Episode 2: Company {Joshua}

       
        ᴅᴀʏ 1 |  9:00ᴘᴍ  |  ᴄʟᴏᴜᴅʏ sᴋɪᴇs

Joshua tensed when his roommate tried to yank his hand away. He lost his grip on him and quickly attempted to grab him once more. But his roommate stubbornly avoided his hold and pushed past him in order to open the door himself.

Fine…if the boy wanted to expose himself further than Joshua by all means would allow him.

       
        ᴅᴀʏ 1 |  9:00ᴘᴍ  |  ᴄʟᴏᴜᴅʏ sᴋɪᴇs

Why had he even bothered to try and stop him in the first place? Was he trying to be considerate of the other male? Joshua’s expression hardened further as he thought about the scene that had just taken place a moment ago. Why had he touched him so intimately? Just what had he been after? Anger arose within him as he thought back to their constant bantering and how easily his roommate enraged him. The tension inside of him was suffocating.

His piercing emerald gaze remained on his roommate even after the door opened. He ignored the other male’s presence entirely and was soon turning to retrieve his roommate’s damned keys. He didn’t care about either of them. If his roommate chose to leave now then he’d do nothing to stop him.

Nothing was different. He would treat him just as he treated everyone else. Joshua’s jaw clenched and his expression revealed his anger clearly as he reached behind his bed and gripped the boy’s keys. He moved to set them a bit roughly down onto his roommate's desk before finally facing the inspector.

       
        ᴅᴀʏ 1 |  9:00ᴘᴍ  |  ᴄʟᴏᴜᴅʏ sᴋɪᴇs

“Oh, you found them?”

Joshua paused as his roommate boldly stepped before him and actually held out his hand expectantly. This boy kept antagonizing him…and Joshua instantly wanted to retaliate…

His hold against the keys tightened and for a moment there was silence between them. But with much reluctance he brought the keys forward and dropped them into his hand. He…would not lose control of his temper again. He was done fighting and would treat him just as had his old roommate. There was no connection between them…no similarity…there was nothing between them.

The inspector stepped forward and faced the two roommates, but seemed to briefly look towards Joshua before looking to his roommate.

“I trust there have been no problems between you two?” He asked, but there seemed to be a knowing sarcasm within his voice. It was rather clear that he had little patience with Joshua.

       
        ᴅᴀʏ 1 |  9:00ᴘᴍ  |  ᴄʟᴏᴜᴅʏ sᴋɪᴇs

Joshua’s gaze was on his roommate as he watched him begin retrieving his clothes. He was going to leave now that he had an opening to…and Joshua didn’t care. His emerald gaze hardened further as the boy who was always so eager to challenge him answered the senior’s question.

“There has been a bit of competition but nothing too extreme.”

The senior seemed a bit intrigued by this information, but he didn’t ask any further questions. If anything he felt bad for him. Joshua failed to take in any of the inspector’s reaction and instead kept his gaze firmly on his retreating roommate.

His heart tightened and his form remained stiff when the boy’s burning amber gaze jerked towards him. Joshua was clearly fighting with himself and he knew all to well how visible it was on his face. Why was this boy so infuriating?

“I need to get dressed real quick but can you show me where the athletic center is on your way out?”

Joshua didn’t care that he was leaving…he knew this well…and yet…he couldn’t stop himself from stepping forward. His heart was thundering within his chest and his body felt hot all over again. His emotions should have exhausted him by now…but instead they kept fueling him with energy.

“Sure,” the senior replied and stepped forward to allow access to the bathroom. He then reluctantly made his way towards Joshua and proceeded to ask him some questions.

“Is there anything I should write down for maintenance regarding this room?”

Even now his eyes were following his roommate, but he forced himself to look at the inspector and answered his question.

“No.” He replied firmly.

       
        ᴅᴀʏ 1 |  9:00ᴘᴍ  |  ᴄʟᴏᴜᴅʏ sᴋɪᴇs

His roommate wasted no time getting changed and didn’t even bother removing his sleepwear top. But Joshua was through with both of their company and relished in the idea of being alone. He would feel nothing else only relief from having solitude. But within the pit of his stomach he could still feel the anger coursing through his system…it never rested…it was always there taunting him…

“All right, that concludes this inspection.” The senior returned and made his way over towards the door to prop it open as he waited to show the other boy out. Joshua said nothing as he watched his roommate leave. 

       
        ᴅᴀʏ 1 |  9:00ᴘᴍ  |  ᴄʟᴏᴜᴅʏ sᴋɪᴇs

Joshua watched as his roommate bid him farewell in the most obnoxious way possible. His eye twitched as his heart beat ragged on, but he refrained from moving. Even after the door finally closed behind them… Joshua remained stationed where he was despite every fiber of his being telling him the opposite. An unsteady breath escaped him as he physically shook with rage. But he stood his ground and waited until the wave of emotions passed him.

He wanted nothing to do with his roommate. Their entire meeting had been a waste of time. That boy was nothing but another face in the crowd. He was forgettable…

       
        ᴅᴀʏ 1 |  9:00ᴘᴍ  |  ᴄʟᴏᴜᴅʏ sᴋɪᴇs

Joshua lost count of the seconds that had passed since his roommate's departure. He could still feel the anger within him…but he had regained control of it. His emerald gaze finally shifted from the front door but his mind continued to taunt him with thoughts of that infuriating chocolate brown haired boy. His presence still lingered everywhere and served as a constant reminder that he would be sharing his living space with him for the remainder of the year.

A dark sound escaped him as Joshua stepped towards his dresser and yanked open his drawer. He then collected his own sleepwear and stepped into the bathroom. He wanted to rid this place of his roommate’s scent and instead suffocate it with his own.

The bathroom light flickered on slowly and revealed to him the laundry that had been carelessly left on the counter. Joshua’s eyebrows drew into a frown as he clamped his fist around the material and stared down at them. He cared nothing for his roommate or his things… but even as those thoughts echoed within his mind…Joshua’s attention lingered on the boy’s pants.

What was his name…?

The question was unwelcomed and instantly flared up his temper again. He no longer wanted his name or to know anything else about him. Joshua’s grip around the pants tightened as he stormed out of the bathroom and roughly threw the article of clothing down on his roommate’s bed. His attention then shifted to all of the damned lights that had been turned on and he quickly began shutting all of them off. He wanted no reminders of that boy whatsoever.

Joshua’s attention jerked towards the window when the sudden sound of heavy rain and thunder began taking place outside. His gaze hardened as he stepped forward and pulled back the curtain. Despite his best efforts of blocking his roommate from his mind…that boy was the first person he thought of. His fingers gripped the screen door handle and drew it open as he stepped outside and looked towards the ground…as if he expected to see…

Just as quickly…Joshua re-entered his room and shut the screen door. He would think no more on his roommate! Joshua didn’t care where he was or what he was doing.