubbing the Teflon lined pan.

The green-eyed girl may have acted coy but she was bouncing off the roof on the inside, knowing that her roommate wanted to do something, anything with her.

"Sure." She retorted as she wiped the water goblets dry before depositing them in the wooden cabinet that hung above the sink.

Callie grinned, remembering all the times she had caught Alex watching a Disney cartoon. "What do you have in mind, DP?" She emphasized the acronym nickname knowing it would embarrass her.

"Ha-ha! Very funny." Alex mocked, shaking her head in disapproval. "Let's just see what's on TV."

"I'd like that." Callie genuinely said, offering a sincere half smile. "I'll go make popcorn. Go flick through the channels."

The older bartender agreed, wiping her hands dry with a paper towel before proceeding to wipe her hands on her jeans. She had not showered yet nor did she get the chance to change her clothes but she didn't feel obligated to.

Alex adjusted the leather couch and the coffee table so they were facing the television and the fireplace below it. The two chairs were on either ends of the couch, adjacent to each other. The set up was far more conducive to watching TV.

She sat in the middle of the couch, scanning the channels to find a movie that Callie would like. Even if she didn't like the movie, she would force herself to like it just for the girl who holds her heart. She was beginning to feel that the younger brunette had become her weakness given her recent chivalrous thoughts.

"Nice set up." Camila commented as she joined her roommate with a clear glass bowl filled with popcorn in her hand. She plopped right next to her, the fabric of their clothes touching as their body heat seeped through the fabrics which elated them both.

She looked up upon putting the bowl on her lap and noticed the specific movie which had just started, smirking as she recognized what it was.

"Nice movie, Disney Princess." She badgered, teasing her already embarrassed roommate who was crossing her arms with squinted eyes in annoyances. She tossed the white puffed corn kernel in her mouth, chewing on it loudly.

The movie was "Enchanted" and it was indeed, a Disney movie. The other channels didn't appeal as much to Alex, except the horror movies she caught a glimpse of, and she was sure Callie wouldn't like them either. The choice was among several action movies, news channels, children cartoons or thriller movies.

The green-eyed brunette groaned, looking at her work partner with such disdain. A smirk slowly grazed her plump lips as she remembered a film she was dying to watch.

"I can always put 'Sinister' on if you want." She raised her brows momentarily as she pursed her lips casually as if the suggestion was nothing to her.

It was enough to startle her roommate and it was her chance to celebrate her victory by escorting some popcorn in her mouth, chewing them the same manner as Callie did but bobbing her brows in the process. She was proud of what she had done. She was winning the playful banter.

"No. No, no. No. No." The brown-eyed girl desperately implored, hugging the bowl against her chest as she shook her head with a pitiful expression across her features. She held on the glass surface tightly, afraid to let go. Her fearful eyes found the amused green ones that stared back at her. "I'm sorry. I'm sorry."

Alex scrunched up her features, pretending to think about it which Callie found adorable. She nodded incessantly in approval, tapping her roommate's lap. "Good girl."

All was well, the first few song numbers flew by in a familiar Disney manner. The younger of the two, too fascinated by the movie to do other things while the other was sitting back on the couch with her attention divided between the movie and the girl who sat next to her.

They were not even halfway to the entire film and nothing was significant other than Alex's blatant staring. And then they came to the scene when Giselle, the Disney princess and protagonist, was rushing to her wedding only to be abruptly halted by the wicked witch suddenly appearing, making the princess gasp in fear.

Coincidentally, Callie jolted in horror - swiftly throwing her hands up in the air that were gripping the glass bowl. Popcorn showered down on the two bartenders like solid, warm, salty snow. The frightful sound of the movie's score coupled by the all too sudden appearance of the black-hooded witch with pointy chin and nose had successfully shaken her up.

Alex could not contain her laughter for the life of her. She had bit her lips, cupped it with her hands, shaking her head, denying herself of the amusement but nothing help. She bellowed in laughter, sending her head back while her significantly startled roommate furrowed her brows, coping with her shallow and rapid breaths.

Day three of seven. Check. She told herself.

"Oh my god! Why would they do that?" She innocently protested, her heart still beating wildly against her chest cavity. She took a sharp breath to continue her rambling but finally noticed the mess she had just created as she looked around the place. There was popcorn scattered across a ten-foot radius, most of them landing on the black leather couch they were sitting on. "I'm so sorry about the mess. I can vacuum them-"

Instead of making a big deal out of it, Alex being Alex, gathered as much popcorn in her hands from the ones that landed on the couch. She pulled Callie up along with her and threw the lightweight snack in the air. They both celebrated and jumped in the air, laughing at the silliness of the situation while continuing to scoop up more popcorn to maintain continuity.

