"Wait," he says with a peculiar look, pulling out his phone. "I've got an idea that could solve both our problems."
"What's on your mind?" I inquire cautiously, fearing Carlo might have come up with something reckless. Between the two of us, I was usually the more level-headed one, often needing him to clarify his ideas.
"My buddies, the ones I share a place with," he begins, and I nod along. "Well, I won't be sticking around this year."
"Alright?"
"They all renewed our lease, but I didn't."
"Aren't those guys all from your school?" I'm a bit puzzled, so I ask. "Didn't you graduate high school with them?"
"Nah, I wasn't a freshman then. I met them during my second year of dorm life. We used to play basketball together at the gym too," he explains, and I raise an eyebrow.
"Are they in their senior year like I am?" I confirm, and he nods.
"Yeah, and they've been hunting for someone to take that fourth room since I told them about my job in Jersey," he says, and my thoughts immediately zoom in on the best part: just a 15-minute walk from campus. "They've been searching for weeks."
"Surely, there's someone out there willing to move in with them," I persist, unsure why it has come to this point—Carlo selling his room to a friend he doesn't see all that often.
"They don't want some clueless freshman or someone who'll party with the seniors," he tells me. "Plus, they're looking for someone like you—neat and quiet."
"But I've hung out with those guys, and they can be pretty noisy and messy," I point out, and he chuckles.
"Last year, Mark got drunk and tried to do a handstand in the living room. In the process, he kicked a hole in the wall," he tells me, and my jaw drops. "Our landlord nearly kicked us out, and they want someone to blame."
"S-so—"
"You should move into the room I used to have," he suggests quickly, immediately pulling out his phone and tapping away. "They're desperate for someone to take the room, and it's so close to campus."
Is he serious? My mind races a mile a minute. This could open up so many opportunities—going out more than twice a year, getting more sleep, and having more freedom than I do now.
"Who are the roommates?" I inquire, and he grins.
"You've met Mark and Kyle before, right?"
"I think so," I mumble, trying to remember where I've seen them. "Maybe once?"
"Cool, and there's Kent."
"Kent?" I question, and he nods. "I've never crossed paths with him."
"No, I don't think so. You've never really come across him," he explains, and my mind starts to catch up. It's not all fun and short walks to campus.
"You want me to live with three guys I don't even know?" I express my concerns, and he sighs, seeming to grasp my hesitation. "It's a lot, Carlo. I've never lived on my own, and I don't think—"
"Please consider it," he pleads. "We can't find anyone else, so for now, the three of them are covering the rent." He persists, and I relent. "You know me, Julianna, you know I wouldn't steer you wrong."
"You sure about that?" I tease, raising an eyebrow as I press him.
"Well, maybe if it involved stealing traffic cones or doing drugs, but not if it messes up your life," he tells me, and I agree. Carlo might be a bit carefree, but he would never want me to be in trouble or unhappy. "I know these guys, they're good folks, and they'll like you."
"But what if they don't?" I worry.
"That won't happen," he reassures me. "You'd be doing me a huge favor by helping out. I feel like I'm escaping their clutches."
"Alright, what do they say?" I inquire, and he shrugs.
"I could shoot them a text. We could even swing by and check the place out right now," he suggests, and I relent.
"What's the deal?" I ask, and his response makes my stomach churn.
I'm too shy around new people to meet them in person.
"Yeah, I just texted them, saying a friend of mine wanted to take a look at the place," he explains, and as he turns his phone screen toward me, I swallow the lump in my throat.
I hadn't seen Carlo in months, and I wasn't sure how well I knew him. Now I was going to live with his friends? That didn't make any sense.
But the campus was so close. Close to work, school, and my other activities. This was a great chance for me because I wouldn't have been able to find new roommates before the semester started.
"Um..." I mumble, and then I come to my senses. You have nothing to lose by going to look. "Sure, let's go.'
He smiles and sends a message back to his friends. I go back to my coffee and try to finish it before we have to get up.
