The Other Roommate

3 - Tensions Flared

“f*****g bitches.”

Denise was just about to ask Alex how her day went when she heard the front door open but her words died in her throat when she saw the same angered vampire enter their apartment. She was on the couch, watching TV, trying to fall asleep but to no avail.

It was like déjà vu, one that Denise did not want to relive but the only difference was the apparent plurality of the offensive noun. But while she did not wish to have a repeat of that morning, she was a little curious as to what brought Alex’s behavior on.

“The door. Be gentle with it. It’s three in the morning.” Pausing the movie, she cautioned Alex with a withering glare, to which the girl answered with a mocking nod and closed the door with exaggerated tenderness. “Come sit with me and tell me everything. I don’t want to play mind games and I don’t want to deal with your sarcastic nonsense.” She patted the spot next to her on the couch.

She watched with great delight as Alex obliged after leaving her shoes and jacket in the foyer closet without another word from her stubborn mouth. Alex slumped on the couch and melted into the pliable surface, groaning as she stretched her tired muscles over the arm rest, where she leaned on.

“What happened?” Denise patted her thigh, coaxing her to speak.

“The cheater of an ex made friends with my gullible pretend girlfriend.” She grumbled as she folded her arms across her chest with that crabby look in her eyes that made her look years younger. “She did agree to be my girlfriend and when I wanted to pull the biggest revenge and asked her to kiss me, she refused! And that was before they became friends. BB’s supposed to be on my side. I got cheated on. And I mean, who wouldn’t want to kiss these lips?”

It wasn’t any surprise that Felicity Meade managed to charm Callie into being friends, which infuriated Alex. She felt betrayed and wondered if people were even loyal these days despite the lack of any profound connection that linked her with her roommate. But what really bothered her was the sudden inexplicable spark of possessiveness that made her want to yank Callie away from the destructive whirlpool that was her selfish ex.

“BB?” Denise frowned at the unfamiliar word, utterly confused. “What?”

“Big butt.” Alex stated as if it wasn’t obvious enough. “Have you seen those things? Her ass is huge.”

"Honestly, I don’t get why I still even try to make sense of the things you’re saying but BB goes well with Porcelain Butt." She snorted, covering her mouth in the hopes of stifling her laughter as Alex glared at her.

“I’m serious!” Alex exclaimed as she hit the couch with her hands. She looked around the house, seeing if she could spot any indication that Callie was in her room. “Where is she anyway?”

“She’s not home yet.”

The last time Alex saw her was when they were closing up. She did not bother to wait for her roommate, stomping her way out of the club when she found her talking to Felicity, laughing like they’d known each other for a long time.

Denise tried to make sense of Alex’s sour disposition. It couldn’t have been just because Callie was friends with her ex. To her, if her boyfriend spoke with her ex, that meant he was not threatened with their history. Then again, her last ex did not cheat on her. It was nothing more than an amicable break up.

But Denise was weighing possibilities of Alex developing actual, real feelings for their other roommate but she felt that it was too soon. Callie did not look anything like Felicity but she could tell Alex was attracted to her physically in the very least. She wouldn’t have noticed the ‘big butt’ she’d mentioned so brazenly had she not looked.

And if she did, Denise was bracing for the worst.

If their first encounter was anything to go by, Alexis did not have the slightest chance with Callie.

“Alex.” She nudged her on the knee where her hand remained. “You do realize that this could backfire on you and you’re only making it worse by asking her to be your girlfriend—”

“Fake girlfriend.” Alex pointed out, a finger raised.

“I’m serious. What if, in all of this pretending game you started, you find something you like about her? And then one thing becomes two, three, enough for you to fall for her. You might just hurt yourself or the poor girl.” She cautioned, she trudged on despite the scoff she heard. She knew she could be wrong but she was only looking out for her, for both of them. “She’s shy but she was anxious when you’re around. We were fine this morning and then you came barging in like an enraged bull. I don’t want chaos in this place. I happen to like it here.”

Alexis mumbling something inaudible as her consciousness slowly faded, smoothening out the tension on her face. The events on the day had finally claimed her and Denise could not be mad at her cousin for passing out. She needed to rest.

