Missing White Panties

Out of four other stories that I am working on, this one came in and demanded to be written as fast as humanly possible. Hope you all enjoy it as it has a little bit of everything for everyone. As always, please leave some comments!

XOXO SkylerLuv

<<<>>>

The moans are aggravating.

Probably not as bad as the banging of the bed frame against the wall directly across from me but definitely in the running. I put on some noise—canceling headphones and scroll through my phone desperately trying to ignore the very noisy sex coming from the bedroom next door. It is nothing new or even remotely surprising after a year of living with Hunter.

Hunter, who was my next—door neighbor from the age of 7 and way beyond. The same guy who I watched grow from a shy, quiet kid, to a rebellious and angry teen, and then all of a sudden a grown man after taking over his dad's construction business. What was meant to be him helping his dad right after high school, turned into him slowly becoming a valuable part of the business. After his dad's death halfway through my junior year of college, while I was cramming for exams and spending endless hours in a library, the weight of the world was thrusted on his shoulders along with his mother's unreasonable expectations.

Yeah, that same guy is now pounding a hole through his wall.

But who am I to judge?

The frame on my wall starts to shake out of place and I want to walk over and bang on their door to give them a taste of their own medicine. I know I won't, though. This is the price I have to pay for living with Hunter. Trust me, if I could rent a one-bedroom apartment—heck even a studio—I would! But as my luck would have it, I am neck deep in student loan debt, work at a shitty restaurant as a waitress, and do not have the luxury of moving back in with my parents to save money. According to them, I am in that stage of my life where I have to figure things out on my own and put on my big girl panties. In reality, they are just glad to have sold their house and travel the world like they always planned. I can't fault them for that.

It was actually through all of my whining, and yes, maybe even begging, that Hunter offered to become my roommate. All because the girl I used to live with moved halfway across the continent. The same Hunter who moved out of his parent's house right after high school and had never had to share a space with another person. He really went out of his way to help me out in my time of need. The least I can do is ignore the revolving door in his bedroom and the annoying moans drifting through the walls.

The frame finally falls on the carpet, no longer putting up a fight to stay up.

<<<>>>

Our friendship came to be because of proximity.

Both in age and in living spaces. I remember my excitement when I saw the moving truck parked next to our house, while a nice-looking couple and a young boy hopped out of it. I knew we were close in age because he was almost as tall as me. It took everything in my power not to run out and bombard him with questions. We were the only two younger kids on the block and I really wanted someone to play with since I was on summer break.

Hunter, not so much.

The first time I tried to get him to come out and play, he pretended to have chores or something else to do. The second time, his mom encouraged him to ride his bike along mine and he did so, begrudgingly. I'm sure I talked his ear off and I barely got more than a few words out of him. A few more forced interactions and he finally started getting more comfortable around my presence. Not enough to initiate conversation or even take the initiative to come over and ask to play, but he was more open to playing in his front yard when I would show up.

And then once school started and we were in the same class, I showed him around. I ate with him at lunch and he started to come over to study. Every new school year we would hang out after school and spent so much time together that our parents became friends, more or less for the same reasons Hunter and I did.

High school was a bit of a new learning curve for me. I started to notice how different I was from most of the girls I had classes with. They had this ease when it came to talking with guys. It was like they each got some pamphlet or online class on how to interact with the opposite sex without being awkward or uncool. I would see them twirl their hair, giggle in a very girly way, and even make out behind the bleachers. The only guys I was ever comfortable talking to were Hunter, who at that point had turned a new leaf and his bad boy era was doing wonders to the girls, and some guys from the debate club I decided to join.

Very early on I noticed that the way they interacted with other girls was very different from the way they talked to me. I didn't receive any lingering looks or witty teasing. I was seen as the chill friend that they could talk to about those girls that kept running through their heads. It's not as if I even attempted flirting with any of them, but I'm sure if they had ever tried my brain would have probably short-circuited. I was all about school and didn't have time for silly crushes.

