Page 123 of My Roommate from Hell
My phone buzzes.
Nearly there! See you soon!
The message is from Ashley, and I start to smile. Then I remember how much she doesn’t know. She doesn’t know that Zarmenus and I kissed, and she doesn’t know how sad I am about him leaving and our fake relationship ending, or how I can’t stop thinking about how Point is going to feel weird without him. As excited as I am to see her, I’m still worried that she will do what she always does and see right through me.
“Hey, Greene,” calls Zarmenus. He’s resting in bed, his laptop on his chest.
“Yes?”
“Have you seen that doll? I can’t find it anywhere.”
I shake my head and look around. It moves around all the time, normally winding up on my bed.
“Maybe she moved on,” he says.
“Good riddance.”
“If I find her I’m telling her you said that.”
In a strange way, it adds to the finality that has been hanging over me all morning. Twelve days. That’s all we have left. My phone vibrates again.
Okay just passed the gates see you soon!!!
“Ashley and Jackson are here,” I say as I rise from my desk chair. “I’m going to go get them. Will you be here later?”
“I could be.”
With that, I leave and go down to the entrance of Clark Hall. It’s great timing, as they pull up right as I get there. Jackson’s car is a beat-up old Toyota and I’m surprised it survived the road trip.
“Bumble!” calls Ashley as she gets out of the car. It’s a reference to our roles inOliver!
“Corney!”
She runs up to me and pulls me into a hug.
“I missed your smell,” she says.
“Ew, weird,” I say, knowing she intentionally says stuff like that sometimes to try to make me uncomfortable.
She looks different, but only slightly. She’s clearly pregnant, and the pregnant glow is totally a thing, plus she’s put a pink streak in her hair, but that’s the biggest change.
I can’t believe this is happening. Ashley is here, at Point. Finally.
“I know, right?” she says, tossing her hair. “My skin has never been better, it’s so weird.”
There’s a moment where we just look at each other. She’s here. My worlds are colliding, and I love it.
“I’ve missed you so much,” I say, hugging her again.
“Yeah, and I’ve missed your smell, we’ve covered this.”
“You can’t give me even one earnest moment, can you?”
“Never.”
I feel tears in my eyes, and I don’t fight them. I am happy enough talking on the phone, and I still feel as close to her as I always have. We’ve made do with our situation as best we can. Even so, it’s so amazing that she’s here.
“You’re looking good,” says Jackson as he slings his black backpack, the one he takes literally everywhere, over his shoulder. “Been working out?”
