Roomies and Zoomies

"I have to go back!" Vincent exclaimed. He'd stayed at Lucas' house for almost a week and was seriously out of clothing and sick of borrowing Lucas'. Sure, Lucas had provided Vincent with necessities like his own toothbrush, but he really could not possibly stay another day at the apartment.

"I don't want you to go." Lucas whined, grabbing onto Vincent and wrapping his arms around the boy's neck. "One more day."

"That's what you said yesterday."

"Well today I mean it."

"Come on. You'll see me again before you know it." Vincent rolled his eyes.

"I don't like being alone here. I don't..." Lucas paused to look around the apartment. "I don't like being alone at all."

"You're not alone, and you can call me if you need anything. Besides, I'll literally see you tomorrow, if not by the end of the day today."

"That's too long."

"Please Lucas. Please just drive me home. The sooner I go, the sooner I can come back." Vincent suggested.

"I'll miss you too much." Lucas' face lit up. "Why don't you just come live here?"

"Here? With you?" Vincent wondered aloud.

"Yeah, then you'll never have to go back, plus you'll save loads on room and board if you don't have a dorm room anymore."

"But moving in together.. isn't that awfully soon?" Vincent's voice betrayed concern.

"Don't think about it like that, just think about it like us being roommates. Besides, I have an extra room anyway, so we wouldn't even need to share a bed if you're uncomfortable."

"Are you serious?"

"Why not?" Lucas asked. "Friends do it all the time."

"I guess... I guess it's not a bad idea." Vincent said thoughtfully.

"There you go!" Lucas cheered. "I'm sure your mom will let you."

"I would imagine so as long as I'm staying with you. Have you put any thought into Christmas?"

"Nope." Lucas shrugged.

"Oh you should spend it with my mom and I!" Vincent smiled, wrapping his arms around Lucas' waist.

"Sounds perfect."

"And hey, while we're there, we can ask my mom about us moving in together."

"Even better."

"I still need to go back today though."

"Getting worse."

"Lucas." Vincent scoffed.

"Fine. Let's go." Lucas relented and grabbed his car keys. It would also be much simpler to no longer have to pick Vincent up for everything, but to just already have him be there, and he hoped Ms. Chance would agree.

Back in his dorm room Vincent fell onto the bed, ready to sleep for another hundred years. Dustin out for whatever reason, so Vincent changed right away, glad to be back into clothing that fit him more properly.

Outside the window he saw the early December snow drifting down and smiled to himself. It had been a very good start to the year, and he was glad to finally have his first ever real boyfriend. It was a new experience, but so far it had been a very good one.

December reminded him that he was coming up on finals. While at Lucas' he'd had to borrow Lucas' laptop to complete all of his assignments. If he did end up going back, he'd need to make sure they both had their laptops and were able to study at the same time.

Hailz💖: what're you up to?

Vincent's phone buzzed with a message from Hailey, and he shouted, having not heard from her since the party.

Vinny: nothing

Hailz💖: coffee?

Vinny: sure

Hailz💖: see you in ten

Vincent smiled and pulled on his navy blue coat. It had been a whirlwind of couple drama and he was ready to do something more normal for a college student. Hailey pulled up not long after she said she would and Vincent hopped in the car for the ride.

"So." Hailey began as they sat down at their table. "I lost sight of you for a while at the party. Where'd you go?"

"Um... well you know, I was a bit stressed about everything and all those people, so I ended up hanging out in the bedroom." Vincent explained.

"The bedroom that Lucas was in?"

"Hailey." Vincent grimaced. "We weren't doing anything. We're just friends." He lied.

"Sure." Hailey shrugged, taking a sip of her coffee. "So Marty stormed out after finding you two not doing anything."

"You know Marty! He's volatile."

"I suppose."

"And you? Any fooling around for you at the party?" Vincent changed the subject.

"Regrettably no." Hailey shrugged, but after a few moments her face turned to a small smile.

"What was that look?" Vincent asked.

"What look?"

"The look that said nothing happened, but I wish it had."

"I don't know what you're on about." Hailey took another innocent sip of her coffee. "I didn't want anything to happen."

"But you would next time? With who?" Vincent grinned.

"I can't tell you."

"Why?"

"Because it's someone you know."

"A boy, I assume?" Vinny raised an eyebrow.

"Yes."

"That leaves Lucas, Marty, and Dustin. Lucas and I were together all night, plus if you liked him I don't think you'd be pushing the narrative that he's in love with me. Marty got there late and left immediately. So that means you like Dustin, did I get that right?"

"Shut up, Nancy Drew! Somebody could hear you." Hailey scolded.

"You said a boy I know. I only know three boys. Now a girl, we'd have some guessing, but there just aren't that many boys in my life." Vincent shrugged.

"Okay fine." Hailey lowered her voice to a whisper. "Nothing happened, but I was thinking I might be okay with it if it did, you know?"

"I guess." Vincent shrugged. "Dustin isn't really my type."

"Yeah. He's not Lucas." Hailey rolled her eyes. "Do you think anything could happen?"

"... be very careful." Vincent stated slowly. "He's got a girlfriend. That can get very messy very quickly."

"Oh." Hailey's face fell. "Is it serious?"

"I dunno." Vincent frowned. "I've never met her. He usually just fights with her over the phone."

"That doesn't sound like a healthy relationship to me."

"Maybe not, but you should still be careful. The unhealthy ones usually are the hardest to break up."

"How would you know?" Hailey smirked.

"I wouldn't." Vincent lied. Lucas had a girlfriend in middle school. As far as Vincent could tell, it seemed like a very toxic relationship, but it lasted for years without any sign of stopping.

"I've got to go soon. I'm supposed to help Ryan for finals." Hailey made a face of disgust.

"Dump him." Vincent shrugged. "Kick him to the curb to fend for himself."

"I'm being the bigger person. But it's pretty damn hard."

"If you really feel committed, I would help him to the end of the semester and tell him he'll have to find a new tutor for the next one." Vincent suggested.

"Will do." Hailey nodded. "I can drop you back off at the dorms on my way to the library."

"Sounds good."