Chapter 13 #2
My shoulders ease as my eyes adjust to the light, and my mind slowly recalls the piano room, orange juice, and Levi carrying me to the parking lot. After that, I don’t remember anything except the slight clicking sound of a door.
I’m a deep sleeper, but I must’ve been drained like never before to allow Levi to carry me and put me to bed. I couldn’t argue with the voice he used or the look he gave me. There’s something about it that leaves no room for argument.
Why does he have that effect on me?
I look up and see Levi rubbing his eyes and focusing on what Jake says on the other end of the line.
Letting out a sigh of frustration, I grab my phone, which is on my bedside table. It displays in big, bold numbers and letters: 9:00 P.M. This means I took a two-hour nap, and I probably won’t be sleeping again until very late tonight.
“I’m sorry, I took a nap and forgot to set an alarm. I’ll make it up to you guys later.” Levi runs a hand through his hair. His nervous tell.
Jake’s voice is loud in the silent room. “Are you okay?”
“Everything’s fine.” He looks at me and smiles slightly. I do the same.
Even though I almost shit my pants when I saw him in the music room, if it wasn’t for him being there, things could’ve been a lot worse than they turned out to be.
Levi sits up. “Can I text you later?” After another goodbye, he hangs up. “How are you feeling?” He looks at my face, observing it like he did earlier.
Over the past couple of months, whenever someone asks me that question, I take a moment to feel how my body is doing so that I can give an honest answer. So, I do just that.
I feel well-rested and overall better, although I’m very thirsty. As I’m about to respond, my stomach growls loudly.
He laughs, brushing a hair off my face. “I guess that answers that question.”
As the tips of his fingers touch my cheek, goose bumps spread, catching me off guard. Levi doesn’t notice and instead pulls away and yawns again.
I’m suddenly self-conscious about how crappy I probably look. I’m not sure why. Levi has seen me every which way…almost every which way.
“I’m feeling either pizza or Chinese. What about you?” He stands and stretches his arms out.
Tilting my head, dumbfounded, I ask, “Are we going to ignore the fact that you slept right next to me?”
His left brow rises, and his dark blue eyes feel as if they’re looking straight through me.
“I wanted to make sure you were okay.”
I shift until my legs are under me. He might not understand that he’s only the second man I’ve had in my bed, even if it was to sleep. Sleeping, even without sex, is something I find very intimate, but he had good intentions and was a perfect gentleman.
“Thank you, Levi.”
He shrugs. “Don’t mention it.”
“Pizza,” I blurt out.
Now both his eyebrows shoot up.
“On me,” I complete my thought.
He shakes his head and chuckles. “Pepperoni?”
I nod. Who doesn’t love pepperoni? Vegans and vegetarians are sure missing out.
“And mushrooms!” I say loudly before he dials the number.
Peering over his shoulder, he contemplates it before shrugging. “Fuck it. I’ll give mushrooms on pizza a shot.”
That makes me smile.
We take turns in the shower and put on our PJs, cueing up Gilmore Girls until the pizza arrives.
An extra-large pizza later, we’re two episodes in, and I’m still not tired. I thought the pizza would’ve helped with that, but if anything, it gave me more energy.
When the show pauses, Emily is giving Lorelai another one of her famous lectures.
I look at Levi, who’s staring at my leg. Moving my gaze to where his is, I see that I’ve been bouncing my knee harshly and cringe.
“Sorry.”
Levi continues to watch my leg. “Do you want to play a game?”
Huh? “Like a board game?”
“Like a drinking game.”
Confused, my mouth drops open. “Levi, you know I can’t drink.”
His mouth breaks out into a wide, mischievous grin. “Don’t you hate Mountain Dew?”
My body shivers at the thought of the soda. “Yes, very much.” It tastes like pee, and then it occurs to me why he might be asking. “If I drink that, you need to drink grape juice.”
After getting some blood work done before my neurology appointment the other day, a nurse gave me some grape juice instead of apple juice in case I felt faint.
I never ended up drinking it, and when Levi spotted it on the counter once I got back, he literally shivered as if it were poison.
Meanwhile, he only knows I hate Mountain Dew because he drank some right in front of me, and I grimaced, remembering the taste.
Levi’s face stills, and then he lets out a roar of laughter, which causes me to laugh as well.
“Fair enough, Bambi. I’ll be right back with two big bottles of Mountain Dew and purple piss.”
Still giggling, I wave to him while he puts his coat on. “You never told me what game we’re playing.”
Levi’s blue eyes twinkle in contrast to his long black hair. “Truth or drink.”
A few minutes later, my roommate is back.
“I’m assuming you’ve played truth or dare before?” Levi pours each of our drinks into Solo cups. I bite the inside of my cheek while confirming his assumption. “The only difference here is that we’ll ask the truth beforehand, and if one of us decides not to respond, we drink instead.”
He makes his way over and hands me a cup of the disgusting neon-looking drink he, for some reason, likes. He takes a seat across the couch, and we both cross our legs, waiting to see who will start.
“Why are we playing this?” I ask.
He shrugs. “If I’m going to help you with that list, I need to get to know you better. Why not make it fast and fun?”
