Visitor

Polyamorous relationship, huh?

Cathryn didn't hesitate to end the call, tossing the phone back to the table.

Her phone rang again for two minutes.

She glanced at the caller ID and saw Alexander's name again.

Alexander wouldn't stop until she accepted her call, huh?

She pressed the green button and set the phone back into her ear.

He exclaimed, "Why did you turn off your phone?"

"I had no time for bullshit, Alexander." She sighed heavily. "You have other important things to say?"

"I have a gift for you," Alexander said calmly.

"I don't care." She pressed the END CALL button again.

Cathryn got up from the bed and left her room to eat dinner with her roommates. She heard murmurs of conversations in the other room but it turned out those voices came from the television.

Because of the heavy curtains framing the windows, it was dark in the living room except for the LED display so she switched the lights on.

From the kitchen, she heard dishes clinking, food cooking, and a fridge door closing. Footsteps clumped over hardwood floors, scuffing through soft carpets. It was probably Edward and Justin preparing for dinner.

Cathryn fell into the sofa, trying to get rid of Alexander out of her damn mind. She noticed Justin's basket of yarn on the table and examined the oversized baby blue sweater he had been knitting in his free time.

Damn.

Cathryn could already see the final output in her mind's eye.

Delicate and sexy.

The stitching was perfect. If Justin launched his clothing line, she would probably buy it and support his work by advertising it on every social media platform and wear them every day.

He was that talented.

The rain thrummed against the roof as the car doors slammed. Traffic sounds and neighbors calling to one another outside drifted through their apartment.

The wind rattled the windows and Cathryn could feel the cold creeping through the walls.

She jumped when the doorbell rang and opened the door to see who it was.

"I'm here now, Cat." Alexander beamed a sexy grin at her as golden locks covered his forehead. He was wearing a blue-green hoodie and stylish ripped jeans. "I told you I have gifts for you, didn't I?"

Cathryn blocked his entrance to their apartment.

Too late, Edward was already behind her as he checked Alexander out, eyeing him from head to toe.

"You're already here? Come in! Come in!" Edward ushered him inside the apartment and shut the door.

Cathryn followed behind the two of them, noticing that they acted like they were the best friends and had known each other for a very long time. "That was quick."

"I brought food," Alexander smirked as he showed her boxes of pizza and some plastic bags.

"You invited him over?" Cathryn asked evenly.

"No, but--"Edward gave her a small, closed-lipped smile then continued,. "--why would we turn him down if he brought something for us?"

Alexander placed the takeout food he brought as gifts for Cathryn on the living room table, probably to get back into her good graces. He also brought cake and more desserts.

Justin also got the spicy chicken wings and the veggie platters he cooked from the kitchen and set them down on the table too.

Cathryn laid on the couch awkwardly with nothing to do since the boys were doing everything by themselves but she decided to go the fridge and prepare for the beverages: water, soda, juice, and alcoholic drinks.

"Why have you brought so many foods?" Cathryn asked dubiously as Alexander assisted her when he noticed she was having a hard time carrying them all.

Alexander shrugged. "The others will come over with the chips and salsa in an hour."

She gave him a quizzical look. "The others? You mean--?"

"The band wanted to hang-out."

Hang-out?

What will they do?

They ate dinner in front of the television as they waited for the other band members of the Mild Savagery.

Alexander sank into the cushy recliner beside her as he talked and laughed with Justin and Edward.

Half-empty glasses and beverage cans flooded the coffee table.

Justin found the remote and turned the television off, switching it up into some chill jazz music from the loudspeakers.

She inhaled deeply then exhaled with an open mouth as she stared at the condensation on a glass of cold water.

She wasn't feeling well, maybe she ate too much.

Vertigo had struck again.

She felt someone tap her on the top of her head. Turning her head to the side, she realized it was just Alexander. "Are you okay, Cat?"

"Yeah, I'm fine." She could hear the clock ticking loudly in her ears despite the other noise drowning her senses.

Cathryn wanted to scream and tell everyone to shut up but that would be too rude.

She should let them talk and have some fun even if she wasn't in the mood.

"You don't look fine," Alexander said, his brow wrinkled with worry.

Cathryn's eyes squeezed shut as she felt another migraine pulsing in her temples. Oh, she was acting like a pig now, sleeping after getting full.

She barely noticed Alexander settling a fuzzy blanket over her lap. Cathryn felt a comforting weight of someone's hand patting her leg in a slow rhythm as she relaxed.

She opened an eye to find out who it was acting like a mother would to a newborn baby and indeed, Alexander let out a good-natured grin as if saying, 'You caught me!'

"Do you want me to stop?"

"Please continue,"Cathryn answered a bit too loudly.

She'd faded for a second there, and still hadn't caught up to the conversation with Edward and Justin.

"You want me to carry to your bed?" Cathryn straightened her slumped shoulders and looked around at the rest of the room to find that everyone was staring at her, waiting for her answer.

"The others will come, right?" Cathryn said, acting like she was bored as she studied her hands, her lips tight. "I should be awake and greet them at least before going to sleep."

"It's fine, Cathryn." Alexander gave her a sarcastic grin as he drank from his bottle. "The band didn't come for you."

"They came for me, Cathryn. Don't be delusional." Edward rolled his eyes and shrugged. "You're not the only pretty girl around here."