Despicable Roommate

Lynn’s POV

I walked nervously into the yoga studio, taking in the cool atmosphere and soft music that filled the room. Unlike Jessie and Lauren, I had never attended a yoga class before, and was unsure of what to expect. The three of us had arrived together, all wearing comfortable clothing and eager to start the class. We had checked in with the receptionist and made our way to the designated room. I was silent while my new friends were chatting excitedly about the different poses and stretches they hoped to work on. I felt a bit out of place but knew that once I attended a few lessons, it would get easier.

In the room, we found a sea of mats laid out on the floor, with a few people already in their weird yoga poses. The three of us quickly found a spot and set up our own mats, chatting and laughing as we got into position. Jessie had given me one of her older mats to use. If I ended up liking yoga, I would buy mine. I was not yet very sure about it.

The instructor was a petite woman with bright red hair. She smiled widely as she welcomed everyone and led us through a series of warm-up stretches. I followed along, breathing heavily. While everyone seemed to have it easy, my limbs were shaking within seconds of starting a pose. Jessie and Lauren with their perfectly toned bodies seemed to have no problems with any of the poses.

As the class progressed, we went through various poses, including downward facing dog, corpse, and cobra. I tried my hardest to blend in with the crowd and attract minimal attention but it was very hard considering I was the most incompetent person in that class. Jessie and Lauren encouraged and supported me, offering words of encouragement and helping with adjustments. The instructor was also very helpful. I followed along and tried to relax, which was the point of doing yoga.

When we got to the final relaxation pose, the instructor invited us to lay on our backs and close our eyes. We were encouraged to take deep breaths and let go of any tension in our bodies. This was the corpse pose. The name made it a bit hard to relax. However, I followed along, and by the end of it, I was feeling a sense of calm and peacefulness washing over me.

At the end of the class, Miss Higgins, the instructor thanked everyone and invited us to return for the next class. We gathered our things and left the studio.

“How was it,” Jessie asked. “Did you like it?”

I nodded. “Yes, that was awesome. I wasn’t sure I’d like it at first, but the end, I was feeling really good. I feel better now, like I have just released a lot of stress. My head feels lighter.”

“That’s the power of yoga,” Lauren said. “It’s amazing. The more you do, the more addictive it becomes. I don’t think I can live without yoga. It’s such a big part of me.”

As the class progressed, I found myself getting more and more comfortable. I even managed to hold a warrior pose without falling over. When the instructor led them into savasana, the final relaxation pose, I closed my eyes and let out a deep sigh, feeling a sense of peace wash over me.

As the class ended and the students began to pack up their mats, I smiled to myself, feeling grateful for the opportunity to try something new. I left the studio feeling refreshed and ready to tackle the rest of my day.

In my head, I knew that these girls couldn’t replace my old friends but I had to get used to them. Besides, they were fun. They were different from the people I usually hang out with so being with them was a breath of fresh air. We got into Jessie’s car and she drove us to our apartment building.

“Hey, I wanna check out your place,” Jessie told me. “I would like to know where you stay.”Property © of NôvelDrama.Org.

“Okay, let’s take a look, although you should be prepared for a mess. My boyfriend isn’t a very tidy person.”

“You live with your boyfriend? Is it that guy you’re always with?”

“Yes, we used to be roommates but we fell in love.”

“Aww, how romantic. That’s so sweet.”

We reached my door. I turned the knob and opened the door. Alec was lying on the couch when we entered. He sat up and stared at us in shock.

“What are they doing here?”

“Alec, these are my new friends. Jessie and Lauren.”

“Well, tell them to leave.”

“Why are you being so rude?”

Alec stood up and glared at the two girls. “Leave.”

“We’re sorry,” Jessie said. “We don’t want to cause any trouble. We’ll leave.”

“No, you don’t…” I started.

“See you later,” Jessie said before they practically ran out.

“What the hell is your problem?” I asked Alec.

“I don’t like you being friends with those kinds of girls.”

“And who are you to dictate who I befriend?”

“I’m not dictating,” Alec said, frustration etched on his face. “Those two will just cause us problems that I do not want right now. Do you even know anything about them?”

“They’re new friends, Alec,” I replied, crossing my arms. “I’ll get to know them with time. I can’t just cut them of my life because you say so.”

“I’m not saying you should cut her off, but can’t you see that she’ll not a good influence on you?” John asked, his tone pleading. “I just want us to be happy together. I know you miss your friends but trust me, those two are not the kind of friends you need in your life.”

I sighed and ran a hand through my damp hair. “And how do you know that?”

“I know what kind of people they are.”

“Is it because they’re like you?”

“What do you mean?”

“You’re being a shallow jerk right now.”

“Don’t be silly.”

“You suck, Alec Warton.”

“Now, I know exactly what you think of me. Anyway, I don’t want to argue about this now,” Alec said and started walking towards his room. For the rest of the day, we didn’t talk much. I knew that Jessie and Lauren weren’t the ideal friends for me but being lonely was worse than being with them. It hurt that Alec wasn’t even willing to give them a chance. I was beginning to regret dating him. In the evening he left and I remained alone. I was not about to break the silent treatment, and he didn’t seem very eager to do it, either. I went to my bedroom before he returned.

That night, sleep was nowhere in sight for me. I lay on my bed, staring at the ceiling, my mind racing with thoughts of the argument Alec and I had had in the morning.

I couldn’t believe the words that had come out of his mouth, and mine as well. This was our first major argument and it said a lot about our relationship. How could we say those things to each other? Maybe we didn’t love each other as much as we thought.

I tried to push the thoughts out of my head and focus on something else, but it was no use. Every time I closed my eyes, the whole argument played out in my mind like a movie on repeat. Sighing, I sat up in bed, running my hands through my hair. I couldn’t take it anymore. I needed to find something to calm my mind or I’d go crazy.

I got out of bed and made my way to the kitchen, hoping that a glass of warm milk would help me relax. I heated up the milk on the stove and took it back to my bedroom. As I drank it, I realized that it was not going to help. I was not going to sleep.

The thoughts continued to haunt me and I couldn’t shake the feeling that something was about to change between Alec and I if I didn’t do anything.

Getting up, I went to the closet, pulled out the best lingerie I had and removed my nightdress to put it on.

I grabbed a dressing gown and put it on before heading to Alec’s bedroom. I knocked on the door. No response. I frowned.