Chapter 3
Chapter Three
LEVI
My final student of the day finishes playing “Holiday” by Green Day after two weeks of practicing for his after-school band. I high-five him as I pack my things to leave. I see I’m already late to meet the gang when I check my phone.
Fuck, it’s already seven p.m., and it seems like the Scooby Gang, my best friends’ group chat, is blowing up. At first, I see it’s to confirm our plan to meet at Roxy’s after Kamila’s Zumba class, and I shoot them a quick message letting them know my status.
Me: I’ll be fifteen minutes late, leaving a student’s house in Kingston now.
Kamila: See you there.
Jake: Tell your student I think he’s doing a great job!
Emma: You’ve never even seen him play.
Jake: He doesn’t know that.
Emma: His mom will think you’re recording the lessons. Don’t do it, Levi!
Kamila: On second thought, please hurry. These two are right next to me and are driving me insane.
Me: Jake, stop being a pain in the ass. Em, I won’t tell him that, calm down. Kami, I’ll be there ASAP.
Kamila: Save yourself, they’ve started arguing in the car, and I’m in the back seat like I’m their child.
Scoffing at my idiotic, yet lovable friends’ theatrics, I tuck my cell away and reach my grandma’s old car that thankfully still works because of my most recent repairs at the shop back home during the holidays.
I open the back seat doors and place my hard electric guitar case under my acoustic one, and the small amplifier I use during lessons.
On the road, I blast “Go Your Own Way” by Fleetwood Mac, which has been stuck in my head since Sunday night. And that’s because of one Stevie Winters.
I’ve seen her three more times since yesterday’s fucking fantastic pancake feast when I walked into the kitchen with the woman wearing an old-style short nightgown.
The image of her singing Stevie Nicks quietly, while swaying her hips and flipping around the tastiest blueberry pancakes I’ve had to date, flashes in my mind.
I didn’t have much of an opportunity to hear her voice due to her being so fucking quiet, but I’ve never had a more entertaining breakfast.
The surprise and embarrassment of her assuming that I was gay will forever be etched into my brain.
I wasn’t offended, especially after knowing what she and her parents had found online.
Those sleazy tabloids sure know how to manipulate pictures.
Instead, her reaction almost made me piss my pants. I’ve never seen someone run that fast.
Since our brief conversation about her family and best friend, I’ve been waiting for her to tell me what her condition is.
I haven’t seen her take any pills, but those are easy to hide.
I’ve been observing her when I can and have noticed three things.
First off, she likes baggy seventies-style clothing.
Secondly, she’s somewhat reserved, but at the same time, it doesn’t seem like she’s shy.
I’d lean more toward being careful. There’s a lot more than meets the eye when it comes to Stevie.
And thirdly, she’s private. Not that that’s a bad thing, especially when it comes to the roommate situation.
Hell, I’m happy that I get more alone time, yet I can’t help my curiosity as to what makes her, her.
Pulling into the parking lot behind Roxy’s, I open the front door a minute later and find Jake, Em, and Kami in a booth.
I’m surprised when I don’t see Kamila’s boyfriend, Cameron.
They’ve officially been together for only a little over a month now, but they’ve been attached at the hip since then, and they’re nauseatingly adorable.
I’m happy for her, she deserves someone to love her as much as he does.
Em is the first one to spot me, and she smiles like we haven’t seen each other in months instead of three days.
“Levi’s here!” she shouts.
I walk faster toward the small blonde girl who just yelled.
“Hey, Levi’s here!” Jake and Kami mimic Emma at the same time.
“Very funny.” I sit in my usual spot beside Kami and kiss her on the cheek.
She raises both eyebrows and smiles. “You’re lucky Cam isn’t here. You know how he gets.”
I do, in fact, know how her boyfriend gets.
He’s possessive with his girlfriend, something he and I have in common when it comes to our significant others.
Not that I’ve had one in a while. Either way, I’ve learned that fucking around with Cam is fun.
Jake’s also noticed and gives me an approving dickish smile.
Winking at Kami as she rolls her light brown, almost yellow eyes, I turn to Em, who’s pouting. Knowing what she wants and that she won’t put that lower lip back into its normal position till I give in, I lean over to meet her baby blue eyes and kiss her forehead.
She nods, satisfied.
I sit back down and open the menu, ready to look for the same thing I always order, when Jake speaks up.
“Hey, dude, I think you forgot your best friend.” Sighing, I raise my eyes and see Jake attempting to pout like Em was, but instead of looking cute, he looks fucking constipated.
“Seriously?” I deadpan.
He makes whiny sounds as Kami laughs and Em looks at him disgustingly.
“Fine, anything for you to stop making whatever kind of noise and face that is.”
Once again, I stand and give him a quick peck on the forehead. The douche starts fanning himself like a giddy schoolgirl.