Denise went to retrieve a blanket from Alex’s room and draped it over her sleeping figure, allowing her to sleep until the end of the movie.

-

Callie thought her night went well.

Apart from the little squabbles between her and Alex, her shift went without a hitch. She made sure to bring the list of cocktails Alex gave her everywhere she went and studied them like she had an upcoming exam, and was proud to learn that she knew most of them. She had to focus on their beer collection, which she had not anticipated being that she didn’t particularly drink much of it herself.

Her coworkers were nice enough, save for Sandy and she took Felicity’s amiability at face value, which proved to aggravate Alex. The invitation to eat was unexpected but Callie figured she might as well make friends seeing as she only had two in the city. Denise might become her third friend but she doubted she and Alex would ever get along.

It was nearing four when she returned home, surprised to find Denise still at the living room, turning the TV off and Alex, curled up on the couch.

“Hi.” Denise waved, a tired smile on her face.

“Hey.” She whispered, carefully pushing the door close and making as little noise as possible as she locked it up and shrugged her light jacket off. “Why are you still up? Don’t you have work in four hours?” She grimaced when she detected movement from the couch.

“I got half the day off for working today.”

“That’s why I didn’t see you this afternoon.” Callie nodded, working on taking her shoes off but abruptly stopped as she realized what day it was. “Wait. You work on Sundays?”

“We have a very demanding client right now. We’re all exhausted.”

“Where were you?” Alex’s strained voice interrupted the conversation but no matter how sleep-ridden it was, it convey her irritation very well. Slowly, she propped herself up, blinking her tired eyes and zeroed in on Callie, who had stopped walking, frozen in place in the middle of the foyer.

“Felicity invited me to grab a bite and I was hungry, so.” Callie shrugged.

“I’m sorry?” Alex stood to her full height, her drowsiness evaporated at the mention of her ex's name. “Am I hearing this right? Felicity? My ex?” She raised her voice and it served to anger Callie and worry Denise.

They will be evicted very soon, she just knew they will.

“What’s the big deal? I’m not sleeping with her!” Callie retaliated, looming closer, matching Alex’s intensity. She was genuinely confused at the sudden outburst and the tension winding her body was threatening to break a bone if she did not air her grievance. “And while we’re on the subject, I’m not sleeping with you either. So enlighten me why this is pissing you off?”

She wondered where the girl was who couldn’t even look at her boyfriend as he rained hell on her, the same girl who would rather apologize for something she didn’t do than argue about it.

Alex drew Callie’s hidden dominant side out as if she was a snake charmer.

“She’s my f*****g ex!” She jabbed a finger against the middle of her heaving chest, the glare she beamed at Callie was laced with poison but was clouded with disappointment and betrayal she could not suppress. “You’re supposed to be my girlfriend!”

“Will you calm down?” Callie took a step closer, challenging her opponent but her words served to anger her more. She would admit that she, too, wouldn’t have reacted well on being told to relax. “She just wanted to eat, okay? Besides, I’m not your girlfriend!”

“To them you are! So, act like it!” Alex asserted, stabbing the air, pointing to the general direction of the club.

“Hey! Stop it, you two.” Denise finally spoke up just as Callie was about to retaliate. She reached for Alex’s arm, dragging her far enough before one of them could reach the other. She would have said something sooner but her own curiosity was winning over upholding what was right. “That’s enough. I need peace and quiet and you two need to rest.”

She grabbed the blanket with her free hand and started pushing Alex towards her room, sending Callie an apologetic smile.

Left to her devices, Callie took deep, calming breaths, breathing in through her nose and expelling them through her mouth. She didn’t understand what it was about Alex that wound her so tight she couldn’t keep her mouth shut. She’d never had problems with it before. Her mother could be testy, overbearing and she’d been on her back for twenty three years.

But as the grips of rage slowly receded like a retreating tide, the waves that returned brought guilt. It wasn’t like her to be ruthless, to be numb to other’s pain because if she were to step on Alex’s shoes, she would have also been offended, embarrassed even.

And even if all of it was a ruse, she had agreed to it.

