My Hot Roommate

Will I See Him Forever? │Chapter 7 │

            AS KNOWING ALL of Liam’s antagonizing doings in our room, my whole week is in absolute destruction – except my first Sunday back to San Diego. Every morning, even night, we fight and shout over little things in me that irritate him easily, such as me wearing a winter jacket in autumn. Clearly, he wants to see how my clothes perfectly fit on my body muscles. What a pathetic horny he really is.

            At night, my bed is my desk. It is another thing that causes our fights. Liam did not want me to sleep on the hard, uncomfortable surface. He is forcing me to sleep on my bed with his bedsheets – to sleep with him, but I already know what he is trying to do. I make sure of being extra aware of everything inside before hitting the bed, or more to say, my desk.

Whenever I am with this dimwit roommate in the room, he shows too much of his body. More often, he wears nothing but briefs. While on it, he is flexing his whole muscles in front of the mirror intentionally, which I cannot avoid because the mirror and my desk, where I spend most of my time, are beside each other. There is even a day when he shows up wearing only a jockstrap. I cannot take more of his stupidness.

            Liam will never seduce me with his muscle. I have them too.

            Yet this is my first time leaving the campus dorm and going back to San Diego. I am more thrilled to see my family and the OBALL Squad. This Saturday night will surely start a wondrous Sunday – no neanderthals, no irritation, and no roommate. My blissfulness covers my entire negative emotions about this dorm room. As I continue to prepare myself and the things I will be bringing, I cannot stop myself from smiling. Of course, I ignore Liam at all times.

            It is late evening already when I step out of the dormitory door, reading the two words written in a glistering silver metal plate above the white door, Throb Section.

            My steps imitate Mrs Hartley’s – three steps in two seconds – while eagerness to be back at my homeplace feeds me. Night air skids around me. I can hear its excitement with me on its overwhelming continuous whisper. And so the grass as I make my step forward and out of this new environment. Though this might only last a day, I plan on making it a joyous one.

            I arrive at our home, safe and sound. Mom welcomes me with her warm hug and my only sister with her annoying-yet-heartwarming pinch on my right cheek – I suddenly remember Liam’s hot chest touching my right cheek. This time is supposed to be spending with my family and not thinking of my roommate’s chest. I shake my head to get rid of my sudden total indignation. I hug my mom and sister back, dropping down my backpack.

            Nothing has changed in our home, not even a single detail. My favourite family picture portrait is still on the wall near our main door. Whoever enters our house will already be greeted by Coleman’s portrait. The temperature has never been too hot nor cold. It feels like I did not leave this place for a week. I miss this. All is at it is before.

            “Louie, if your father sees this camera around your neck, he’ll be disappointed and will think you are bringing a lot more attention to this thing than your new class,” mom’s hands are on my shoulders after I hug her, looking down at my camera. There is still a smile on her mouth.

            I hold my camera with both hands, speaking to mom, “I know what I must do with my new course, mom. But it will never take my hobby away from me.”

             My mom gives me another pleasing smile, which I return at her, wrapping her arms around mines, saying, “I trust you, honey.” Then she leads me to the kitchen while my sister, Bella, also wraps her arms on my other side, “Dinner’s ready.”

            I gasp and stop after a few steps, “What? It’s late evening already!”

            “We waited for you,” Bella answers right away.

            I am totally flattered by it.

            Mom, my sister and I continue to walk to the kitchen. I can already smell the delectable dinner my mother has prepared for me. How I wish I am with her when she makes these mouth-watering foods. Usually, we are together, enjoying and bonding on the island counter.

             While at the dinner, mom says that dad will be staying out of the country again until mid-winter. It is really distressing not having dad here in such a long time. I am hoping to see him every week, especially on Sundays, to ask for any assistance or help with my course – in case I need it. But I did not bother myself much for missing dad. Besides, a one quick phone call or chat on social media will connect me directly to my father. 

