Page 16 of The Roommate Situation

Jackson: No rush. Winky face emoji

Oh, boy. I finish up as quickly as I can and hang up my apron. I have dried paint on my fingers and on my shoe, and probably on my face, too, but I don’t care. I scurry out of the studio as quickly as I can and practically run home, flinging the door open when I get inside.

“Hey, I’m here!” I call, out of breath, only to be greeted by the sound of laughter from the next room. I set down my bag and kick off my shoes before making my way into the living area, where Jackson and Lucy are sitting around the coffee table with Parker, laughing over something I missed, heaps of junk food spread out in front of them. I can’t help smiling, because they’ve only been here for a few minutes but they look like they’ve never been more at ease with each other.

“Hey! Freckles!” Parker cheers when he sees me, and I flush as my two best friends exchange looks, and Jackson turns to me and mouthsfreckles.“Come sit and join us. Your friends are awesome, by the way.”

“Yeah, I know,” I say, taking a spot next to him on the floor.

Jackson winks at me and I flush again.

After talking and goofing off for a bit, Parker suggests a game of pictionary. Jackson and Lucy groan.

“What’s wrong?” Parker asks.

“Rory is an art major. Whoever has him on their team will win. I can’t draw worth shit,” Lucy says.

“It’s true,” Jackson affirms, and Lucy slaps him.

“Ooh, I get freckles,” Parker says, shooting his hand into the air, and I flush. “You ready to kick some behind, little dude?”

“Okay, what the hell,” Jackson grumbles playfully, and I bring out a large sketch pad and easel from my room.

We use the ever trusty internet to find things to draw, and I go first. Parker starts shooting off random words as soon as mymarker hits the paper and they’re not even close. I’m laughing so hard I can barely keep drawing and Jackson and Lucy are cackling, too. Parker just keeps going, so enthusiastic he’s about to jump out of his seat. I’m so excited when he finally jumps up and shouts, “Jellyfish!” about two seconds before the timer goes off, I shriek and throw myself at him.

“Yes!” I say, my arms wrapping around his thick neck and my legs locking around his waist. He doesn’t even budge under the onslaught and it takes me a second to realize what I’ve done when he stares at me, flushing and grinning, his big arms wrapped around me.

“Sorry,” I mumble, sliding off of him and clearing my throat. “Your turn.” I hand the marker to Jackson and he gives me a knowing smirk before sashaying towards the easel.

Parker and I win the game by a landslide but Jackson and Lucy are super cool about it, laughing at how badly they are doing. Parker actually isn’t terrible at drawing like they are so it was kind of an unfair game, but I’m okay with that. We all had fun, and that’s what matters.

“Girl, you know that boy is a catch, right?” Jackson whispers as he and Lucy are saying goodbye at the door that night.

“And so are you,” Lucy adds with a smile.

“I know,” I tell them, “I mean, I know he is, and I’m starting to believe that maybe I am, too.” I look back at Parker as he wipes down the coffee table. “I don’t know if I trust myself yet, to find someone who won’t treat me like Zach did, you know? I don’t want to be wrong again.”

Lucy steps forward and gives me a hug. “There’s no rush,” she says, pulling away, then glances down before meeting my eyes again.

“We wanted to apologize for not saying something to you earlier about Zach. Even if we thought you would be dismissive or anything else, we owed it to you to at least give you all of theinformation, and let you make the choice, and we dropped the ball. I’m really sorry, Rory.”

“We’re really sorry,” Jackson chimes in.

“Thank you,” I say. I had already forgiven them, but it’s nice to hear anyway.

Lucy smiles. “But he has serious heart eyes for you, babe. And remember what I said about Zach having a bad vibe?”

I nod, and her smile widens. “None of that here,” she says.

I smile back and wave goodbye, shutting the door when they’ve disappeared.

PARKER

It’s a couple of weeks later when I arrive home after my afternoon classes and a group project that took way too long, that I find Rory sitting at the kitchen bar, staring at his phone, ashen faced as he bites his thumbnail.

“Hey, little rabbit,” I say, setting my backpack and keys aside and moving towards him. “What’s going on? You don’t look so good.”

“Hmmm?” he says, looking up at me, blinking those big blue eyes. He’s dressed in a pair of leggings and an oversized sweater now that it’s October in Colorado, and he looks absolutely scrumptious. His sleeves are so long they swallow his hands, but I love it. He looks so bite sized and I want to fucking nibble on him.

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