I nodded. “Taz. I know you.”
She gave a nod, biting her lip.
Tasmin Shaw. It was an uncomfortable connection we had because she didn’t go to my high school. She and her twin brother went to the school in our neighboring town, but her other brother was the reason I didn’t want even a friends-with-benefits sort of deal. Because he’d been just that. Not her twin, but the other one, who did go to my school. And yeah, it was all awkward because while I only heard nice things about Tasmin Shaw, I wanted nothing to do with her.
It wasn’t personal. I wanted nothing to do with anyone from Roussou or Fallen Crest.
If I’d known how things would’ve ended with her brother, Blaise, then I would’ve tried for an out-of-state college. I had tried, actually, but the out-of-state funding fell through. It was hella expensive.
So, because of that, we stood there in that hallway not saying anything.
“Okay. Well.” She motioned toward her room, her head bent, and she was biting her lip again. “I’m going to go—”
“Wait.” Dammit. She’d be my neighbor. I sighed. “I don’t know what you know about me or heard about me, but I want no drama this year.”
Her head raised. Taz was nice, and I could see what I heard about her was true. I’d seen her at parties before, but again, we barely interacted. She stuck to her friends, and I was with mine. “I’m just, doing my own thing this year.”
Understanding flared, along with more hurt, but she gave another nod. “I get it.” Her phone started ringing, and she motioned inside. “Well. I’ll be here.”
“Uh.”
She started to go in but paused at my statement.
This was so awkward. “Can you not tell Blaise about me?”
There was another flicker in her gaze, but she nodded. Her voice came out raspy. “No problem.”
“Thanks.” I gave a nod.
She gave a nod.
She went inside.
So did I.
And that was… I didn’t know what that was, but I was already tired.
Turning, I went in my room.
My roommate and I both were going with the bare essentials theme because she had bedding piled up on her bed. A few books on one of the desks. And a few boxes in front of a dresser. I was guessing she’d claimed those spots, so I started putting my stuff on the other bed, desk, and dresser. She hadn’t picked a closet, so I took the closest one to the door, leaving her the closet by her desk. She’d been nice and left me the desk by the window. I was starting to climb up to the top bunk when I heard from somewhere behind me, “You can have the bottom.”
I turned.
I was assuming she was my roommate since she had a huge laundry bag over her shoulder, another backpack, and she was holding a large laundry basket filled with stuff. She was sweating, and she flashed me a grin. “I’m Brenda. Hi. You’re Mara?”
I nodded. “I am.”
She came in, dropped her stuff on the floor and gave me a wave.
She was pretty, long, curly brown hair. Blue eyes. Dark brown skin. Taller than me. She was toned, too. Not skinny, but healthy—weight goals for me. I’d love to be that strong. Right now, I looked petite and weak since I was only five foot four, but one day I wanted to look like she did. Like, gymnastics kind of toned.
Simone Biles was my goddess.
“You can have the bottom bed because I’m not going to be around that much.”
“Really?”
She nodded, dropping the rest of her stuff off at her desk. “I have a job and a serious boyfriend back home, which is an hour away. I loaded my schedule so I have classes only two days a week. I hope you’re okay having a roommate who’s basically only here one night of the week. I’m planning on driving back the morning of classes, staying the night, and heading home after my last class.” She was so matter of fact about it, brushing some of her hair off her face. “I was planning on doing the whole normal freshman experience, but I got a job at my dad’s company. It’s too good to pass up, so yeah. I’ll only be around the bare minimum.”
I could be in love with this girl. She was even using my wording.
She kept on, “I’d understand if you wanted a different roommate. No hurt feelings whatsoever. Some girls want the whole freshman/roomie/best friend thing, but I just ain’t going to be that for you.”
“No.” I shook my head quickly. “That sounds perfect to me. My own room? Fuck yeah.”
She grinned. “Oh good. I wasn’t sure how ‘the roommate’ would handle it.”
“Not me. I think I’m wet for you, it’s that perfect for me.”
She laughed. “That’s awesome. I’m Brenda Noveles, officially meeting you.” She held out her hand, and I shook it.
“Mara Daniels.” I scanned the room. “You got more stuff coming up?”
She hesitated before shaking her head. “No. Is that a problem?”
Seriously. Wet. For. This. Girl.
I shook my head. “Nope. Again. This is a match made in heaven.”
She gave another good-natured chuckle before slumping down into her desk chair. “I’m taking it you don’t have a lot either?”
“Just a few more things in my car.”
She nodded, taking in all of my stuff—or the lack of my stuff. I had less than she did, and she whistled. “Let me guess, your mom was a hoarder?”
I suppressed a grin. “Not in that way.”
She frowned.
She didn’t understand, and I was okay with that. No drama meant that I didn’t need to explain my shitty family life, to anyone. And that was exactly how I wanted it.
* * *
Blocked calls (39)
2
Early September
We were into our second week of classes by now and college was amazing.
Basically, no roommate, and when Brenda was there, she was cool to hang with. She was mostly studying, but there was a bar off campus that was lenient with the ID thing, and yeah, we hung there a couple times, having a beer. It was within walking distance, too. That was the cherry on top. I wasn’t always a big drinker, but our first night there, we both got lit. Walking back was a whole adventure. I wasn’t totally sure what we did on the short trek back, but there were vague memories of a lawn gnome, some green glitter, and I was blanking with the rest. I think there was an argument if I could take the gnome back with me and Brenda argued heavily against it, saying it was bad luck.
I later woke, covered in green glitter. After that, who knows.
But classes were hard.
The other girls on my floor figured out I was the anti-social one, and realized Brenda was never there, so they did their own thing. Every now and then Taz and I would cross paths in the bathroom. The polite, ‘hey, how’s it going’ exchange would happen between us, but that was it. I saw her a few times on campus with a guy who must have been her boyfriend, whom I didn’t know, but I’d heard that he was good people. At least that’s what the rumor mill had said from back home.
Miles: Party at Alpha Mu tonight?
Miles was a friend from class, and so far, he was cool. I knew nothing about him except that he was always in a good mood. This was the third time he’d invited me to a party. I’d gone another time, and was actually surprised that I enjoyed it.