The Roommate Ch. 2

Read chapter 1 here.

“What the fuck are you doing?” Preston yelled at Julius, holding tight to my upper arm. The muscles in his neck were all standing out, his normally open countenance now twisted in anger. I was pretty sure my arm was losing circulation.



Julius shrugged, licking his lips. “You weren’t here.”

“So you thought you’d prey on Sam?” Preston looked as though he was about to pop a vein. At the time I was more frustrated than anything else. Not only had I been interrupted from both my vegging and my make-out sessions, but Preston obviously thought that I couldn’t take care of myself.

I jerked my arm free. “Shut up, Preston,” I told him. He turned to me, surprised. “I’m not a fucking puppy. Nobody ‘preys’ on me unless I allow it.”

His face softened a little, the way people’s do when they’re arguing with a child. “Sammie, Julius knew exactly what he was doing—“

“And so did I!” I interrupted. “God, Preston, do you think I was born yesterday? Do you think I can’t tell when a guy is hitting on me?”

Preston looked flustered for once, which gave me no small satisfaction. "No, but—"

“There’s no ‘buts’, Preston,” I interrupted, my voice loud in my ears. “I was about to fuck your boyfriend, and didn’t really care how you felt about it, mostly because I figured you wouldn’t.” That was a lie, but it felt good.

“He doesn’t care,” Julius pouted from the couch. “He’s just mad because it’s you.”

Preston turned back to him as though he had forgotten Julius was still there. “Come again?”

Julius crossed his arms, petulant. “You know I’m right. We’re really just fuck buddies.”

Preston just stood there, his mouth open, gaping like a fish, unsure of whom to yell at first. It was in that moment, looking at the man I had loved for the better part of eight years, when I decided I’d had enough. Why had I wasted so much time on a man I would never have, waiting for his attention like a neglected pet? No wonder Preston thought I couldn’t take care of myself. I could find another roommate. Given time I could probably find someone else to love passively.

So, finally, I grew some balls and delivered an ultimatum. “I’ll give you two days to find somewhere else to live. Both of you.”