Romeo’s icy glare cut to me. "Who's that?" he hissed.
I didn't have time to respond to him but called out to Kira instead.
"H-hey. You're back early," I said, hiding the anxiety in my voice as I rushed to Romeo. I didn’t give myself time to overthink it as I grabbed the front of his black T-shirt and I tugged him towards my bedroom door. Thankfully, he went willingly, stepping in to hide beside the doorway while I raced back to the couch and threw myself into the cushions just as Kira stepped into the living room.
“I’m not staying long,” she said, placing her phone and keys on the counter. “Just came back to freshen up… What’s with the police outside?”
I threw up my hands with a clueless shrug. "No idea. Something about a robbery."
"Seriously? That's a little unsettling,” she frowned.
"Are you heading back out with Aiden again?” I asked a little hopefully.
Kira replaced her frown with a smile. "Yeah. You don't mind, do you? Aiden wanted to take me out for Sunday brunch."
"No, that's completely fine. So romantic of him,” I said quickly, flashing a smile to mask the way my breathing had shortened. "Is he waiting in his car?"
"Yes.” She snapped her fingers as if in realization. “I should probably get a move on."
She turned on her heel to head into her room with a light skip in her step and returned carrying a bundle of fresh clothes and a towel before heading to her bathroom. When I heard the pipes rattle and the shower running, I collapsed onto the couch with an exasperated sigh.
A usual Sunday for me was sleeping in, reading a good book, or watching something on Netflix, and maybe organizing lunch with my sister if she needed a break from our parents.
"How long will she be?" His voice was edged and deep, coming from my bedroom doorway. It sent goosebumps prickling along my thighs as I slowly straightened again, eyes on him.
“Not long.”
His jaw set as he fixed his attention on the bathroom door, folding his arms across his broad chest and leaning against the door frame. Impatience flitted across his features in the form of a muscle feathering in his cheek. With nothing but the sound of the shower running, the apartment fell into an uncomfortable silence again.
At least for me.
Romeo didn't seem like the kind of person to have many awkward or uncomfortable moments. He had a composure about him, much like his fighting style, and exuded a quiet confidence in himself. He seemed able to plant himself anywhere and not feel the need to fill the silence with small talk. His perpetual RBF would help prevent people from stopping for a chat too. He didn’t look approachable, especially with those eyes. He didn't just look at people when he was irritated. He bore straight through them with a glare.
Five minutes passed before the shower stopped, and Kira came out in a change of clothes. The towel over her head, as she dried her red hair, blocked her view as Romeo backed into my room again.
"Aiden couldn't stop talking about the fight last night," she said, removing the towel from her head before teasing her fingers through her hair. "He won about $240 from betting on that Romeo guy."
"Kira. It's still illegal.”
"I know," Kira said sheepishly, smiling a little. "It still would've been cool if he got a photo with him though. Aiden wasn't too happy with how Romeo treated him."
"I'm sure he'll get over it," I smiled, fighting the urge to roll my eyes.
"I hope so—Well, I'm going now. I'll probably be back later today, but I'll text you if anything changes." She cheerfully waved goodbye as she left.
Slowly getting to my feet, I listened closely to her leaving. Making sure the front door was completely closed and locked before I dropped my shoulders.
"Third wheel, right?" Romeo asked as he reappeared in my doorway.
I could feel my face growing warm as I folded my arms across my chest insecurely. "Yep. That's me."
He nodded in thought, face unchanging, before he pulled his phone out again, tapped away at the screen, and brought it to his ear as he stepped back into my room.
By all means, use my room as a personal office.
It was the most time a guy had spent in my room, surpassing the three minutes and 27 seconds in high school with my lab partner. Nothing had happened between us. We were studying, but Dad kicked us downstairs so he could keep an eye on us.
My room was my safe space, my little bubble of comfort. And a stranger was in there. It felt like he was somehow violating the space even though he was just on the phone. He was amongst my belongings, but I couldn’t bring myself to tell him to get out. I wasn’t exactly the most intimidating person when it came to confrontations.
