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When I finish up my combos, I clean up my area and walk to the weight room. My muscles are already tired, but I push through it, grabbing a pair of dumbbells and slowly going through the reps as I sit on the bench.
I don’t know how to feel about Theo moving back in. We never really got to know each other before he left for college. I wanted to bond with him before we met, but I wasn’t prepared for him to be as bad of a bully as the kids at school. What started out as an awkward first meeting for us only got worse when I moved in. Theo never attempted to get to know me in the time that we shared a room, and once I was in my own bedroom, he did his best to ignore my existence all together. I honestly don’t get it because I tried to be friendly. It was only after I realized what anasshat Theo is that I decided to ignore him back. It’s easier this way for both of us.
When I finish up my reps, the muscles in my arms are throbbing. Maybe I overdid it, especially considering I still need to ride home. I don’t bother with a shower in the locker room. It doesn’t make sense when I’ll just be sweating more. Instead, I grab my things, slinging my bag onto my back and buckling my helmet on. The trip home takes longer than usual because I’m going at a slower pace. I lock up my bike in the garage and walk inside, heading for the kitchen. Only to run into Theo pouring himself a bowl of cereal.
“Did you just wake up?” I ask. I can’t help myself. The words just burst out.
“So, what if I did?” Theo scoffs. His eyes look me over, taking in my workout clothes and sweaty appearance. “Where were you? Yoga?”
I roll my eyes and reach around him to grab an electrolyte drink from the fridge. “Whatever,” I mutter. His insult doesn’t sting much. I’m not worried about some toxic masculinity complex. There’s no shame in yoga. It’s a great way to train for flexibility, but I doubt Theo cares about that. I take my drink with me up the stairs to mybedroom and close the door behind me. I toss my bag on the bed and pull my shirt off. Grabbing a fresh change of clothes, I make my way to the bathroom for a quick shower. My mind switches gears as I think of what I need to do for my online classes today.
Unlike Theo, I chose a nearby community college that allows me to knock out my general education without moving away from home. I plan on transferring to finish out my degree in a couple of semesters, but in the meantime, it lets me train and compete in MMA competitions for some extra cash. I do what classes I can online and go to the small campus for in person classes a couple times a week. Taking summer session also means I finish my courses faster.
My schedule keeps me busy, but for the most part I like it. The one thing that sucks is trying to find a time and place for hookups. I have accounts on a couple of free dating apps, but most experiences tend to be quick fucks rather than actual dating. Honestly, I’m not looking for more. The last thing I need right now is to get distracted by a relationship and derail my plans. Hookups suit me just fine.
When I get back to my room, I do a quick skim through the posted assignments for the week, checking due dates. There are a couple of assignments I need to get done today, but it shouldn’t take too long. I turn my Bluetooth headset on and blare my music as I get to work. It makes it easier to focus on my schoolwork without getting distracted by thoughts of Theo or getting laid. Maybe I should hit up a club this weekend, try my luck to find someone for the night. Until then, I’ll just have to make do with my hand and some porn. I adjust my dick idly; it’s half hard just thinking about the possibility of sex. Shaking my head, I try to refocus as I read over the assignment for my English class.
My stomach growls, interrupting my train of thought. I can’t remember if I had breakfast, but I know I didn’t bother with lunch once I ran into Theo in the kitchen. I close my laptop and grab a new shirt from my closet that isn’t covered in sweat. Mom is in the kitchen this time when I get downstairs. She stands at the counter chopping up vegetables for dinner. “Hey Mom,” I say as I open the fridge to check out my options.
“Are you just now looking for lunch?” she asks. “Dinner will be ready soon.”
“I gotcarried away in my schoolwork and didn’t notice what time it was,” I say. It’s mostly true, and there’s no point in bringing up what happened earlier with Theo. Mom doesn’t like to get in the middle of our arguments, insisting it’s just normal sibling rivalry. As if Theo, being a sexist jerk, is the same as us fighting over who’s hogging the bathroom.
Speaking of Theo, footsteps echo down the stairs before he steps foot into the hall. He doesn’t even look at us as he heads for the door. “Theo,” Mom calls out. He pauses at the door but doesn’t bother to turn around. “Are you going to be home for dinner tonight?”
“Nah,” Theo mutters, his hand on the doorknob.
“Wait, your father and I were going to tell you at dinner, but …” Mom hesitates, and Theo finally turns around to look at her. “We’ll be gone Saturday night. You two will have the house to yourselves until we get back Sunday evening. Try not to burn the place down,” she jokes.
“Great, thanks for the warning.” Theo turns around again and opens the door. He doesn’t bother to say goodbye as the door slams behind him.
“Where are you and Dad going?” I ask.
“Oh, we’re going to visit his sister, Taylor. She’s having a baby soon, remember?” She doesn’t wait for an answer before continuing on. “We missed the baby shower, but I thought it’d be nice to visit and see if we can help out with anything before the baby comes. You’ll be okay here with Theo, right? He’s just adjusting to being home again.”
I try not to let it show how much it annoys me that she makes excuses for him. “We’ll be fine,” I answer honestly. Theo will probably just ignore me. It’ll be like being home alone. Maybe he’ll even go out that night like he has been. Not to mention, it’ll be convenient for my weekend plans. I won’t have to worry about hooking up at a club or finding someone with an apartment if I can just bring them back here.
“You could always come with us,” she offers. “I’m sure they wouldn’t mind an extra pair of hands with the kids. You’re always so good with little ones.”
“I can’t,” I say immediately. “I’ve got training at the gym and homework to do. Maybe another time.”
“Well, alright, you can call me if there’s any trouble.”
“Sure, but we’ll figure it out. It’s not the first time we’ve been home alone.” I grab a bag of lunch meat and fixings for a sandwich. It only takes me a few moments to throweverything together. “Let me know when dinner’s ready. We can talk about it more then, but I need to get back to my schoolwork.”
I take my food upstairs with me, setting it on my desk when I get inside my room. My focus is on pulling out my phone, but the first guy that comes to mind is a friend I’ve fooled around with a few times. At least if I hit him up, I won’t have to worry about any awkwardness of a one-night stand.
Hey, what are you doing Saturday night? Any chance you’d want to come over for a few hours? My parents won’t be home.
I’m sure Eric will get the hint without me having to spell it out for him.
Chapter Three
Theo
Istare at my computer, rereading the question on the online application. It doesn’t make any more sense the second time around.
You have a bouquet of flowers. All but two are roses, all but two are daisies, and all but two are tulips. How many flowers do you have?
