'Take it easy Jade. It's going to be fine. Just explain everything calmly—
I'm biting my lip so hard, I might just tear the skin off.
"Hello?!" Jay's frantic voice reaches me "Jade? Are you okay?!"
"I'm okay." I say quickly "I'm safe. Just hear me out."
I can hear his loud breath of relief.
"Oh thank God," There's the sound of a 'poof' as if he just collapsed on something "Where are you? Everyone back home is flipping out."
I take a deep, deep breath "Remember how I used to say if I don't make it to college, I'll just cut my hair short and go in your place?"
There's absolute silence on the other end.
"Jade," Jay starts calmly "I get it."
"What?" I have to blink
"I know how much Grandma meant to you, and my going to college," He sighs "You couldn't complete your last year of high school because her illness. After this— I get it. No one in your place would want to stay at home all alone."
"You really think I'll leave the house just because I'd be alone?" I shoot up from the bed, pacing around my room "I was always by myself there, mind you. Taking care of Grandma still left plenty of time to be alone!"
"Alright, shit, I'm sorry." Jay sighs, I can imagine him hanging his head "I've had a whole night to imagine all sorts of reasons."
I let out a breath, but my hands still tighten into fists.
"They want to sell the house, Jay." I tell him "Uncle Grey talked to me the moment you left for California. Then Aunt Linda teamed up with him and they just wouldn't drop it."
"And you just left?" Jay says, shock clear in his voice
"Well, I," I sit down on the bed, and push my hair back from my forehead "It was stupid. It 'is' stupid. But I just can't. Grandma loved that house."
There's silence on the other side.
"It's not stupid." Jay finally says "Grandma gave that house to you. You decide what happens to it."
"Thanks." I smile at that. Then I clear my throat "So, umm, I'm at St. Peterson's. In your place."
"I knew you were mad." Jay chuckles "Do you have money?"
"Somewhat," I tell him "Enough to last a few weeks with a strict budget."
"And after that?"
"I have to go back eventually," I sigh, rubbing my temple "I need to finish high school and get to my own college. I need some distance to discuss this thing with Aunt and Uncle."
"Okay. Just don't scare me like that," Jay says "Did you really cut your hair as short as mine?"
"Don't remind me," I say, touching the back of my neck. But it feels sort of good, refreshing "I'll talk to you later, 'kay?"
"Hang in there, gems. Try not to land us in jail."
"I'll try."
Jay hangs up and I collapse back on the bed with a sigh. The silence of the room tugs at me in an odd way, and a slightly creepy feeling crawls down my spine.
I quickly head out in the lounge. It sure is taking Nico long.
Just as the thought crosses my mind, the door swings open.
And a guy I've never seen before walks in.
He sees me. I see him. We both stare at each other in confusion. He's at least six foot tall, with ash blond hair pushed back from his forehead, the sides almost shaved clean, giving a clear view of his ear piercings.
Did I mention he's built like a tank?
"Who are you?" He asks me bluntly, putting two duffle bags on the floor
I cross my arms "That's my line."
"Name's Collin." He crosses his arms as well and his biceps bulge
"Jay," I introduce myself with a name that's not mine "What are you doing here again?"
And it suddenly dawns on me.
'Our Fourth roommate.'
'Couldn't rob Collin of this one in a life time cleaning experience.'
"You're our fourth roommate?" It comes out as a question, but I'm sure of it
He tsks "You're the fourth one, kid."
Collin walks in a slow circle around me, and for one moment, I'm afraid he's somehow going to know I'm a girl. And then it's going to be a mess, I might just end up in jail-
"What happened to your face?" He stops in front of me
God bless that pole I ran into at the bus station. Forget gender, the bruise on my face is big enough not to give away the fact that I'm a human.
I hold his stare "What do you think?"
Collin narrows his eyes and stares hard at me. He reaches into the pocket of his jacket, and I almost tense up.
"I think you need this."
He holds up a little bottle, pulled from some pocket of his jacket. I take it in a confused automatic response.
Disinfectant.
"Uh, thanks." I say, wondering why he has it
"Don't fret it," he says in good humor "If you're gonna get in fights, you gotta be prepared."
I'm staring dumbly at the disinfectant while Collin marches further in. He takes a look around and whistles.
"Man, you guys really cleaned up." He says "Did everyone pick their rooms?"
"Umm, yeah." I say and point at the fourth room "That one's yours. Reece didn't clean it though."
"Can't be that bad," Collin says and heads for the door
'Oh you have no idea,' I toss the bottle on the little couch in the lounge and follow him. Maybe it's wrong, but I kinda want to see what he has to say about it.
Collin turns the knob, and I have to stand on my toes to look over his shoulder.
The lights are out, and we both walk in. The room has a sort of stench, but I can't put my finger on it.
"Found the lights!" Collin claims
Lights flood in, and more than dust, I see features. On the bed sheets, on the floor, everywhere.
Feathers and bird poop.
A very indignant pigeon hoots angrily at us, sitting like a landlord in the slightly open window.
"Oh hell naw," Collin makes a face at the pigeon "Shoo, you've lived rent free for long enough."
The pigeon hoots in a 'very' threatening way.
"Wait," I take a step forward "I don't think that's such a—
Too late. Collin has already opened the window and is shooing the pigeon outside.
"Now be a good bird and—
I don't think he'd expected the pigeon to dive right for his head.
Collin screams, I scream, the pigeon screams.
"Make it stop!" Collin runs around the room trying to ward off the angry bird
He runs straight into me. And if that wasn't enough to shake me to the bone, the pigeon makes me its next target. Claws and a sharp beak peck my head, nearing my face.
"Oh my God, not the bruise!" I cover my face and make a blind dash for the door
I grab the door knob "Get out of there!"
Collin manages to keep the pigeon off with hands swinging blindly, and leaps for the door. I slam it shut behind.
Both of us breathe heavily against the door, angry hoots sound from inside.
Collin touches a small cut at his eyebrow.
"Where's that disinfectant I gave you?"
…
When Nico comes back, Collin and I are moving Collin's mattress— which was previously propped against a wall in the lounge— into Nico's room since it's the biggest room here.
"What are you doing?" He asks "Couldn't you clean up your own?"
"There's a demon in there," Collin shudders "Get it out and I'll take that place gladly."
Both of us silently navigate Nico's room for a good place to put another mattress, and decide to move the bed a little, while Nico screams on the other side of the apartment.
"You think he'll make it?" I ask Collin
"Doubt it." He shakes his head somberly
"He was a good guy." I sigh
Nico walks in, looking disheveled and slightly traumatized. He sees us moving the bed.
"Don't push it too much in the corner."
"Way ahead of ya."
We change the setting of the room, all in acceptance of the fact that this place only has three rooms now, when the front door swings open and Reece walks in.
"You bastard!" Collin and Nico charge on him simultaneously
"You ditched us so you won't have to clean." Nico gives him a withering glare
"And I came all the way from New Jersey to find a demon in my room." Collin narrows his eyes
Reece holds up his hands, holding McDonald's bags in both.
"I come in peace." He says "And with dinner."
My stomach rumbles.
I walk over to Reece and calmly take the bags from his hands. Then I step back and make a grand gesture towards him as if he's a prize goat.
"All yours." I say to Nico and Collin
And I have my dinner watching Collin hold Reece down and Nico tickle him to death as he curses them while laughing like a maniac.
Maybe this isn't going to be so bad after all.