“Excuse me!” a lady called from my left. She stood and pointed to the shelves with chips, or more accurately, the top shelf which she couldn’t reach with her short body. I put on a smile and came over to help her out. The whispering customers had gone silent while I moved to help the other lady out, but were soon back to their heated conversation. I ignored them but the lady I helped shot them dirty looks. “Don’t mind them,” she whispered.
I eyed her curiously. Maybe she could help me understand why I was standing out so much. Deciding to take a chance, I whispered back, “Do you know why they’re whispering about me?”
Her smile widened. “Oh, you obliviously handsome man. Of course, I do. They think you’re handsome.” She started to laugh, but it was a warm and happy laugh.
“Oh,” I said, not really knowing what to say to that. Figuring she wouldn’t mind another question, I asked, “Butwhydo they care enough to whisper about it?”
She just shook her head at me, her smile still firmly in place. Then she patted my shoulder and went to the counter to pay. I was so confused, but I was the only one working at the moment, so I followed behind her and scanned her things.
As soon as the lady left, the women started moving closer to where I stood, putting away our newest order of gummies. Vincent chose that moment to return from his lunch break, saving me from whatever they wanted with me. He took over and I left with a grateful smile, even if he had no idea that he’d just saved my sanity. I would need to tell the others about this, I just hoped they wouldn’t get mad over the fact I was attracting so much attention.
Chapter Three
Derek
Remi was back. Not really, but hehadbeen. I could still smell him in our dorm room. When I came back to our room yesterday, I’d been hit with his calming scent as soon as I stepped inside the room. It had been such a relief that I almost sagged against the doorframe. He had been fast asleep, so I’d gotten in bed too, not daring to work on my app and risk waking him. I still had no idea why he’d left, but now that he was back, I was determined to be the best roommate ever. My sleep depended on it. My sanity, too. I needed Remi to never leave again. So, no loud noises. I was almost giddy with excitement as I snuggled into bed, hoping I could finally get some undisturbed sleep without my nightmares creeping up on me.
I didn’t have any classes today, so I’d dedicated the whole day to my app. A knock on the door disturbed that. It also reminded me that I’d forgotten to eat lunch. It wasn’t until I stood up to open the door that my stomach gave an angry growl at me. I hoped whoever it was wouldn’t stay long; itwas humiliating having a roaring belly, and I needed to find something to fuel it soon.
Opening the door, I tilted my head in surprise. A guy I’d never seen before stood there with a beaming smile and the bluest eyes.
“Um,” I began, trying to do the whole conversation thing, but then his scent hit me and I almost groaned. He smelled just like Remi, well not identically, but he had the same soothing effect somehow, like his natural scent calmed me.
“Hi,” he said, waving a little. I couldn’t help but smile at that. He seemed really friendly, and combined with his scent I felt myself relaxing in his presence. “Does Remi live here?”
Remi?
“Yes? Are you a friend of his?” I asked, not really knowing if Remi would get mad at me for telling this stranger where he lived. But said stranger had found our dorm himself, and he seemed so trustworthy. And I didn’t trust people easily, so that said a lot.
He seemed to mull over the question before he answered with a shrug. “Hopefully more than friends,” then he winked and shot me an easy grin. “Do you mind if I leave a note for him? He doesn’t have my number.”
“Oh, sure.” I stepped over to my laptop where my notebook was and handed it over to him along with a pen. He quickly scribbled something down and handed it back.
“Thank you. I hope we’ll see each other again someday.” And then he left. I stood for a few seconds to process this whole encounter when mystomach made an angry sound, reminding me I still needed to get some lunch.
I put the note down on my desk and left the room, hoping I would be back before Remi returned.
“Hi, Derek.” Remi’s sudden chipper tone startled me. I hadn’t even noticed the door opening, too focused on my work to pay any attention to my surroundings.
“Um, hi,” I replied in a whispered tone, too shaken up to do anything else.
“How’ve you been?” he asked, with a calmer tone this time.
It didn’t seem like he was mad at me, which was a good sign, right? Maybe that meant I hadn’t done anything to make him hate me as his roommate. Maybe I wasn’t the reason he hadn’t been living here for months.
“Um, good?” I replied, sounding unsure even to my own ears.
He still stood in front of the door awkwardly. Was he nervous? “That’s good. I’m sorry I sort of moved out and didn’t tell you about it.” He tried giving me a smile, but it looked as tense as it likely felt forcing it out.
“Oh, so you did move out?” I asked, not happy knowing I had been such a horrible roommate he’d actually wanted to leave.
He nodded, then moved to sit on his bed. “Yeah, I lived with my girlfriend, or now ex-girlfriend.”
What would be the best way to reply to that? I had never given other people a second glance, not knowing what the whole thing about romantic partners was about. No one had ever caught my eye, but I found others could get really hurt over being broken up with. But I didn’t know if Remi had been dumped or not. In the end I settled for sympathy.
“Oh, I’m sorry to hear that.” I hoped it came out sincere, I was secretly happy having him back here, which reminded me. “Are you living here again then?”
He nodded. “I hope you didn’t take it personally that I left.”