They had forgotten about the movie they were watching, and the world along with it. It was just them in that moment and it was euphoria.

Callie lifted her chin up with her mouth open and caught a piece of popcorn in her mouth.

"You can't eat that." Alex commented with a disapproving look, halting her jumping.

Instead of paying attention, the younger brunette slowly chewed the popped corn kernel in her roommate's face, mocking her. Her roommate just shook her head, laughing it off before she bent down to gather some more corn kernels to sprinkle in the air.

The front door suddenly flew open revealing their other roommate, Denise who was laughing with a well-dressed, Jazmin and a particularly bothered, Rachel. All three women wore appropriate office attires with stilettos that were intimidatingly high.

Neither of the two bartenders knew of Denise's absence. They had assumed Denise was warm and cozy in her bed. However, neither of them thought of recoiling and pretending to still despise each other given the extra spectators.

Both women didn't seem to mind the intrusion. They were enjoying the bliss they were experiencing, savoring every second of the fleeting moment. Besides, there was nothing to be embarrassed about.

"You two are children." Rachel remarked as she approached the commotion to sit on the chair facing the window. A slight smile infested her frown at the adorable sight of pure joy in front of her.

"They're actually getting along." Denise cooed, resting her palm on her chest as she stood by the door. "And the couch is finally in its right place." She stitched her brows and formed an arch in the middle as she frowned, wiping an imaginary tear from her left eye, exaggerating her pride.

"Thanks to me!" Alex immediately chimed in, pointing to her chest and standing straight, making Callie roll her eyes playfully. She was just too endearing and the brown-eyed brunette could not even deny it to herself.

Unlike the other two women, Jazmin was not pleased by the display of affection in front of her. Her brows were instantly stitched together as her smile immediately dissipated, like they never were there to begin with.

"Why did Sydney tell me you and her were going somewhere?" She sternly addressed Callie with her hands on her hips, concerned about her law classmate and good friend.

It had surprised all four women who looked at one another, trying to comprehend the situation. However, the four pairs of eyes that stared at her, no matter the intensity or confusion, didn't bother Jazmin. She wanted to know - and she wanted the explanation fast.

"Alex, can I borrow Callie for a second?" She probed, unsure why she had to ask permission. She had narrowed her eyes with her mouth slightly gaped, the confused expression aimed at herself.

"Okay." Alex half-heartedly nodded, looking around to the other three women until her delicate gaze found Callie who was looking at her intently. She smiled at her reassuringly, shoving her hands in her front pockets. "Come back soon, BB."

"BB?" Jazmin looked at Callie inquisitively with a hint of scrutiny, her brows still drawn to the middle. “What the hell is BB? BB cream?”

Callie lifted her hands up in surrender given her lack of knowledge. Fear was very noticeable in her system as she studied her childhood buddy's expressions.

"Ask her." She pointed at her co-worker who simply shrugged, brushing the question off.

Denise, however, chuckled to herself. She was the only one aside from Alex who knew about the meaning of the acronym.

While the remaining two of the women took seats adjacent to each other, and Alex picking after their mess - Jazmin escorted Callie to the far end of the room, by the sink.

"Are you leading my friend on?" She perched her hands on her waist, murmuring her question through gritted teeth.

Callie's eyes widened in horror as she recalled the text conversation she had shared with Sydney. Her hands quickly covered her gaped mouth. "Oh my god, I didn't text her last night."

"You're not answering my question." Jazmin pressed, pushing her head closer to the anxious girl in front of her. "Are. You. Leading. Sydney. On." She said each word with emphasis and glaring eyes which significantly shook the younger girl for the umpteenth time that day.

"I don't think I did, Jazmin. I didn't flirt with her." Callie shakily muttered as she pulled the corners of her lips downwards and shook her head, knowing what she had done during the friendly date. Despite the façade, she was genuinely scared of her friend her inner child was trembling in a dark corner. "We were just kidding around - laughing at stupid jokes. We talked about boring things. That was all. I swear to bananas!"

It wasn't funny to her, swearing in the name of her favorite fruit. She was dead serious. However, her childhood friend was swept by her kind-heartedness and innocence - and apparently, other people were under Callie's spell without her knowing.

"Oh, great." Jazmin slumped her shoulders down in defeat as she threw her hands out and letting them drop to her sides, making a slapping noise. She huffed in defeat, rolling her eyes. "The Callie Maxwell charisma."

