PERCIE
I stepped on the brake. The tires screeched. Our body whiplash as the car stopped to a halt. I was too angry to notice that the traffic lights just turned red. Damn it, Hailey.
âAre you okay?â I checked for her. She was holding her chest and breathing rapidly.
âLee.â I regretted it right away. What was I thinking, letting my emotions clouded my judgment? I cupped her face and looked her in the eye.
Everything flashed back at me, of what happened months ago when I saw the reaction in her eyes.
She blinked rapidly, constantly nodding. Thank God she always wore her seatbelt whenever she rode with me.
âIâm sorry, Hailey. I was just angry. This wonât happen again. I think you should buy a car. The sooner, the better. I canât risk your life like this.â I stared at her in the eye longer until she gave me a reassuring smile.
âIâm okay. I was just a little bit shaken.â Her voice didnât lie.
The horns behind us started me. I cursed silently. I drove carefully this time. I still remembered the wrecked of my dadâs car after that accident. I might be walking to campus if I used my car during that incident.
***
Iâm sweating everywhere after checking Haileyâs car from the engine, carburetor, wires, interior, and tires. I also changed the oils. Her Honda Accord 2019 would run like brand new. Although it ran long miles already, that man in the selling garage didnât actually lie. This car was worthy of her dadâs money.
âLee!â I called while wiping my sweat off my forehead. I had to remove my white shirt before start checking her car. The garage of her father was a little a bit smaller now her car was already here.
âPeââ She stopped when she saw me. I ignored the tingles as she checked me out sweaty, greasy, half-naked in her dadâs garage.
âHailey, try to start it now.â I closed the hood of her car.
I was running out of patience when nothing happened. I looked back at her. Her face was a deep crimson.
âUmââ She blinked rapidly.
âWhatâs wrong with you?â I asked harshly. Remember, Percie. Iâm like her brother.
âUm, nothing!â She snapped, glaring at me.
I bit my lip to hold my smile. Fine, I bite it. Nothing, just like you said.
âThen get inside your car because it wonât start by itself.â I rolled my eyes.
I knew the key wasnât with her, but she was already inside the car. And she didnât ask from me. I knocked on her window while dangling the key.
She was still blushing. What was she thinking? My interests piqued me.
âYou canât drive when your mind is in the gutter, Hailey.â
âShut up! Just give me the key.â She offered her hand.
âReally, Hailey? Not even a thank you?â She hurt my feelings, honestly. I fished out the key from my pocket and put it in her hand. âYouâre welcome.â
I left her alone, snatched my shirt from the coat rack, and put it on quickly.
âLily, Haileyâs car is good as new. She can drive that to our apartment. Iâm going home to take a shower. Do you need anything before I go?â
She gave me her usual motherly smile and pecked me in my sweaty face.
âIâm sweating, Lily.â
She just giggled. âThank you, Percie. Why donât you wait until dinner?.â Thereâs nowhere Iâd rather be, but my feeling is hurt.
âThis Sunday, Lily. Promise.â
âOkay, my dear.â
I pecked her on her cheek. âGot to go.â
I walked out of the house and drove away without saying goodbye to Hailey. I didnât know what was wrong with her or what was wrong with me? I knew one thing, though, but Iâd rather deny it than admit to myself that I was slowly, painfully, falling for my roommate.
I showered the grease and oil-stained away from my body. I was still in the middle of wearing my shirt when I heard a loud knock on my bedroom door. I rushed my way towards to open it.
âWhy did you leave me behind?â Angry Haileyâs voice snapped me out of my misery.
For a moment, I wanted to kiss her to shut up. But looking at her so pissed, her hands on her hips while glaring at me, Iâd rather sleep to slumber.
I didnât answer her. I ran my palms in front of the shirt, combed my wet hair with my fingers. I walked out of my room without a single word coming from me.
I was turning into sensitive and soft when she was with me. My emotions were turning into a whirlwind when she was around, and I didnât like it. She was making me feel like a human, an ordinary guy like I used to be. But I didnât like my old self, who undoubtedly got hurt. And the feeling was awful.
A few months ago, I didnât care what people thought of me. I didnât even give a fuck about them. I had my world, and they had theirs. It drastically changed the moment I met Keith, Lily, and Hailey.
âPercie, Iâm talking to you.â She followed me to the kitchen.
I opened the fridge and drunk the OJ from the juice box.
âWhatâs wrong with you? Ew. When did you start drinking from the carton? I should buy for my own next time. Are you drinking the milk directly from the carton too?â She was wrinkling her nose when I looked at her.
I belched out.
Her eyes widened. Her hand flew to her mouth.
I walked away from her to the living area and slumped my ass to the couch. I pressed the TV remote and scanned some shows. She was still standing beside me with her hands on her waist.
I could see her in my peripheral vision. Her patience was wearing thin. I stopped scanning when it landed on the replay of The Walking Dead. I watched these six seasons many times, but I wanted to distract my mind away from her.
âIs this your way of saying to me that I should search for a new roommate soon?â Well, I didnât see that coming.
I froze in my seat. It didnât even occur to me to kick her out of our apartment. I swallowed the bile rising from my throat.
âIâm not kicking you out of here, Hailey. What would your parents think of me?â I threw her a glance before I focused again on the show on TV. âBut if thatâs what you want.â I didnât mean that. I hoped she would bite it.
âYou always thought about them. Iâm glad you respect my parents, Percie, but if youâre not comfortable with me being around anymore, I would understand. Iâll start searching for an apartment far from here even without telling them.â
I squinted my eyes at her. âWhat in the hell Iâm not kicking you out from here you didnât understand?â My voice boomed in the living room, causing her to flinch.
She looks terrified.
I regretted it right away. Seeing how Hailey react only made me realize how much she meant to me. If she was hurt, so did I. In the end, I was hurting myself back.
I couldnât let her go. She was the only person who kept me sane. The only one who made me closer to normal.
She started shaking.
I cursed silently.
âThank you for fixing my car.â
She ran away from the living room. Then her door slammed shut, the whole floor shook. If it was not her room door. It was the main door.
âFuck.â I fisted my hands stronger that turns my knuckles into white. Before I could even think of hurting myself, the glass table crashed down the floor into pieces.
***
I dialed her number, but she didnât pick up, and I started to worry. I couldnât keep on calling her. I couldnât distract her if she was driving. I tried to take a breath to calm my nerves, but it didnât even help.
Itâd been an hour since she ran away. I constantly checked the time on my phone. I leaned my back against my car while waiting for her. I scanned around the parking lot, but her car wasnât around.
I called her mom before I went outside the apartment. She didnât go there. Her mom said not to worry, but I couldnât help myself. It was my fault.
Again, it was all my fucking fault.
I got in my car and listened to some rock music on Spotify. My nerves calmed down a bit, but my mind always went back to Hailey.
I closed my eyes and leaned back. A light that streaked through my windshield forced my eyes to open. I sat straight instantly in my seat.
Broken Bad Boy ï¤22 Can't Resist the Billionaire ï¤Chapter 70 I'm here to check on your room, not to open a room We Got Love, The Crazy Kind ï¤Chapter 60 Rest Assured
Quickly, I got out and walked towards her car, but then another car parked beside hers. In an instant, I knew who car that was.
Broken Bad Boy Can't Resist the Billionaire We Got Love, The Crazy Kind