Page 40 of Keeping Skylar
Kirstin:You still alive over there, hon?
Me:Alive and kicking. What’s up ladies?
Kirstin:You’d never believe who I bumped into last night at the tavern?
Me:Do I want to know?
Kirstin:Well, because you asked—I bumped into that slimy witch Lucia.
Me:LOL.
Mila:Did she see you?
Kirstin:She did. But I shot her my infamous death glare—you know, the one that says ‘what up skank? In the mood for a knuckle sandwich?’
Me:LMFAO!
Mila:What happened next?
Kirstin:She went red-faced and refused to look at me after that.
Kirstin has what most would call a resting bitch face—she rarely smiles at strangers, but when she does, it’s something special. She’s also a skilled fighter, having trained in kickboxing and jiu jitsu since she the age of seven, thanks to her mother’s firm belief in the importance of self-defence. So yeah, I have no doubt Lucia felt more than a little uncomfortable with my best friend glaring at her.
Mila:Was she with Kaden?
Kirstin:No that was the weird part. She was with some other guy, and when she saw me, it looked as though she was nervous.
Mila:Ha! They’ve barely been living together for long, and she’s already stepping out on him. Karma really is a bitch!
Me:It might not be anything. She was probably out with a colleague or friend. Lucia has quite a few male acquaintances.
Kirstin:Right. We all know what ‘male acquaintances’ tend to look like with her.
She’s not wrong. Lucia’s always been a flirt—craving attention wherever she goes. And if she’s not in the spotlight, she’ll do whatever it takes to get there...even if it means stealing someone else’s husband. Tired of wasting any more energyon her, I steer the conversation towards something far more exciting.
Me:In other news, I’m finally going out for drinks with Hannah on Friday night.
Kirstin:Aww, that’s great, hon! It’s about time you’re out there socialising. You deserve to let your hair down and have some fun. How’s everything else going?
Me:I’ll admit, living alone in a new city has been fucking hard. There’s no one close by to visit or talk to when I need a bit of company. I guess that’s why I’m genuinely excited to be going out with Hannah—it’s been way too long since I’ve had a proper girls’ night.
Kirstin:Well, here’s a thought—and it’s just a suggestion—but have you ever considered getting a roommate?
If it’s anything like those reality TV shows or documentaries with the psycho roommates, I’d rather live alone for the rest of my life.
Me:God, no! Living with a stranger is just a disaster waiting to happen.
Mila:I disagree. I’ve had a few roommates before and they’ve been great. Definitely cures the loneliness and boredom. You never know unless you try, sis.
I pause, turning the idea over in my mind, trying to picture what it would be like to live with a roommate.Could I really feel comfortable sharing my space with a complete stranger? Then again...would that be any worse than living with someone IthoughtI knew—only to realise they were a stranger all along?
Me:I don’t know, I’d have to think about it.
Mila:You can do a trial, three months to start with and then go from there.
Kirstin:And you never know, you could come across a true gem.
Me: Or a complete psychopath!
