The Tribuo - 48. Part V, chapter 2

- II -

I decided to clean the apartment when I woke up on Sunday morning. I never enjoyed cleaning, but I figured if Tom wasn’t lying and the new roommate really decided to show up today, then I'd better make the place clean.

“Right,” I muttered under my breath while scrubbing the kitchen counter with angry passion. “He’ll show up today, and Santa Claus is real!” I snorted loudly. “You should know better by now than believe in fairy tales, Jess…”

I continued cleaning, however. Took my mind off things that I didn’t want to think about. Like the fact that I would have to frantically look for a roommate, and would probably end up finding some psycho. Or the fact that I was still single. Or even the fact that I haven’t talked to my brother in almost three years. Thoughts of my brother brought even more furious scrubbing and cursing.

I mean, I was trying my hardest to be understanding and supportive. He was going through hell, I knew that. After the whole Lucas thing, he changed so drastically that sometimes I couldn’t even recognize him anymore. It was like he became someone else, who looked like Matt, but was completely different. I guess I lost it completely around that Christmas, a couple of months after Lucas’ death. Matt was saying (ranting, really) something that sounded completely and utterly insane. Some crap about souls, reincarnation, body switching, and something else, equally crazy. The only thing that I got from his ranting was the fact that he started stalking some girl that he ran into in the park. I remember staring at him with horror.

“Matt,” I said back then. “Look, I know how hard this is on you, but you gotta stop doing this to yourself… And other people too!”

“Jess, you don’t understand!” I blinked when his eyes started to look obsessed. “I recognized her! And I know that she recognized me! You should’ve seen the look on her face! She was…”

“She was scared,” I interrupted him. “Because you probably stared at her like you are staring at me right now! Matt, this is crazy! You are driving yourself nuts! Listen to what the hell you are saying… Matt, you are losing it, I am sorry! Look, I understand how freaking hard this is for you, okay? But…”

“Jess, listen to me…”

“No!” I interrupted him again. “You listen to me! Leave that girl alone before she calls the cops on you! Matt, you are stalking her!”

“Jess, just because you are too narrow-minded to accept a possibility…”

“Narrow-minded? No, Matt! It’s called 'Sanity'! If you want to drive yourself barking mad and end up in an asylum, do so! But don’t stalk people! Because…”

“I am not stalking anyone!”

“Right! You are just following her around, trying to find out where she lives, stuff like that… I am afraid, the cops will see it as stalking!”

“You know what…” He threw his lighter on the desk and it ricocheted onto the floor. “Forget it, okay? I am sorry I even brought it up! I should’ve known better… You are just a narrow-minded bitch!”

“And you are a stubborn dickhead!” I yelled at him. “When you get arrested for this shit, don’t call me! Because I’ll just say I told you so!”

He picked up his lighter, we looked at each other for several seconds, and then screamed at the same time, “Screw you!!” and he stormed out of the room.

We haven’t talked to each other ever since. Not even on holidays. Mom told me that he kept switching majors at college -- philosophy, theology, some other stuff like that. Then she told me that he switched schools. I didn’t even know where he went, because apparently, mom lost track of him as well. She said that he would call her occasionally, just to let her know that he was still alive, but that’s about it.

Thinking about the whole thing, made me mad and bitter. I finished scrubbing the counter, threw the sponge into the sink, and washed my hands. I turned on the coffeemaker and sat down while waiting for coffee to be ready.

“Selfish… Selfish…” I muttered. I wasn’t even sure if I meant Matt or myself.

A sudden ringing of the doorbell made me jump. It was probably Lex. He said that he’d come over today. I made my way to the front door, opened it, and stared blankly at some blond guy, who was patiently waiting on the doorstep. He had a hefty size bag over his shoulder.

“Hi,” he said, and I suppressed a very strong desire to roll my eyes.

“I am not interested,” I said shortly, and he pulled off his sunglasses and looked at me with a puzzled frown.

“In what?”

“In whatever you are selling,” I said. “Not interested. Plus, even if I were interested, I wouldn’t be able to buy it anyway. So don’t bother trying to woo me, okay?”

“Ummm…” he said. “Do I really look like a peddler?”

“Yes,” I nodded energetically. “Listen, I really don’t have time for this right now, so…”

“I am not selling anything,” he said quickly when I almost closed the door. “I am looking for Jess… I am here about the roommate thing…?”

I stared at him, my mouth open. Oh my God… Tom didn’t lie! I guess I looked like someone who was displaying quite a few signs of mild mental retardation, because he frowned again -- this time, with more confusion.

“Oh, man…” he muttered. “You have no idea what the hell I am talking about, do you? Crap, I got the wrong address…”

“No, no, no!” I shook my head. “Right address! I just didn’t expect… I mean, I was so sure that Tom was making stuff up just so he didn’t have to pay half-month rent… But he didn’t make it up, he actually…” I realized that I was blabbering and took a deep breath. “Sorry. I am Jess,” I stretched out my hand. “And you are Roland-Something, right?”

He blinked and shook my hand.

“Actually, it’s Russell-Something,” he smiled. “But close enough.”

“Tom was always bad with names,” I shrugged. “Where is your stuff?”

He slapped the bag on his shoulder.

“All here.”

“That’s it?” Now it was my turn to blink. “No furniture, technology, other big stuff?”

“Nope,” he said lightly. “Clothes and books. I travel light.”

