☁︎.. HTMLovers.com/chapter08
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It was around eight forty-five PM on a Thursday night, meaning it was time for your pool day with Vivienne.
You were currently packing a small bag of things you believed you’d need, like a towel, speaker, Ren’s hoodie, a small soju bottle Vivienne didn’t know about. You already had on a coverup over your swimsuit, but you assumed it’d probably be cold outside, hence the extra hoodie.
Vivienne said she’d handle bringing in the vodka sodas, so all you needed to do was help her carry things she couldn’t. As much as you wanted to help her, you didn’t think she needed much help since she was already so toned. Kiyoshi’s words must’ve had an effect on your jump for aid.
No one was at the pool, from what you could see from your apartment window peering down at the plaza courtyard. All that would accompany you and your roommate tonight would be the soft rustle of trees blowing in a gentle breeze and the numerous stars in the skies. A light airy rush filled through your stomach alongside a small smile rising in your lips. You wouldn’t have expected this fluttery feeling due to your more reclusive lifestyle, but you were truthfully excited for this simple night. You would need it before you’d have to work on your essay tomorrow.
Vivienne called out your name from the kitchen. “I’m almost done here, are you finished in there?”
At her call, you slung your tote bag over your shoulder to join her. “Yep! Coming—!”
Your soul nearly left your body at the loud airhorn sound from your computer. That’s really weird; you usually never had your ringer on. As you scrambled to open your computer and shut off the alarm, Miranda’s pet version appeared on your taskbar with a large speech bubble above her head. In her small hands is what looked to be a megaphone. The speech bubble read:
“Pool Hangout with Vivienne in 10 minutes! Fast feet, idiot!”
You hastily click the “Ok” button below the speech bubble. You could hear Vivienne call your name again from the other room.
“What the hell was that? Was that an airhorn?!”
You panic spikes. You couldn’t really explain to your roommate, who had maybe just found out what an emulator was two days ago, that you had two sassy assistants that lived in your computer. And also that those two same “assistants” blared out the loudest alarm known to man—next to maybe an EAS—to mess with you. You blurt out in response.
“Yeah, I don’t know! My phone’s… off. Must’ve been the neighbors! Thin walls.”
Silence sits for a couple of beats. Please buy it, please buy it, please buy it.
“… Right. Let’s finish up so we can leave before the people upstairs start fucking again.”
She bought it! Kinda. You let out a sigh of relief before grabbing your bag to leave with your roommate.
Come to think of it, you can’t remember setting up a reminder for Vivienne’s pool hangout. The alarm never sounded when you planned the library hangout with Ren a couple days ago, so what did you do differently with this one? Was there an option you clicked that flew by your radar? You suppose you’ll have to do some more testing with MirandaPet's agenda planning system with your calendar later.
For now, you had a date with chlorine to get to.
The serene ripples of the water encompassed the pleasantly quiet atmosphere in the patio. It was almost 10pm on a Thursday night, and there was not a soul around apart from the twinkling tiny stars in the sky. Tiny souls that gleamed within the pool’s waters.
Within nature’s peaceful twilight, you and Vivienne sat on the pool edge, each drinking vodka sodas and giggling. Light pop music played on the speaker you brought from your and Vivienne’s blend of songs. You already dipped yourself in the water earlier, but had submerged out of it to join her with drinks. Vivienne still hadn’t fully entered the water yet.
Your roommate was dressed in a light blue bikini set with some rhinestone ornamentals around her top. Even with its simple design, you still felt slightly lesser than with how effortlessly Vivienne manages to carry herself in it. She is paid for her appearance and demeanor, after all.
“You do this every month?” you questioned, fingers trailing along the rim of the vodka soda can.
Vivienne shrugs passively. “Only when it’s not cold. I would go more frequently, but…”
“Well,” you start. “I’m not sure why I hesitated so long to join you. The water’s cold as shit, but the night’s… really nice out here.”
You smiled as you stared out at the sky, your head lulling back comfortably. Vivienne stared back at you quietly for a couple of seconds before turning her head back to the quiet ripples of the water.
“It is,” she responded. “… I didn’t expect it to be calmer here with you. Kiyoshi splashed half of the water out of the pool with her diving.”
You laugh warmly. “She would jump in this pool?! It’s at most five feet deep!”