Hunter and I still hung out some but we didn't fall into that same easy pattern we had in the past based on the years of knowing each other. With puberty, there was a certain unspoken rule about ignoring the changes our bodies were going through. I no longer felt comfortable going to the pool with Hunter and wearing a two-piece. He grew several feet taller and played for the basketball team. We didn't have sleepovers anymore, he rarely came over to study, and then the girls started appearing. With each new girlfriend, I was placed further and further down his list of important people.

Don't get me wrong, he was still there for me. He still answered my texts and picked up my calls. He just now had a new fascination with the opposite sex and I had to understand that I could not feed into that. Our parents still hung out so we saw each other outside of school but it wasn't as often or as effortless as it used to be.

What placed even more space between us was when I moved a few states over for university. He stayed back, helping his dad run his construction business. We now had distance between us that made it hard to keep the same type of relationship. I sometimes wonder if his dad was still alive, if we would have ever found our way back to each other.

It wasn't until I got the call from my mom one cloudy afternoon that I realized I had gone a long time without talking to Hunter. I had made new friends and been so worked up about classes that I didn't even notice the change in our routine. Usually once or twice a month one of us would check in and we would pretend to make plans to see each other soon, knowing it would only happen when I went back home during some school break. Hearing about his dad's passing from my mom made me feel guilty in the worst possible way.

I went home without a second thought and rushed next door after dropping my bags in my room. That whole week I helped Hunter's mom plan a funeral, provided emotional support to my best friend, and promised myself I would never allow something like distance to get in the way of our friendship. I saw the change in him, in the way he took charge of things and how he no longer had the chip on his shoulder. Now he would have the stress of being a provider. Even though he didn't move back in with his mom, he made sure to keep tabs on her and give her anything she asked for.

I went back to school after the funeral and we talked more than we had in years. Sometimes I feel overbearing with the number of texts I would send to make sure he was okay. But he never made me feel like I was overstepping or being a pest. I made more of an effort to see him and he in return did the same for me. We were falling back into our old ways and I loved it.

Just when I thought I was ready to take on the world with my freshly printed degree, I was plunged into the cruel realm of adulthood. With school no longer being a top priority, I now had to find a job and a place to stay. My parents weren't total monsters, they gave me just enough money to move back into town but no more than that. They had all their flights and living arrangements situated for the next few months and I had to find a roommate.

I was lucky the way I did. She was also a recent college grad and had been a pretty thoughtful roommate. I expected us to live together for years before we each went our separate ways but she had a job lined up a lot sooner than either of us expected and then I was left on my own. Since talking to Hunter was a regular thing again, I kept him up to date on my situation. I think he started to take pity on me when I one day broke down over coffee because I didn't have enough money to break my lease but I also couldn't afford a two-bedroom apartment. Never being a fan of a crying girl in his presence, Hunter said he would move in with me and that was that.

Now, had I known I was signing up for endless sleep, sometimes hours of noisy sex, or even having random girls come in and out of my living space I would have probably been a bit more hesitant to agree. I thought Hunter would keep his sexual conquests away from our place but I guess that was too much to ask for. All I could do was search for a better-paying job and a cheaper living situation. Both of which have been a pain and time has just flown by.

But not all of it has been bad.

Although living with Hunter took some getting used to, I cannot complain too much.

He's very tidy, at least in the common area. There's never any trash left out or any dishes left in the sink. I've never been in his room and he usually sticks to the edge of my door if we are ever catching up but I can imagine it is clean. Otherwise, I doubt a lot of girls would be okay with being locked in there for too long. The bathroom is also never an issue when it comes to cleanliness and he usually buys enough groceries for the both of us without accepting money from me.

Overall, he is the ideal roommate.

What are a few moaning girls compared to free food and a reasonably priced place to stay?

<<<>>>

I blow on my coffee and take a sip.

A lanky blonde comes out of his room, looking very disheveled and thoroughly fucked.

