Page 25 of June

It made her smile that Enid had remembered the names she’d given to the random objects, and she replied, “Sure.” Then, she looked around her room. “Um… Everyone, this is Enid. Enid, this is everyone.” She motioned with her arm.

Enid laughed and said, “It’s nice to meet everybody.”

“Oh,” Viv said softly as she walked through the open door. “Sorry. I didn’t know you were having someone over.”

“Viv, it’s fine. This is your room, too,” Caroline said and stood up from Viv’s chair. “This is Enid. Enid, this is Viv, my roommate.”

“Hi,” Enid said.

“I thought you were out today,” Caroline noted.

“I was at the fair.”

“You said you weren’t going.”

“I wasn’t going to, but one of the professors asked if I’d help run a booth for the first couple of hours this morning, so I decided to do it and just got done.”

“I should go,” Enid spoke.

“You don’t have to,” Caroline replied as Enid stood.

“It’s okay. I’m going to head home to get some studying done. Thanks for showing me your sketches. You reallyaretalented.”

“Thank you,” she replied.

“See you around?” Enid asked her, and when Caroline nodded, she added, “Nice to meet you, Viv.”

“You too,” Viv said.

Then, Enid was gone, and Caroline flopped on her desk chair, staring at the open door.

“Sorry if I interrupted,” Viv added.

“It’s fine,” she said and sighed.

“New friend?”

“I don’t know. Maybe,” she replied.

“She looks older,” Viv noted.

“Twenty-four,” she said, remembering what Enid had told her before.

Viv sat on her bed after dropping her bag on the floor and asked, “Do you like her?”

“I just met her,” she replied.

“But you look like you like her.”

Caroline looked over at her and replied, “I might.” She paused. “I’m sorry, Viv. I didn’t think you’d be here.”

“It’s okay,” Viv said. “You’re allowed to bring whomever you want here. It’s your room.”

“I don’t want things to be awkward…”

“They won’t be.” Viv shrugged. “You and I are roommates and friends, right?”

Caroline nodded as Viv lay back on her bed.

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