Page 32 of Bully Roommate

“Don’t worry about him, Josie,” Frankie said. “He’s been weird lately. I’m still in shock that he bullied you. Maverick never bullied girls before—I mean—not that I know of.

I twirled my fork around a noodle. “Did anything happen to Maverick that you can think of?”

Frankie thought about it. “Not really. Not that I know about. Just a bunch of mom’s boyfriend coming in and out of our lives.”

Frankie and Jordan took over the conversation, while I watched Maverick’s shadow move from underneath his closed door. My mind raced on reasons why this happened, and Frankie not knowing made me want to know even more.

***

The voice sent me straight up in my bed. An eerie feeling slithered down my spine causing me to clutch my comforter in my palms. Someone grunted loudly, and then a thump sounded after.

I jumped from the bed, walking on shaky legs toward my bedroom entrance. Snores filled the hallway when I opened the door, coming from the living room and Jordan’s room across the apartment.

Which left Maverick’s room.

Sighing, I pushed open the door slightly, praying I didn’t encounter a female sneaking out, and found Maverick jerking in his bed.

My mouth opened and closed as his eyes moved aggressively underneath his closed lids.

“No. No,” he shouted. I walked over, unsure how to handle the outburst. “Stop!”

I yelped, which woke him. Maverick sat up in his bed, the sheet fell from his chest to his waist, and he opened his sleepy eyes.

When they focused on me, he said, “What are you doing in here?”

“I heard you yelling. I think you had a nightmare.”

Maverick rubbed his eyes with the heel of his palm. “No, I didn’t.”

I narrowed my eyes and turned to leave. “Whatever.”

A cool rush of air swarmed my bare legs, and I felt Maverick’s hand wrap around my wrist, stopping me. I turned to look at him, his smashed bedhead only added to the lure of his handsome scruffy face. “What did Frankie tell you today?”

I shrugged. “Why does it matter?”

He glared at me.

“That you were trying to get guardianship of him.”

“That’s it?”

I nodded.

He let go of my wrist and sat down on the edge of his bed, fingers tangled into his hair. “Why won’t she sign over guardianship?” I asked.

“Don’t worry about it. It’s not your problem.”

“Whatever,” I said, walking toward the door.

His voice stopped me. “It’s just to piss me off. She gets food stamps and money from his biological father for him, and if I have him, she’s afraid she wouldn’t get it.” He leaned back on his bed.

“Well, why do you want to get him in the first place?”

He stayed silent for a while, watching his ceiling fan above him. “Because she’s awful and Frankie deserves better.”

I swayed on my feet. “Frankie does seem like a good kid. I’m astounded that you’re related.”

Maverick sat up against his bed on his elbows, that sexyI just woke uplook still on his face regardless of his folded brows. “You don’t understand—,”

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