She was just about to enter the bathroom after dropping her things off to her room when Alex stepped out of hers.

“I was going in there.” She grumbled.

“Too bad, slow poke.”

Callie just couldn’t help herself.

-

Several weeks had passed and the nightly dispute came like a reliable friend but that did not mean Denise was used to it. She was lying in bed, staring at the ceiling as if it held the secret to ending the shallow war.

Things did change between the pair of bartenders at work, Callie played the role of a doting girlfriend, who blushed at Alex’s advances. The entire club was finally aware of their relationship that even Felicity was beginning to believe them, distancing herself from Callie whenever Alex was around.

But the heat from the friction grinding for hours would only explode the moment they return home, and unfortunately for Denise, they could go for hours if not interrupted. A little fighting was healthy, she would concur but her roommates’ could spark from something as stupid as a misplaced pen, one of them taking too long to open the front door or whenever Callie smiled at Felicity.

They were either both yins or both yangs.

They always clashed.

Denise thought that that night, she could sleep without interruption. She didn’t hear them bicker as they got in but hope was but a selfish lover when half an hour later, she heard vigorous knocking. Alex was in the bathroom and Callie needed to use it. She’d been holding it in for at least fifteen minutes and she needed to relieve herself before she could pee all over the floor.

“Alex! I swear if you don’t get out right this minute, I will break this damn door and drag you out.” She threatened.

Alex was startled with the successive loud thuds and before her pulse could slow to an even pace, her anger flared.

“Do you want to see me naked?” She poked her head out from the shower curtain, concealing the rest of her body as if she expected Callie make do with her promise and break the door. “Because that’s how you see me naked, BB!”

She would admit she took her sweet time, but it wasn’t to spite Callie. She was used to being the only one awake at that hour, and now, there were three of them, Denise being their fault. To her, there was nothing better than a hot spray of water to relax her muscles after working twelve hours a day.

And now, she wished she fought for Denise’s sister’s old room, which had an en suite bath.

“What are you even doing there? Washing the shame off of your body? Did you sleep with an innocent girl again?”

“Is that concern I hear? Jealousy?” Alex shot back, quickly recovering from her disbelief. She decided to take a different approach. A flustered Callie would spit and sputter while an angered one was coherent. “Be careful, BB! Your feelings are showing.”

“W-what feelings?” Callie’s head reared back, the insinuation bled through the door and she felt she would contract it if she stayed close. She could hear laughter ricochet in the walls of the bathroom and each undulation played the strings of her emotions; shame, anger, frustration. She wondered if she stared too long or if an unconscious smile sprouted as she watched Alex float through the bar. “And what the hell is BB?”

“The one you’re hiding. Just say the word and I’ll date you.” Alex stood under the spray, washing what was left of her body wash, unconsciously deciding to end her roommate’s suffering. “And BB is for me to know and you to find out.”

“Alexis—”

“Oh, my god!” Denise viciously pulled her door open, revealing tousled head of hair and a storm in her wild eyes, all reserved for Callie and the door Alex was hiding behind. “If you guys don’t stop bickering, one of these days our neighbors will have us evicted! I don’t want to be homeless because of this. Keep this up and I will manhandle both of you! I’m tired of all this s**t. Act like you’re adults! Damn it!”

Long-awaited silence pierced the air. Denise barely lost her cool, often the voice of reason but reason had showed itself out when she’d forgotten how it felt to have a good night’s sleep. She had to be at work in less than five hours while the squabbling pair didn’t work until the afternoon.

Callie managed to make a mad dash to her room despite her stiffened muscles as fear rippled in her body. Alex was hot on her trail, storming out of the bathroom and into her private escape as well, a towel wrapped around her still damp body.

Denise couldn’t hide her satisfaction, smiling to herself as she watched her roommates scamper away. She retreated back to her room and decided to make a final statement, slamming the door shut.

-

Morning came soon enough and Callie was in the kitchen, set on making a big breakfast for the three of them. She was just finishing her scrambled eggs when Denise stepped out with the intention of making coffee and toast but was still beneath her doorframe, sniffing the air. Her curiosity rose when she found waffles and sausages already on the table, leaving her to wonder if they even had a waffle maker to begin with.

