The World's Clutter

Sinking my teeth into my bottom lip I stared down at the long gash that now rested across the top of my foot. I winced at the pain, willing the sting away with all that I had while making my way to the rolling waves. Blood was already pooling at the top of my foot, dotting over the thinnest parts of the long scrape.
The salt water cleaned it quickly and after a quick shake of my foot I hurried back to the rocks of the beach, letting the smooth sand squish between my toes and irritate my cut with tiny particles.
My skin felt hot and was no doubt burnt from the sun’s rays, yet I carried on until I reached the block of my rented house, stopping only once at a stop sign to brush sand off my feet. The home I had taken up residence in wasn’t much at all, for it was smaller than its outside appearance suggested.
We had a single bathroom for the three of us and a tiny living room that was combined with a little kitchen. It was quaint and it served its purpose by being affordable and close to all my destinations. So overall it was fine, except that the rooms were about as big as a closet and only fit a single bed and a dresser, if angled right and the walls donned peeling wallpaper.

I had tried finding another place to stay years ago when I first moved in, but it all came down to the money that never seemed to stay in my pocket for long. I had an awful habit of buying things on a whim, like the seashell lamp that sat beside my bed, and the purple suitcase I could have lived without due to my lack of travelling. Another odd object I had begun collecting was those foolish cereal box prizes, but at least I kept everyone fed with my addiction.
One of my roommates or as it seemed more often than not, my only roommate, Devon liked to devour two boxes within a week whenever I went on a binge. It wasn’t like I minded much because the only cereal that had worthwhile prizes happened to be one I didn’t enjoy digesting in the morning, evening or night.
Devon didn’t say much, though when he did speak, he’d often criticise my odd shopping addictions and remind me that the month’s rent was coming up. He was a rather short fellow with strong legs and weak arms; when I first met him, I’d joked about him looking like a slow deflating doll until he shot me a cross look. It seemed men preferred a woman to keep their comments to themselves, especially in Devon’s case.

Our third roommate I can’t really tell you much about, for he’s rarely home and gone months at a time. I don’t blame him though for wanting to get out of this shitty building as often as possible, though my curiosity often had me sneaking into his room to catch glimpses into his life. To make up for this intrusion (though it wasn’t much of one when he had no idea) I would clean his clothes and fold them neatly on his bed for his return.
Taking after Devon, he never spoke much to me unless it was a quick hello before darting inside his room. I guess it was my luck that I’d landed with two roommates who really wanted nothing to do with me.

Heaving a sigh I limped to my front door, fumbling with my keys a moment too long before slipping inside and locking the door behind me. Everything was silent as I stood in the tiny living room slash kitchen, staring at the three doors that led to each of our rooms.
Devon’s door was as usual snapped shut with a ‘do not disturb’ sign on the doorknob, and my door was left slightly ajar with a light glow from my seashell lamp that I often forgot to unplug. The third door however was unusually opened, light streaming from its gaping doorway. I could see fresh posters hanging on the walls and suddenly I realized my other roommate had returned.

“Hello?” I called before the sound of crashing came from the third room along with a curse of ‘shit’.
Thinking better of calling out again I leaned my weight onto my uninjured foot and waited until the tall gangly boy was tripping his way out of his room.

His body was wrapped in wires from his headphones that hung precariously around his neck and his brown hair had grown longer in his absence. He glanced up at me with wide dark eyes, his large mouth parting to remind me of a fish before closing once more.

“Cory!” he spoke as if he were surprised I was here. In my home. At the same time as him...
“Eric...” I answered timidly, watching him awkwardly tug at the wires until he was free.
“I-um- didn’t... you look... Hi”

Confusion filled me as I stared at my roommate, eyeing the skinny jeans on his legs that hung a little low on his hips and the shirt that hiked up his abdomen without any notice. He always seemed to be changing, or rather, growing.
I forced a smile and a little wave to him before heading to my bedroom, not wanting to deal with the awkwardness he radiated or the infection that was sure to infest my cut should I not clean it again now. Hobbling lightly to the bathroom that hid itself beside the refrigerator I seated myself on the toilet and opened the cupboard in front of me to take out the small metal first aid kit.

“Thanks for—oh geese! Are you hurt?” It seemed Eric had followed me.
Looking up into his worried eyes I pointed down at my cut foot, “Injured myself at the beach... also lost my towel... and sandals... but that doesn’t matter much”
His eyes twinkled as he stared down at my foot, “let me help you”
“I don’t think two people are—“ my thoughts are cut off as he squeezed himself into the bathroom with me and managed to kneel down by my feet and the cupboard.

He acted quickly by scooping out the first aid kit and plucking a few wet pads, cloth strips and pins. I nervously let him handle my cut, watching his nimble fingers work.

“I wanted to say thank you for cleaning my clothes while I was gone, you didn’t have to though. I would’ve gotten my mom to do it...” His breath hit my foot and nearly had me recoiling had he not been gripping my ankle.
“You’d have your mother clean your clothes?” I laughed as blush stained his cheeks, “That’s horrible!”
“It is not,” he argued, “gives her reasons for me to drop by”
“You can’t just... drop by without a reason?” I quirked a brow at him.
“Well,” he spluttered, “I-... could-but...do...”

