Bachelor Number Five (The Bachelor Series, Volume 1) by Kenneth Rosenberg

job trail, cooking was the last thing she felt like doing.
    “What do you want on it?”  Lauren snatched the flier from Darren’s hands.
    “Anything but anchovies,” said Amanda.
    “Who eats anchovies?” Darren lifted a bottle of beer from the table and took a swig.
    “Some people must eat them,” said Lauren.  “Why else do they have them on the menu?”
    “Beats the heck out of me.”
    Amanda moved into the kitchen and took a seat at the table.
    “Should I see if Aaron wants some?” said Lauren.
    “I don’t care, as long as there’s enough!” Darren answered.
    Lauren rose to her feet walked to the front door, taking a step outside before shouting, “Hey Aaron!  You want pizza?!”
    “Yeah, man!” came the muffled response.
    Lauren walked back into the room.  “He wants pizza.”  She pulled her phone from her pocket and dialed.
    “Who is Aaron?” Amanda asked.
    “He’s my roommate,” said Darren.
    “Hi, I’d like to place an order,” said Lauren.
    “I’m going to take a shower,” said Amanda.
    “Yeah, one large pepperoni and one large Santa Fe,” said Lauren into the phone.
    “That’s not enough!” said Darren.  “What if Markus comes over?”
    “And a medium veggie supreme,” Lauren added as she glared back at her boyfriend.
    Amanda moved on into bathroom and closed the door behind her.  A shower was just what she needed to wash away the stress and strain of her day.  After that, some pizza, and hopefully her new friends wouldn’t mind turning on the television for the one show Amanda had to see each week.  It was that time once again; the one day when she was sure to spot her quarry, on air anyway.  It was time to check in on Bachelor Number Five.
     
    When she came back into the living room, showered and fresh, two guys Amanda didn’t recognize were sitting on the couch.  One wore baggy jeans and a loose red T-shirt that matched his curly red hair.  The other was dressed in brown slacks and a blue collared shirt.  “Hello,” Amanda said.
    “There she is.  This is my new roomie,” said Lauren.  “Amanda.”
    Amanda raised a hand and waved.
    “This is Aaron and Markus.  Aaron lives next door with Darren.”
    The redhead raised his hand.  He looked like a skater-type kid, confident in the way he leaned back on the couch, with his arms stretched across the cushions.  He was a few years younger than the rest of them and wore large high-top shoes on his feet, unlaced.
    “I live downstairs.  Apartment number two,” said Markus.  He sat upright, with a more formal posture.  He was cute, Amanda thought, and by far the more respectable-looking of the two.  A prospect, perhaps?  She’d have plenty of time to find out.
    “We’re all fairly social around here,” said Lauren.  “If you hadn’t noticed.”
    “Incestuous you might say,” said Markus.
    “I guess that doesn’t include Peter?” Amanda asked.
    “Oooo, what does she know about Peter?!” said Markus.
    “Nothing!” Lauren cut him off.  “And she doesn’t need to.  Let’s forget all about that, shall we?”
    “Yeah, right,” said Aaron with a snicker.
    “I saw him last night at the sandwich shop on the corner.  He seemed nice.”
    “No!  Not nice!  Not nice at all!” said Lauren.
    The bell rang and all heads turned to the pizza delivery man standing in the doorway.  “You ordered some pizzas?”
    “We did,” said Lauren.
     “But I still don’t think you ordered enough,” said Darren. 
    “There’s no such thing as enough for you, Darren.”  Lauren walked to the doorway and pulled out her wallet.  “How much is it?”
    The delivery man took three pizza boxes out of an insulated warmer and read a slip that was taped to the top.  “Forty-four seventy-five.”
    “I got this,” said Darren, moving across the room.
    “No, we’ll kick in.  Ten bucks each, right?” said Markus.
    When the bill was sorted, Darren put the boxes on the kitchen table and opened the one