Chapter 8 7

• PERCIE
• I called Grandpa that night after coming home from dinner at Ward’s house. 
• “Are you sure it’s a good idea to live with a young woman on the same roof? I’m not worried about you, but about that girl. She’s a cop’s daughter, Percival.” He sighed from the other line.
• “And what is the problem there? She won’t stay here long once she finds a roommate.” 
• “And if she won’t? You’re a young man, Percival. How about the temptations? When was the last time you get laid? Or jerked off yourself?” 
• My face heated with embarrassment. Why grandpa had to remind me of my boring sex life? Jeez. 
• “Jesus, Grandpa. Can we not talk about my sex life, please?” I rolled my eyes. This is not the topic I wanted to talk about with him, but he had a point. 
• “Up to you, Percival, but if it helps you improve your social skills, then go ahead. Just treat her right, and behave, okay?” 
• “I’m not that a grade-A jackass, Grandpa, especially not to a woman. And please, don’t remind me of my ex-boss because I’m not going to apologize for what I did.” 
• “How about punching your ex-roommate and kicking him out of the apartment?” 
• “I have rules, Grandpa. If he couldn’t follow simple rules, then I had to kick him out. I told him not to bring women to my apartment, but he didn’t listen to me, and he banged her on the kitchen island. My kitchen island.” I grimaced as the memory flashed back in my head. I shook off that thought. 
• “You’re gross and rude, Percival. You could have given him a warning not to kick him out while that poor girl still around.” 
• I clenched my jaw. Still my fault, huh?
• “I know. That was a jerk moved, but my anger took over me. I felt bad for that girl, but I was not sorry for him.” 
• “Whatever, Percie. As long as you’ll keep your junk inside your pants, I have nothing against it. Just remember she’s a lady.” 
• “I know, Grandpa. Don’t worry about my junk. She’ll move in here next week. And I have something to tell you that I’ve been thinking about lately.”
• “What is it?”
• “I want to search for a job, Grandpa.” 
• He chuckled. “Don’t bother, Percival. The semester is about to start. Focus on your study. Make me proud, son. I’ll increase your allowance. I have enough money to pamper you. Just be a good boy.” 
• I felt guilty because he didn’t know much of what I did lately, and I had no plan on telling him. “You don’t have to do that. The last one was enough.” 
• “Then why did you work in that repair shop if it was enough? Don’t tell me you wanted to keep yourself busy because I know that’s a complete bull. I was just waiting for you to ask, but you never did.” 
• It was not enough that was why I had to work. I was beyond grateful for having my grandparents, supporting me. What they did to me was too much, and I didn’t want to abuse their generosity.
• “You worry too much, Grandpa. I’m just doing fine.” 
• “Just don’t search for another job. You need to focus on your study. And stay away from trouble, Percival. Emma won’t be happy with what you did.” He just had to remind me over and over again. 
• “Thanks, Grandpa. Keep taunting me of my own guilt.” 
• “You’re welcome, junk head.” 
• I groaned. "Say hi to Grandma for me.” 
• “Okay. Bye.” 
• Grandpa sent someone to clean the whole apartment two days ago. It was spotless. Although I never touched too much of this apartment, I still kept it clean after I made a deal with Grandma. 
• I woke up early and brewed coffee. I took a shower, shaved, and brushed my teeth while waiting for the coffee. I checked my phone after dressing up in a gray HSU shirt and jeans. I reminded myself that today Hailey would be staying here with me.
• Keith: Percie, we’ll be there in an hour. Miss my handsome face? 
• Remind me again how he became a cop? I rolled my eyes. 
• Percie: Let me take a sip of my coffee before I gag. 
• Keith: I know you miss me, son. Stop the brooding already. See you later. 
• Percie: I’m glaring. Wear a ski mask. 
• Keith: Wear makeup. 
• Percie: Come naked instead.
• Keith: You wish. 
• Percie: Can’t Hailey just come over without you? 
• Keith: She can. I’d rather stay in bed naked than coming to you. Winks. 
• I grimaced.
• Percie: Ur impossible 
• Keith: Ur adorable 
• Percie: g2g 
• Keith: Later 
• I brought the mug with me on the couch after pouring hot coffee. If I wasn’t arrested that day, I wouldn’t meet Keith and his family. I was still in my tedious black and white life. My life was still boring, though. At least, I had someone to call a friend. Keith didn’t pry me about my life. That was what I was thankful for. 
• I met Hailey once during her college tour. When her dad called me two days ago to help Hailey, I didn’t think twice because she didn’t have made friends yet. 
• I saw her immediately sitting on the bench under the tree. I walked in her direction awkwardly. She noticed me before I could get closer to her. I looked down to the path I was walking, counting my steps in my head.
•  
• I cleared my throat when I was about a few feet away. 
•  
• “Hi.” 
• She didn’t look up to me. Her hands were still on the bag on her lap, but I thought I heard her say hi back. 
• What was I going to do with her? I was a little bit rusty at communicating lately.
•  
• I drew a huge breath. “Are you ready to go? Did you bring your schedule?” I asked her because I knew she was done with enrollment. 
•  
• She just nodded. Jesus, this was going to be hard for both of us. Or she was just shy when I was with her? 
• She stood up. 
•  
• “Let’s go then.” I motioned my hand to where we headed to. 
•  
• She didn’t move, so I walked ahead of her. Then I noticed her following behind me. I paused, and she almost bumped into my chest. 
• She gasped her hand on her chest.
•  
• “Can’t you at least say a word? You’re not mute or deaf. So please, at least tell me about the course you took, or how did you find the school so far? The campus. Did you make any friends? Or how about you tell me a word about yourself, then I’ll tell you a word about me.” I wanted to pull my hair out of my frustrations. 
