My Imaginary Boyfriend, Episode Seven: Meet

Previous episode: http://emilyrachellewrites.blogspot.com/2013/08/my-imaginary-boyfriend-episode-six.html


 "Do we have to do this now?  I thought we were going to eat first."

I giggle and grab Rykel's hand, dragging him across the parking lot.  "Come on, it will only take a few minutes.  She probably has class soon or something anyway.  I just want to introduce you."

The wind whips my hair around my face, wrapping it around my glasses and catching it on my lip gloss.  I repeatedly tug the strands away with my free hand and straighten my brown and blue plaid button-up shirt over the top of my jeans.  I love fall; all my cutest clothes work best with the crisp weather and defined colors around me.  I glance back at the boy behind me.

Rykel, of course, will always be Rykel.  I'm beginning to wonder if he even owns more than five t-shirts, all of them ripped in some way.  He definitely can't own more than three or four pairs of practically destroyed jeans.  I'm pretty sure his idea of style begins and ends with the number of holes he makes in his skin.

Opposites attract, right?


"What's your roommate's name again?"

"Stacia.  She's great.  Very fun, lots of energy.  Majoring in art."  I reach the front door of my dorm building and swipe my card to let us in.  I wave at the RA on duty as we walk inside.  "Come on, we're on the fourth floor.  I always take the stairs."

Rykel, still dragging his feet behind me, follows me to the stairs behind a door on our right.  "What's wrong with the elevator?"

I shrug.  "Nothing.  Just more exercise this way."

I end up holding the door to my floor open while he climbs the final flight of stairs, then bouncing ahead of him down the hall.  Only two girls are outside their rooms right now, and I wave at them as I pass.  I don't have time to stop and chat or introduce them to Rykel, not right now.  I am a girl on a mission.

Today, Stacia is going to meet my punk boyfriend, and it's going to be awesome.

Something about my roommate meeting my boyfriend feels official.  It's like we're going to the next level or something, meeting the friends.  I mean, it's nothing compared to meeting the family - I laugh and cringe simultaneously at that thought - but still, there's a very important air to this moment.

I stick my head inside my room door.  "Hey Stac, there's someone here you need to meet.  You ready?"

A crazy mess of red frames the flustered face that pops out around the corner of the bathroom, contrasting with her flaming red lipstick.  Her blue eyes are comically wide.  "Um, now?"

I nod.  "Yeah, now.  Come on, get your butt out here."

"Okay, okay, gimme a sec."

I let the door fall closed behind me and turn to grin at Rykel, with his arms crossed over his red t-shirt and one eyebrow raised.

"Ready?"

He grins.  "I'm always ready, babe."

I roll my eyes, but I'm still grinning wide.  Ever the flirt.

The latch of the door clicks open behind me.  I grab Rykel's hand, pull him up to stand next to me, and twirl around to face the door in one swift (if not very smooth) motion.  Stacia, wearing a white tank top and blazing red pants with her red curls somewhat controlled in her signature bun-pile-thing, swings the door open.  I grab the door frame to keep myself from tripping over my own boots.

She stares at us, a puzzled expression.  Beyond the red lipstick, her makeup involves one shadowed and one bare eye.  "So..."

"Stacia, meet Rykel.  Boyfriend, meet roommate."  I turn my grin to Stacia.

Her eyes grow wide and she grins, lighting up her whole face.  "Oh!  Rykel!  Okay!  I know you!"  She jumps out into the hall and squeezes Rykel in a hug.

His grin disappears, and he stands stiffly in surprise until my roommate releases him.  He runs his hand through the hair on the right side of his head, glancing at me.  I bite my lip to keep from laughing.  He shrugs and grins again.

"So... you're Stacia.  I don't know you."

She laughs.  "Oh, well, I mean obviously we've never met, but Emily is always talking about you, so, see, I know tons about you.  Man, what I wouldn't give to see that cycle.  You look just like I thought, too!"  She walks around him in circles, examining him head to toe, like a fashion designer on those movies about royalty.  "The hair, and the tattoos, and just - wow!"  She laughs.  "Wow!  She didn't really do the piercings justice, though.  How many do you have, man?!"

Rykel lifts his chin in that cocky pose of his.  I roll my eyes and giggle.  "Ooo-kay, well, I know you've got class soon, right?"

She cranes her head to peer at the clock on the wall at the end of the hall.  "Oh crap!  Yes, yes, yes, I need to go!  Bye Emily, bye Emily's boyfriend, nice to meet you and all!"  She proceeds to race back into our room and slam the door.

I turn to Rykel and adjust the purse strap on my shoulder, laughing.  "Now we can go eat."

He rubs his hands together.  "Yes!  Thank you.  Chinese sound good?"

"Sure, whatever.  Chinese always sounds good."

He wraps his arm around my shoulders and leads me to the elevator.  I don't protest.  We head out into the parking lot and slide into our places on the cycle's leather seats before pushing off onto the highway.