Chapter 17
SEVENTEEN
Alexia
"You're early," one of the other RAs says as I pass him in the hallway on my way to my office.
And yet he was still not the worst of the encounters. I inwardly cringe, remembering running into both Zachary and Marcus outside my bedroom. I'm choosing to ignore what I overheard. Just as I'm choosing to forget the way Marcus felt pressed against me last night in the kitchen.
Two and a half more months.
I can do this.
I can wake up, go to work, come home, work on my thesis, get my dream job and be out of that house in two and a half months.
I can do hard things.
I thought I had done hard things.
Like turning down Rhys's offer for dinner after all these years, hearing Marcus tell me he didn't want me dating other men and then having to literally watch him walk a half-naked woman to his bedroom, and then wait up all night like a chump with a plate of banana bread for a guy who was never going to show up?
All hard things.
Surely it can't get worse.
Right?
Ha. Funny.
I unlock my office and close the door, and hope the outside world will stay outside.
Two hours later, I'm jittery with caffeine and, thankfully, making a dent in some of the articles that Professor Pollack dumped in my email overnight, all with the subject line "TOP PRIORITY READ THIS FIRST."
Covered in highlighter and in need of a good back massage, I push up from my desk and hear my phone ping. I glance at the notification, but it takes a moment to register — I don't recognise the group it's from.
But once I do, I sink back into my desk chair and groan. In a brand new message group, titled "House Maaaaaates," Marcus's first message reads:
Chatbox: Housemaaaaates
Marcus:
Hey all. Throwing you all in this group for the sake of expediency when it comes to discussing house matters and also funny memes. But let's keep it clean, alright? There are sensitive, tender hearts and eyes in here. And Lexi.
Despite myself, I let out a laugh.
Apparently the comment isn't received the same way by everyone however, as the next notification shows:
Rhys has left the chat.
Marcus has added Rhys to the chat.
Marcus:
Chat rules. Hell, they're HOUSE rules too.
Rule 1. NO LEAVING THE CHAT
Rule 2. Check-ins are not optional. If you're not going to be home between the hours of midnight (for the normals, 3am for Zachie) and 8am, drop a line. No details needed...but always appreciated *wiggles eyebrows*
There's a pause and I wonder if he's done. But then:
Marcus:
Strike that. No details.
Honestly? Gotta agree with that one.
Marcus:
Rule 3. If you finish any pantry essentials, put it on the shopping list. If you don't and the camera footage shows you being the last to consume it, you will be put in pantry dungeon for 15 business days. Okay, 10. Fine, 5. You convinced my soft heart, you dirty rascals.
I let out a snort, getting up and heading to the staff room, still reading.
I might be confused about my feelings right now, but there's no doubt Marcus is funny.
Warm. And as much as living with him and the guys has made things confusing as all hell, he's also been a source of levity when I needed it.
He's also the man who forgot he had a gorgeous naked woman coming over while he was flirting with me in the kitchen.
I instantly stop smiling.
Marcus:
Rule 4. Every week, we have a housemates date night. We'll get together outside, have a BBQ, build a fire, tell each other all the things that happened to us during the week. A love-in, if you will. Team bonding.
Rhys has left the chat.
Marcus has added Rhys to the chat.
Marcus:
Dude. The was rule one. We literally just covered this. Consider this your first warning. You'll only get like 50, so ration them. To make up for it, you can say one thing you love about the rest of us.
Rhys has left the chat.
Marcus has added Rhys to the chat.
Marcus:
Okay. That's two. You're on probation now. I move that if Rhys commits one more infraction, we get to choose your ringtone for a week. Let me know if the rest of you are getting these messages
Zachary:
Received.
It's the first time someone other than Marcus has said anything in the group, and for a moment I stare at his name in the chat.
Marcus:
THAT'S your contribution. Z?
"Received." Like I'm but a parcel? Least you can do is sign for me. *pouts*
Despite myself, I laugh out loud again. How they've managed to maintain a group that has both Marcus and Leon without someone committing murder is beyond me.
Marcus:
And to demonstrate how the rules work, I'm officially giving advance notice that I won't be home till late tonight. Display home demo is this arvo. Phew. A year in the making. Nervous? Me? Never.
So you're all on your own for dinner. Sorry gremlins.
Zachary:
Sorry, mate, still can't make it, told you last week I've got that bourbon tasting to go to. You're gonna smash it though. Can't wait to hear how it goes.
Rhys:
I've got the job fair on tonight at the Exhibition Centre. Tried to get someone to cover but really couldn't swing it. Wish I could be there for you. But you're ready for this. Smash it.
They both mean it, how sorry they can't be at whatever Marcus is talking about. I might have a lot of deep seated issues with them, but there's no doubt how much they love and support each other. Display home demo. I wonder what that's about. I ask the only person I feel comfortable asking.
Alexia:
Leon, what's a display home demo?
Leon:
No “hello”? No “how are you best brother in the world”?
Alexia:
Answer the question then I'll go find the best brother in the world and text him.
Leon:
Wow. You give and you give and this is the kind of love you get in return.
Alexia:
Do you want me to tell everyone about what I found in your bottom desk drawer?
Leon:
I WARNED THEM ABOUT YOUR NOSY WAYS!
Fine.
It's when different construction companies build the demo homes based on the designer spec and a bunch of agents from the industry come and check out the work to decide who they're going to give contracts to.
It's pretty important. Can set a small construction company up for years.
Why? You getting bored of poli sci?
Alexia:
Shouldn't you be testing the flushing capacity of a toilet somewhere.
Leon:
Nah, lil sis. I don't mix business with pleasure.
Alexia:
Gross
Leon:
Promise you won’t tell anyone about the bottom drawer or else I'll show everyone the video of your second grade concert.
Alexia:
Deal.
I fill my travel mug with hot water, drop in a tea bag, and grab a macadamia white choc cookie from the jar as I ponder what Leon's told me. As I walk back to my office, I reread Marcus's message. It's clearly something important. I should text something back.
Good luck?
I'm sure you'll do great?
Get 'em, tiger?
Those are nice. Non-committal. Supportive.
Boring.
"Hey Alexia," I hear a voice as I turn into my hallway, and look up to see three stressed faces looking back at me. It's one of the groups from my third-year tutorial.
"What's up guys?" I ask, opening my office door and letting them in.
"We can't make sense of the instructions Professor Yamada emailed for our assignment last night. They're practically incoherent. And why is everything in caps?" Nora, the unofficial spokesperson for the group, says.
I laugh. "Nothing wrong with an incoherent email now and then."
"There is when it's 25% of your grade!" Nora exclaims and sinks into the couch.
Ah yes, undergrad, where everything is life and death. I sigh and gesture to the empty seats. "Okay, let's have a look and see if we can't make some sense of it."
They let out a collective sigh of relief, and for a moment, I forget that I have no place giving out advice to anyone.