Vivienne smiled back at you, as though recounting the memories in her head. “Yes. Said she wouldn’t be able to break a bone because her ‘steel-like muscle mass is so strong, it functions as armor for her bones.’ At least her enthusiasm’s nice.”
Your eyes crinkle as you laugh alongside her. “She’s really awesome.”
Comfortable silence settles between the two of you. Vivienne drinks out of her soda while kicking her feet peacefully in the water. You turn your head back up to stare at the pool in front of you, envisioning Kiyoshi’s dive and how much water she would’ve splashed out.
“… I didn’t know Kiyoshi went with you on these.”
Vivienne stares quietly at the water while fastening the strings of her bikini top. “Sometimes… she works late a lot of the time, but she’s been on at least four of these with me.”
You hummed thoughtfully while taking another sip of your drink. You don’t remember Vivienne ever telling you Kiyoshi was going with her in the past. Then again, you’ve learned now that she isn’t entitled to tell you everything. “That’s really sweet of her.”
Your roommate smiles softly. “Mhm…”
You think to yourself for a moment. “We should all go together one day.”
Vivienne immediately scoffs at your words.
She shakes her head with a chuckle. “You may be chill now, but if you’re with Kiyoshi, there is no relaxing with you two.”
“C’mon!” you chide playfully. “Give us a chance! We can totally be relaxing for you!”
Vivienne only offers you a blank stare.
“We can entertain ourselves!”
“That’s the issue,” she responds. “Both of you together would only give me more wrinkles. I’d sooner let Rudy in one of these than both of you.”
“Eugh, ew! Don’t bring your stupid manager! You can’t be that much of a kiss-ass.”
“What do you mean ‘that much?’”
“See? You didn’t even deny it!” you exclaim. “You’re a kiss-ass. Smooch smooch.”
Vivienne stares at you with an amused smirk. “Wow. It took you one drink to get buzzed?”
“I mean, I’m not buzzed!”
Vivienne laughs melodically before standing up from the pool edge. She grabs the empty cans of drinks to throw away before speaking. “Don’t overdo it.”
“I… am not overdoing it,” you assure, your speech slowing down upon registering her and Kiyoshi’s similar warning. “I am still perfectly sober. Sober enough to help and comfort my darlingist popsicle.”
She furrows her brows at you. “Am I the popsicle?”
“Yes, keep up. Damn,” you groan. “You’re supposed to be smart, you graduated early.”
“And so… so blunt. You ever let anything past those beautiful stone cold lips?”
Vivienne rolls her eyes at you playfully. She moves to dip herself into the water, now holding a new vodka soda can. “I don’t know what kind of charm you think you have, but I promise you, it’s not working.”
“What?! I do too have charm! My mom says I’m very lovable.”
Your roommate leans against the pool edge while still submerged in the water. She narrows her eyes to your bag, catching the subtle curve of a glass bottle.
“… Hm. So that’s where the soju went.”
You follow Vivienne’s gaze to your tote bag. Embarrassment rushes over you as you quickly jump to defend yourself. “I haven’t drank any yet! It was just… in case.”
Your roommate raises her eyebrow at you. She shrugs and turns around to swim laps around the pool underwater. “I don’t mind. Have fun however you want, girl.”
You watch her swim around the pool water. She looks to be in her element in the cold water. Her movements are as graceful as a ballerina and as smooth as a sea otter. Was she a professional swimmer before a model? What more could this girl do? You felt like she lived a million lives before meeting you.
Yet something about her demeanor when she found your soju bottle felt off. She looked more disappointed than anything. She buried it quickly, but it seemed to bother her in a way she didn’t want to bring up.
When she emerged back to your side, her hair was wet and stuck to her skin, but still retained its form in her ponytail.
“Are you Barbie?” you blurted out.
Vivienne stared back at you, appalled. “What?”
You shook your head, as though waking yourself up. Must have been the vodka. “It’s just… you’re so… perfect.”
Your roommate stares back at you, not making a sound. All you could hear was the chirping of crickets and the droplets of water from her hair and face hitting the pool. She seemed deep in thought, that even when you moved your hand to try and snap her out of it, she didn’t move. Suddenly, she checked herself back into reality with you. She seemed noticeably more flustered.
“Ah… um… well, I wouldn’t say so. That’s really… sweet,” responded Vivienne, her fingers trailing around the pool edge.
