Now It's My Time to Strike Back

We arrived to the Senior Dorm Building, heading to the fourth floor, dropping off everything of Vic’s off at the front desk on the first floor of the building.

Nick protested numerous times to the matter, but once I signed my name as well as writing Vic’s cell phone number down on the form indicating everything was hers, he remained silent until we reached the fourth floor.

The first door on the right read 301 and since the fourth floor was floor D, we arrived at our dorm. We stood in silence before either of us spoke.

“So, aren’t you going to unlock the door?” I asked, biting my lip afterwards.

Nick nodded before pulling out his key, unlocking the door.

It was the same as the previous dorms I’d been in, but much larger.

The walls were the usual dull white while two twin beds rested to the right of the door. The closet was conjoined and to the left of the room as was the bathroom. The cool thing about the room was that the flat-screen TV rested on the wall next to the closet making it towards the middle of the wall before one would reach the bathroom.

I sighed quietly realizing the room was basically the opposite of my previous dorm room. Nick allowed me to walk in first before he did so, himself. We sat our things in the middle of the room, standing in silence as we waited for the other to speak. As expected, Nick spoke this time.

“So, uh…which bed do you want?” he asked, looking from me to the beds and back again.

“Uh, it honestly depends on which one you want. Either bed is fine with me”, I admitted, staring at the two, identical twin size beds.

Each bed had a blue sheet set already made as well as large, covered pillows. I pointed to the bed closest to the window, a chuckle escaping the both of us at my decision.

“I thought you’d choose that one”, Nick said, shaking his head slightly.

He grabbed his things before opening the closet door, staring into the empty closet. He was more than likely wondering how things were going to be organized so neither of us got things mixed up.

I opened one of my suitcases, not caring if he saw the contents inside of it as I began organizing the things I’d packed.

Even after a few minutes later, Nick still stood at the closet entrance thinking so I walked over to him, placing one of my hands on his shoulders.

“Hey, are you OK?” I asked, the warmth radiating off of him.

“Yeah”, he answered, glancing back at me for a moment.

Another moment of silence passed before he spoke again.

“Would you mind if our things were on the corresponding side as our beds are?” he asked in a kind tone.

“Not at all. Maybe we should work on the bathroom first?” I asked, thinking of Mel.

“Sure. Why don’t we head down to the store and buy some things for our room? I’m sure our basic needs should be in stock there”, he agreed.

After about half an hour later, we were both fully unpacked regardless of what we agreed on and were on our way to the school store.

Once we reached it, I went to grab for a basket, but Nick beat me to it. I rolled my eyes, sighing in slight annoyance at how much of a gentleman he was being now compared to three months ago.

We went down each aisle trying to get the things that we thought we’d possibly need in the future like toilet paper, laundry detergent, stuff like that until we came down the continence aisle.

I took in a sharp breath, turning my back on Nick as he walked down the aisle alone, grabbing a box of Trojan condoms off of the shelf. I bit my lip before I decided to walk elsewhere so he wouldn’t know how uncomfortable it made me feel.

So he and Vic were having sex! Well, it wouldn’t be the first time Vic’s had sex with one of my exes… but still, it’s Nick of all people. I’d think that he’d have more standards than that. A voice brought me out of my thoughts.

“Are you ready?” he asked, staring at me weirdly and I stared back.

“Y-yeah”, I stammered.

We walked to the counter and Nick paid for everything, ticking me off a little.

I didn’t bring up the matter again until we exited the store, rounding on him at once.

“OK, what the hell was that?” I asked angrily.

“What was what?” he asked as though he was clueless, but I saw a small smirk on his lips.

“I’m talking about you paying for everything. Last time I checked, you were Vic’s boyfriend, not mine”, I retorted, folding my arms across my chest as we approached our tree.

“I’m just being nice, Rose. Is that such a horrible thing to do?” he asked in a calm tone, stopping once we reached it.

“Uh, yeah! Just because we’re roommates doesn’t mean anything! We’re friends, but things can’t just go back to the way they were in April! It doesn’t work that way!” I exclaimed.

Silence fell over us as my words sunk in for the both of us. After a while, Nick spoke.

“I’m not trying to make things between us like they were in April. I know better than that. I’m trying to start over as friends between the two of us. I don’t want us to have some sort of conflict with each other just because I broke up with you for Victoria-”, he began, but I cut across him.

“It’s a tad bit too late for that, Nick. You can’t take it back no matter how much you try. I don’t even know if I can be friends with you, to be honest. I can’t be friends with someone knowing what I feared the most came true even when you tried to assure me that it wouldn’t”, I admitted, pouring part of my heart to him.

His eyes bored into mine for a moment before he spoke.

“What do you want me to say, Rose? At least I’m trying here! You have to give me at least that much credit! What part of I know I can’t change the past do you not seem to be able to comprehend? I-I don’t want to lose you as a friend regardless of the bad blood between us, including Vic. Please, Rose. Please at least try to stay friends with me. That’s all I ask”, he pleaded, catching me off guard.

I couldn’t believe my ears. Nick was begging me to stay friends with him. But why? What made me so important that he did not want to stop caring about having some sort of relationship (friendship) with me?

I felt my feet carry me as I absentmindedly thought the matter over, not realizing Nick was following me wherever I was going. Once we reached our dorm again, he spoke, gently grabbing my arm as he turned me to face him, my mind still swirling with my questioning thoughts.

“Will you please give me an answer? I won’t beg anymore, but please answer my question”, he said in the same tone he used previously.

I looked into his eyes seeing them swimming with emotions, one in which I thought was one I’d recognized months previously, but it couldn’t have been. He’s with Vic, is he not?

I ran a hand through my hair, sighing deeply.

“I don’t know, Nick. I honestly don’t know”, I answered, taking the bag from him as I walked into the bathroom, sorting everything.

Nick didn’t press the subject any further, then walked to the closet, reorganizing his things inside of it.

That night as I slept, my heart raced at the thought of Nick as his light snores filled the room.

Nick had begged me to stay friends with him.

But what was I going to do? Say yes or no? That was one answer that wouldn’t come to me or at least, not right away.