Ashton

It didn't really hit me that Samantha was officially my roommate until two hours after leaving Malibu, when we ate lunch at a restaurant and I gave her the apartment keys.

No big deal, though. She was just a girl. It'd be the same thing as living with Kevin. If Kevin was a beautiful girl with a cute little face, a stamackable ass, and set of perfect tits.

But those were just human body parts. I wasn't a horny teenager anymore. I was a man, and I could control my body when I had to.

We talked about the bills, our work schedules, any hard rules. The one part that sucked was that she could only afford six hundred dollars. It was supposed to be thirteen. I didn't tell her though.

Then she offered to clean and make extra food since we paid unequally (she thought it was a few hundred dollar difference). It was sweet of her, but the answer was no. First of all, I didn't want to live with my mother and second, my cleaning lady already cleaned exactly how I wanted.

And I wasn't eating fucking tofu.

So anyway. Kev moved out and took most of his shit. Just left his bed and dresser. Sam was supposed to move in on Saturday, because I worked on Friday and couldn't help her.

Except Friday around midnight, she texted me that her friend had already helped her move in.

"What friend? I didn't know you had any," I said into the phone.

She just chuckled, which was not good. Not good at ALL.

So, some guy from work wanted to fuck her and was pretending to be nice by helping her move in? Interesting. Very interesting. Oh, I hope to run into this fella soon for a little chat.

"Should I come back tomorrow?" She asked on the other line. "Sorry, I didn't want to bug you with helping me, but if you wanted to be alone tonight, I can leave and come back tomorrow?"

"Are you crazy? No."

Work ended around 3 and for the first time, I was careful unlocking my door. Her lights were still on behind her closed bedroom door.

Right. Scared of the dark.

I looked around for any changes, expecting fuzzy blankets on the couch and sculptures that looked like a two-year-old could doodle, but people called art.

But no, the living room was untouched. Did she not feel comfortable?

In the kitchen, she'd added a yellow toaster-oven, a blue blender, and pink teacups behind the glass shelves. I checked the cabinets, finding more colorful things. Knives, pots, cutting boards. It was definitely odd to see in comparison to my stainless steel tea kettle and white everything.

I padded to the bathroom and stripped down to my briefs when I noticed the new bathmat.

SHOWER. It said over a rainbow. Thank God for the reminder, otherwise I would eat here.

My gray bottles had girly neighbors now. I uncapped each one. Vanilla milk and papaya shampoo? I thought she was vegan. Hypocrite.

I also found a yellow fluffy ball hanging on the faucet handle. Did she use this to wash herself? Naked Sam with water running down her breasts, as she lathered with this fluffy ball. Tilting her head back, mouth open, touching herself—

I turned the water off and glared at my stiffening cock.

Thankfully exhaustion saved me from jerking off. I woke up in the morning from the locking sound on the front door. She already left for work?

"Good morning to you too, asshole." I texted.

"LOL. I wasn't going to wake you up?! Good morning, jerk."

I chuckled through my nose. Good morning, jerk. I passed out again until 3, then ordered a sandwich from Postmates before hitting the gym. Sam should've been home by the time I came back, but she wasn't.

Was she with that friend from the office? Where did she work anyway? She said it was a scholarship office for...underprivileged students? Didn't sound like a job that paid a lot.

I was watching TV on the couch when she crab-walked in with twenty grocery bags, heaving like an old man.

"Jesus, don't do this kind of shopping alone?" I grabbed the groceries from what used to be her hands. "Ask me to help you next time."

"Are you kidding?" She straightened up from taking her shoes off and gave me a flushed, breathless smile. I pictured that same look, but spread on my bed after a thorough fucking.

"So what'd you buy?" I turned to the groceries and took each one out. "Vegan ground beef? You sure this isn't from the pet food section?"

"No? I'm making tacos tonight!" She gloated, emptying vegetables and fruits into the bottom fridge shelf. "It's SO good. I promise you, you'll die. Like you can't even tell it's not real."

"No, thanks. I'll order some real tacos. And then, when I eat it, I won't have to lie to myself that it tastes good."

She laughed at my mean joke. So, did she like all sorts of pain? The way she was on her knees—

"Whatever, the kitchen's yours. I don't cook." I marched back to the couch and put my feet up.

She leaned one hip on the doorframe, chewing her thumbnail. "Hey, can I ask you a question?"