“Do you have people coming over?” She noticed Callie’s shoulders stiffen at her voice, remorse could not flood her chest as satisfaction poured in like a deluge. She liked Callie but if she needed to intimidate both her and Alex, she would if that meant she could get hours of uninterrupted sleep. “What are these for?” She circled an index finger at the prepared table, her mouth watering at the sight and took a seat.

“After last night, I wanted to make it up to you.” She shrugged her shoulders, a guilty toothless grin on her face as she approached the table holding a plate of scrambled eggs and toast. “I realize our bickering is getting way out of hand. Honestly, I’m not usually this way. I don’t know where this is coming from.”

“Somehow, I understand.” Denise nodded incessantly as if that would answer the question and doubt marring Callie’s face. “Alex can be a little overwhelming sometimes. I mean, if I fought all the battles that she wages, we would spark another world war just in this apartment.” She chuckled. “I guess I should apologize with the way she treated you on your first day here. She’s crude sometimes—” She stopped herself, abruptly changing her mind. “—most of the time and I can’t apologize for that because that did not come with the heartbreak, and you know she’s not taking it well. And then she roped you into this lie and made everything even more complicated. I am a little worried she would drive you out of here.”

“That’s fine.” Callie waved it off as she marched back to the kitchen and returned with the strawberries she washed. She pulled out a chair and sat on it, the one across Denise. “It’s nothing I can’t handle.”

“That’s a lot of strawberries.” Denise noted, watching Callie devour one after another.

“I like them. You want some?”

“Not today. I have my eyes set on other things.” Denise was quick to snatch two waffles, slathered them with butter and drenched them in honey. She took the first bite, groaning in pleasure as the taste assaulted her tongue. “If this is what I’ll wake up to everyday, I might not mind the noise as much.”

They shared a quiet laugh and ate together, talking about each other’s jobs. Callie asked about the client Denise was grumbling about and was glad to hear that the project was near completion, telling her she hoped she got a huge bonus for putting up with difficult people.

Callie couldn’t help the relief she felt when Alex never made an appearance. Her other roommate was still out cold. Her conversation with Denise made her reflect on her predicament, and if a spark were to ignite between her and Alex every time they crossed paths, maybe they shouldn’t exist where the other was.

And if that was the case, Callie was going to go through great lengths to avoid problems, even going as far as avoiding Alex.

After breakfast, she decided on taking one long shower herself while she waited for her laundry, and headed out to pick up some more groceries soon after. They were running out of bread and she decided to buy cold cuts and lettuce as well. While in the shower, she found out her conditioner was nearly empty and added that to her mental list.

She left some food for Alex at the table and returned to them still untouched.

Unable to sleep, she started cleaning her room and organizing her closet, purposely avoiding the violin that sat deep within. Her cleaning brought her from her private space, to the living room and then the kitchen, where she scrubbed the sink and concluded it by spraying sanitizer. By midday, she was too exhausted to eat the pepperoni pizza she ordered and left it on the table for Alex knowing her roommate would be up for her two o’clock shift.

-

Alex dragged her feet to the kitchen, rubbing her tired eyes as she made her way to the fridge to get some water. She intended on making some coffee and a sandwich to go along with it. Her long work hours didn’t give her enough time to prepare elaborate meals and the budget she set on herself didn’t allow for much choice. She guzzled the entire bottle, wiping her lips with the back of her hand and eyed the spotless surface of the counters, sink and even the induction stove.

Denise must have cleaned last night, she told herself. She lifted the coffee pot, seeing that it still had more than enough to make a cup and swirled the volume around, deeming it safe to consume.

She heated the coffee in a mug, setting the microwave for a minute. Seeing that she still had time, she decided to sit at the table with her coffee, a teaspoon of sugar, no cream.

“Thank you, Denise!” She muttered to herself when she saw the pizza box and the whole twelve-inch pizza untouched.

She managed to devour half of it and surprised herself when she thought she’d leave some for Callie, so she’d have something to eat before work. She wasn’t cruel by any means, and would never be selfish with her food but the conscious decision to share with her roommate surprised her. She wondered why she didn’t think of Denise when she knew her cousin would be hungry after work.

