eyes widen in surprise, and for a moment, neither of us speaks. My brain is going a hundred miles an hour.
This can’t be happening. It must be a sick joke. Troy can’t possibly be Ophelia’s grandson.
“What the hell are you doing here?” he asks finally, narrowing his eyes.
“I came to see about the room,” I reply automatically. I’m still in shock at Troy’s presence here.
His eyes take in my ensemble. “You’re Sailor Moon?”
Like an idiot, I drop my chin and look at my clothes for a second. “I guess I am for today. She told me your name was Wolfgang.”
“That’s my middle name. She never calls me Troy.” He threads his fingers through his long bangs, pushing them back. “I can’t believe this. How the hell do you know my grandmother?”
“She lives in Golden Oaks. My grandfather was also a resident before he passed. I’ve known Ophelia since she moved in. I still visit every weekend.”
His eyebrows arch. “Why?”
“Why?” My voice rises. “Do I need a reason to visit friends?”
Troy stares at me with his mouth hanging open. He doesn’t speak for several beats, but I bet his mind is whirling just like mine is.
“You’re friends with my grandmother?”
“Yes. Is that a surprise to you? She’s awesome.”
His expression softens a tad, and I notice a faint twitch of his lips. “Yeah, she is.”
“Well, I guess I should go.”
I turn toward the front door. There’s no sense in lingering. Troy would never agree to me moving in. I can’t even blame the guy, not after the shitty article I wrote about him.
Mom was right. Sometimes it’s better to just forget stuff and move on.
“Wait. What did you think?” he asks, making me pause.
Slowly, I turn back and look at him. “Are you asking me about the house?”
“Yeah. Do you like it?”
I don’t detect sarcasm in his tone, and his eyes are devoid of deceit.
“I love it.”
“Yeah. It’s pretty nice. Why do you need to rent a room?”
I let out a heavy sigh. “There was a small fire incident where I used to live. No major damage, but the house was a dump to begin with. Now my landlord has to fix all the problems before we can move back in.”
“I’m sorry to hear that. Well, if you like the house, I suppose you can move in. That is, if you don’t mind sharing it with me.”
My jaw drops to the floor. “Are you serious?”
He shrugs in a boyish way, making my heart skip a beat.
“Sure. I can’t simply say no. Grandma likes you. That counts for something. Plus, you’re wearing that.” He pulls his cell phone from his back pocket and snaps a picture. “I can’t send Sailor Moon away.”
I cross my arms over my chest, feeling uber self-conscious. “Why did you take my picture?”
“Leverage.” He shoves his phone back in his pocket.
I roll my eyes. “Dude, do you think I’m embarrassed to be wearing a costume? I LARP, for crying out loud.”
“You what?” His eyebrows shoot to the heavens.
“Never mind.” I step closer to the kitchen counter. “Okay, here’s the gist. If you’re saying I can move in only to get back at me for writing that article, just tell me now. I don’t have time to engage in childish games.”
“Wait. Do you think this is all part of a retaliation plan?”
“I’m not discounting anything.”
He scoffs. “Girl, you’re too conceited for your own good. I don’t need to retaliate. Besides, your article has already been pulled down, and you’re currently the most hated person on campus. I think that’s plenty.”
I ball my hands into fists, trying to hide how much his offhanded comment aggravates me. Several choice words get lodged in my throat, but I bite my tongue and keep them bottled inside. I need a place to live, and this is the best I’ll get.
“Most hated person, huh?”
He shoves his hands into his hoodie pockets. “Do you want the room or not?”
“I’m assuming I’d get the one with the boxes.”
“Yep.”
“I do want it, but if you’re not doing this as some kind of sick joke, then why?”
“Unlike you, I don’t opt for below-the-belt retribution.”
“Oh my God. You’re so full of….” I trail off, almost forgetting that I can’t antagonize Troy.
“So full of what?” He quirks an eyebrow, smirking at me.
I purse my lips, hating fate for putting me in this situation. “You know what? Forget it. When can I move in?”
“Whenever you want. We have an away game next weekend, so I’ll be gone Friday.”