The younger girl looked at her inquisitively, asking, "The what?"

Her hands found their way to the ends of long wavy hair which she picked on nervously. The guilt that she hoped to have dissipated, resurfaced and came with a bang. She was uncomfortable with the thought of leading Sydney Tucker on. She prayed that her going out to the lunch date would thwart the guilt but it didn't. The cork that sealed those emotions away had holes.

"You and your charisma!" Jazmin pointed circled her index finger around her shorter friend's small frame, which was even more emphasized by the four-inch stilettos she was wearing. "Didn't you realize that everyone just cannot help but fall in love with you? You act all goofy but...y...you have this...this...unexplainable gravitational pull towards you." She stammered, searching for the right words to describe the situation.

"Took Alex long enough." Callie muttered under her breath, flaring her nostrils. It was all that mattered to her despite the rather flattering words that were thrown at her.

"What?" Her friend asked, narrowing her eyes despite hearing what she said. She feared that the feelings might be one sided and she was going to nag the ears out of Alex if that was the case.

"Nothing." The bartender brushed it off with a wave of a hand. She stepped closer to Jazmin and grabbed her wrists. "Listen, Jazmin, I went to see her because I felt bad. Alex pretended to be her. She deleted Sydney's message and sent me the exact same one. But we've moved past that." She explained.

With the information etched in her head, Jazmin finally found sense in the awkward situation her current classmate was in. She was remorseful that she had thought Callie was to blame. Reconsidering everything, she could not even put a bad bone in Callie’s small body, not even if she forced it.

However, there was another bartender she knew who was capable of deception.

"That stupid porcelain butt!" She grumbled, gritting her teeth. She attempted to pry her wrists loose of Callie's grip but, to whatever cosmic force, failed.

"Don't, Jazmin." The younger girl implored, her eyes widened in supplication.

Jazmin shook her head stubbornly. "I will only talk to her." She lied.

Callie reluctantly nodded, lowering her gaze.

"Just don't hurt my friend, Callie." Jazmin reminded her. Her features had softened slightly. "I know we've known each other for the longest time but Sydney's my friend, too - and she's a really good person."

"I won't." The bartender shook her head with a weak smile. "Not on purpose."

The two childhood buddies dispersed after a long hug - Jazmin set her eyes on Alex while Callie was eager to know the reason behind Rachel's gloomy disposition. The living room looked slightly better considering the lack of most of the popcorn that used to litter the space. The movie was still playing with Denise's full attention to it.

"You!" Jazmin pointed at her best friend who was on her knees, picking more popcorn up.

Alex perked her head up, her index finger jabbed to the middle of her chest with an inquisitive look on her face while her other hand held several pieces of the snack. Her usually "resting b***h face" tucked away and concealed by the innocence that her green orbs exuded.

Jazmin eyed her condescendingly, her displease evident in her eyes. "Come here!"

The austerity in her best friend's tone made Alex cringe. She carefully plucked herself off the floor and took the first cautious step towards being reprimanded for something she was unaware of.

Callie forced a smile the moment she passed by her coworker. She fought to keep a reassuring look for her and she had barely won the battle. Her guilt-ridden conscience clouded her feelings for the green-eyed brunette.

She had no doubt about her feelings for her roommate but she felt as if she didn't deserve the happiness given someone's misery - especially because she would be causing it.

The brown-eyed girl's selflessness often claimed her, making her forget her own problems. She waited until Alex dumped the popcorn to the trash and then took her previous spot in Jazmin's new scolding lair, by the sink before she focused her attention on an obviously bothered Rachel.

"What's up, Rachel?" Callie sincerely asked, her voice low.

She sat on the arm of the chair with her own arms wrapped around Rachel’s shoulders, resting the side of her face on top of the advertising executive's head. The gesture soothed both women.

"Our best illustrator just quit." Rachel sighed as she held Callie's right arm that draped over her chest. "I have to find a new one within the week. The application process is tedious. We have to find a very reputable, dedicated one and we don't have time for trial and error."

"I'm sure you'll find one."

There was a certainty in Callie's tone which her friend found comforting even if she doubted she had any solution to her problem. As far as she knew, Callie wasn’t the artistic type, at least, not in pictures. She knew of her broken dreams of being a musician. Callie was hopeless with anything related to technology, too.

Callie was hoping Rachel would not badger her about whatever Alex was to her as she had no particular answer at that point except she likes her, she likes kissing her and she likes spending time with her.