She stops short when she sees me, makeup around her eyes and a bit of drool running down the side of her face.

"Coffee?" I point to the pot.

She shakes her head and walks out of the apartment, probably dying of shame. Or maybe just really hungover. I've stopped trying to guess at this point. Anytime I'm caught up by one of his many girls, I treat them the way I would want to be treated if I ever had a one-night stand. Call me a pushover or overly nice, but I don't see the point in being rude. Doing the walk of shame at all hours of the day must be grueling for some of them.

Hunter comes out of his room, in his boxers, straight for the one bathroom we both share.

Working in construction has always given him the advantage of looking like he spends hours in the gym without really having to. While he does do some administrative work, he prefers hands-on experience. His muscles are visible in the morning light and he probably hasn't shaved his face in a few days. His brown hair is cut short right now but I bet he'll grow it out in a month or two, depending on the weather. I've seen all types of looks on him. Beard, no beard. Buzz cut, man bun. Lumberjack outfits, plain t-shirt, and washed jeans. The only thing that stays consistent is his natural tan and hazel eyes. That and the need to always have a girl in his bed.

I take my coffee back to my room.

<<<>>>

We're grocery shopping when I see a cute guy near the avocados.

I don't even realize that I'm staring until Hunter calls my name for what seems like not the first time. He follows my line of sight and gives me a questioning look.

"Do you know him?"

I start playing with my earrings, distracting myself from the blush that I know will soon appear on my cheeks. I knew I should have worn something more presentable. My leggings and loose shirt are not the most flattering. That's what I get for assuming I wouldn't run into anyone of importance at the store. Isn't that how it usually goes?

The guy is hot. Like, an objectively good-looking guy. I'm not the type of girl that usually gets flustered when it comes to men. I rarely even think about them much. But I think I'm ovulating at the moment and all I can focus on are attractive guys and their manly features. It just so happens that I don't realize it is happening until I feel a warmness spread in my lower belly. It is always during this time of the month that I wish I had someone in my back pocket to call. Like Hunter and whoever he's meeting up with this week. This type of distraction is annoying, especially when I'm caught staring at someone like a stalker.

I look away and pretend to check out the yogurt next to us.

"No," I pick one up and my eyes trail back to the guy. He's now by the cantaloupes.

"Are you sure?" Hunter doesn't sound convinced. "You're staring at him like you've seen him naked." He bites back a grin.

More like I want to see him naked.

Shaking my head, I go back to the yogurt.

"Go talk to him." He pushes the cart past me, discreetly looking back.

"Why would I do that?" I look back once more and we make eye contact.

Shit. He knows I've been staring at him.

I set the yogurt down and turn around, a fresh rush of blood coloring my face.

"Because you're obviously into him." Hunter is looking at me closely now. "It's eerie."

I throw him a dirty look. "And why is that?"

He shrugs. "I don't think I've ever seen you thirst over a guy. Almost like you want to push him against the shelf and suck him off right there and then."

My mouth goes dry and my eyes flick back, without meaning to. He's staring at me again, this time not looking away.

"And it looks like he might just let you."

I look back again but see a girl come up to him. She's holding up two types of wrapped pepperoni. He gives her a response and she kisses him on the lips, putting one in their cart. I see a huge rock on her left ring finger and silently groan. Why don't guys ever wear engagement rings? It would help avoid stupid situations like this.

"Ouch," Hunter starts walking to the next aisle. "I wonder if she knows she's engaged to an asshole."

<<<>>>

Living with Hunter has its advantages and disadvantages.

With my hands on my knees, my lungs burning, and sweat pouring down my face, I still can't decide if this is an advantage. We've run about two miles by the river and I am almost certain I will puke my guts out. He's jogging in place next to me, barely looking winded at all. His running shorts show off his impressive muscular thighs and his sleeveless shirt is sticking to his body. It is no wonder the girls we pass always do a double-take. Or maybe they wonder what I'm doing running so close. Am I his sister? A stalker? Some charity case?