You stared back at her solemn expression quietly. She seemed uncomfortable all of a sudden.
“… I’m sorry. Did I, like… offend you?”
Vivienne blinked up at you in shock before quickly shaking her head. “No! No, no you didn’t. I’m fine. I’m just… thinking.”
You sit on the pool edge while Vivienne takes another lap under the pool. Embarrassment clouds over your head at her defensive comforting. You suddenly felt like you weren’t doing anything right this night. You finish up your drink and reach over your roommate’s cooler to grab another one.
“You can talk to me. If you want,” you said when Vivienne emerges from the water.
She smiles softly before shaking her head. “It’s not anything I want you to worry about.”
You watch as she once again dips underwater to swim around. You may have only known Vivienne for around a year and a half, but living with her has made you privy to most of her tells. Like when she didn’t like certain foods you did, but wanted to be nice, or when she tried to be interested in a topic you were passionate about, or recently when she calmly scolded you, schooling in her true frustration, after you had forgotten to clean out the dryer’s filter again.
Despite your observations, you could not read what was going on in your roommate’s head. She’s always been guarded when it came to personal struggles and her past life, so it was hard to get anything out of her. You kicked your feet in the water as you tried to think of a way she could lessen her load.
Vivienne turns to you with an unamused expression. “Almost all of your ideas are stupid.”
You scoff at her sassiness. “Almost. Hear me out, though.”
Vivienne stays underwater, silently staring and letting you go on.
“I know you’re keeping stuff to yourself,” you start. “It’s not really a secret, but I want to help you. Since you’re so private, though… what if I get shit-faced to the point that I black out, and you can tell me whatever’s been bothering you. You’ll get it out of your system and I won’t remember a thing about it!”
Vivienne stares at you silently from the water, processing your explanation in her head. “That was way dumber than I thought it was going to be.”
You groan before entering the water with her. You tense and curse instantly once the cold hits you. “C’mon…! Have some faith— fuck, it’s cold! I just don’t want you to keep… dragging whatever’s been bothering you to yourself!”
Vivienne narrows her eyes at your form in front of her, her long hair floating in the water and brushing over your shoulders. Her eyebrows are knit together in frustration. “It won’t accomplish anything. If you’re shit-faced, you’re not even going to be able to listen to me, anyway. You’ll be in your own world.”
“Well…!” you pause, trying to think of a defense for yourself. “I… didn’t think of that. But, c’mon! What’s the harm in trying?”
“You,” stated Vivienne. “The harm in trying is you. I don’t want to be the reason you black out.”
You fell silent. You suppose leaving her to clean up your mess wouldn’t make her feel any better, would it? Embarrassed again, you sigh, drifting your body towards the pool edge to rest your head on it. Your cheek was pressed against the tile while your lips were pulled into a guilty frown.
“Hm… you’re right. I’m sorry… I just really want to help you, but I don’t know how. I’ve never been good at comforting people,” you mumbled.
Vivienne didn’t move from her spot in the water for several seconds. The water continued brushing against her while she stared at your defeated form on the pool ledge. Her full lips fell into a small frown, pity billowing in her gut.
She swam over to your side again. “Hey… I, uh… I get it. I’m bad at it too, if you couldn’t tell.”
Your eyes flicked up to meet hers. The calming sounds of the water permeated through the atmosphere. A small laugh escaped your lips.
Vivienne smiled before softly hitting your arm. “That wasn’t an invitation.”
You chuckled, massaging your arm. “Haha… yeah, I know.”
You smiled softly at each other, settling in quiet comfortable silence. You straightened your head back up to lean against the pool edge, reaching for your can again. Vivienne grabbed hers as well.
“… Thanks for inviting me here,” you said.
Your roommate nods, her expression more peaceful than when she arrived. “Thanks for coming.”
You smile back at her. After a swing of your drink, you lean your head on her shoulder, a happy smile on your lips. Vivienne doesn’t move for a couple of seconds before also resting her head over yours. Vivienne mutters your name quietly.
“… I think maybe you did have a point,” said Vivienne.
You turn your eyes towards her. “How?”
You watch as Vivienne’s eyes turn to your abandoned tote bag beside the lounge chairs. A sly, knowing smile curves up on her lips.
“… It’s been a while since we last really drank.”
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