Page 7 of Walk the Line

“No.”

“So no one else is here yet?”

“No.”

“Has the landlord said anything?”

“No.”

“Do you know any other words?”

“No.”

Either he sighs a lot or I’m bringing out of him.

“It’s my own fault for coming here when the school year hasn’t even started yet,” he says.

“Why did you come here early?”

I’m not sure what’s so fascinating about his bed, but he stares deeply at it as my question evaporates into the air. After a few minutes, he doesn’t look up as he says, “Thanks for the warm welcome.”

I nod, taking the dismissal for what it is.

“Great chat,” I say.

“Best conversation I’ve ever had.”

I roll my eyes at his words, and waste no time leaving his room, but I slow down on the stairs as a question runs through my mind. But the moment I step into my room, I get my answer in the form of the sounds of his bag rustling underneath man and what I can only assume is him muttering to himself.

Of course his room would be the one under mine.

CHAPTER FOUR

JULIUS

I kick my shoes off as soon as I get through the door and into my room, the sight of the bathroom door a few feet away prompting me to move a little quicker so I can get in there and do my thing. I know I could have stayed in London until university begins but just like last year I don’t see the point of that when there’s a Hockey rink right here inside the university that needs me several times a day and nothing in London comes close to that for me.

That’s my purpose in life and I work hard to fulfil it.

I’m not missing much in London anyway, just people acting like they suddenly have a personality transplant now that the sun is out, all smiles and laughs that I could do less of.

I preferred when it was cold.

I see nothing but benefits to being here anyway, it’s a lot easier skating around and getting some practice in when no one else is there. If all my practices could go like that, there wouldn’t be a single complaint from me about it. I trust myself and my skills the most and that’s all that matters.

I hear a door shut from above and a sense of gratitude comes over me that I haven’t seen much of my roommate in the two weeks I’ve been here. Every meeting and conversation we’ve had has been strange and disconcerting, and it’s not any better that her presence makes me feel the same way.

She’s a beautiful woman. I’ve seen many beautiful women but there’s something about the combination of her height, that pixie style hair and the way she looks at me with deep disdain.

But I’ve always been confident in my ability to put any distractions aside, and a tall woman who looks like she’s walking straight out of a 90s RnB music video isn’t going to change that.

I can at least admire that she’s like me in keeping to herself which is a good vibe for this house. There are still two other people who are going to move in at some point and I hope they understand the vibe very quickly and don’t try to do anything silly like start a friendship with me.

That’s not what I’m here for.

The music I put on in my room sounds out nicely in my ears as I use the scrub I have to rub the soap against my whole body, my thoughts moving to how this year of Hockey is going to go.

I’ve been playing the sport since I was a boy but the rules to play in the University Hockey League are specific. Everyone has to complete their first year of university before they’re eligible which is why last year felt like a real turning point for me. It was basically just Practice though, and this is the year where I’m finally doing it, which is why I’m not fucking around. I can’t afford to let anything distract me or derail me from my goals.