I woke in the early morning. The night before felt hazy. In my living room there were three unconscious strangers and the place was messy. I opened the guest’s room door and I remembered how Matt and I dragged Tom inside as he was completely intoxicated.
Matt was a kind dude. He was studying IT at University. I didn’t know how old he was but he seemed to be 21 too, like me. Matt also loved classical music and he was pretty much into a lot of the things I loved. He loved animals and was volunteering for a conservation initiative which I had donated money in the past, and we both loved tennis. Our tennis heros: Federer and Ever.
“Good morning” I said. The two sleeping beauties didn’t move a flinch. I sat on the border of the bed. Tom’s lips looked extremely provocative. Yes I mean, I was still angry but…
“Hey…I’m so hungover”said Tom, waking up. “I’m sorry about yesterday, I was really drunk.” I noticed he had a small bruise where Matt hit him.
“Oh…you’re sorry.”I said punishing him.
“I am really sorry…I really like you so…” he said. Matt woke up.
“Oh no, don’t listen to him he always says the same thing…I don’t know how the other girls always…”Tom put his mouth on his face.
“Shut up” said Tom in a whisper. I rolled my eyes, that was to be expected of somebody like him.
“I’m not like those others…”I said. “Get out, you two.”
Both looked at me and we stared at each other in silence. I stood up and left the bedroom. Outside I laughed a little bit. I really didn’t care. I had done more weirder stuff in the past when I was drunk so…I wasn’t really angry. I felt I had to pretend because Matt was there, and I didn’t want him to think I was an easy girl or something. Matt exited the room.
“So I guess you’re not seeing him anytime soon aye?”said Matt I denied with my head.
“How old are you?” I asked.
“I’m 19. Are you 23 like Tom?” he asked. I denied with my head and started laughing. He blushed. “Why are you laughing?”
“I’m 21,” I said. I didn’t remember Tom’s age either. He was going to be 24 soon, I thought. I continued “So you’re still a boy…you’re so young!” I said laughing. Tom left the bedroom and I stopped. I pretended to be angry. He walked towards me.
“Can we talk alone for a sec?” he asked grabbing my arm.
“Sure…” I said, we went inside the laundry room.
“I’m sorry honestly…you’re so pretty and hot and I…I can’t stop thinking about you. I’ve never liked anybody as much as I like you. I am a man after all and you…I’m sorry. I really like you and…I dream about you every night. I always expect the moment to see you and talk to you. I…think I am in love with you.” he said. Was he declaring his love for me? Since when Tom had become a romantic figure? Maybe Matt was right and it was only one of his manipulative schemes.
“I think you guys have to leave…I’m busy today.” I replied.
“Are you seriously not going to reply?” he asked.
“Maybe I will in our date…” I said. Tom smiled and gave me a peck. We left the laundry room. Our phones received a notification at the same time. Wentersnow. We were invited to a presentation that day.
“Do you want to go for that…maybe we can have our date after…why leave it for later?” Tom asked, showing me his iPhone’s screen. I nodded. “Then, I’ll take a shower and…wear the same clothes as yesterday.” he said.
“You’re lucky because I washed the stuff last night.” I said back.
Tom went inside my bathroom to take a shower and I started to clean the mess. The strangers had left and Matt was helping me. Matt and I worked in silence until we saw each other face to face , Matt blushed.
“Sorry, go ahead…”he said, passing me a dirty glass. “What line did he tell you?” Matt asked. He then added “was it :The things that I feel for you I have never felt for anybody else, I’m sorry babe or was it I really like you, I think I am in love with you.” I stopped, shit, those were the things he told me. He then added. “Don’t be shocked, I know all his phrases. Don’t get me wrong, I love my brother but…I kind of had enough of his bullshit.”
“Oh yeah? Are you a superhero and he is a super villain?” I smiled and then I gave him a wet sponge. “Clean the surfaces slave…” I said. Matt smiled at me.
“You don’t seem too bothered…”he said. I mean I could overthink every word he said but…I wasn’t going to, not until they were gone at least.
“That’s because I know what I am doing…”I said, I was lying.
“Wow, you’re as scary as he said…”Matt said blushing again, he was cleaning well and his arms were very muscular. The 19 year old was hot alright!
“I know right” I said. Matt smiled and then got close to me.
“Did I do a good job?” I looked at everything, yes, good job kid. I smiled at him and ruffled his hair. At that moment he got close to my lips and kissed me. I pushed him away annoyed. What the fuck!
“What the hell do you think you’re doing?” at that same moment the bell rung and I left to the main door.
I looked through the peephole and it was Lui. His face was bleeding and he had a black eye. We opened the door and he fainted in front of me. I wondered of all places WHY it had to be my place? I wondered as well where the hell was Valeria. Had she left with Ben? I had no idea.