"Yeah?" I forced my eyes back on her.

"Um... Is it too early for me to invite a friend over? I don't want to be rude."

Was she asking what I thought she was asking?

She continued. "Like, I just want to know what the policy is. Do we let each other now a week in advance, or...?"

Was she talking about bringing a guy over for sex?

"I think we can just check in with each other?" I wrinkled my face. Please, don't bring a guy over.

"Cool. What's better for you? Text or call?"

She was asking me with her big Bambi eyes, wearing gray pants and a white button-down like this was a business meeting and I was her boss.

I rubbed my face. "Um, either is fine. I don't have a preference."

"Really? But what would you prefer?"

You bent over my knee, whining to let you come.

"Whichever!" I groaned, turning back to the TV. "I don't caaare."

"Okay, okay." She giggled. "I'll just text you, then. I'll text our photoshoot plans too! So you can prepare. Like a call sheet, you know?"

Was she that happy to have her friend over?

"You know what?" I sat up. "Let's invite both of our friends tonight and hang out together. Let's celebrate us getting rid of Stacy and Kevin."

~

Two hours later, I was fixing my hair which was long overdue for a trim. People said it matched me, but one of these days I was going to grab an electric razor and buzz cut it.

I wondered if Sam's friend was blonde. Like a surfer from Santa Barbara with a dumb smile. Or a geek from Berkeley with a book shoved up his ass. What if he was a childhood friend who was actually a good guy and Sam was in love with him? Whoever he was, I had to be ready.

I put on a black t-shirt and jeans, then my everyday silver rings and leather bracelet. At least the hard work at the gym paid off. I flexed my biceps in the mirror to make sure.

"Oh my God! That's so cute!" Sam squealed from the living room.

He was here already? Did he bring her flowers or something?

I came out to find Sam and Luka in matching hoodies over their heads. Luka with black dragon ears and scales; Sam with droopy white bunny ears. That's what they were yelling about.

Hers was a soft cardigan actually over a little white top. Her belly button was showing, plus a little bit of her thigh from a hole in her jeans.

"What is this, a costume party?" Art and Vlad stepped through the door, smiling down at Sam and Luka like a pack of wolves. "Hello!"

"Слушай блядь, веди себя прилично, ясно?" I rolled my eyes, reaching to hug them. "Sam, these are my boys. Art and Vlad."

"Да нахуй! Ты живешь с этой малышкой?" Vlad smirked at me while Art shook her hand.

"Yes, speak English."

"Don't mind them, they're worse than Ashton, but they don't bite," Luka whispered to Sam.

"I'm so sorry." Vlad shook her hand, hunching to make himself smaller. "I have no manners, I was raised in a barn."

"You were?" Her innocent eyes bulged out, making Vlad chuckle.

"Oh, yeah. I'm an animal. I eat like an animal, sleep an animal. I even—"

"You shit like an animal too. We know." I gripped the back of his neck and threw him in the kitchen. "Go pack hookah, and watch your mouth. I'm not kidding."

A lot of girls found his jokes funny, but I wasn't sure about Sam. They've always been around bold, sexually confident women. Or women who'd slap them across the face if they misbehaved. But Sam wasn't like that.

"Oh my God, what is this feast!" Art approached the coffee table which Sam had transformed into a colorful taco board. "This looks sooo good. Did you make it?"

"I did..." Sam scrunched her nose with an apologetic smile. "But it's all vegan..."

"I ordered normal tacos for us," I told him.

"But she made so much!" Art sat on the couch to admire more. "Can I at least try some?"

"Of course! And you can customize with whatever you want." Sam kneeled on the other side of the table and offered him a plate with a taco shell. "It already has the 'meat' and spices inside. I hope you're okay with onion and garlic."

"What do we want to smoke?" Vlad poked his head out of the kitchen. "Minty or fruity?"

"Sam, what would you like?" I asked. "Minty or fruity?"

"Me? Oh, I don't know. I usually smoke fruity..."

"You smoke hookah?" Vlad raised his brows.

"She means weed," I said.

"You smoke weed? I'd never think that looking at you." Art melted like Sam was a puppy trying to bark.

"Oh, I have a big collection." Her eyes sparkled back at him. "Wanna see?"

"Sure!"

This bald fucker. When did he become so nice?

