MY RIVAL BECOME MY LOVER

Chapter 6: The Cold Shower

The rain hadn't stopped since 4 PM.

It was now 11:47 PM and Room 14 felt smaller than ever. The window was fogged up, the air conditioner was making that weird buzzing noise again, and Jay was trying very hard not to look at Brian.

Brian had just come out of the bathroom.

He was only wearing gray sweatpants. Low on his hips. Water was still dripping from his hair down his neck, down his chest, down his abs. He was using a small white towel to dry his hair, completely oblivious to the fact that Jay's heart was about to explode.

"You're staring," Brian said without looking.

Jay choked on air. "I'm not! I'm studying!"

"Studying what? The wall?"

Jay quickly looked down at his economics textbook which was, in fact, upside down. He flipped it right side up, his face red.

Brian smirked and threw his wet towel onto Jay's bed. "Oops."

"Brian! That's wet!"

"So is the bathroom floor. You left your shampoo everywhere again."

Jay stood up to throw the towel back at him, but his sock slipped on the wet tiles near the bathroom door. He lost his balance.

For a second, he thought he was going to hit the floor hard.

He didn't.

Brian caught him. One arm around his waist, strong and firm. Jay's hands landed on Brian's bare chest. It was warm. Still damp. Jay could feel Brian's heart beating under his palm, fast.

They were so close that Jay could smell Brian's body wash. Something clean and expensive.

Neither of them moved.

Jay's eyes went up to Brian's. Brian was looking down at him, his usual cold expression gone. His eyes dropped, just for a second, to Jay's lips.

The rain hit the window loudly.

"Are you two going to stay like that all night or should I come back later?"

Maya's voice from the doorway made them jump apart.

Maya was standing there with an umbrella, holding two cups of instant noodles. "The door was open. Wow. The tension in here is so thick I could cut it."

"We were not — He fell!" Jay shouted, backing away to his desk.

Brian cleared his throat and went to his closet to put on a shirt. A plain black t-shirt that still clung to him because his skin was wet. "Why are you here, Maya?"

"I brought dinner because I knew you nerds wouldn't go to the cafeteria in this rain. Also, Jay, you left your ID in my class again."

She handed Jay the noodles and his student ID. Her fingers brushed his. "You okay? You're red like a tomato."

"I'm fine! It's just hot in here!"

Maya looked at Brian, then at Jay, and smiled like she knew everything. "Right. Hot. Of course. Room 14 is very hot."

Brian sat on his bed, now fully dressed, and opened his laptop. "Thanks for the noodles."

"You're welcome, Ice King." Maya sat on Jay's bed uninvited. "So, Jay told me you two have a presentation together tomorrow for Prof. Davis."

Jay froze. "Maya!"

"What? It's true, right? Group work?"

Brian frowned. "We do?"

"Yes! We do!" Jay quickly said. "Davis paired us. Tomorrow at 10 AM."

Brian stared at him. "Davis didn't pair anyone. We had to choose our own partner."

Silence.

Maya burst out laughing. "Oh my god Jay, you lied to get him to be your partner? That's so desperate and cute."

"I did not lie! I just... assumed he would be my partner since we share a room! It's efficient!"

Brian was quiet for a moment, then a small smile appeared on his face. The first real smile Jay had seen that day.

"Fine. I'll be your partner. But you do all the slides."

"Deal!"

Maya stood up. "Okay, my work here is done. My two favorite idiots are talking. I'll leave you to your... studying." She winked at Jay and left, closing the door behind her.

Now it was just them again. Rain. Noodles. Two beds too close to each other.

Jay sat on the floor to eat, his back against his bed. Brian sat on the floor too, opposite him, their knees almost touching.

"Why did you pick me?" Brian asked suddenly, stirring his noodles.

"Because you're smart. You got A in his last class."

"That's not why."

Jay looked up. Brian was looking at him seriously.

"Then why do you think I picked you?" Jay whispered.

Brian didn't answer. He just reached forward and wiped a little soup from the corner of Jay's mouth with his thumb.

Jay's breath stopped.

Brian's thumb lingered for half a second too long. His eyes were dark.

Then he pulled his hand back like he got burned. "You eat like a kid."

Jay's heart was beating so loud he was sure Brian could hear it. "And you act like my mom."

"I am NOT acting like your mom."

"You literally caught me and wiped my mouth!"

"I was being nice!"

"Well don't be nice! You're supposed to be cold and rude! You're confusing me!"

Brian stared at him, then stood up abruptly. "I'm going to sleep. We have to wake up early for your presentation that you volunteered me for."

He climbed onto his bed and turned off his lamp, leaving Jay in the dim light of his own desk lamp.

Jay sat there for a long time, eating cold noodles, listening to the rain and Brian's breathing.

"Bri?"

"Hmm?"

"Thank you for catching me."

A pause. Then in the dark, Brian's voice, softer than ever.

"Always."

Jay smiled in the dark and finally felt that maybe, just maybe, Room 14 wasn't hell after all