We dragged Luigi to the visitor’s room.
“Should we call an ambulance?” asked Matt, he then smiled “are you having an affair with him?” I denied.
“Of course not. Come on, look for some warm water and towels. Maybe that’ll help. If he doesn’t wake up then…ambulance. It will be a nice day for the press.” I said serious. Matt left us alone.
I inspected Lui. I had actually never looked at him properly. He was white, a bit lanky and he had his hair dyed black. I remembered the teenager him I watched on TV and they looked nothing alike. I tapped his face.
“Oi, mate…” I said. Nothing. His breathing was okay and he just seemed to be in deep sleep. I hesitated to move from bed but I really needed a shower. I approached the door when Matt came back. “I’m going for a quick shower and I’ll be back.” I said. Was I showering with Tom? Absolutely not.
I took my shower and took my time. I didn’t want to get out and have to deal with any bullshit. I went out like twenty minutes later and I wore a simple dress with a leather jacket. I tied my hair in a bun and went to the room again.
When I entered the visitor’s room again Lui was awake. He was sat by the window. Matt was gone and there was no sign of Tom anywhere either. I touched his shoulders and he turned to see me. I mean it was a super strange situation because Luigi had ended up at my house and not at one of his band members. It felt super out of the ordinary so maybe this was something to be with me…or to do with one of my friends.
“Hey, what happened to you?” I asked him, Luigi started crying immediately and I got close to him. I think for the past year or so that I had known him I had never seen him crying. Perhaps in the Brit Awards on TV when I was 15 but no more times than that.
“You’ll probably find out if you go on the internet…”he said, I sat on the bed. This was bad. This was really bad. Had somebody died?
“I would rather hear it from you first. I wouldn’t trust the internet.”
“Well, Liz and I broke up. It wasn’t pretty…before we came to your party everything was okay, but when we arrived here and Ale then joined us I couldn’t stop looking at her. She looked extremely sexy and also smelled nice. Of course I flirted with her. It was just natural, I was trying so hard to repress my desire but Liz has always been an intelligent woman. She had one conversation with Ale and realised she was totally The kind of woman who would be in my radar…meanwhile there was I, hoping that Liz would like her and we could have a threesome. I was dripping for Ale. Literally. I even came a little when she said my name. You know how’s that like!? Super embarrassing. Anyways. We get home and…she asked me about Ale. We got into a massive argument and I told her I had shagged her.” Lui said.
I tried to repress my laughter but it was almost unavoidable. I knew this was going to happen since I saw them in Ireland. It was a bomb and it had exploded the night before.
“Don’ t laugh!” he said ashamed. I just patted his shoulder.
“Continue then.” I said.
“Well. She was going to come here to beat Alejandra’s ass. I tried to stop her. That’s when she went bullistic! She started throwing things at me and punched me super hard. She also threatened me with a knife to cut me. I had to run away from the apartment. I came here looking for Ale, isn’t she here?” I denied with my head. I had not seen her since the night before. I supposed she could be with her boyfriend.
I hated relationship problems. One of the other reasons why I had not looked for anybody else since David and I broke up. Seven months ago already since then.
“You could stay here until she calms down…” I said. Lui looked at me.
“Oh no, she was arrested…for running with a knife in the middle of the street…naked.There are videos.”he said. “people are making a huge deal from…”
“Well, you were kind of shitty with your girlfriend but that doesn’t give her the right to abuse you.” I said. I sighed. “Stay here, yes? I don’t want you fainting out of exhausted again.”
“Okay then. I’ll pay your for this okay.” he said.
Money? Great. I was actually quite poor, I was a recent graduate who had been in holiday and didn’t want a boyfriend so… a knock in the bedroom.
“Annie. It’s time to go to Willimort.” said Tom outside.
Lui smiled broadly “You’re seeing Tom?”
“Not really…at least not yet.” I said blushing. “I have to go anyways but…you can stay here, there’s a good café across the street as you know…and I’m sorry about Liz. Look at the bright side now. You can go for Ale…” I winked and left him.
Matt and Tom were outside , I smiled at Tom and then at Matt.
“I can keep an eye of him if you want…”said Matt, I nodded.
“Should we go now?” asked Tom and I grabbed his arm. It was 3pm and we hadn’t had any food yet.
The concert was good as expected from a music conservatory. Our boss was enchanted with us being there and took us for drinks. It was a very cold day, and I really didn’t look at Tom once. I was busy talking to the boss and honestly distracted. I kept thinking about my friends and their problems, and I was lowkey was panicking about what Matt had said about his brother. We had dinner.