"Can I come? I want to see how you decorated!" Luka chased after Sam as she ran to her room.

Great, now I had to deport my brother.

"You for sure didn't sleep with her." Vlad shot me a filthy smirk. "But you want to."

"When is that friend coming over? We need to see your competition. Maybe toss him around a little." Art glanced at the open door.

"He's not a competition," I grumbled, joining him on the couch.

Vlad brought the gold hookah over and set it on the floor. "Do you think she'll like strawberries? I can pack a bit of that with spiced chai and mint."

"Here it is!" Sam came back with her arms full of bright-colored stuff. She sat cross-legged on the floor with her droopy-eared hoodie back on.

"Holy shit, this is so neat..." New Art left me on the couch to sit on the floor like a bunch of kinder garden kids having a show and tell party. Even Vlad and Luka made a circle around her.

"This is my cool cat ash tray..." She held up a green cat in sunglasses smoking a cigarette. "This is my rolling plate with cherries, my grinder that looks like an Oreo cookie. My oh shit, can you still smell the weed? vanilla candle."

The guys laughed, passing the candle jar so each one could have a sniff, nodding with approval.

The surprise on Sam's face was fucking sweet like candy. Her face brightened as they engaged with her, and I don't know, I was just glad she—

"I'm here." A flat, monotone voice said over my shoulder. I turned to a possessed girl with ghost-white skin and black hair staring into my soul.

"Jesus!" I flinched back.

"Caraaa!" Sam jumped into her arms. "Ugh, you made it! Thank you so much for coming."

"Is this your friend?" Luka stood up, clearly as stunned as me at how...dead the new girl looked.

"You have a problem with that?" Cara asked without batting an eyelash. No blinking, at all.

"Ashton, this is my best friend! She's a medical student." Sam looped arms with her. "Cara, this is Ashton. My new roommate."

Next to Sam's cute jeans and cardigan, her best friend was neck-to-toe in a gothic, emo dress. She had bangs and creepy long lashes, and cold eyes like was she thinking of ways to bury you.

"Do you sleep upside down in a cave?" I asked.

To my delight, Sam snorted, while Cara's face stayed emotionless.

"A coffin?" I gasped.

"You are so cool! I love your outfit." Luka beamed lost in a daze like she was a celebrity.

She probably thought Luka was hitting on her, because she stared at him as if waiting for another wrong move before she could strike.

I tensed.

If she touched Luka, the whole night would be ruined. Then I'd have to check on him for the next couple of days and hear my parents blame me for not giving a shit about my little brother.

"I need your help in the kitchen." I put my arm around him and turned us away, whispering. "Buddy, I know you're excited to meet new people, but you have to remember, they don't know—"

"Want to see how the hookah glows in the dark?" Vlad asked, making me stop in my tracks. "Here, turn the lights off."

"No!" Sam cried out just as the lights were switched, making the living room dark.

"Vlad!" I snapped, smacking the kitchen light on.

Vlad gaped at me with his shoulders squeezed to his ears, then at Sam who was hiding her face in Cara's neck. Meanwhile, Cara had one arm around Sam and her phone's flashlight on, like she'd done this a million times before.

"She's scared of the dark, you fucking idiot." I got in front of Vlad's face.

"I didn't know! I'm sorry, I'm sorry Sam. I had no clue⁠—"

"Are you sure you want to live here?" Cara asked Sam who pulled back like she was ashamed.

I should've been the one to protect her. Instead, I ruined everything for my own selfish reasons. I never should've asked the guys to come over.

"I'm sorry, are you okay?" I murmured. The frown on her face was like a knife in my gut. "I should've warned them, I didn't⁠—"

"It's all good, I'm sorry." Her voice wavered as she put on a smile. "I didn't mean to panic."

"Are you sure you're okay?" Luka slowly opened his arms and pulled Sam into a hug.

The shock dropped on my head so fast, I stumbled back. He was hugging Sam like she was family. No fear, no anxiety. On his own. I had to blink to make sure I wasn't imagining things.

"Luka?"

Mom would bawl her eyes out if she saw this. I think dad would even cry. Fuck, I was ready to cry.

Vlad smiled at me. "You're screwed, блядь."

~ A/N~
The story with Luka might not make sense yet, but it will unravel throughout the story. We will also get to see a lot more of Cara, hehe.