"Come on, Shay." As soon as those words leave his mouth, I tense up expecting it.

He lightly taps my butt with his palm.

I straighten up immediately and want to throttle him.

"Don't you ever—"

"Catch me if you can!" He rushes forward.

I chase him, completely out of breath, but pissed off a lot more.

<<<>>>

It's movie night.

Somewhat of a tradition that Hunter and I try to do at least once a month. Even he goes out of his way to clear his schedule and watch some cheesy romcom or an action-packed thriller to appease me. I'm not a high-maintenance friend and rarely ask much of him but this is the one thing I am glad he makes time for. We used to do it when we were younger. After renting a movie we would stock up on snacks and drinks. Now, we have takeout and booze. We're at least still wearing pajamas like we used to.

"This is by far the girliest movie we've seen so far." He mumbles behind his glass.

It isn't necessarily false. I have watched this movie a handful of times and I still love it. I try to be selective when it comes to watching movies with him but I'm feeling nostalgic today. Maybe it's because I talked to my parents earlier and I wanted to be taken back to my old room on a random school night when I would play this in the background while I studied. Hunter has never seen it and I more or less expected this type of reaction but I still feel bad.

"I know, but it's cute!" I sip on my wine.

"It's unrealistic." He burrows deeper into his side of the couch. "You really expect me to believe that years pass by, they're hundreds of miles away from each other, and they're still going to end up together?"

"It is all about their past, their shared stories." I sigh into my glass. "He's liked her since they first kissed on her birthday."

"Trust me, a guy will not be hung up on a girl for years over one kiss."

I pause the movie, right as the main protagonist is giving her speech at her best friend's wedding. "It's not just about the kiss. It's their memories of one another. He has been a supportive friend all of her life and she has been a consistent support system in his."

"Look at you, getting all romantic on me. Didn't think it was possible."

This is true. I keep this passionate side of me in check most of the time and watch these types of movies in the comfort of my room. But I thought he would enjoy it a little if maybe if only to make fun of it. It still stings to hear him call me romantic, knowing I prefer to be level-headed and sensible.

"Are you going to keep interrupting or can we finish it?" I'm no longer looking at him.

"Just letting you know this isn't how it would happen in the real world." He shrugs.

"Yeah, I figured that. I mean you don't see us getting terrorized by aliens from other galaxies, right? It's a movie."

He motions for me to press play again.

<<<>>>

A few weeks later I arrive home just in time to see Hunter's bedroom door close.

With a cheap bottle of red wine in my hands, I walk over to the kitchen and sit on the island. I drink straight from the bottle and wait for the noises to start. It is like clockwork at this point. There is always a bit of giggling and chuckling at first. Although I know that he's funny in a dry way, I also know that whatever he's saying doesn't warrant anything other than a smirk. This girl has a high-pitched laugh, which probably means her moans are going to follow a similar range.

I take a huge gulp and close my eyes, straining my ear.

Then there is some kind of macking. Whether it is his lips against hers or his lips against some part of her body, there is always some squishy, wet noise that is hard to ignore. And then of course comes the soft chatter. Maybe he's telling her to get more comfortable and remove her shirt. Maybe she sits on his lap and orders him to remove his shirt. Either way, the next few silent moments are typically the same. I look back at the digital clock on the oven and five minutes later the moaning begins.

I should not have started drinking. I should have walked back out and found something else to do tonight. Found somewhere else to be. But Lindsay is working and I don't feel like talking to any of our other friends.

The grunting calls my attention back to the closed door and I drink some more. Not like I can drive anywhere now. I hop off the counter and take the bottle to my room. I'm not too careful closing my door, knowing that I could be screaming bloody murder here and it would not interrupt their hot sex for one second.

<<<>>>

Lindsay is waiting for me as I clock into work.

She has two jobs, also living with student debt, but mostly sticks around here because of me. We would rather be miserable together than happier apart.