Part 2: A Change of Heart
See disclaimers in part 1.
There was a knock on Alex’s door as she was expecting. <Didn’t think she’d suck up her pride so soon> "yeah?" she called out.
"Its me Alex. I really would like you to reconsider letting me be your roommate. If you don’t I’ll have to go to another building or even worst case scenario go and suck up to Amy. Look, could you open the door…please? Michelle wanted nothing more then to walk away from this infuriating woman. < Why do I let her get under my skin like that? I never explode on people when I don’t even know them. >
Alex stood there grinning at her while holding the door for her. <That’s why. Man what I wouldn’t give to slap that grin off her face> she thought as she walked into the room. She took a look around the room. It was a little bit smaller then her original dorm room but that could be because of the double bed that took up nearly all of the walking space. On one side there was a rather large desk against one wall with practically nothing on it except for a lamp. Near the windows, a black stationary bike had its place though right then it was hanging with what she assumed was dirty laundry. There was also a huge dresser at the foot of the bed, which only had a few pieces of clothing in it. . It didn’t look like she used it often. On top of it though, it was covered with trophies. Towards the door all by itself was a nightstand, which had a boom box on top and whole pile of cds under the shelf.
"Don’t bother looking around Michelle, you’re not staying." Alex said as she shut the door.
<Ah, there’s the closet behind the door. > Michelle thought as she moved over to sit on the bed. "Okay is this about cause I yelled at you in Susan’s room? Fine, I’m sorry about that but you really hurt my friend’s feelings back there. I had to do something."
"Ha, is that you are going to say after everything you’ve done? That you’re sorry??? Alex mimicked from earlier. But she couldn’t hold in the smile that was bursting from her lips.
Michelle relaxed then sensing she was only being teased. " Yes I deserved that. So… what do you say hmm? Or do I have to go over and charm the pants off of Amy."
Alex made a disgusted face at that. "Oh please, I’m not that bad that I would throw you to the sharks on your first day here."
Michelle laughed at that. "Well I hoped not. To tell you the truth I wasn’t quite sure what to expect. After everything I’ve heard about you…well lets just say you’re not the most easiest person to approach."
"Ooh stories. Which ones are going around about me this time? Believe me I’ve heard them all before…Did you hear the one where I punched this girl out at a party just because she was standing too close to me?"
"Oh yes! How about the one where you threw a girl out of the window cause she talked too much?"
With a little shake of her head she smiled, "Sorry to say that ones true. All night at a party she planted herself next to me and talked my ear off for nearly an hour. I was already drunk so I snapped." Michelle stared at her with her mouth hanging open, "Hey it was on the first floor so its not like she got hurt or anything." An even wider "oh" formed on her lips, " I gave her ample warnings to shut up but she couldn’t take a hint. What’s a girl to do?"
Michelle started moving in right after that. She was looking forward to it actually. No one would ever stand a chance when she got down to arguing with someone but Alex…whoa! She could hold her own…And she didn’t even have to raise her voice. It just drops to that icy level that sends chills up your spine. She was looking forward to the challenge. It took her about an hour to repack all of her things and to explain to her friends that she would be all right.
"Don’t worry about me. She’s really funny once you get to know her. Don’t look at me like that, I’m serious…she’s totally cool." Susan and Capri had to pick their jaws up from the floor.
"Are you sure Michelle? I’m sure if I talk to the dean again, I could find another place. Maybe on one of the other floors." Capri just wanted to make sure that her friend was all right. <Look what she just did for me, I will be forever grateful. >
"I’ll be fine Capri. That won’t be necessary. In fact, I think I’m going to like living there." Just then a knock interrupted them.
"Michelle, do you need any help with boxes or anything?" Alex was almost as excited as Michelle was. Truth be told she was feeling a little lonely recently. She shut herself off along time ago to having friends but now… well Michelle just broke a rule in her relationship book: never let anyone in for they will have the power to hurt you even more. <It might be nice to have someone to come home to and just talk. Hmm this could even be fun! >
"Um yeah, thanks. Just those out in the hall. We can each grab one and in three trips we’ll get them all." As she was muttering the instructions Alex just walked over to the boxes, took one look and lifted three at one time. Never noticing the looks her back was getting she headed non-chalantly back toward her room.
"Damn, did you see that? Remind me to never get on her bad side. She could knock you out in one punch." Susan couldn’t help but notice the muscles straining through her t-shirt. "What I wouldn’t give to be that shirt right now. <Sigh>"
"Geez Susan, you can be such a pig at times. She’s trying to help and all you can think about is your raging hormones." Michelle said all the while still staring at that retreating backside.
"Look who’s talking huh? And just what were you thinking, besides how helpful she’s being?" Susan bantered back.
Giving them an impish look "Well actually I kind of wanted to be the boxes…being held in her arms."
"Ha! Just as I thought. Well come on lets not dawdle here. We got some boxes to move." Susan tried picking up three but all that amounted to was a strangling sound wrenched from her throat. "Heh, must have got the heavy ones…books and stuff right?"
