My Crazy Housemate: What Makes You Happy

"Hi camera, erm... he asked me to say something." Pause. 

"Uhm... let's see... so I am here, in this very beautiful cot, wishing time would stop forever. I feel very happy tonight. Maybe it's because of the wine I drank? (giggles nervously)" Another pause. 

"You... are the most important person to me and I.... (face flushes) just want to tell you that I... (clears throat)" Another pause. 

"Need to go drink some more wine! Haha! (Laughs nervously) so.. that's it. Bye!" (Stands up and runs away)

Leo was laughing like an idiot as he watched the video of Mia inside his room later that night. He had been really mad after the meeting with his family because of the way everything turned out. His parents didn't like Mia and they had made it obvious, very obvious. Thankfully, she was able composed herself and answer all of their questions but the way everything turned out, although he had expected it, he was still disappointed at his parents. Mia had said she was okay and headed straight to her room when they got home but he knew deep down, she wasn't okay but there was nothing he could do about it since he could guess she wanted to be alone after an exhausting evening. 

It was already past midnight but since he couldn't sleep, he decided to continue editing the videos and pictures they had taken the other night and early the previous day and he was glad he watched it because he felt a lot happy seeing how shy she looked even though she had been talking to the camera and not directly to him.

She had made this speech when he was choosing a song and had asked her to go say hello to the camera before they began dancing.

"She wanted to say she loves me, I can swear it." Leo said to Tara who was lying on the floor beside his feet with her tiny head on her paws. Tara simply looked at him uninterestedly and closed her eyes to sleep. 

*********

The weekend passed by in a flash. It was Sunday night and as Mia sat on her bed, she thought about this new week and all that was coming with it.

A lot was going to be happening this week for her. Not just her many tests that she had to write in preparation for exams, Mira was traveling on Tuesday while James was leaving on Wednesday. And Sunday evening was the street dancing competition and also the day scheduled for Leo to leave the country. A lot right?  

A lot of plans changed. Mia had hoped her friends would come watch her perform that day but unfortunately, Mira, James and even Leo were not going to be there. 

During breakfast this morning,  Leo informed her he was leaving this coming Sunday. She had noticed how sad he looked. She also didn't want him to go but this was important to him. 

"I really wanted to hang out with you longer. I even got tickets for us to go watch a street dance battle together for that same Sunday. But I have to report to work next Monday which means I have to leave either on Saturday or Sunday morning so I can meet up with them on Monday." 

"I understand." She said in a tight voice with her head down. 

"Sure?" He asked quietly. It was obvious how much his words just now was hurting her.

"Yea. I would have loved for you to watch me dance. But well..." She raised her head to smile at him. "I'll send you clips." 

They were both quiet for a while before Leo asked, "Would it be possible... for you to come over after your graduation?" He looked at her for a moment before avoiding her gaze. 

"I can." 

Leo's head shot up immediately to look at her. That was easier than he had thought. "Really? You can come over?" 

"I have nothing here anyway... for now. And you are inviting me abroad. I've never left this country before and always wanted to, at least once." 

Leo could not stop his excitement. A very broad smile appeared on his face. Even though he knew he was going to be very busy both at mornings and nights,  the thought of returning to see Mia waiting for him was thrilling. 

"I'll get everything ready before Sunday." He assured her. 

Silence lingered between them for a while before Mia asked,

"Which dance battle were you going to invite me to?" She asked curiously. She didn't know about any since the major one was the one she would be dancing at. 

"CMT." He answered.

"CMT? Creativity Meets Talent? That's where I am dancing!" Mia announced,  making him raise a brow. Funny how all this while, he hadn't bothered to ask her where the competition was taking place or who was hosting it until now.  

"Really?" 

Mia's ringing phone interrupted the conversation. It was a call from Mira asking to meet up and so, she found herself sitting inside a cafe with Mira and James, while Mira handed her her phone to show her a picture. 

Mia looked at the picture, surprise evident in her face. 

It was of Chloe and Kelvin who both looked like they were out on a date. 

"Where did you get this?" She asked, raising her head to look at Mira. 

"Long story. But who is this son of a bitch and why is he on a date with Chloe? And what about Jeremy?" 

"Give her space to think." James said to Mira before facing Mia. 

"He is Kelvin Hanks. The Students' Council President, his aunt owns our university. He is also Benjamin's friend. You should remember him from the party—"

"I saw him at Benjamin's house." James nodded.

"Oh yea, no wonder he looked so familiar. He was the guy who wanted to kiss Chloe at Benjamin's party right?" 

Mia nodded. "Where did you get this?" 

"I heard the picture is going around in most of your school's group chats with a caption saying 'The power couple' lame." Mira sipped her lemonade and shook her head. 

"Is the picture on the internet?" Mia asked. This wouldn't have concerned her at all if Jeremy wasn't involved. She wondered how he was feeling at the moment. 

"I don't think so." James spoke up, "I heard Peter and Noah talking about it earlier.. " 

"Peter and Noah? How did they get this picture?" They were both in high school which wasn't in the same neighborhood of the university. Unless the picture was on the net. 

"Peter is friends with Kelvin." James said, looking deeply into Mia's eyes.

"Oh..." Mia nodded before taking out her phone. "I should call Jeremy to know how he is doing."

It was already bad that Chloe had gone out with someone. She had seen how dejected Jeremy looked when he came over the previous morning and hugged her. Knowing that the man she had gone on the date with was Kelvin, who he obviously hated a lot, made it worse.

"There's something else." James said before looking at Mira, subtly communicating to her with his eyes to tell Mia about it but Mira was reluctant.

"What is it?" She asked, looking from one to the other suspiciously  

"Well..." Mira started. 

"Kelvin dated Mary." 

Mia's eyes widened. "Mary? My sister?" She asked in disbelief. 

"Yes. Just a few weeks ago, she made a scene and fought with Kelvin's other girlfriend and—"

"Wait a minute... Kelvin has another girlfriend?" And now he was going after Chloe also?