Nodding, I put on my bravest face. “I’ll start. Do you believe in aliens?”
It was a lame first question, but Levi’s lips tilt up. He nods and says, “Absolutely. There have to be others out there.”
“Same here. Your turn.”
He takes a moment to look at me, my cup, and then back toward my face.
My heart beats the tiniest bit faster waiting for his question.
I don’t know why I’m nervous because when I think about it, there’s not much he can ask that I won’t answer.
I’m inexperienced when it comes to sex, having only been with Andrew, and I’ve never been one for drama… until this year.
“How old were you when you had your first kiss?”
I cringe at the memory. “Fifteen, with Humphrey Martinez. It was terrible.”
Levi laughs. “Okay, the first two are always the easiest.” He taps the edge of his cup. “Give me something good, Bambi.”
I roll my lips together, attempting to contain my smile. We’re playing this game like children. The shitty questions and virgin drinks. He’s right, we need to up the playing field a bit.
Looking around the room, I ponder what I should ask to help me get to know Levi better. Something deep and meaningful. Something about his dating life? Possibly. He knows more about mine than I do about his, except for the one ex he mentioned.
“Were you and the girl in the picture you have in the kitchen high school sweethearts?”
Levi lets out a sigh and runs a hand through his hair. “We weren’t together for years or anything like that. It was only for a few months at the end of our senior year. So, to answer your question, no.”
I nod, assessing him like he did me earlier. There’s more to the story, that’s for sure. It’s either about her or something else that happened in high school. Levi’s too good-looking of a guy to have only dated one person when he was a teenager.
He clears his throat. “My turn. How many relationships have you been in?”
Shaking my head and looking down at my cup, I think about taking a sip of the neon-colored soda. Levi is nonjudgmental, and this isn’t the shittiest question he could’ve asked me. This is also something a close friend would want to know, so time to put on my big-girl pants.
“It’s only ever been Andrew.” At the words, I feel a slight twinge of sadness.
Luckily, it isn’t nearly as bad as it was the first couple of weeks of everything happening.
Time really does heal all wounds. Memories of regret fill my mind, and something compels me to continue my answer even though I know I don’t have to.
“One of his friends who was in a class with me introduced us during our freshman year. He wasn’t my type.
Then again, I didn’t know what my type was.
Personality has always mattered more to me.
” I grab the water near me and sip, leaning my head against the couch cushion.
“At first, I wanted nothing to do with him. He chased me around like a puppy dog and asked me out a few times. Every time I said no. He never pressured me, but the boy was persistent. After I rejected him the second time, Andrew said he would wait until I was ready.” I wave my hand in the air dismissively.
“I didn’t understand what he meant at the time, but by the end of the first semester, we became friends.
After that, I started to like him.” I sit up, wanting to relieve the pressure from the pent-up anger growing inside me.
“I believed that he was this amazing guy who would love me and had the potential to be the person to help me grow out of my shell. We would see new places and do great things.” Shrugging, I take another sip of water as regret fills my veins.
“Little did I know he would do the exact opposite.”
Looking at Levi, I find his eyes full of empathy and something akin to anger.
“Was he abusive? Did he ever lay a hand on you?”
I push off the cushions, shaking my head emphatically.
Levi looks like he’s about to storm out of the room and hunt Andrew down.
“No, he never did anything like that.” Levi lets out a deep, shaky breath.
“He was a douche, but he never would’ve done that.
” Seeing my roommate open his mouth again, I quickly tap my cup.
“My turn.” Enough is enough. He needs to calm down.
He shuts his mouth and dips his chin. Now that he knows even more about my dating history, I need and want to learn more about his. I mean, it’s only fair.
“Have you ever had your heart broken?”
Levi looks at me, his jaw twitching, and lifts the cup slightly off his leg where he’s leaning it against. Disappointment fills me, but it’s his choice whether to respond. I look away, waiting for him to take a sip. I not only answered his question, but expanded on it—
“Yes. Once.”
My eyes meet his in surprise. I tilt my head, hoping that he’ll explain more. After a beat passes by, he stands, opens the fridge, and brings out a beer.
I try to hide my surprise. Shit’s about to get real.
“If I’m going to tell you this story, I need a real drink.” He waves the bottle opener. “So, if you don’t want me getting tipsy, say the word and I can tell you the story another time.”
I narrow my eyes at him because I now realize that this is more of a challenge. Sure, he’s nervous and is dreading talking about this person, but he’s trying to see how curious I am about his past.
The answer is way too curious. I’m too invested and too intrigued to say no. And it’s beer, not shots.
Releasing an exaggerated breath, I point to the fridge. “At least bring me a decent soda while you’re at it.”
One side of his mouth tilts up, and he fishes out a can of blackberry ginger ale. It’s not a common flavor. I brought about two boxes with me when I moved here. It’s comforting and reminds me of home.
Levi hands me the cold can, and I place the Mountain Dew on the side. Meanwhile, he takes the same seat, but keeps his face forward as if he can’t tell me the story while looking me in the eye. He takes a large swig of his beer and starts the tale of his first heartbreak.