“Oh my, Levi, does this mean we’re going steady?” he asks in a terrible Southern accent.
“For the love of God, Jake, shut up,” Kami says while trying to suppress her laugh.
Em punches him in the shoulder, but Jake barely flinches. Meanwhile, I stare at my menu, trying not to smile and failing miserably.
“Moving on from that…” Em waves Jake off. “How’s the new roommate?”
“Oh yes. I almost forgot about the new roommate you mentioned only once.” Kami hums. “What’s the verdict? What does she look like?”
“Is she weird like your last roommate?” Em makes a grossed-out face.
“Please tell me she’s not like your last roommate. I won’t hesitate in kicking her ass this time, Levi,” Kami says sternly, and I take her statement very seriously. As we all learned last semester, the woman is skilled with her moves.
“She seemed normal from what I saw,” Jake says just above a whisper.
His words drown out the noise around us as if a record player scratched and the music halted.
The temperature in my body rises. “Jake, what did you do?”
He looks up, guilt shining in his hazel eyes. I shake my head, knowing what’s coming.
“You didn’t.” Kamila’s voice is laced with disappointment, knowing what I already suspected. She squeezes my hand under the table, assuring me that she’s got my back like usual.
“Levi, I didn’t want you to end up with another ass of a roommate,” Jake tries to justify, but he knows how much I hate him using his resources, which are connected to his father’s, for information.
“I told you no when you asked me the first, second, and third time.” My jaw is tight now. I rarely get angry, but this wasn’t Jake’s business.
“Why would you do that, Jacob?” Em asks quietly.
Jake flinches at the rare use of his full middle name.
“I wanted him to be safe,” he says slowly. “And the good news is that Stevie seems great on paper, so I’m sure she’s even better in person.”
“She is,” I respond quickly. A little too quickly by the shimmer in Kami’s eyes, surprise in Jake’s, and curiosity in Em’s.
That was a mistake.
Kami keeps quiet, knowing how it feels to be questioned about a personal situation. Em, on the other hand…
“How pretty is she?” Em raises a brow.
Very, but I’m not about to say that. I love Emma like a sister, but the woman is the biggest busybody I’ve ever met.
I also don’t want her to read into something that isn’t there.
All I see when I see Stevie is, yes, someone attractive, yet someone who is no more than a new roommate and a potential friend.
“So, Em, how was England?” Kami is quick to shut the conversation down.
Em looks at her roommate and best friend. “It was fine, Kami. Thanks for asking…” She pauses. “Again.”
“Can I talk to you alone for a second, Levi?” Jake asks, grabbing my attention again.
My anger and annoyance are still simmering, and nobody seems to notice except Jake. Not wanting to be rude and taking in his facial expression, I can tell that it’s something serious.
“Fine.” We both stand, making our way outside.
“Do you want your usuals?” Em yells once we’re a couple of feet away.
We give her a dip of the chin as a response. I can feel my two other best friends’ eyes following us till we’re outside.
Jake puts his hands in his pockets and faces me head-on.
“I’m sorry. I know you told me not to check up on Stevie. I was worried about you, man.” He runs a hand through his perfectly groomed dark blond hair. “I needed to make sure Stevie wasn’t some psycho.” He sighs loudly. “All I wanted was for you to be safe.”
“I understand, but I wanted to get to know my new roommate alone.” I emphasize the words by pointing to my chest.
He nods. “Like I said before, I’m sorry. It won’t happen again.”
Nodding back, I accept his apology. It’s not that I won’t get over it.
I’ve never had explosive fights with Jake, Kamila, or Emma.
Jake has the most secrets out of everyone in the group and usually respects everyone’s privacy, so this was a rare occurrence for him, and I decide to trust him when he tells me it won’t happen again.
Because trusting his word is all I can do for now.
“Are we good?” He sticks his hand out.
Rolling my eyes, I take the offered hand and bring him into a half hug while clapping his back.
“We’re good.”
Chuckling, we separate.
“Seriously, though, how hot is she?”
This time, I shove him and laugh. “Fuck off.”
My hand reaches the doorknob quickly, wanting to get back to the girls and food, when Jake stops me.
“Levi, there is something I think you should know.” His tone is serious and concerned. My shoulders stiffen instantly. “Stevie’s—”
“No.” I shake my head. This is not his or my business.
He looks at me, baffled. “Levi, it’s important.”
Nodding, I grab his shoulder. “Whatever it is that’s going on, her mom told me that Stevie wants to tell me herself, and I’m respecting her decision.”
He smiles. “Of course you are.” Jake opens the door for both of us. “Let’s go eat and bother the fuck out of Emma, shall we?”
“Oh, let’s, please.”
We’re almost at the table when I elbow him. “Kami too? She’s been harder to bother lately, considering her being in love and all, but I think we can achieve it between the two of us.” I wink at him.
“Fuck yes.”