Meanwhile, Jazmin was fuming. She had had the conversation with Alex before and she was not going to tolerate any more lies or concealed truths. Her weight rested on her right hand that was perched on the damp sink while her left hand rubbed her temples as she closed her eyes.

"What was that, Alex?" She reluctantly probed, knowing she would much rather ramble about her best friend's behavior.

Alex furrowed her brows, her eyes indecisively dodging side to side. "Uh...startled popcorn grenade launcher? Callie was scared." Her comprehension of the situation was still challenged. She brushed her hair back out of habit.

"Is this a game to you?" Jazmin snapped, her eyes swiftly opened. She was offended for her childhood friend. "You are my best friend, Alex but Callie is like my Denise to you. If you hurt her, I will pick her side and not yours - no questions asked." She warned, no hint of hilarity in her words.

The bartender's heart sank. She wanted to slap Jazmin with a comprehensive list, proving her feelings for Callie. She wanted to defend herself, to shout at her but she retorted in the typical Alex Rivera annoyed manner. "Who said anything about games?"

Her expressions matched that of Jazmin's, except she had taken an intimidating step towards her best friend. There was no backing down for her. Alex never backs down on a fight.

Jazmin scoffed, sarcastically retorting, "I don't know." She feigned ignorance, shrugging her shoulders. "The girl who pretended to be Sydney? How well did that turn out for you?"

Alex took a step back, horrified by what she had just heard. Her breath hitched as her cardiovascular organ went into overdrive in the worst possible way. Her hands had begun to moisten as the courage and bravery she had possessed left her with nothing but culpability and embarrassment. "Crap. You know that, too. Also, it turned out well as you can see."

"Well, I'm glad your cursing is taking a more conservative approach." Jazmin grinned, proud of her friend. Her disdain had momentarily stepped aside at the remorse and progress she had observed. "No more F-bombs?" She playfully pushed her friend by her left shoulder. "Is this Callie?"

The bartender's lips formed into a bashful smile - averting her friend's expectant gaze.

"Oh, my god. What is that on your face?" Jazmin gasped at the sight, not believing what she had just seen. "Is that a real smile? What happened to that annoyingly stupid smirk?" She good-humoredly narrowed her eyes to scrutinize the girl in front of before her.

Alex's embarrassment sky rocketed. She rolled her eyes as she crossed her arms. "f**k off, Jazmin."

"I spoke too soon." Jazmin feigned disgust, curling her lips. “Can’t teach an old dog new tricks.”

Jazmin's playfulness ceased when she glanced at Callie who was still clinging to Rachel like a baby sloth. A gentle smile grazed her lips as she observed the adorable sight but was immediately retracted when she remembered Alex was waiting for her to speak.

"Seriously, Alex, is this a repeat of the high school play girl that I used to know?" She sighed, looking at her with pleading eyes. The surge of memories that flooded her thought of Alex's meaningless make-outs and hook-ups had disappointed her.

"No." Alex shook her head vigorously as she dropped her arms to her sides. "I was desperate, okay? I didn't want to lose her, so I pretended to be that classmate of yours." She begrudgingly explained, hoping her friend would believe her.

"I have never once thought about associating you with that word." Jazmin muttered, nodding as she processed what she had just heard. "You didn't have to be desperate if you were just honest with me." She reasoned with raised brows.

"I know, Jazmin." The bartender reluctantly lifted her chin up to meet her best friend's disappointed brown eyes. The sight had made her cringe. "It's just that I just came from a bad relationship and I didn't want to dive into a new one while I'm not sure if I am just transferring my feelings for Felicity to her." She divulged further, baring her insecurities.

Her gaze was shifted towards Callie and even the sight of her back caused a gush of spine tingling sensations as she felt as if her lungs were compressed, preventing her from breathing well.

The younger bartender had somehow took her breath away, literally.

"And..." Jazmin trailed off, wanting to know how the venture ended.

Alex smirked as she once again faced her best friend. "Felicity, who?"

Jazmin squealed, throwing her arms up in the air before landing her hands on Alex's shoulder. She pulled her best friend for a hug, holding her as tight as she could. She was definitely happy that Alex was moving past her heartbreak.

"Good." She cooed against her friend’s head. "Be a good girl, Alex. I don't want your stupid choices to drive a wedge over our friendship. I love both of you."

Alex was satisfied with how the conversation ended. She was even more confident to pursue her roommate and she knew she would stop at nothing to claim her. However, she was unaware of Callie's reservations given Sydney Tucker in the mix. There was no such inkling - she was almost sure that they were in the best possible situation since the day they met.