Chapter Thirty-Seven Blake
Chapter Thirty-Seven
Blake
Housemate movie night. That was Palma’s big mistake. She got the idea the night before, before the robbery and way before the shit hit the fan, and made everyone promise to attend.
We’d gone into the weekend, so that night and Saturday night, Levi and I ended up going to wherever Creighton was, and that meant one of his nightclubs or his buildings.
It’d been nice and reminiscent of how it’d been in high school and my first three years of college.
I studied, then hung out wherever the guys were.
Sunday night, Creighton came to me, and he came to me every night since like our earlier routine.
He’d come after I went to bed, wake me up, and would be gone by the morning.
I wasn’t sure how I felt about him being gone before I woke, but since that was the only time all of us housemates saw each other, I wasn’t going to disrupt the peace.
Levi, however, had no problem disrupting the peace.
He never left, and we all came home that first Monday evening to find out that he’d cleared out the basement.
He renovated it and put in a bed, and it was now his room.
Levi moved in. Considering the fact that this was on-campus housing, I was certain he was violating some policy, but no one protested too loudly.
Palma thought it was hilarious.
Turns out she enjoyed having Levi around.
She shared that she enjoyed his flirting, but also liked having him there because she knew he was there for my safety.
I don’t think she understood that Levi was more likely to be the danger than to protect against any danger, but she was enjoying his presence.
I had to admit that I liked having him around too.
He added comedic relief at times, and he also put Marshall in his place when he started to grumble about Levi’s presence.
However, that was only in the mornings because while everyone’s schedule was usually busy, the guys had previously spent the evenings at the house.
That stopped this week. The guys had taken to being gone and only coming in super late at night.
Palma wasn’t having it. Not for Housemate Movie Night.
We were ordering Chinese food. Drinks were going to be made. And there would be movies.
I was excited. I was also nervous because Creighton was joining.
My phone buzzed just as I was getting to the house, and I let myself in through the front door. I pulled my phone out, saw it was Creighton calling, and stepped inside to text him back.
Me: One second. Just got to the house.
“Yo,” Marshall hollered as he came down the stairs and headed for the kitchen. “Blake’s here.”
“Blake’s here?” Palma asked from inside the kitchen.
There were other voices in there, and as I shed my coat and bag, Palma moved around Marshall, heading my way. Her cheeks were flushed, and her eyes were slightly dilated. The alcohol breath told me she’d been partaking before I got here.
“Hi.” She was beaming.
“Hi.” I softened. She hadn’t enjoyed Marshall and Heath’s absence this last week, so it was nice to see her smiling again. I nodded in the direction she’d just come from. “Who’s all in there?”
“The guys. Plus Niko.”
“Niko?”
She frowned, her eyebrows furrowing together.
“Yeah. That confused me, too, but she showed up a half hour ago and announced that she’d be joining for the movie night.
I have no idea how she even knew about it.
” Palma shifted a little closer, lowering her voice.
“It’s kinda funny, actually. She scared Marshall.
He wasn’t expecting to see her and then total high-pitch shriek.
Funniest thing I’ve seen in a long time.
She’s just standing in there, against the wall and watching.
The guys keep looking at her like she’s an apparition that they can’t believe they can see, you know?
I’ve met her one other time. I forgot how pretty she is. But anyways, your boys are coming?”
“My boys?”
“You know.” Her cheeks pinked even more. “Our sixth roommate and your man.”
My body heated, just at the mention of Creighton.
I coughed, embarrassed.
“Oh my gosh. You’re adorable when I bring him up. I mean, you’re not blushing, but you get this whole sheepishness that comes over you,” Palma gushed. “So Levi is coming, right?”
“I don’t think anyone could keep Levi away, not if you told him there’s food and booze.” I gave her another assessing look before motioning for her to follow me upstairs after grabbing my bag. “What is going on with you and my foster brother?”
She tried to shrug it off, acting all casual. “I don’t know. I mean, I don’t mind having him around. You know that. He’s here to keep you safe. I think that’s sweet.”
I guffawed, mostly because she’d already told me that part earlier in the week. “I call bullshit.”
“What?”
“You know what. That’s not the only reason you enjoy having him around.” I bulged my eyes out at her.
She began laughing.
I led the way into our shared area. “Anything happen between you two?”
She groaned, pressing her palms against her forehead.
“No. I wish!” She immediately blushed again.
“This is so ridiculous of me. I’m acting like a schoolgirl with a crush, but I like him.
It’s just been flirting. He makes me feel nice.
” She straightened abruptly, her face falling.
“Unless he’s a flirt with everyone? Is he?
Am I being stupid and getting my feelings involved when it means nothing to him?
He is, isn’t he? He’s just a flirt, and I’m reading into things.
Maybe I should back off. Put some distance between us.
Never mind. Don’t say anything. I’ll do that.
It’d just be smart of me.” She groaned, pressing her palms to her forehead again.
“Though, he’s no Brad Grundle the fifth.
He’s hot. And funny. And”—she was growing flustered—“he’s dangerous too.
I shouldn’t find that hot. I know that, but I can’t help it.
I’m being a stupid girl. I have to stop.
” She fanned herself before waving at me.
“Okay, okay. You do what you need to do. Come down when you’re ready.
The guys ordered a ton of food so everyone can pick what they want.
Oh, and the movies start soon. Do you want us to wait for you? ”
I waved her to go on without me.
I needed a minute to myself, and after changing into some leggings and Creighton’s hoodie from the first night we got together, I sent him a text.
Me: Call now?
He didn’t respond right away, so I tucked my phone into his sweatshirt and headed downstairs.