"Oh yeah…RIGHT!" They all started laughing as each of them picked up one box a piece.
As they piled all the boxes outside of the room, Michelle noticed Alex moved some things around. The radio was no longer near the door but over by Alex’s bed. Now the desk was over by the door. Right then she realized that there wasn’t a bed for her. As Alex walked back with another load of boxes, "Hey, where am I suppose to sleep?"
"Oh um, unc… I mean the dean said he’d get you a roll away for now till they scrounge up another bed. It should be here soon. Damn! That reminds me, I have to tell him the changes in rooms." She said as she set her load down.
"That’s fine. Whew, otherwise we’d have to share your bed." Michelle replied jokingly but Alex froze.
<Shit! I forgot to ask her! That’s the first time I’ve never thought of that. The trick is to do it so she doesn’t get the wrong idea. Ah ha! > "Um… so Michelle, you got a boyfriend? <Damn! How lame was that? > Alex cringed.
<That was a weird subject change> Michelle thought. "Why yes I do. His name’s Peter and we’ve been going out for um…6 months. Why do you ask?
"Just trying to make conversation. You know, get to know you kinda thing?" <Okay I’m off the hook. What would you have done if she said no? Kick her out? > Normally her answer would have been a hell yes! But looking over at her she just wasn’t sure. There was just something about her that reached to Alex.
Michelle took that opening and chatted away about anything and everything to do with Peter right down to how they met. She really did love him but more of a friendly way lately. <Just doesn’t get my juices flowing anymore> She thought. They’d gotten closer when they found out they were going to go to the same college during their senior year.
Alex listened to Michelle go on and on just enjoying the sound of her voice. She was lying on her bed watching her make this room her own. <Hope there’s enough room for all of her stuff. O ho, she’s got a TV! Cool. We definitely need that. Whoa, her cd collection’s almost as big as mine. She really is beau…>
"Alex?…Alex did you hear me?" Michelle said while turning to look at Alex.
"Oh um, what? Sorry dazed out for a minute there" refocusing her attention to what Michelle was saying.
"I said do you have a boyfriend?"
Alex sat up at that. "A boyfriend. Hmm, I guess you could call him that."
"What’s that suppose to mean. It’s either he is or he isn’t."
"Fine, he is then."
"Hey don’t give me that cryptic answer and expect me to just accept it. What did you mean?"
"He’s just a guy I see once in a while for a good time. Not exclusive."
"Aaaand? More details please. What’s his name? Where’d you meet?"
With an exasperated sigh, "His name’s Tom and we met at a party."
"Ah, you’re not into girl talk are you?" Michelle said as she put the last of her clothes away in the dresser.
"Nope. Sorry." Just then her bed arrived.
"Where do you want it girls?" the deliveryman asked.
"Right there against the wall will be fine. Thank you." As an after thought Michelle went over to where Alex was, "Don’t worry about it. I can talk enough for the both of us." Giving a saucy grin she sat on Alex’s bed.
With a groan from Alex "Fine. Just you remember that girl that took a header out the window now."
"Ha! You wouldn’t dare hurt your new roommate would you?" All the while batting her beautiful green eyes, "Besides, you’d have to catch me first." With a smirk, she took off out of the room.
"Why that little bit…," Alex said while trying to catch up to her wily roommate leaving behind a bewildered deliveryman.
Michelle made it to the door and ran down the five flights of stairs all the while listening to the pounding footsteps of Alex right on her heels. As she cleared the last door to freedom, she felt an arm snake around her waist to lift her onto Alex’s shoulder.
With a squawk, "Alex look I was only joking. You shouldn’t take things so seriously…" When she realized where she was being carried to she really started to struggle. "Come on Alex. Please put me down." Alex stopped just shy of the pool’s edge. "You know that delivery man will be wondering where we ran off to. Think we’d better head on back up, don’t you think?"
"Come now Michelle, where’s your sense of adventure. Besides, this is the tradition for all new roomies. Kind of like an initiation even." Without another thought Alex tossed her into the pool screaming.
When a sputtering Michelle surfaced, all she saw was a laughing Alex who was holding out her hand to help her out of the pool. " Ha ha, sorry I heh, couldn’t resist."
Michelle took the help graciously "guess I deserved that, underestimating you and all." When she was fully out of the pool she quickly turned around "but you definitely deserve this" and with that she tried to push with all her might a shocked Alex into the pool. But of course Alex still had Michelle’s hand and pulled her along with her.
When they both came up for air it was to the shouts and laughter of their fellow dormies all clapping at the display. Michelle noticed Susan and Capri with their heads vying for space in the small window with their shock written all over their faces. <Hmm, told you she was cool. > They both looked at each other and started laughing too.
Nudging her in the shoulder, "Hey, welcome to college Michelle ahh… you never told me your last name you know."
Sticking out her hand, "Michelle James. A pleasure to meet you."
Taking the hand "Alexandra Cunningham, the pleasure’s all mine".
That simple touch warmed them both even though they were soaked to the bone.