That was much easier than I expected. I’m not sure if that’s a good thing or a bad thing. Before I can overanalyze the brief conversation we had, Stevie speaks up again.
“So, any musicians you can think of?”
“Um…” I stutter over my words. There’s only one person I can think of who has the time and talent to help Stevie. It feels weird recommending somebody I don’t know well. Still, I’ve heard nothing but good things about his music. However, when it comes to girls, he can be a bit of a womanizer. There hasn’t been any talk of him being creepy or forceful, it’s more about flirting and winning them over with his charm.
Since Stevie went through what I’m assuming was an intense breakup, I doubt she’d fall for his advances, not that it’s any of my fucking business.
“I know one guy. He’s talented and experienced, but has a reputation for being a playboy.”
Stevie turns to me before taking the first step up the staircase to our apartment. An indiscernible expression covers her face.
“I can handle myself.”
With that, she requests his information and gets ready for bed. And for some reason, I’m not entirely convinced that we’re okay.
Typingthe last line of an essay, I sag against my headboard and look up at the ceiling. This week has been fucking exhausting. I added another student to my roster after one decided she no longer wanted to play the guitar. Luckily, this kid only lives ten minutes away, and I was able to close my roster for the semester. I’m fully booked and can pay all the bills I need to, which I should be cheering for instead of complaining like an ungrateful asshole.
Deciding I need a snack and drink, I head to the kitchen. Every time I open the refrigerator door, I’m reminded that I now live with a roommate who can cook. Stevie preps her meals forthe week, and all the containers are labeled and stacked neatly on top of each other. Even though I work out a decent amount, it still makes me feel lazy as hell not doing the same.
I look at her door and see the light peeking out from under it. She hasn’t been weird around me since I apologized. Then again, with my schedule, I’ve barely seen the woman. It makes me wonder what she’s been up to the past couple of days and if she ended up meeting Brad or not. Since he and I aren’t close, he wouldn’t let me know, and I can’t come right out and ask without it getting back to Stevie. I’m only hoping that he wasn’t over the top with a girl who’s still getting over a dick ex and has other things going on in her life that require her full attention. I hope I made the right choice, but my roommate can handle herself.
After I rummage through the fridge, I find the lemonade we share and grab a bag of chips. Just as I’m about to walk back to the room, a voice I don’t recognize echoes from behind Stevie’s door.
“Was Brad hot?”
The statement makes me halt in my tracks.
Stevie’s light laugh filters through and catches me by surprise. It’s not like I haven’t heard her laugh before, but this one’s different. She mumbles something I can’t hear. The other voice answers, and whoever she’s talking to is loud as fuck compared to my roommate.
As curious as I am to hear how her encounter with Brad went and whether she thought he was hot or not, I know it’s none of my business. I mutter a curse and take another step toward my room, so my all-too-curious side won’t go stomping straight to her door.
“At least Levi pulled through with that. It was the least he could do after being such a dick.”
That makes me turn to her room with wide eyes. Yeah, that definitely isn’t Stevie talking.
Shit, I couldn’t have been that bad. I apologized and tried to help. Did she not think it was enough?
Sometimes I can be a little too nosy for my own good, but this is different from gossiping with friends. I live with Stevie and should know how she feels to keep the peace between us. At least that’s what I tell myself before reaching her door in a few quick, silent strides. Both voices are much clearer now that my ear is practically shoved against the wood.
“He apologized, Jenn,” Stevie answers.
I nod as if she and her friend can see me. Okay, just as I thought, we’re all good.
An annoyed huff comes from her phone. “So, we like Levi?”
Tough crowd.
“We like Levi. He’s been a good roommate, and he introduced me to his friends. He’s also playful and kind of entertaining.”
Only kind of?Jenny is quick to jump in before I can question anything else.
“Just because he’s your roommate, doesn’t mean you have to be close friends.”
“I know,” Stevie sighs.
Ouch.
“Look, S, I’m worried about you. After finding out what you did about Andrew’s dickhead friends, I don’t want you going through another complicated friendship situation. Sure, Levi’s been a decent friend for the most part, but be careful.”
