Chapter 4: Welcome Home

|| Arabella ||

I watched the orange cat run up to its owner's feet with my jaw-dropped. Theo picked up the cat in his arms, still glaring at me.

“You stepped on my cat?” he demanded.

“On its tail,” I corrected awkwardly, getting down from the couch.

Theo's glare intensified. The cat started meowing at him, and he petted its head. Why do I feel like they were badmouthing me in a non-human language?

“Hey, in my defense, it's your cat's fault for crossing my path,” I spoke up.

“Don't blame my cat for your poor eyesight.”

“My eyesight is perfectly normal, I'll have you know.”

“Oh, then it must be your stupidity covering your eyes.” He rolled his eyes.

“Again you are calling me stupid.” I narrowed my eyes on him.

“Well, of course, you are the one who took classes on it,” he fired back.

“Then you must have a Ph.D. on how to be a prick.”

“How about—”

“Now, now, Theo. Calm down. Be nice to your new roommate. She didn't intentionally step on the poor kitten's tail,” Ian interrupted before Theo could throw another insult in my face.

“No way in hell she is my roommate.”

“Excuse me, I’m not thrilled to stay with you either.”

Theo ignored me and continued speaking to his uncle, “Please tell me, Uncle Ian, you're drunk and rambling nonsense.”

Ian grinned and said, “Unfortunately for you, sweetie, I’m not drunk.”

“If you're not drunk, then you must be joking right now, but this is not funny. She cannot be my roommate.”

“Why not?” I piped in.

“Because I don't like you,” Theo stated flat-out as if that was the most well-known fact on the planet.

I scoffed. “Oh, guess what? I don't like you, either.”

“Great then. You don’t like me, and I don’t like you. Problem solved. We definitely can’t stay together. So how about you walk out of that door?”

“What?” I let out incredulously.

“Oh, you don’t know where the door is? It’s right there,” he said and pointed at the door. “I don’t know why you’re here, but honestly, I don’t give a damn.” Now that stung a bit. “I’m not willing to share the only place I’m comfortable with a person I despise—”

“Theo, stop it. You’re just being a jerk now,” Ian said sternly.

“I have always been a jerk anyway, that’s nothing new,” Theo spat out.

“Why don’t you try to fix your behavior then?”

I just stood there awkwardly as Theo and his uncle argued. Well, they certainly were not on great terms. Maybe it was just a teenage rebellious phase. Then again, Theo didn’t get along with anyone—not that it was a surprise. Even though he has a lot of friends, I always feel like he keeps a wall between them and him.

Gosh, what was I thinking? Thinking deeply about Theo? Eww.

“Okay, you know what? Either I go back to Atherton or Annabelle stays here. It’s your choice, Uncle,” Theo declared.

I was starting to feel bad. They were fighting because of me, and I didn’t want that. I didn’t want to put Ian in a tough spot after he was so kind to offer me a place to stay.

Ian started to speak up, but I opened my mouth before him, “That would be enough you guys.” I turned towards Ian and gave him a forced smile. “Ian, thank you for offering me to stay here, but clearly your nephew doesn’t want that. And honestly, I’m done staying where I’m not welcomed. I have been shameless enough already, not anymore.”

“But—”

I took a hold of my luggage and said, “I know it’s very rude of me to speak up against you, but I really don’t want to be the cause of the rift between you guys. So I’ll take my leave. And don’t worry about me, I have got some money to find a place to stay tonight. Thank you for everything.”

Before Ian could protest, I was already out of the front door with my belongings. I didn’t look back as I made my way to the elevator and pressed the button to the ground floor.

“I guess I will sleep in the park tonight.” I sighed to myself.

I walked out of the apartment building and was walking on the sidewalk. I massaged my forehead, feeling an incoming headache. Today has been a hectic day filled with humiliation—definitely my worst day so far.

Now I just hoped some beggar wasn’t occupying my park bench seat. That was going to be my bed for a few days.

All of a sudden, a hand grabbed my wrist.

I stopped walking and looked over my shoulder to meet the familiar turquoise eyes that looked glowing green under the pale yellow street light. As my gaze met his, he averted his eyes sideways.

“What now? Forgot to say something to humiliate me more?” I deadpanned.

Theo shook his head.

“Then?” I turned around fully to face him. I wondered what caused him to chase after me after he himself insulted me to leave. “Oh, do you think I stole something of yours?” I suggested and looked at my bags, searching for something that might have stuck on.

“No, j-just come back.”

I halted my movement immediately and looked back up at him in disbelief. “What?”

“You heard me.” He let go of my hand and turned his back to me.

“Why… why do you want me to come now?”

