Ashton

"Stacy. Why?" Sam said as I lowered her down. "Do you know someone else who got engaged today?"

Stacy? The name shocked me like a bullet. This couldn't be the same Stacy. There was no way.

"Is this a joke?" I tried to read her face, which blinked at me with equal confusion. I backed away, my pulse steaming in my throat.

I stormed out to the living room.

"Is she your ex or something?" She followed me. "Oh God. Please don't tell me you recently hooked up with her."

I slumped on the couch and put my head in my hands. The chick I picked up at the bar was the same girl Kevin was talking about? Did she know? Was this one of Stacy's games?

"Ashton?" Sam squatted before me, voice careful and small. "Are you tripping on weed?"

Was I? I felt sick. Did Kevin tell her where I worked? Was she sitting there alone on purpose? Was the plan to seduce me so I'd let her move in? What kind of a twisted person would do such a thing? Who the hell did she take me for?

"Hey..." Sam detangled my hand from my hair. Still squatting before me, she traced her finger inside my palm. "Can you feel that? Focus on this feeling, it'll help to ground you if your head is racing right now. It's okay. You're safe."

Her eyes held nothing but concern and attention. Maybe she was just good at pretending. She did have those big, innocent eyes. How would I know she wasn't using it to her advantage?

"Maybe some fresh air?" She shot up and rushed behind the couch, unlocking the patio door. "I'll get you some water, okay? Do you never smoke? I should've asked. I'm sorry...let me get you some water, I'll be right back."

"Jesus, just—can you just give me a moment."

"Sure..." She stood stuck in the middle of the living room, fidgeting like she couldn't find her place. "Do you... want me to leave?"

Was she faking right now? Was any of this real? The longer I stared at her to figure it out, the more she panicked.

"I honestly would feel better if you let me stay a little bit, just so I make sure you're okay? I feel responsible, you know, and...it'd be so selfish to just bounce out here. You're really pale and you're not responding. Would it help if you threw up? Sometimes—"

"No, I'll take you home." I had to talk to Kevin. Confronting Sam could make things a hundred times worse if she had no clue about this.

I couldn't deal with that right now.

"Of course not, I'll Uber!" She said as I got up to put on my sneakers. "Dude, stay home!"

"It's fine. I need the fresh air anyway." I opened the door.

"Okay..." She frowned at the floor, hugging her arms. "Um, do you want to turn the stove off?"

"Fuck." I strode to the kitchen and shut the flame off. The potatoes were ready, but all I wanted now was to throw them in the trash. The whole night was ruined.

~

The ride to Sam's apartment was quiet the entire time. She checked in a couple of times in that same wounded voice. I reassured her I was trying to focus on driving and made up an apology for how my body reacted to weed.

"If I said anything to trigger you or kill the mood, I'm sorry..." She chewed her thumbnail. I was surprised her fingers weren't bleeding yet. "I don't even know why I blurted out about the roommate thing while we were kissing. Maybe I was just trying to convince myself? I don't know. Honestly, I wasn't thinking straight from the way you were, you know...anyway."

I rubbed my face and tried not to groan. This. Was. So. Painfully awkward. It felt like I took advantage of her. Two more minutes and I'd drop her off, call Kevin, and find out what's going on.

"You have nothing to be sorry for. I had a great time. I'm sorry it had to end this way."

"Are you sure? Ugh, okay I'm done. No more talking." Her voice became brittle as she cupped her cheeks, shaking her head. "This is why I don't do one night stands...it's so overwhelming! Ugh, no need to respond. I'm just talking to myself."

I had to ask for her number, otherwise she'd feel even more rejected. But then she'd expect me to call. I didn't want to be that asshole. But how was I supposed to promise her anything right now?

I couldn't even smile when I parked by her building. "Do you want to give me your number?"

Her frown deepened. "No...I don't think so?"

"Why not?" It shouldn't have mattered at this point, but it still stung me a little bit.

She shrugged, pulling her lips into her mouth as she looked forward. "What's the point?" She looked back at me. "Do you actually want it?"

How was I supposed to date someone and live with them? That'd be like skipping a thousand steps. Now if we could figure out a way to not live together, then sure. That'd be different.

"I mean, yeah? I meant what I said, I think you're attractive."

"Oh. So you want my number like a collection?" She scoffed. "No, I think I'm good. Thanks."

"Sam⁠—" Oh my God, I didn't mean it like that!

