Roommates 8.1

Chapter 8

"Games are a compromise between intimacy and keeping intimacy away." - Eric Berne

Nathan stood in the middle of his living room, looking at the couch, specifically, at the person that is currently sleeping on the couch.

Earlier, Nathan was woken up by something vibrating somewhere in his bed. He grudgingly opened his eyes, it was already bright out. The vibration started again and he moved his hands around the bed, searching for his phone. Finally finding it, he saw Kaylee calling.

After the conversation with Kaylee, Nathan looked at the time to see it was already past 10 am. He lazily got up and headed to the shower. After washing up and getting dressed, here he stood in the middle of his living room.

Lexie was sleeping soundly on the couch, her arms wrapped around herself, a thin scarf covering half her body. Looking at her now, Nathan felt a wave of guilt for forgetting to give her blankets, she must have been freezing last night. Just then, Lexie shifted in her sleep. Nathan froze, he held his breathe until she finally stopped moving again. She is now facing him, lips slightly parted, one hand was on her head, the other dangling off the couch. Nathan watching her couldn't help but chuckle quietly.

Suddenly, Nathan realized what he was doing. He shook his head, this is the third time he's watched her sleep. "This is becoming a habit." He whispered to himself. He reached out to Lexie, about to shake her shoulders but stopped midway, he remembered how she screamed yesterday when he accidentally startled her.

He stood there debating how to wake Lexie up, he sat on the coffee table and watched her as he tried to think of something.

"Hey" He whispered. "Lexie."

There was no reaction.

"Lexie." He tried again, moving closer. "Hey kid. Wake up."

Still no movement.

"Wake up, Lexie." Again, he moved closer. He was hovering above her ear. "Lexie, hey Lexie."

"Mmmmmmm…" Lexie shifted a little.

Finally! Trying once again. "Wake up Lexie, come on."

Lexie opened her eyes, looking up her eyes were met by Nathan's. Her eyes widened and she sat up, moving away.

"What the hell?" She asked.

"I was just waking you up." Nathan answered sitting back on the coffee table.

"Yeah, you seem to be doing that a lot, waking people up." Lexie was remembering all the times she woke up to see Nathan there.

"Whatever. Just get up already, Kaylee wants everyone at the bar at 1pm today."

With that, Lexie quickly got up and headed to the bathroom.

After getting ready, Lexie found Nathan on the couch, playing with his phone.

"I'm ready." She announced.

Nathan nodded, not bothering to look at her. "One minute." He was focused on the game he was playing.

"Yes!" Nathan finished his game and got up , pocketing his phone. "Let's go 21."

Lexie just followed.

"Oh wait. You should know, I don't have a car." Nathan locked the door.

"Okay." Lexie answered.

"You have two options: commute, or we can take my motorcycle." Nathan held two fingers in front of her.

"Why are you making me choose? Whatever you want is fine."

"Just choose one already 21."

"Okay fine, motorcycle."

"Are you sure?" Nathan looked at her cautiously, he didn't really think she would choose that or that she didn't even need time to decide. He thought she was probably going to suggest to get a cab or something.

"Yes, let's go!" Lexie was practically bouncing on her feet. She had always loved adventures, she loved the big scary rides in amusement parks, bungee jumping, paragliding.

Lexie waited outside by the street as Nathan went out back to get his motorcycle. She was so excited, she always wanted a motorcycle but was never allowed to have one. Everyone said it was dangerous, she had always been driven wherever she wanted to go. Once when Lexie was in vacation at Greece, she rode around town in a moped and she loved it. She knows riding a moped is different from riding an actual motorcycle but she was still happy.

Nathan stopped in front of her, riding his motorcycle, he handed her a helmet and she quickly moved to sit behind him.

"Uh…" Lexie hesitated to touch Nathan. Her hands hovering by his waist.

Nathan turned to see what's causing the delay, he noticed Lexie looking at his waist, he chuckled. "It's fine 21. Just hold on."

"Oh. Okay then." She awkwardly placed her hands on either side of his waist, clutching on to his shirt.

Nathan looked down to his shirt, I guess I'm going to work with wrinkled clothes.

As soon as the engine started, Lexie was smiling. She loved the feeling of the air on her face, blowing away her hair.

"Woooooooohhhh!" She screamed.

Nathan laughed lightly, shaking his head. This kid.

In a few minutes, Lexie was barely holding on to Nathan, she was enjoying herself so much. Then she raised both her arms up in the air screaming again.

"Hey! What the hell!" Nathan screamed quickly glancing behind to look at Lexie.

"What?" Lexie laughed, placing her hands back to Nathan's waist, just barely touching.

"Will you hold on properly? You could fall or something for f**ks sake!" Nathan used one hand to pull Lexie's hand closer together, causing her to move closer to his back.

"Would you relax. I was enjoying the ride." She was still laughing.

"Well I don't think you'd enjoy it when you're suddenly rolling on the ground with your head cracked or bones broken."

"So negative. Tsk." Lexie couldn't stop laughing, she was having too much fun. She slowly moved her hands, wanting to raise them again. But Nathan's hand held them together on his stomach.

"You should really use two hands for driving." Lexie pointed out.

"I will if you stop acting like a kid."

"Fine." Lexie locked her hands together around Nathan's waist, holding on properly. This was the most fun she had ever since she got to this city.

Nathan shook his head as he drove to the bar. 'I'm not getting paid for baby sitting.' He thought to himself.