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Comforting the Roommate | A.Dent | 8

 

You've never understood why Alicia has her mind so set on the belief that you’d ever hurt {Last_Name}. The two of you have been friends as long as either of you care to remember, and you've both lost friends and alienated family members standing up for each other.

Nonetheless, she is at the top of the class in the highly competitive pre-med program, so you bite your tongue as you follow her down the hallway back to your room. {Last Name} is still sitting on the couch, though she has wrapped herself back up in the blanket and is looking small and distant, staring blankly at the wall.

“{Last_Name},” you softly say, “Alicia’s here. Can she take a look at your bruises, please?”

“I guess so. Could you close the door, please?” {Last_Name} stands up and begins to unwrap the blanket.

“Hold on a second, {Last Name}. You go into the bedroom. I’ll examine you in there. {First Name} this is your home too, so as much as I’d like to, I’m not going to ask you to leave. That being said, I am going to ask that stay out here, and do not come into the bedroom unless we call for you.”

You begin to protest, but the look on {Last Name}’s face reminds you that now is not the time. “Okay. I’ll be out here if you need me. I’m not going anywhere.” You’re not sure what pissed Alicia off more, your refusal to leave, or the look of relief that flooded {Last Name}’s face when you made your declaration.

As soon as the door to the bedroom closes, you move to the kitchen. You know you’ve got to keep yourself busy, because if you think too long about what has happened to her, about what that asshole Keith did to her, you don’t know what you will do. Even before tonight, {Last Name} has always been your closest friend and you’ve gotten into more than a few scraps sticking up for each other. Instead, you set about making grilled cheese and tomato soup, {Last Name}’s favorite comfort foods. In a fit of inexplicable generosity, you even throw a sandwich on for Alicia.

As the last sandwich is getting pulled off the griddle you hear a loud slap coming from the bedroom. Alicia come stumbling out, holding a hand to her face, followed closely behind be a wild looking {Last Name} clad only in one of your sweatshirts.
“Do it now Alicia. Do it right. The. Fuck. Now!” {Last Name} spits out at her friend, her words practically dripping with venom.

“Whoa, what’s going on her? Is {Last Name} alright?”

“{First Name} I owe you an apology. I know we haven’t seen eye to eye on a lot of things since we met.” You restrain your scoff as Alicia continues. “I have a lot of personal reasons as to why I wouldn’t trust a man in your situation. But it has…come to my attention that I shouldn’t have been assuming you were simply being nice to {Last Name} just to get into her pants. I guess I thought it was some sort of long con you were pulling.”
“I’ve tried to tell you for years, Alicia, that {Last Name} is my best friend. I’d never hurt her. I love her.” Out of the corner of your eye, you notice a weird look crossing {Last Name}’s face. “So, what happened in there?”

“Well, first of all, I think {Last Name} will be alright. The bruising is bad, and it looks like some of them are rather old. She’ll be sore for a while, but I think that will be it. If it doesn’t start to clear up in a couple days she’ll want to see a doctor.
“As for your other question, it seems that I was out of line in implying that you may have been responsible for the bruises on {Last Name}. I thought she might have been throwing Keith under the bus to protect you. I was trying to convince her to either call the cops on you, or at least extract some retribution.”

As much as you want to be outraged by this, there is still a very visible imprint of {Last Name}’s hand on Alicia’s face, so you figure she’s already been punished. You reach into the freezer and grab some frozen peas, offering the package to a stunned looking Alicia. “And you got off with just one slap? You’re not getting soft on me, are you {Last Name}? Look, Alicia I get it. You care about {Last Name}, so do I. And you want to see the jackass who hurt her punished. Trust me, I’ve been trying to think of the best way of getting revenge on Keith. I’ve had visions of grabbing Scott and Dirk and paying him a visit at…”

“DON’T YOU DARE!” Exclaims {Last Name}. I appreciate the thought, but please, please do not risk going to jail, or getting hurt over that asshole. You heard Alicia, I’m going to be fine. But if I lose you, I won’t be. I need you to get over this, {First Name}. Promise me you won’t do anything stupid.”

“…fine. I promise.” You sigh. “Now eat your sandwich, it’s getting cold.”

The three of you sit down to eat, when all of the sudden {Last Name}’s phone starts ringing.

 

Who's On The Phone?

 
 
 

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