            And at last long, after five miserable and hard nights with my roommate in our dorm, I can sleep on the soft, comfortable bed I really am wanting since I got in that stupid, ignorant-filled dormitory. The bed of my own takes all my energy, desiring me to sleep on it. And I lay my body comfortably succeeding showering.

I do not know why I keep remembering the smell of Liam’s bedsheet and him himself while I am waiting for my eyes to shut close. Yet after those five wrecking days with him, as I convince myself to forget him for one day, this is the first time I get the feeling of wanting to see his face.

            His face solely. No other than his infuriating eyes and brows.

            Sunday morning!

            I am lying awake on my bed, thinking of literally nothing. My mind gets suddenly blank on what things to do on this day. I lost between seeing my friends or staying with my family. These are all Liam’s fault. Why?

            Because I just dreamed about him! Erotic indelible dream.

            I am not in our dormitory room, yet why do I keep remembering and concerning about my roommate? Is this some curse he gave me when we slept together? I am overreacting, am I? I should not be.  It is just a dream.

            “Louie, honey, are you awake?” mom knocks on my room door twice. Her voice is inaudible from the inside, but I hear her question. I gaze at rays of sunlight in the window, tired to move any muscle. What a bright day today will be.

            I sit up after another five seconds more abed, scratching my nape when I answer mom in a higher voice so she will hear me, “Widely awake, mom!”

            She opens the door with her morning smile, marching nearer to me. I see strands of her hair fly away and how her swirly-patterned apron, which is her favourite apron, moves on her body while she approaches me. She has the aroma of what she is currently cooking in the kitchen: pancakes. Then she says in a partial downhearted manner, “The fish market can’t deliver the seafood I ordered last Wednesday and says the three delivery trucks need reinstallation on something. You don’t mind getting the seafood on the dockside market, do you?”

            “No, not at all, mom,” I respond to her. And then I add out of a sudden, “After I take the seafood home, I’m planning on hanging out with my friends overnight.”

            “How about your class tomorrow?”

            “I’ll head to L.A. right after.”

            She smiles again head out of my room. I start to prepare my backpack early, so when I get back later this night, I’ll pick it up then hit the train back to L.A. The first thing I insert in my backpack is freshly laundered bed sheets and pillowcases. I will suffer myself no more on my hard, uncomfortable desk. And Liam’s bedsheet will finally be off on my bed for tomorrow. I wish I have its conditioner’s name.

            Next is, I prepare myself to go on the dockside market. It will just be a quick take, like taking an apple from the tree. I have been there many times before since I am a kid. Mom used to take me there with Bella whenever she bought seafood. I know every bit of the place already.

            “Oh! There’s good news!”

            Mom exclaims at me as I walk to the kitchen after everything in my room. I see Bella on the same swirly apron, but she is sitting on the island counter. I feel a tiny amount of jealousy for a moment, but it does not really matter. I am happy to see them happy both. I beam at them, talking, “I don’t want to miss it.”

            “Grandnanna’s grandson is finally here! I just went to visit her with a plate of pancakes – I know how she loves them – and saw a tall, handsome man beside her.”

            I am profoundly intoxicated. Grandnanna is not my mother’s nor my father’s mother: she is not one of the Coleman’s, but she is a part of our family. She is our loyal and kindest neighbour as I can remember. Widowed for sixteen years, she has been living inside her home alone. Well, not literally. We have been visiting her or inviting her over dinner until today.

            And whenever she asks for my help for something her age cannot do, like mowing her backyard lawn, there is never a time she talks too much about her only grandson. She says he is the same age as me, has a well-proportioned face but can be silly in some things. Grandnanna’s daughter, which is her grandson’s mother, is currently living in Los Angeles. They barely visit her in a year. Sometimes in summer, it is her that needs to transport to see her grandson.

            For a substitute to her faraway daughter and grandson, she treats mom as her own daughter, and me and Bella as her own grandchildren. She loves Bella as her granddaughter. It is what she ever desires – to take care of a granddaughter.