“Because I’m a jerk, not an inhuman,” he shrugged. “The idea of a girl staying on the street because of me, even if that girl is you, it makes me feel uncomfortable. If something happens to you, I don’t want to be guilty of that. I already have plenty of it to deal with,” he explained.

I furrowed my brows in confusion. “Then why couldn’t you have just said so earlier without making such a scene?”

Even if I wasn’t seeing his face, I could imagine him rolling his eyes. “I was in a bad mood, okay?”

“Oh, okay.” I pondered for a minute if I should really go back.

Theo exasperated a sigh. “Annabelle, you coming or what?”

“I will. If only you apologize to me.”

He grumbled and started to say, “Fine, sorry—”

“Wait!” I hollered and quickly took out my phone. I turned on the voice recorder of my phone and urged, “Now you go again.”

As if curious to know why I interrupted him earlier, he turned to see me holding the recorder on and glared at me.

“C’mon, say it again! I didn’t hear you clearly before. It’s my once-in-a-lifetime chance to hear Theo Benedict apologize to me.” I grinned giddily.

“Oh, you lost your chance. I have said it already,” he said with a mock smile and grabbed one of my luggage, and I groaned in defeat. I would have released this masterpiece in the school forum, but I guess not. “Now, come before I change my mind.”

I tugged at my other luggage and ran after him. We walked in uncomfortable silence until we reached the elevator on the ground floor. A sand blonde guy was standing in front of it.

“Wyatt, I thought you weren’t coming home until midnight,” Theo spoke up.

The guy turned around, revealing his handsome face, and I recognized him to be Wyatt Reeves from our school. He was a senior and pretty popular around the school. “Ah, yeah, my friend’s parents came home with guests, so we had to stop our study marathon.” His gray eyes flickered down to the luggage Theo was holding and asked, “Where are you coming from with that disgusting pink luggage?”

“Thank God, glad I’m not the only one who thinks this color is ugly.” Theo released a sigh of relief.

“Hey! I’m right here,” I protested, letting my presence be known to the boys.

Wyatt finally noticed me. A curious look took over his face before a smile made its way on his lips. “Oh, hi. You must be our new roommate my dad talked about.” Wow, he really never acted like he was the son of such a famous artist. “If I remember correctly, um, you’re Annabelle, right?”

Theo laughed and I punched his upper arm. It was because of him that I was famous as Annabelle at school now. “It’s Arabella, actually.”

“Oh, right. Sorry.” Wyatt grinned sheepishly. “I’m Wyatt, by the way. Mind if I call you Ara?” I shook my head, and he smiled warmly. “I hope you have a pleasant stay at our place, Ara.”

“Thank you. I’m so glad at least one of you is nice,” I expressed, and Wyatt chuckled.

Just then the elevator door opened up and the three of us entered.

“I have heard about your history with Theo.” Wyatt nudged Theo mischievously, and Theo groaned and hid his face with the elevator wall. “But please don’t drag me into those. I’m a person with low stamina and high laziness.”

“I will try not to,” I said with a smile.

“So tell me more about you,” Wyatt prompted.

I opened my mouth to chirp about myself when Theo interrupted with an annoyed groan. “Ugh, can you guys talk after I’m out of earshot?”

“Bold of you to assume that I would listen to your request,” I retorted and turned to Wyatt. “So anyway,” Theo banged his head on the wall, “I’m in my junior year. I don’t have any parents. My dad died when I was four and my mom a few months ago.”

The way Wyatt’s face flashed sympathy for a moment didn’t go unnoticed by me, yet I continued, “I have a best friend, well, unbest friend. She doesn’t like to address me as her best friend, but I know I’m her closest friend...” I kept speaking until the elevator dinged and we reached our floor.

Theo stormed out as soon as he could.

“He acts a bit immature. Sorry if he offends you too much,” Wyatt said as we walked to the apartment unit.

“It’s alright. I can’t say I’m used to him, but I will certainly try,” I told him. “And I will definitely fix his messy habits. Have you seen the living room? It’s a garbage dump. I mean, how do you live with him?”

Wyatt chuckled nervously. “Actually, it’s me. I’m the one who made the mess. Theo’s the tidy one. I’m the messy, sloth one,” he informed me, scratching the back of his neck awkwardly.

I looked at Wyatt from top to bottom. He was dressed in a neat white shirt and jeans. He looked like the type you would trust your daughter with at night, but he was messy as hell. “Well, lesson learned. Looks are deceiving.”

He laughed shortly and opened the apartment door for me which Theo slammed shut as he went in before. “Welcome home, Ara.”

I smiled as I stepped inside. “Thank you.” As I looked around the apartment again, the realization sank in.

This really was my new home, and I would be living with two people with polar opposite characteristics. This was going to be a challenge, but I wouldn’t give up without a fight.