When my foot was finished I gently pulled my body away from his and had to nearly climb over his back to exit the bathroom with little grace. He stared after me with either amusement or distaste, I didn’t bother to really look and instead kept silent as I slipped into my room and shut the door.
I had a small window that faced our neighbour’s backyard fence, but it was mostly hidden behind my thin dresser. The walls hadn’t been painted or papered after I found out our landlord wouldn’t cover decorating of that sort. It was only another reason for me to get the hell out of this place as soon as I learned how to properly save.

I tucked my sunglasses into a drawer quickly and changed from my shorts and bathing suit, struggling only a moment with the one piece straps. I still can’t understand why one piece’s are always harder to get off than bikinis. I’d just level it down to a man’s amusement and carry on my way.

“Hey, Cory?” Eric’s voice called softly through the door, surprising me to bashing my knee on the side of my bed’s frame.
“Ouch! Dammit!” I shouted, bringing my knee up into my hands to nurse it.
“Are you alright?” He worried through the wood.
“Fine, hurt my knee. Just wait a minute though, I’m changing” I called back.

He kept silent, even as I changed and didn’t even speak when I opened my door again to face him. “What’s up?”
“I was...” swallowing and making his Adams apple bob he continued, “wondering if you would like to go to dinner?”
“Dinner...?” I repeated.
“Yes” he confirmed and watched my face for a response.

I wasn’t sure was my facial features were saying to him, since I couldn’t make up my mind in a decision, but it seemed I had helped give him an answer as his mouth turned into a huge toothy grin. “Have you ever seen New York City?”
Stunned at this answer I shook my head and eyed him.
“It’s beautiful. At night, it kind of reminds me of you”
His answer startled me and yet he carried on, bringing more confusion to my now muddled mind.
“What about Detroit? There’s this restaurant you’d love. And Chicago too, there’s a lot of people you would get along so well with”
“Eric, you’re confusing” I pointed out and watched the smile fade from his lips.
“Yah... well, sorry. I just figured—“
“Where do you run off to anyway?” I interrupted him, deciding if he was finally going to speak to me, I’d pursue a conversation.

“I tour... with... my band”
So Eric Halvorsen was in a band was he? Well that was new information I bet Devon didn’t know!
“Well, that’s pretty... cool?”
“It is,” he agreed readily, “Oh! That reminds me, I brought you something back”
“Why... would you bring me something back? From where?”
He grinned down at me and moved quickly to his open bedroom door, “All over!”

Trailing after him I began to witness a side I had never seen from my long time roommate. It was almost disappointing to stare at the brunette across from me, having lived with him for so long, and never having known or seen this personality of his. Eric didn’t seem as shy as I had made him out to be, though he did make a few awkward touches to his neck and hair, patting his sides lightly whenever his palms were too sweaty.
He was almost like a little kid as he rifled through a large suitcase filled with more dirty clothes and random objects. I watched him pluck out a few typical tourist items; a bobble head doll dressed as an Indian, a key chain that said ‘Detroit’ on it and a bunch of brightly coloured pens and necklaces. When he finished with his handful he grabbed a dirty shirt that made me scrunch my nose up and held it out to me, the proudest smile on his face as I read the words brandished across the front; ‘A Rocket To The Moon’.

“Is that your band name?” I guessed and took in his cheery nod. “Cute”
“Ah! Manly!” he corrected me with a roll of the eye, “Now, these are yours”
“Perfect! More things to clutter my room,” I teased him, “Thank you. This is nice, but you really didn’t have to bring anything for me. I’m surprised you thought of me to buy anything in the first place”
“I always think of you” Eric suddenly blurted and my breath caught in my throat.

Looking around nervously I wondered if my cheeks were flushing red. I’d honestly never paid much attention to Eric, and now there was a pit of regret in my stomach.
He always thought of me? I never thought I could be that memorable to someone, though I suppose it was bound to happen having lived with him for nearly two and a half years. Even through his touring, we still managed a few hellos here and there.

“Look, I know we don’t know each other well, but... I think we should”
I laughed heartily at him suddenly, and had to hold my hands out in surrender when he looked as if someone had stuck something smelly under his nose. “No, no, Eric. Your right; we should definitely know each other, but you’re always running off somewhere. Busy people don’t really have much time to get to know people, do they?”
“No, they don’t,” he agreed, “but I think it’s only fair I get to know my roommate, right?”
“I suppose” I shrugged innocently and stared at his handsome face.

I hadn’t gotten the chance to look at him in a long time, to take in his appearance for more than a scraggly young man that was too busy to hang around a tiny shared home. “So what’s brought this on, Eric?”
He hummed lightly as he took a seat on his bed, “what do you mean?”
“Why are we standing here, in your room, talking now when we could have so long ago?”
Eric pouted his lips and hooded his eyes in thought, making strange faces that had me irked and amused all at once. He took a good few minutes before he was finally answering my questions, “I’ve been everywhere. There are so many things I’ve seen, and yet... I come back here and it seems like I haven’t seen enough. Something’s changed and I missed it... you and Devon. You’re always here, just like my parents, but... I don’t know any of you like I wished I did. I’m not around enough to actually see what you’re seeing and I don’t like that feeling. I hate leaving things behind, and I decided... I’m not going to any more. I’m going to get to know you, so long as my bribing with bobble heads works. Is that cool with you?”
Grinning in response I nodded and picked the Indian bobble head from his hands and let his move slowly. “I believe you owe me dinner then, Eric”
“I’d be honoured”