Page 43 of Accidental Roommates

“Not with her. She’s my roommate. Nothing more.”

“Then come to the pool and find someone else. Girls love gym rats like you. Take your shirt off and they’ll be lining up.”

It may be true, but I still don’t feel ready to get back out there and date. It’s been so long since I’ve been single that it’s going to feel strange to ask a girl out. And then there’s the awkward first date and getting-to-know-you stage you have to go through before you finally feel comfortable enough to just relax at home and watch a movie instead of going out. But I guess I wouldn’t be doing that with a girl I’m just casually dating. That’s more of a relationship thing, although I never got to that point with Nikki. We tried it a few times—getting takeout and watching a movie on a Saturday night—but Nikki would get bored and we’d end up at a party.

“I’m not looking to get with a girl,” I tell Brent. “Not yet. Just go to the pool without me.”

“Okay, but you have to at least show up at the party tonight.”

“I’ll let you know later. I gotta go.” I end the call so he won’t keep pressuring me to go to the party.

I yank off my t-shirt and head to the bathroom. When I try to open the door, I find that it’s locked.

“I’m almost done!” Kenzie calls out. I hear something drop on the floor.

“Take your time,” I say. “I’ll go eat breakfast.”

“Wait, I’m done.” She opens the door that connects the bathroom to my room. “Sorry about that. You can use it now.”

She’s standing there in a long t-shirt, her hair wrapped in a towel. I’m trying not to look, but she’s not wearing a bra and her breasts are poking through that t-shirt, leaving little to the imagination.

“You don’t have to be sorry,” I say, forcing myself to keep my eyes on her face. “We share the bathroom. It’s as much yours as mine, but we should probably figure out a schedule for when classes start.”

“Yeah, absolutely.” She smiles. “So what’s first today? Tour the gym?”

“It’s up to you. We can start with the gym, if that’s what you want.” My phone rings. I check to see who’s calling but don’t answer it.

“Aren’t you going to get that?” Kenzie asks.

“No. It’s just Troy, trying to make me go to the pool party.”

“Pool party?” She leans against the door frame. “What pool party?”

“It’s not really a party. It’s college day at the city pool. Only people with a student ID can get in. It’s less about swimming and more about meeting people.”

“As in finding someone to date?”

“Or hook up with. I’ve gone every year, but it’s not really where you go if you’re already dating someone. Nikki liked it so she made us go, but I didn’t like being there with her. Guys were constantly checking her out, which she loved, but as her boyfriend, it pissed me off so I’d go hang out with my teammates and she’d go lay on the loungers with her friends.”

“But you’re single this year so you should go.”

“I don’t need to. Besides, I already promised you we’d hang out together. So the gym? That’s where you want to go first?”

She tilts her head. “Maybe we should go to the pool instead.”

“If you want to swim, there’s a pool at the gym.”

“I don’t want to swim. I want to lay out. Get some sun. And check out this pool party. Do a lot of people go?”

“Yeah, the place is packed. My friends are heading over there at ten. By noon, they’ll be turning people away.”

“Then we should get ready.” She undoes the towel on her head and her hair falls down around her shoulders. She shakes it out, which makes her breasts shake, immediately taking my eyes off her face. “What time should we go?”

I force my eyes back to hers. “You really want to go?”

“We don’t have to stay all day, but I’d like to check it out. Maybe I could meet some people.”

“The people there are just looking for a date. Or a hookup. You’re not going to meet friends there.”

---