LIVING LIKE STRANGERS

       They stayed for days without talking to each other. In fact, it was Ethan who was avoiding her now. He pretends like she was not there, even when they were at the same spot, he doesn't tease her anymore, nor get on her nerves. He was living like he was not even there. Usually, when she comes back from work, he was in the living room, watching TV or doing one thing or the other. But, for the past few days, she had not seen him in the living room. He had always wondered if he was home or not and would sit by her typewriter, stylishly waiting to see when he would come back. 

       But, her curiosity was always soothed when he leaves his room to the kitchen to take water or some other things and as usual, he would ignore her, like she wasn't there. She on the other hand would pretend to be so engrossed in her work and not noticing him. She couldn't even tell Nora about it, because it would lead to why it all happened and she would have to spill to Nora that she had finally kissed her roommate. A roommate she had been sure she was never going to as much as hug him. Nora was going to laugh at her, after laughing at her, she would tease her to death with it. 

      She had wanted it this way hadn't she? She had wanted them to live as total strangers, of course that was what she had told Nora, but why was she feeling this way now? Why was she always so eager to see him? Why was she anticipating his tease? Why was she always thinking about those times when he was always holding her spellbound? 

        She had picked some groceries on her way back from work that day and she had been caught up by a little traffic, which had made her arrive a bit later than usual. When she opened the front door and went in, she saw him there on the couch with a young woman, curled up on his strong body. She had not anticipated to see him there, so she had not arranged her hair and looked neat. They turned to look at her and their eyes met, but he quickly removed it and turned to the girl on the couch. 

       She felt intimidated. This girl was her age or maybe a year younger, but she looked so beautiful and classy. That instant, she felt like an old hag. She have seen that girl before, she was the girl with him at the cafe the other day. So she was the girlfriend? She didn't say anything to them, she slowly went to the kitchen to drop the bags. She slowly closed the kitchen door but stayed to listen to what they have to say about her. She had seen the look on the girl's face, when she came in. She didn't know if it was of surprise or derision. 

      "Who is she? Your wife?" she heard the girl ask. 

      "No, no, wife?" she had heard Ethan chuckle ironically. "She's..." 

      She wiped her tears and decided to come out of the kitchen. He had not even told his girlfriend that he had a roommate. But, as she opened that kitchen door, her heart kept reminding her that that was what she had wanted.