Shrugging her thoughts off, she set off to clean the table and the mug she used, and prepared for work.

-

Alex was taking out the trash when she found Callie approaching the back entrance. Something stilled in her chest when her eyes found her lips, they were curved in a sweet smile and her eyes were twinkling stars, a splendor to behold. For a moment, she wondered if she was still asleep, dreaming or if she’d overworked herself enough to hallucinate.

She’d never seen Callie look so carefree.

So beautiful.

But it was difficult to see a gem sparkle in the darkness when the sun hadn’t shined on Alex’s life in a long time.

She was reluctant to hope for something better and it was crushed before it could flourish by the distinct footsteps she heard from behind her. Felicity had been relentless, trying to approach her but Alex was skilled at dodging her. It seemed as though she was just about to corner her but Callie was there just in time.

“Hi, babe!” Callie greeted much to Alex’s surprise, her pretty smile never wavered.

“Hey, gorgeous.”

Callie could feel warmth prickle her cheeks, the pet name agitating her skin. She’d never considered how much it would affect her to have Alex address her without scorn but was even more surprised at how she liked it. Satisfaction roamed in her chest at the sight of Alex’s confusion, she amped up the ante by throwing in a compliment and relishing in her reaction.

“You look beautiful.” She excitedly bounded over to her and drawing her in a hug and despite the shock, Alex found herself melting in her arms.

Callie was warm and she smelled so sweet, like stepping out to the garden on a spring day, when the sun was out and the flowers are in full bloom. Holding her felt like new days and new beginnings. Her arms were pacifying, soothing the crevices and the cracks of her heart.

Alex sighed, unconsciously closed eyes as she basked in Callie and the light in her soul.

She didn’t question why Callie sighed, too.

Alex could feel the corners of her mouth turn up to form a smile. Her previous unpleasant feelings were destroyed like a demolished building. For a brief moment, it didn’t matter that Callie was acting. While Callie stopped protesting against her advances, the close proximity, the hand holding, she never initiated anything and it threw Alex off.

“I better clock in. I’ll see you inside?” Callie began to withdraw herself from the hug and raised her brows in question.

“Yeah.” Alex watched her go, tracing her figure until her eyes found the object of her fascination from the very beginning.

She laughed, Callie was exaggerating the sway of her hips.

“Stop looking at my ass!”

“I make no promises.”

The illusion was shattered when Felicity finally spoke, and without Callie close, the vile poison that was heartbreak quickly took over. She despised the way her heart broke at the sight of her so small, so apologetic. She wanted to say Felicity looked pathetic but she couldn’t.

Once upon a time, she loved her and she still did but the fire had been reduced to ember and Alex was slowly dumping sand into it.

“Alex,” She tried to come closer but the sharp look in Alex’s eyes kept her rooted in place.

“What?”

“Is it serious?”

“Not like you deserve to know or anything but yes, it is.” Her answer was sharp, spiteful and she needed to destroy the hope she found sparkling in her dreary eyes.

But instead of defeat, her words served to challenge Felicity. She should have known. The woman never knew when to back out no matter how fruitless, no matter how ridiculous her conquests were.

“That quick?” Felicity’s question was mocking, an air of disbelief carried her words. She crossed her arms, a sign that she was not ready to accept what she didn’t want to hear. “That’s not how you work, Alex.”

“You two didn’t overlap like Marvin and me.” Alex squared her shoulders, staring at Felicity with such malice, she disintegrated her façade. “You do not get to act like this when you consciously decided to cheat on me.”

“What was I supposed to do? You won’t tell me why you kept working.”

“You were supposed to trust me.” She spat, she could feel her jaw ache at the way she gritted her teeth. She didn’t want to have to speak with Felicity but the burden in her chest was alleviated with each sentiment she set free. “I was here, working my ass off! You knew where I was the entire time and who I was with. Meanwhile, you, took advantage of that and went to screw Marvin behind my back.”

“Alex—”

“Save your breath, Felicity.” And with those words, she stormed back inside the club.