            It is always a stroke of bad luck to forget to take a recent picture of her grandson and show it to me. I never have any idea how really well-proportioned his grandson is as I have not met him nor see him in person. I, however, already saw her grandson in early 2002’s photographs. It has been years since she has taken a photo of her dear grandson. Booboo, like she used to address him, became my imaginary friend during my childhood days. And now, I am about to meet him after long years.

            “What’s his name?” I interestingly ask straight away after mom talks.

            “I didn’t ask, but surely you’ll know it. Grandnanna says he’s also going to the dockside market to get the fish and seafood I ordered for her,” mom turns back to her pan, flipping a cooking pancake. “Hurry, Liam, have breakfast! He’s waiting for you.”

            I am about to sit beside my sister when mom gives an answer. An answer that surprises me, “What?! We are going together to the market?”

            Mom turns around at us. I look at my sister, who is teasingly laughing at me, and back to mom, who is opening her mouth, “Isn’t it the perfect time to get to know each other? Besides, when you were a kid, you were dying to meet him. Today’s the day you are hoping for.”

            “I know, but not on the local market.”

            Bella bursts out in laughter for a few seconds and asks at last, “So you want to meet him in a foreign market?” Then, she immediately changes her voice a bit deeper and in a proud manner, “My dear brother, listen to thy older sister. Of all romantic places in California, I met my first boyfriend in a local market.”

            “And my dear sister, answer thy your little brother. Are you saying Grandnanna’s grandson will be my boyfriend? What do you think of me? A gay cunt?” I return with the same voice. Promptly, I recall everything regarding Liam himself. He is bothering me because of what I had dreamed about him last night.

            Erotic endileble dream.

            We laugh at our own behaviours. Even mom join us.

            These are why I love and did not want to leave my family. There is so much fun here, and they are my first best friends.

            “I thought you may like him, Louie. Even you, Bella,” mom adds.

            I do not think my mom is joking. And I know my sister thought the same thing. Her voice is in utmost seriousness, yet her eyes are smiling. Even more, I am astounded by her words. Did what she just said means it is okay to her if I choose to have a boyfriend, though I know from myself that I am a straight man?

            Out of shock, Bella and I unbelievably shouted, “WHAT?”

            “Oh, don’t mind it too seriously. Of course, I am joking,” mom chuckles. “Louie, he’s waiting for you. The stalls close at ten-thirty this morning.”

            Taking my mom’s thrill to meet Grandnanna’s grandson, Booboo, I eat the hot pancake my mom just put onto my plate. We talk about my new university and how are the people there. I tell them pretty positive enough, including my new roommate. I introduce Liam to them the other way around. And they are gratifyingly smiling about it.

            Again, I remember him. The more I am obsessed with getting him out of my head, the more I remember him.

            When finished with breakfast and a few glasses of water, I peek at the kitchen analogue clock: 7:52 a.m. I head out of the kitchen, saying goodbye to mom and Bella, and out of the door. Our small lawn is evergreen, with lovely fresh air. I walk on it while my head points to my left, gazing at Grandnanna’s house through the redwood fence, hoping to see her outside on her warm housecoat and eyeglasses with her watering can, calling her excitingly.

            “Grandnanna! It’s Louie! I’m back after a long week!”

            As I close the wooden gate of ours, I march to Grandnanna’s. But something and definitely someone stops me dead. Grandnanna’s gates are wide open, and I can see her, indeed, with her watering can from here. In front of the fence is a four-wheeled, green farm vehicle – gator. And on the seat of the driver is someone I certainly know. He is in a farmwear outfit: a black fitted Sando, brown cowboy hat with string and slim fit blue jeans shorts.

            While staring at me with his eyes half-closed, he is grinning evilly enough,  inflaming my relaxing Sunday morning. I absolutely recognize him from the very first. Liam.