If you haven’t noticed, yes, we spent all the day with our supervisor and the other interns. It wasn’t really a date. Tom and I didn’t even speak. At 8pm everybody said bye and they went home. I was left alone as always because I forgot my scarf inside and I didn’t know where Tom had gone. My phone received a notification from him “twenty minutes by the entrance” it said. I waited there…8:20 and nothing, gave him a call: nothing. I waited a bit longer 8:40. Nothing. I asked the bouncer if he had seen him but nope. Inside I saw one of the interns still. I walked towards the guy.
“Hey dude. Have you seen Thomas around?” He smiled at me, he was drunk.
“Tom left an hour ago!” he said giggling. “Wanna drink with me?
I was angry okay. Why the hell did he sent me that text!? I took a regular taxi home. Nobody would leave me hanging like that. In the fucking cold! It was the biggest mistake anybody could make. Jesus, I fucking hated Tom and I was an idiot for almost fucking him.
Back in my apartment I threw the door as I entered, “What a day!” I yelled. I then remembered that the house was not empty. Matt and Lui were sat in the living room checking some of my photo-albums.
“Hey guys…what are you doing?” I asked. “sorry for yelling.” I got close to them and I sat in the middle between them. “Has Valeria not come back yet?” I asked, both looked at each other and laughed.
“For like fifteen minutes and then Ben came for her…”said Luigi, “she had the hots for Matt for like two minutes…”
“You’re wrong…” said Matt blushing. “she was just kind to me, that’s it. Anyways, why are you here? I thought Tom and you…you know. Date…?
“Your brother…let me tell you something about him that YOU should tell him. He means nothing to me, NOTHING. Nobody leaves waiting…he like ghosted me.When you see him tell him never to come near me or to this house and TELL him, tell him that you’re the better kisser as well!” Lui’s eyes went out of his face.
“You’re such a player! You kissed him?” He asked I denied.
“Not really…”I said. Matt blushed.
“ I was the one who kissed her this morning…I misunderstood the situation and…”
“Don’t you think you’re being a bit mean with Tom?” Lui asked.
“Nobody…NOBODY I SAY, NOBODY LEAVES ME WAITING…” I kind of yelled.
“What if we all calm down?” Tom said entering the apartment. Lui and Matt ran away and left us alone.
Oh I wanted to kill him. Maybe it was just not a big deal but…Matt’s words had entered my brain and I couldn’t stop thinking about what he said. I was the stupid one, everybody was laughing at my back…maybe the reason why he had left me hanging was because he was fucking some rando…
“ Let me explain… Richard made me take pictures right? He then made me go to the office and put then online…I’m sorry…”he said. “You’re so angry and I’m so tired…I mean I really don’t want any trouble with you…you’re not even my girlfriend…” and perhaps he shouldn’t have said that.
“Leave.” I said.
“I said I was sorry…! It wasn’t a huge deal. Come on” he said. I felt like a fucking teenager again. In agony due to some dick. Hasn’t he even heard himself?
“Tom, I told you to fucking leave!” I yelled. He grabbed my wrist.
“It is not a fucking huge deal Annie. I promised a date and we could go now…” he was grabbing me tighter as I was trying to get loose.
“Leave her alone Tom.” said Matt entering the room. Tom laughed.
“What the fuck Matt…are you serious?” said Tom. “Do you have a crush on her or something? You don’t even know her…” he said.
“Well…I don’t but she did tell you to let her go. You have to do that and leave now. I’m sure she’ll calm down, but you’re being an equal dick to her.” he said. Had he heard everything? Oh my God, we were supposed to be the adults! I calmed down.
“Okay. Let me go now and we can deal with each other another day. It was a long day and…”
“Oh no, we’re going on that date Annie. We’re fucking going because that’s what you really want with me don’t you? We will be a fucking happy family together…the three of us.” Tom said sarcastically? Was he jealous or just an idiot? I didn’t know.
“You both have to leave her alone. I think…”said Lui. “I usually don’t get into other’s people’s bullshit but…Tom, last night you were a dick and tried like to rape her and Matt. You’re a fucking stranger. Like who even are you? I know Tom but you…you’re just some kid.”
Tom finally released me and walked towards the door.
“Okay then. I’ll leave. Let’s go Matt.” he said. Matt walked towards the entrance door.
“Thanks for your hospitality Annie.” Matt said and they both left.
Lui and I saw each other for a second. Yes, we had very dramatic lives. Tom and I were over this time and I was done with all the drama. Goodbye drama.
At 11 Lui and I were watching a film together when Valeria arrived. She was all happy and jumping around and we noticed. She had an engagement ring on. At least somebody had a good night.
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