“You mean to move in with you?” That was sudden, even for me. “But…”
“I know, it’s insane. But it can be temporary, just until the school puts you somewhere else if you want. But I can’t have you going back there with that psycho bitch. Do you know she gave me your number?” He looked guilty and I stared at him.
“What?” I didn’t understand.
“That’s how I knew your number, to text you. She came up to me at a party that first night and gave me your number. Said you both wanted to have a good time.”
“That fucking bitch! And you fucking slut!” I laughed at the last part. “I should be pissed about that, but I can’t be. It brought me you.”
It had been a game for so long that eventually, I forgot to ask him how he’d even got my number. Now I knew. Fucking bitch Rachel gave it to him. On the first night!
Which meant she’d been playing with me this whole time!
“Fuck. Fine, I’ll take your room.” I didn’t want to, but what other choice did I have? “But only until I can be placed somewhere else. This is too new for living together type stuff.”
The look he gave me said “sure” but I had a feeling he didn’t exactly mind the idea of us living together. I’d figure it all out later, I decided as we headed back to the dorm. I dug out the stuff I needed right away, and we put it in all the bags I had. The rest I’d have to go back for, but for now, my life in the dorm was over.
I went down to let them know I was leaving the dorm room and why, and I was sent to someone that was in charge of placements. The girl there was horrified and promised to get on it right away but said it might take some time. Most of the dorm placements were gone right now.
For the moment, it didn’t bother me. I had Keith to rely on, and that made everything so much easier to handle. Our hands were full of bags as we went out to the taxi he’d called, or I suspect we’d have held hands as we left the campus. I just hoped he wouldn’t regret the whole thing.
Chapter Nineteen
Celia
“Celia, what do you mean you’ve moved in with a boy?” My mom was horrified on the other end.
“It’s not like that, Mom. Calm down.” Well, not exactly like that I thought to myself as I glanced over at Keith. He was cooking a vegetarian dinner for us, and she’d called as I waited. “I had an incident with my roommate.”
“What happened, honey? Are you alright?” I could feel her concern over the miles that separated us.
“I’m fine. She just…” I sighed and looked up at Keith. He smiled a smile that told me to be brave. “She cut all my hair off while I was asleep.”
“But that’s assault. Or battery. One of those. Isn’t it?” Mom sounded near to hysterical, so I knew I had to calm her down.
“It’s being taken care of, Mom. Calm down.”
“But baby, things like that aren’t supposed to happen. And who is this boy?”
I heard my Nan in the background, cackling. She would love this.
“A boy I started seeing, Mom. I’ll send you a picture later, yes.” I said with exasperation. “Look, he’s making us dinner. I’ll send you an email later with the address here, and a GPS location, okay? And yes, pictures too.” I laughed at her last prompt for pictures and told her goodbye.
“She alright?” Keith asked as he sautéed onions to make a gravy with.
“I think so. She’s so nervous about me being so far away.”
“As she should be. The world can be dangerous, for all of us.” He swished the onions in the pan with a flick of his wrist and went back to letting them cook. I walked over to him and put my arm around his waist.
“Have I said thank you today?” I asked him and looked up with a happy face.
“A million times. You’re welcome.” He kissed my nose and smiled. “Are you sure you don’t mind my hair?”
“I think it’s sweet that you wanted to cut yours in solidarity with me, but it wasn’t necessary.” I bounced up to kiss his cheek and stepped away. “I needed that nap I had while you were out, though.”
“I thought you might. That must have been terrifying to wake up to and find out that she did that while you were sleeping.”
“It was. But you’ve saved me from any more of her games.” I went to the small table in the kitchen and set two plates down, along with the silverware and two wine glasses. He’d taken a bottle of red wine out of the cellar and opened it to breathe. Whatever that meant.
We had two glasses each over the rather delicious meal he made and were both giggling by the time we’d cleared the dishes and went into the living room. I glanced at the couch and felt my cheeks flame. The spot where he’d taken my virginity. I’d love that couch for the rest of my life.
When we first got to the house earlier, he’d shown me to my room, on the second floor. I had my own bathroom up there, and there were a few other rooms that he said were empty. He’d explained about the house then, how his parents had died and left it to him. It broke my heart to think of him here alone, but I knew he hadn’t been alone at all in the last week.
We’d been together every moment I wasn’t at work or in class. We’d even studied together when we weren’t naked together.
“If you don’t mind, I’m going to shower. I need to get today off of me,” I whispered as he led me into the room.”
“That’s fine. I need to do a little classwork anyway. Take your time.” He kissed me softly and I left him to go upstairs. I didn’t even know which room was his, but he’d said it was downstairs. I showered quickly, combed my hair, and went back downstairs. I checked the clock and saw that I’d taken less than twenty minutes. With a happy bounce to my step, I went back down the stairs.
I found Keith in the living room, a textbook in hand.
“You’re naked,” he noted with a smile.