Page 134 of My Roommate from Hell
“Can we talk?” I ask.
“Sure.”
“Why didn’t you bring me a smoothie?” asks Avery. “Rude. I love smoothies.”
“Could we have a minute?” asks Tyrell.
“Ugh, fine, but make it quick.”
Avery slips past me, leaving just me and Tyrell. He moves aside, and I go into their room.
Tyrell crosses his arms. “You don’t have to worry. I’m not going to tell anyone.”
“That’s not why I’m here.”
“Oh. Why are you, then?”
“I want to apologize. Listen, I know I messed up, okay? And I’m genuinely so sorry. When I was walking over here I was trying to think of a way to make it better, and I was thinking I could offer you an exclusive on what really happened between Zarmenus and me, but that sort of deal is what got us into this trouble in the first place.”
“Right.”
“I just wanted to say that I’m so sorry I didn’t tell you the truth about the two of us. I wanted to, I really did, but I was scared that you’d expose us because of what you do. I’ve done so much for this internship and the more I think about it the more I wish I hadn’t. Because I don’t want to be the kind of person that lies to a friend or keeps secrets or does shitty things just to benefit themselves.”
The guilt of it eats at me.
“And I’m not going to do that anymore,” I say. “But I want you to know that I really care about you, and if you don’t want to be friends with me anymore I totally get it, and if you decide that you have to tell the world the truth then I would totally understand.”
I realize I’ve talked for way too long, so I shut my mouth.
“I really care about you, too,” he says. “And I won’t lie, it hurts that you were lying to me this whole time. But the thing is, Owen, I get it. These stories Leeke has me writing, I never thought I would be the kind of journalist that does what they’re told and writes what powerful people tell them to. But it happened to me. The prospect of getting the future you want is so tempting. It’s made me do things I never thought I would, so I understand. And I know you’re sorry, I feel that’s genuine. So I think I can forgive you.”
Honestly, I’ll take it. I know our friendship isn’t fixed, and it’ll take time and work on my end to make things better, but I’m willing to put in that work. It might be more than I deserve, and I’m so thankful he’s at least giving me a chance.
“But you said something else last night,” he says. “You and Zarmenus both said you like each other. Was that fake as well?”
I’ve lied to him too much. I have to tell him the truth.
“That was real,” I say. “At least on my end. I don’t know how he feels about me. He might be faking.”
“It sounded real to me. Are you going to tell him how you feel?”
“I don’t think so. He has to leave, his parents aren’t letting him stay. They control him a lot, actually. It might be easier if I keep it to myself.”
“Maybe. But would you like some advice from a friend?”
Him using that word makes my heart soar. It’s not over—he still thinks of me as a friend.
“You should tell him,” he says. “You’ll always regret it if you don’t.”
Something tells me he’s right.
CHAPTER FORTY-SIX
I take the long route back to my dorm, the one that loops around the campus.
I still am pinching myself over how well my conversation with Tyrell went. I’d been bracing myself for losing him as a friend, and I’m mostly happy that he didn’t want to give up on our friendship.
The campus is quieter than I’ve ever seen it, because there are no classes scheduled. I haven’t even booked my ticket to return to Point yet. Tomorrow, I’ll be in a different state. I’ll be home, but I guess I’m fortunate enough that I have two of those now. One with my parents, and one here at Point.