But it was too late. She was already getting out of the car. "It was nice to meet you. I hope you get home safe."

I would've felt better if she slammed the door, but she didn't. Her small form retrieved into the building, then slipped out of sight. I hit my head back on the carseat and groaned. I was going to break this steering wheel! Fucking Kevin!

"Come down," I said when he picked up the phone.

"What?"

"Tell your fiancé you have an emergency and come outside. And don't tell her I'm here."

"What's going on? Is everything okay?" He sounded like he was about to piss himself.

"We'll find out. Hurry up. And grab your shit, you're not staying there tonight."

As if I'd let that doofus walk around with his shlong out with Sam around. Motherfucker took ten minutes to finally come out, and by then I was even more pissed.

"What's up, man?" He slid into the passenger side.

The smell of Stacy's bullshit candy perfume made my intestines twist. I lowered the windows and turned the AC on. Kevin complained about the cold. I said good, let him freeze his balls off.

"So I had an interesting night." I started off.

"Yeah?" He hesitated. "What uh, what happened that was so—"

"Cut the bullshit, man." I glared at him. "Did you tell Stacy's roommate where I worked?"

"What?" He wrinkled his face. "Stacy's roommate? Sam? No? Why would I tell her—"

"Then how do you explain that she ran into me the same night I told you I didn't want her to move in? Did Stacy put you up to this?"

If she did, this guy was too gone for a beating. He needed mental help.

"No, bro! What are you saying? I swear to God, I have clue what you're talking about." He shoved his hands into the pockets of his jacket. "Stacy doesn't even know where you work...I don't think she even remembers who you are, honestly."

"Fuck..." I tore through my hair. "How is this possible, then?"

"You met Sam? Seriously?" He chuckled. "Okay, that's...that's kind of like fate though, huh?"

I turned my head slowly with murder in my eyes.

"I mean, she's a nice girl though?" He blinked away. "Probably a better roommate than me? Are you that opposed to her living with you?"

Was I?

"I don't know." I focused on the even stitches around the steering wheel. She definitely was a good girl. Too good, actually. "Doesn't matter. She would never want to live with me."

"Well, she kind of has no choice, remember? She has nowhere to go."

"Dude, this is fucked up! We can't do this. Don't you feel bad? Kevin, you said it yourself. This girl. Has nowhere. To go. How can you let Stacy do this to her?"

Guilt washed over his face, he squirmed in his seat. "I know...I know, okay? I feel bad. I swear."

"Then what are you doing?"

"Look at me, man. Girls like Stacy don't fall for me?" He smiled half-heartedly. This was all his dickhead dad's fault. Why did being rich matter, if you were going to break your own kid? "I'm scared to lose her. I love her. I would gladly pay for Sam's rent, but you know how my dad monitors everything."

"I feel so bad for you." I pinched the bridge of my nose. She was going to milk him dry of his wallet and cheat with every guy in town. "You deserve better, I've told you a thousand times."

"See? This is why I like you, Ashton. You're a good guy. And I think Sam will be so much better off living with you than with Stacy. I know that's messed up to say, but I've seen them together. Stacy can be... pretty cruel sometimes. Especially toward Sam."

Who said I wouldn't be cruel? I've never lived with a girl. Especially someone so sensitive.

"I have enough on my plate."

"You mean Luka? He takes care of himself. Doesn't he make a living off of TikTok?"

"Not the fucking point."

"Well, it's essentially up to you. You're not obligated, of course. I'm sure Sam can figure it out, she's a big girl."

"Yeah, okay. Thanks so much for your fucking help."

"Sorry—"

"If you're sorry, then do something about it. Don't just talk. I don't need your words? Sam doesn't need your words. She needs the bare minimum human decency. Look, I don't care how long we've know each other for, Kevin. I'll never talk to you again if you move in with that bitch."

"Hey, don't call her a bitch? She's my fiancé!"

"Well, I don't care. If you can kick out your roommate without thinking what might happen to her, you're a bitch to me. I don't care what your reason is. You don't do that to someone."

Sam deserved better than to be passed around from one roommate to another. I didn't care so much when she was a stranger, but now? Knowing what kind of a person she was? No fucking way I could sleep until this was settled.

"Tell Stacy to find her a new roommate and until then, stay out of their fucking apartment. Or I promise you, Kevin, you'll regret it."

~ A/N~
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