The food had arrived. The kitchen table had been moved so it was in the hallway that connected the living room, the extra sitting room, and the hallway that led to Niko’s room.
All the food was getting spread out on the table, along with a pile of silverware, dishes, and bowls.
Palma and Marshall were in the kitchen making drinks for everyone.
My phone buzzed, so I pulled it out to read the screen.
Eight: No need. Omw. Levi’s with me.
I didn’t respond, but surveyed the living room. Niko, Palma, Marshall, Heath, Levi, Creighton, and I were all going to be attending this movie night. Seven people. We needed places to sit. The sectional could comfortably fit four people. That left three for the floor?
“Coming in from behind you.”
I moved aside as Heath and Marshall were carrying a loveseat into the room. That’s when I realized the sectional had been moved closer toward the front and closer to the stairs. The loveseat was put on the other end, closest to the kitchen.
They left and returned with two gaming chairs, putting them on the floor. Heath motioned to them. “So people have options.”
Marshall returned, his arms filled with blankets. He dropped them on the floor in front of the sectional and loveseat.
“Should be plenty of room, but if this doesn’t work, we’ll have to get creative.” Marshall winked at me before disappearing into the kitchen.
Some of my tension eased. He knew Creighton and Levi were joining, and he seemed to be back to his old self.
That was good. Right? I hoped so. I felt Heath watching me.
He was quiet, standing in the back, there to help.
He wasn’t wearing his normal leather jacket, but was wearing another pair of black ripped jeans that clung to his legs along with a longer black hooded sweatshirt.
He gave me an awkward smile before averting his eyes.
“Here.” Palma came into the living room, holding two peach slushy drinks. She handed one to me before asking, “What do you think Levi and Creighton will want to drink?”
“Um.” The margarita looked good. “Levi will probably want one of those.”
“And your man?”
My man. Warmth bloomed in me. “Um. Nothing, probably. Water?”
“Awesome. Coming right up.”
Marshall came back into the living room and went to the food. He and Heath began filling their plates, and halfway through, Marshall glanced at me. “Might as well get some food and settle in.”
That’s when Niko arrived.
I took her in, not sure what I’d been expecting.
She was a little taller than me. Slender.
Long, sleek black hair that fell just beyond the middle of her back.
Asian. Niko moved into the living room with a quiet confidence.
Her eyes flicked to me, taking me in as I was taking her in.
I couldn’t read her, but suddenly I felt nervous.
“Hi.” I started to hold my hand out, but she moved back a step, so I put it at my side again. “I’m Blake. Uh, one of your housemates.”
She was wearing some sort of black dress where the top looked like an apron with thick straps and a choppy looking block that went over her chest. Underneath she wore a white lacy shirt that covered her arms. For her legs, she wore thick crocheted leggings.
It didn’t seem she was wearing any makeup, but she looked good. Comfortable too.
“I know who you are.” Her lips pressed together.
She continued to stare at me.
“You two weirdos going to stand there and stare at each other or get some food?”
Niko scowled at Marshall but moved to get in line for the food. “Don’t call me that. I’m more intelligent than you are.”
Heath laughed. “Burned by our roommate.”
Marshall rolled his eyes, but his top lip curved up. “I more meant that both of you are being odd. Just standing and staring. What? Hoping to become one with the wall or something? Get some food.”
Palma came back in the room, gave both gaming chairs a perusal. “Good idea, whoever thought of bringing these down. Anyone else need another drink?”
Marshall and Heath had come around behind me, and as I moved forward, both settled on that end of the sectional. There was a little table on the end where two drinks were already sitting. Marshall picked up one and handed it to Heath. The other was for Marshall.
Niko eyed the food with a certain amount of disdain, but her plate was full when she was done. She took the other side of the sectional. Pulling out a bottle from a pocket in the front of her dress, she set it on the little table beside her. The liquid itself was green and looked rich in texture.
“Blake? You going to eat?” Palma started to fill her own plate.
“Yes.” I put my drink aside and took a plate.
“Want to help me?” Palma asked me, indicating the other end of the table.
“Sure.”
We picked up the table and moved it so it was directly behind the couch.
Palma was eyeing the sectional as I came around behind her.
She gestured at the loveseat with her chin.
“I’ll let you and your guys figure out that seating.
” She claimed one of the gaming chairs, pulling it over so it was in front of the empty space on the sectional.
She arranged one of the heavier blankets over her lap.
When she was situated, she held a hand behind her. “Drink.”
Heath smothered a laugh as he handed her the glass.
I followed suit, using the little stand that Niko was already using. She moved her drink aside to make room.
“So.” Marshall raised his voice, holding the remote in his hand.
“We had a debate earlier on what movie to watch, and we nailed it down to three. Everyone gets a vote between Pretty Woman, How to Train Your Dragon, and Goonies. Who wants to watch Pretty Woman? Dragon? Goonies?” He sighed as Palma raised her hand for all three.
“Who doesn’t have an opinion about what we watch? ”
Heath, Niko, and I all raised our hands.
“Okay. Not helpful.” He pretended to scowl, pointing the remote at the three of us who didn’t care. “You chose not to have a vote, so you ended up voting by not voting. Don’t complain to me later. Since Palma voted for all the options, that means I get to pick the movie. Goonies it is.”
I hadn’t dug into my food because I was enjoying this.
Marshall was in a good mood. That meant Heath was as well.
Palma was giddy because we were all here.
Niko was quiet. She kept glancing my way.
The movie started.
That’s when the back door opened and Levi’s voice thundered, “Honey! We’re home.”
The relaxed vibe in the room vanished.