“Well, I think Johnson prefers a human renter,” I huff, turning away from the conversation. For one, my nose is tickling again, and two, I don’t want to lose my grip on my temper. Olli’s obviously baiting me, trying to provoke a fight to vent his terriblemood. But I’ve already dealt with a miserable coach today. I don’t need to engage in this bullshit.
“Maybe he won’t have a problem with me keeping at least one kitten around? I should’ve asked when I talked to him.” He raises his voice to make sure it follows me into the kitchen, where I pull open the fridge with a little too much force. I don’t even look at what I grab, just randomly pull ingredients out to get dinner started, since no one else will do it.
“Why did you talk to Johnson?” Linden asks, and I wish he would just leave it and instead come join me in the kitchen, maybe withKeeping Noahin his hands to show me the scenes we haven't tried yet. And if not that, then at least to finally talk.
Do you fear it, too?I want to ask him.Or is it just me?
“Because of the AC he promised to set up, then never installed in Micah’s room? You’re welcome, by the way!” Once again, Olli raises his voice on the last part, but despite his efforts, it suddenly seems to come from very far away. My heart misses its next beat, and a wave of nausea hits me. The fucking AC—I had totally forgotten about it.
“You did what?!” I hiss out, slamming the fridge shut again. My head is swirling as I frantically try to calculate the cost. I have no idea how much it will be to connect my room to the house's AC system, but I don’t think Johnson can make me pay for it. But he will definitely raise the rent afterward, considering the missing AC was one of the reasons I got it so cheap.
“I called Johnson about the AC so you wouldn’t get boiled to death up there. I actually thought he’d have it put up by the time you two made it back, but you know how he is. Just reminded him today, and he said he’d come by on the weekend,” Olli explains, a frown on his face.
“What the fuck, man. Why didn’t youtalk to me first?!” I pat my sweats in search of my phone, then pull it out with clammypalms. It takes me two tries to unlock it, my thumb shaking as I swipe to my banking app to check my balance.
“What? We did talk about it! The day I asked you if you wanted Nicko’s room or if we could offer it to Vince!” The anger is back in Olli’s voice. Anger and self-righteousness because he thinks he was doing me a damn favor. Just like Seb. Just like everyone today, apparently.
“But…it…I didn’t think you’d actually reach out to him! Fuck, Olli, he’s going to raise my fucking rent over this.” I try to swallow down my panic, but I’m still tripping over my own words.
“Oh, come on now,” he groans, rolling his eyes in exaggeration, “it’s just an AC that he promised to install from the start. What if Johnson wants an extra ten or twenty bucks per month? It’s not like you can’t afford it.”
I stare at him, unable to formulate a proper response. I could scrape together another twenty dollars for rent per month, sure. But that would mean missing out on that rare occasion when I join my roommates’ pizza orders or skipping to invite Seb out for drinks, so I don’t feel like a total leech who just takes and takes andtakesfrom the people he loves.
“Olli, you don’t know what others can afford,” Linden chimes in, reminding me of his presence. He’s talking to our roommate, but his gray eyes are on me, worried and soft. “Even if you meant well, Micah’s right, you should’ve asked him first.”
“Or he could’ve told me from the start that he doesn’t want it!” Olli insists, throwing one hand up. Tibia, obviously freaked out by our yelling, scrambles free and jumps to the ground to hurry away. For a second, all of us look after her, making sure the front and back doors are closed. Olli sighs in relief when she darts into Marisol’s room, then turns to me again.
“I get that money is a sensitive subject for you, butdude, you're on afull rideat B-Tech. You receive housing money, andyou got yourself the cheapest fucking room in the entire city. Maybe use that money for actual rent instead of spending it on parties and girls or whatever you do with it.”
“That’s enough! Olli, you’re overstepping,” Linden interjects, holding his hands out as if trying to keep us apart. Rightly so, because in this moment, I want nothing more than to shake Olli like a rag doll.
“Fuck you, you asshole!” I yell out, my fingers clamping down so hard around my cell that my knuckles are turning white. “You want to know what I’m spending my money on? Fine, here, have a look!”
With a shaking hand, I raise my cell to make sure the screen is still showing my banking app, then thrust it into his face. I know this is dumb—I won’t be able to go back from this, but fuck, I’m tired of pretending and making up excuses. I’m sick of people thinking I’m just a cheapskate or irresponsible when I’m just…sotired.
“Does this look like I can afford to spend an extra twenty dollars onanything?! Or this?” I swipe down to last month, all the red numbers adding up neatly, with a big, fat minus sign in front of them. “And then there’s the fucking car repair I need to pay Seb back for, since, just like you, he didn’t think to ask me first! Oh, and while we’re at it, I also need a new dress shirt because I can’t turn up to games looking like I stole it out of your closet. And maybe I should buy a new fucking phone, so everyone can stop asking why Idon’t just get a new one!”
Olli has taken a step back, his eyes narrowed as he takes in the ugly truth about my scholarship money, his lips pressed together in a thin line.
“Micah, you don’t have to do this. You don’t owe anyone an explanation.” Linden isn’t looking at the screen; he’s pressing down on my elbow, but I don’t lower my arm. Instead, I keep thumbing downward until Olli grabs my wrist to hold it still.
“Wait. Who’s Jenna? And Jo? Why are you transferring money to random people?” he demands when he comes across my biggest expenses.
I take a deep breath to prepare for the final plunge.“They’re my parents,” I say coldly as I finally let my arm sink to put my phone back into my pocket.
Olli stares at me. I can see the questions written all over his face, but to his credit, the only thing he lets out is a soft “Oh.”
“Yeah.Oh.” I laugh, bitterness seeping into the sound. I don’t have anything to add to this conversation, so I shoulder past them to get out of the kitchen.
“Micah, wait! Micah!” Linden’s voice trails after me as I climb the stairs, storming past Nicko’s old room, which is now inhabited by Vince, then Olli’s. He left the door open, the usual chaos spilling out of his cave.
I sneeze once, then twice when I step over a cat toy, giving Linden a chance to catch up with me.
“Hey,” he murmurs as he grabs me by the corner of my shirt. “Micah,stop.”
“What?” I growl, the sharpness draining from my voice when he flinches.
“I’m sorry,” I say, rubbing a hand over my eyes. “I’m not mad at you, I’m just—” I trail off, helplessly seeking the right words, when he steps closer, wrapping his arms around me.
