Page 1 of Oblivious Roommate

Chapter 1

Cassian Lastra is the straightest guy I know, so… how is he gay?

My ears ring with the words he just said, and I can hardly comprehend what else is coming out of his mouth, because he’s serious. He’s serious.

Cass, my best friend since high school, has just come out to me.

In my room. Casually leaning back on my bed, where we’d spent so many afternoons studying for finals or chatting. Back then, time didn’t seem to exist. Back then, it felt as if he’d be in my life forever, but we ended up going to different colleges and… things changed.

Evidently, they changed for him much more than they had for me.

“B-but… but you’re…” I gesture from his handsome face to his chest, unable to put into words what I mean without being offensive.

Because Cass is built. He’s always had that Italian swagger I could never live up to, green eyes to make girls swoon, and since he’s over six foot, even I’m shorter than him. And he wears Timberlands every day in case there’s a hiking opportunity. How could that man be gay? How could I have not noticed?

How… could he have kept that secret from me?

Cass pushes a shiny black curl behind his ear and lowers his gaze before pinning me with it so sharply I cannot move. Or breathe. Or think.

“I didn’t think it mattered. But since we’re going to live together... you should know.”

I jump to my feet from the old swivel chair by my desk. “No, no, it doesn’t!” It so fucking does. “I mean, it’s great, I… I’m proud of you?” Is that a thing to say? I’m so out of my depth here I might as well be down the Mariana Trench.

Cass laughs, and goddamn, I missed that soft, raspy sound so bad. It’s like warm cocoa poured straight into my ears, and it’s been almost two years since I’ve heard it in person.

We have been chatting, of course, but the screen can’t convey how much his body changed, and so here I am, staring at a man I know so well yet who now feels so different.

Fuck, I should have gone to the same college as him instead of following a high school girlfriend like a dumbass.

After all, friends are supposed to be forever, and I ditched mine for a girl who ended up dumping me.

Cass pulls his feet up, Timberlands still on, and crosses his ankles as he regards me with a small smile. “Calm down, it’s okay.”

“So… Why didn’t you tell me sooner? I’m not homophobic. You know that, right? I watched Queer Eye and everything!” My heart is racing like mad and I can’t stop assessing him. His shoulders are so much broader than they used to be, his dark hair got a bit of length, and when he rolls up his sleeves, I notice there’s definitely more hair on his forearms than there used to be.

I glance at the golden sheen over my own skin. Is it more masculine to have thicker hair? I don’t know what to think anymore.

Cass licks his lips and plays with the ties of his boots. “I know you’re not, but I only came out after starting college, and it wasn’t something I wanted to tell you over video chat. But then we didn’t get to see each other after the first year, and I kind of decided not to rock the boat after that.” He shrugs. “I guess a part of me did worry that you might start seeing me differently, and you are my best friend. I didn’t want us to lose touch.”

Only that was exactly what happened.

Not entirely, of course, since the two of us talked on a regular basis, and even watched football games together while on video chat, but over time, our interactions became shallower, as if Cass didn’t want to discuss private stuff. It hurt, but I didn’t know how to bring it up.

I decided to transfer and join Cass at Springton University right after my high school girlfriend ditched me for her pastor’s son.

Which was what brought us to this moment.

I laugh nervously. “Well, we’re gonna have all the touch now.” I freeze when he raises his brows. “No, like in the… We won’t be touching, just in touch. But you can touch other guys of course, or bring them over or whatever, because it will be our apartment, so yours too, and I’m not gay, but if you are, that’s perfectly fine, and not a problem for me.”

Kill. Me. Now.

Cass beams at me, his smile so handsome I can just imagine he has guys hitting on him night and day. “Calm down, I get it. And we’ll have separate bedrooms anyway, so I’m not bothered if you bring a girl over either. I’m sure you need to spread your wings now that Emily is no longer in the picture. I can introduce you to some of my friends who might be just your type. I know you like dark hair,” he says with a wink.

Something inside me does a backflip, and I clench my sweaty fists, unsure what to do with the sudden tension. Seeing him in person is doing all sort of weird things to me that I have no words to describe.

“Y-yeah, but I gotta play the field a little, you know? I’m not jumping right back into a relationship. And I wanna spend time with you. You can show me all the nature trails around campus.” Now that hanging out with Cass is in the picture, dating can definitely wait.

Cass’s green eyes glint, letting me know I said the right thing. “I miss us going out into nature together. Haven’t had a steady camping buddy since I left for college.”