“Come in!” I stepped aside to let him inside. “You don’t really need furniture,” I said after I shut the door. “Come on, follow me…”

I walked towards the room that used to be Coleen’s, and he followed me.

“There is a bed in there,” I was saying. “A desk, a chair… No computer though.”

“I have my laptop,” he said.

I pushed the door open and silently congratulated myself on vacuuming here earlier today.

“I’ll give you clean sheets and all the bedding stuff. I will even throw in a clean towel.”

“Awesome,” he said sincerely. “I was planning on doing some shopping next weekend.”

“Well, get comfortable and all,” I smiled. “Let me know if you need anything. I am making coffee if you want some.”

“That would be great,” he nodded seriously.

“It’ll be ready in five minutes or so. I don’t have much food in the fridge, but…”

“Hey,” he interrupted me. “As long as you have coffee, it’s all good.”

“A man after my own heart,” I said in a low voice and he laughed.

The doorbell made me jump again. Good God, I am jumpy lately.

“It’s probably my friend,” I said. “Get comfy and come out say hi, will you?”

“Sure,” he nodded.

I left him alone and went to the door. Yup, this time it was Lex.

“I come bearing money,” he said seriously when I opened the door.

“I don’t need it!” I said with feeling and stepped outside. “Guess what!”

“You won the lottery?” he offered.

“Yeah, right,” I snorted. “No! Tom wasn’t lying when he told me about the roommate!”

His eyes went wide.

“Seriously?”

“Yeah,” I nodded. “He just showed up and he doesn’t look psychotic or anything…”

“Every self-respecting psycho looks normal,” Lex said seriously. “Snoop through his stuff when he is away. If he has human skulls stashed in his suitcase, kick his ass out.”

“Hey, as long as he pays the rent, he can bind his books with human skin for all I care,” I said gravely.

Lex laughed and pulled a beat-up pack of Camels out of his jeans' pocket. I usually gave him shit about smoking, but right now I was happy, so I let him smoke in peace.

“So how old is he?” Lex asked after a minute or so.

I shrugged.

“Not sure. He looks our age. He said he’d come out to say hi.”

“Right on,” Lex nodded. “What’s his name?”

“Russell something,” I grinned. “Tom called him Roland.”

“Meh,” he shrugged. “Close enough.”

“Yeah, that’s what he said,” I squinted my eyes against the sun.

I was about to say something else, when the front door opened and Russell-Something stepped outside.

“Hey,” he said. “Coffee is almost ready. Where do you keep the mugs?”

“In the cabinet above the coffeemaker,” I said. “Hey, this is Lex, my very best friend… Lex, this is my new roommate…”

And then something weird happened. Russell-Something took one look at Lex and got so pale, it looked like he was having a stroke.

“You okay?” I frowned.

He blinked rapidly as if he was trying to wake up, and looked at me.

“Yeah,” he breathed. “Yeah, I am fine… I… Ummm… I’ll be right back, sorry.”

He went back inside so quickly as if he was chased by a mean dog. I frowned even deeper and looked at Lex. He looked thoughtful.

“What the hell was that?” I asked in a low voice. “Do you know him?”

“Have never met him in my entire life,” Lex said slowly. “Do I have something stuck in my teeth? Or do I look like a serial killer?”

I looked at him critically. He looked the same as always. Dark hair, blue eyes, ponytail… Nothing that would cause someone to almost drop dead from horror. And that what Russell looked like -- downright horrified.

“You look fine,” I said. “Maybe you have an evil twin somewhere?”

“You are the one to talk,” he snorted. “And no, I am the only child.”

I shrugged.

“I’ll find out,” I promised. “I have my ways.”

“I hope he didn’t think I was repulsive or something,” he sighed. “I’d hate to make him throw up every time I show up here…”

“He’ll adjust,” I said seriously. “Come on, let’s go have coffee.”

“Mm-mm,” he shook his head. “I’ll pass, thanks. I’ll just go for now.”

“Lex, you don’t have to go just because…”

“I need to get some groceries anyway,” he shrugged. “It’s fine, don’t worry about it. I’ll see you tomorrow?”

“Fine,” I grumbled in defeat.

He kissed the top of my head as always, and left. I gritted my teeth. What was that guy’s problem? Ugh… So much for good mood. I went inside filled with righteous anger. I was about to unleash my cold fury on Russell-Something’s ass, but it evaporated as soon as I got into the kitchen. He was standing next to the fridge, his back towards me, forehead pressed against the fridge door. He didn’t even hear me walk in. His both arms were just hanging by his sides. Even from behind, he looked like he was attending someone’s funeral.

“Hey,” I said softly, and his shoulders immediately became rigid. “You okay?”

He turned around and gave me a weak smile.

“Sorry about that,” he muttered. “I probably came off as a rude jerk, huh?”

“Sort of,” I nodded. “What was that?”

He shook his head.

“Nothing,” he said quietly. “I have a queen of migraines that decided to sneak up on me… I am sorry. Where is your friend?”

“He left,” I said, and he winced. “He had to go, don’t worry.”

“I’m sorry,” he muttered again.

I glanced at the coffeemaker.

“Coffee’s done,” I said and opened the cabinet. “Do you take cream or sugar?”

“No,” he said quietly.

“Good,” I nodded energetically. “Because I don’t have any.”

He laughed softly, and I glanced at him. The color was coming back to his face. Right, a queen of migraines my ass. I know a migraine when I see one, and that wasn’t it.