The American Roommate Experiment

by Elena Armas

To those waiting on love, be patient. Love is a total drama queen. It’s just waiting to make an entrance.

“I’m standing in the hallway. How have I broken in? I didn’t even make it inside.”

He tilted his head, and I wished I could take back the last ten seconds of my life.

“This was fun.” It really hadn’t been.

“Hey, Rosie?” he called before crossing the threshold. “It’s been great finally meeting Lina’s best friend.” Finally. He’d said finally.

“Rosie,” he half said, half slurred in a husky voice. “This really you or I did I wake up in heaven?”

I took matters into my own hands and reached across the table for a glass of water. “Hold on, Rosie,” Lucas warned just as I tipped the glass up. “Not so fast! That’s—Oh. Okay.” I downed the contents of it and placed it back on the table. “Wine,” I said a little breathlessly. “That was white wine.”

“He didn’t. He never tells me anything anymore.” I reached for my napkin, just to occupy my hands with something. “And that’s the whole problem. I just… don’t know what’s up with him. It’s as if I no longer know him, like he doesn’t want me in his life anymore.” I shook my head, squeezing the cloth between my fingers. “And that makes me incredibly sad.”

“Rosalyn Graham,” Lucas said, throwing the fridge open. “Your lack of enthusiasm is appalling.”

“I think we took the metaphor too far, and now I don’t know what we’re talking about.”

“Just a soft brush of the bumper against his ass. That’s all I’m saying.”

“I might have accidentally listened to a fair chunk of it from the street. But when I sprinted upstairs and stood outside the door to listen to the rest, I did so completely intentionally.”

Lucas: He still deserves to eat, you know. Rosie: EW LUCAS. NO.

He was quiet for a few seconds. Then he said, “Do you think you can give me one, though? Maybe I’m the one who needs it.”

“You deserve so much better than any of that. Whether it’s an experiment or not, you deserve more.”

That was why I looked at him straight in the eye when I said, “I’d never hurt her. I could never do that.” Aaron’s lips tipped up in a surprisingly bright smile. “I know.”

It was the determination in his gaze that pushed me forward. The way he looked at me like I’d be doing something for him if I gave him this one thing.

Lina clapped her hands under her chin. “I’m still hoping for Sebastian Stan.” Aaron mumbled something unintelligible under his breath. I chuckled. “Oh, I wouldn’t mind that. Not at all.” Lucas shifted somewhere to my right, and when I looked at him, he was frowning. “Who is that? This… Sebastian Spoon?”

Lucas shrugged. “Well, I hope Sebastian Stong doesn’t mind bumping into stalkers.”

“You’re lying. You’re crying and it’s breaking my heart,” he said in a desperate voice. “Rosie, preciosa.” He moved closer, as if he couldn’t help himself. “Tell me what to do to stop this.” I tried to keep it in. Not to let it out, but that Rosie, that preciosa, did me in. And everything just… escaped. “Want me,” I said, and God, how desperate it was to beg for something like this.

“Want me like I want you. Because these glimpses of what we could be are killing me, Lucas. That’s why I’m crying, because I’m frustrated, devastated, by the fact that I can’t have you. That I want you and I can’t have you.”

Keep it together, I told myself. Think unsexy things. Like trash cans. Or… that time Taco had diarrhea.

“Don’t make me fight you over this, Lucas Martín. I will win.” It was my turn to smile. “Don’t threaten me with a good time, Rosalyn Graham.”