Dorms

“You’re not the boss of this house. Don’t tell me what to do.” Paul yells as he throws his plate in the sink.

I slowly place my guitar on the side of the wall and crawl towards the stairs as the argument heats up. It is 9 p.m. and I have a management midterm tomorrow. A heated argument is the last thing I need.

“That doesn’t mean you can do whatever you want. We are all roommates in this house. We should all discuss and vote on what we can and can’t do.” Gordon responds as he slowly sits on the old, stained, blue couch.

Gordon crosses his arms and shakes his legs as he argues with Paul. He wears a plain black shirt, grey gym shorts, black framed glasses and blue flip flops. He is about five foot and eight inches with dark spiky hair. He stares at the green carpet floor while talking slowly and calmly. He always speaks softly when he is frustrated, but then he usually bursts out later. Gordon is Chinese and Paul is Italian. We all live in one of the dorms in University of Toronto in Mississauga.

I stand on the first step of the stairs and look back, “Guys we have a fucking midterm tomorrow. Just go study and we’ll talk about it after the test. Gordon you promised you’ll help me study the fifth chapter.” I turn and run upstairs to study.

“Alright, I’ll let you know when I am ready.” Gordon keeps his soft and calm tone.

“I am just tired of his bullshit, that’s all.” Paul says as he follows me up the stairs.

“Screw you dude.” Gordon rushes upstairs, and slams the door behind him.

I open my management book and try to study. I think about Gordon. Why did he slam the door like that? They just argued for a while. It is not a big deal. Maybe something else is bothering him. I rest my head on my right hand and stare back at the book. I pretend to read the lines in the book for ten minutes. I decide to see if Gordon is alright. He would always wake me up in the morning to have breakfast. He often asked me to join him in the gym. He would always barge into my room to ask me how I am doing in my classes. I think it is time for me to see if he’s alright.

“Hey Gordon, is everything okay?” I ask as I knock on the door twice.

Silence.

I knock again.

“Omar just go study for the midterm.” Gordon says quietly.

I go back to my room and leave the door open. I sit down, open the book and review chapter four titled entrepreneurship. Thirty minutes of intense studying gets interrupted by Gordon loudly arguing in Chinese on the phone. I shut my eyes for a few seconds and cover my ears with my hands. I walk towards my door to lock it, but I find Paul unlocking his door and peeks his head out.

“Shut the fuck up I am trying to study. Go talk to your Mom outside.” Paul yells and Gordon quickly opens the door and charges at him.

“I’ve had it with you. Come here you bastard.” Gordon tosses his phone and dives at Paul.

I stand there watching for a few seconds unable to move. I have never seen Gordon so angry. His face bursting red, his eyes sharp and his knuckles clenched. Paul is almost twice his size. He grabs Gordon with one hand and punches him in the eyes with the other. His glasses fly across the hall. Gordon falls on his back but quickly jumps up and tries again. I dash towards Gordon and hold him tightly using my two hands. He fidgets and moves violently.

“Gordon,” I shout. “Calm down God damn it.”

“Get this freak away from me.” Paul yells as he adjusts his shirt.

“Paul shut the fuck up and go to your room.” I grab the glasses and slowly pull Gordon into his room.

Gordon sits on his bed.

He cries.

“What the hell are you doing dude?” I shut the door and sit on his chair.

He picks up his phone from the ground and dials a number. “I can’t even talk to my mom without him shouting at me like that.”

Tears run down his cheeks.

“You fucking charged at him, what were you thinking?” I cross my arms and now my legs start to shake.

“He punched me in the face. Didn’t you see him?” Gordon rests his head on the pillow and dangles his feet out of the bed.

“Yes, that’s because you attacked him. You know this could get you kicked out of the dorms right.”

“I don’t care. I don’t want to live with this guy anymore.”

Gordon stops crying and puts his glasses back on. His eyes painted red. He pushes the phone to his ear.

“Mom come get me from the dorm now. Nothing. Just come now.” Gordon turns off his phone and tosses it next to him.

I go back to my room and try studying for the midterm. But I couldn’t. I close my management book and lie on my bed. Twenty silent minutes pass by. I hear someone knocking on the front door. I can hear Gordon rushing down the stairs and talking to his mom. They hop in the car and slowly drive off.

I turn off the lights, set the alarm to 8 a.m. and cover my head with a blanket.