•  
• “Um, scare,” she whispered without looking at me. 
• “Scared? With what?” What the fuck?
•   
• “With you,” she answered right away.
•  
• I sighed. “I would never hurt you, Hailey. Why are you scared of me?” I asked desperately. 
•  
• “You look scary.” She was still looking at her hands and never made any eye contact with me again.
•  
• I touched my face. What made Hailey scare of me? Do I really look like a monster? I had a thin line scar, but it wasn’t visible unless you took a closer look. 
•  
• “How am I look scary, Hailey?” I placed my hands on my hips, waiting for her answer. 
•  
• “You’re brooding all the time.” 
•  
• I felt the smile spread across my lips. “Oh, that bothered you, huh? I thought you read scary books all the time.”
• “No, I don’t.”
•  "Look, Hailey. I don’t have a reason to smile. The world has turned back on me a long time ago. But I promise I won’t hurt you, and I will try not to look scary, okay?” 
•  
• She nodded.
•  
• “Good.” We started walking towards the building when I recognized who are approaching us. My ex-roommate. 
•  
• “Got a play toy already, Matthews?” Rhys snorted. 
•  
• “Fuck off, Rhys, or I’ll break your jaw again.”
• He laughed, leaving us.
•  
• “Sorry about that. He was my roommate for a month. I kicked him out.” 
• Hailey said, okay. Really? That’s all? 
•  
• “Your turn.” 
• I was confused.
•  
• “A word about yourself.” 
•  
• “Oh, that. Brooding.” 
• Her eyes widened. “I know. I said that already.” She frowned.
•  
• “That doesn’t count?” 
• She shook her head. 
•  
• “Okay. Um, ugly.” 
• She sighed. 
• I pressed my lips together to hold my smile. 
•  
• “Okay, Art. I love to draw. To sketch, I mean. I like to sketch.” 
• She smiled. Her eyes glittered. 
•  
• “But I stopped.” 
• She frowned all of a sudden. Jesus, we were like kids.
•  
• “Your turn. And don’t tell me, read because I knew it already.”
•  
• “Grocery.” 
• I stopped to a halt. ”Grocery?” I snorted. ”Why?”
•  
• She added. “I never went to the grocery store since last year.” 
•  
• “And why do you hate grocery stores?”
•  
• “My brother was killed.” 
• I gasped. I froze in the middle of the hallway of the Literature building. A sudden chill swept over me. I ignored the students bumping into me. 
• I swallowed hard. I blinked my eyes many times to push back the thought in my mind. “I’m sorry, Hailey. I was being insensitive. You don’t have to tell me about it, but thank you for telling me.”
•  
• We started walking again. 
•  
• I didn’t say a word after that. Why did she have to talk something about her loss? Maybe she wanted me to understand why she was so withdrawn, or she wanted me to open up to her. Or maybe, she sensed my losses as well. But we weren’t there yet. It would take a lot of time. 
•  
• After our tour, I decided to take her to the nearest coffee shop. We chose a small table near the window. I ordered coffee while she chose a latte and donut too. She reminded me a lot of Emma, who loved donuts like her.
•  
• I broke the silence. "So, we’ll be roommates, huh?” 
• “I guess so. Don’t worry, you have all the space you need. I’ll stay in the room,” she said in a low voice. She grabbed her latte, running her finger on the top of the lid. 
•  
• “That’s not how roommates work. You don’t have to lock up yourself in your room Emma—” I froze. Shit! 
• My words or that particular word shocked her.
•  
• I blinked and cleared my throat. “Don’t ask.” 
• She blinked, then nodded. 
•  
• Why did I just call her Emma? Now she must be wondering who was Emma. 
•  
• “I can come to help you pack up your things,” I suggested. 
•  
• “I don’t have much. My dad and I can do it. Thanks, though.” 
•  
• “Okay, but if you need help, tell your dad to call me.” 
•  
• “Okay.” 
•  
• “I have rules, though,” I said, and that made her look at me instantly. 
•  
• “No boy or boys allowed.” 
• She smiled. She was cute when she did that. I blinked that thought away. 
•  
• “Okay.” 
•  
• “No girl or girls are allowed for me too.” 
•  
• “I don’t mind, Percie. I’ll stay in my room. Just warn me first if you have visitors,” she told me shyly.
•  
• “That’s one of the rules, Hailey. And it applies to both of us.” 
•  
• “So you don’t have a girlfriend?” Deep crimson spread across her cheeks. She wasn’t expecting to ask that question, and so was I.
• “No, Hailey. I don’t have a girlfriend.” 
•  
• “Sorry. It just came out.” She bit her lip. 
•  
• “Don’t apologize. You’re free to ask me anything.” I wanted to make her feel comfortable since we’d be roommates soon. It was crucial for us--to communicate and at least adjust according to our differences. I also wanted to know more about her. 
•  
• “Thanks for letting me stay with you.” She smiled. Despite her being so shy, her eyes made her look mesmerizing.
•  I shouldn’t have thought about her like this. I just couldn’t help it.
•  
• “You’re welcome, but it’s not free and not permanent.” 
• She flinched.
• “Just kidding, Hailey. You really have to loosen up around me. And if you won’t find a roommate soon, you can stay as long as you like. Your dad will help me pay the rent. So it’s your apartment too.” 
•  
• “Can I ask?”
•  
• “Sure.” 
•  
• “Do you have a sister?” 
• My breathing stopped. I felt a chill rush through me.
•  
• I shook my head. "No.”