"They want you to meet them." When he tells me, I smile and feel relieved. I could do this and take care of it. Carlo would never live with bad people, he's too nice. "Let me just get a to-go cup for the rest of my coffee, and I'll bring you over."
As soon as I finish my drink, he quickly gets up from the table. I then sit back and run my fingers through my hair. Relax Julianna, just be normal. It will be fine, and if you do well, you won't have to live with your parents for long.
"Ready?" Carlo stands over me at the table and asks, "What's up?" I stand up and grab my bag.
"Sure." I take a weak breath and smile as I get my dish and number.
"You don't have to do that, someone comes around and clears the tables." I roll my eyes when he tells me.
"I just want to help. If nothing else, I can get them to the front." I tell him yes, and the angry woman behind the counter seems at least a little glad that I helped. I smile at her and walk back to Carlo, who is waiting patiently by the door.
"Julianna, you will love this place. I'm aware of it." He tells me not to worry, puts his arm around my shoulder, and leads me out the door.
I really want him to be right.
After 2 years... Kent "Today has to be perfect." I've been super busy preparing for this day for the last few weeks. It has to happen tonight, or she'll suspect something's up. Juls is getting her master's degree today, and I've never been prouder. She's incredibly smart, always reading or researching. That pile of library books in our office never seems to shrink. She's applied to Ph.D. programs all over, but I think she'll stay at Brown. I'm okay with that because I don't want anything to change about our lives. Well, except for one thing that I hope to change today. I finished my MBA a few months ago and started working full-time downtown. I'm in marketing for now but aiming for investment banking and trust. I know my path, and with time and connections, I hope to take care of us. Juls keeps saying she'll stay in school because she doesn't know what else to do, but I think it's the other way around. School and academia bring out her best. Her eyes light up when she learns some
"We're almost there," Kent insists, turning on his car's signal. I feel like we're in the middle of nowhere, and we've been driving for over an hour. Kent refused to tell me our destination because, as he put it, "I would just g****e where we're going, and then it wouldn't be a surprise anymore!" The weather was gradually getting less cold, not warm yet but no longer snowing or freezing. I was on my last spring break, trying to finish my thesis and schoolwork. We recently received information about our upcoming graduation. In about a month and a half, we would be finishing our undergrad degrees. It was still surreal to me, moving from starting a university degree to finishing it. Kent had been discussing plans for the summer, including hiking trips, which I pretended not to dread. I wasn't much of a hiker, but I was willing to do it with him. We signed our lease for next year, securing that cute little apartment on the other side of campus. The thought of moving in with him excite
"I got my email." Even though Doctor Binkley said I have a spot, I'm still nervous to open it. Maybe I should've waited to open it when I'm alone, but I can't wait. I'm opening it on my way out of lecture. I open the email, quickly reading the first few lines. But at the top, there's a big box that says 'congratulations' and 'welcome!' My heart immediately slows down, and I feel relieved, clutching my phone to my chest. It's official; I'm staying at Brown next year. That means I'll be with my family, my school, and, of course, Kent. We can start our life together, still have our friends and continue studying, but we'll be together. I remember how tough that month at Northwestern was, how much I missed him, and how I felt like I had no support. I need to text my parents and tell them the news. They've been anxiously waiting to hear what I'd do about my living situation next year. But I'll do it later. Right now, I just want to go home and be with someone I love. I pull out my phone
"I hate school sometimes." Yes, I like researching and finding answers to questions no one's ever thought of before, and I like my degree, but the coursework sucks. I'm sick of reading pages and pages of scholarly articles and books and writing a new paper every other week. My honors project is draining every ounce of energy from me, and I was starting to worry if it was even worth it anymore. I hadn't heard about Brown's Master's program yet, and that's the whole reason for this extra burden. Today was Tuesday, one of my busier days. I only had class today until noon, and then I usually spent the rest of the day grinding out work. Today I had to meet with Doctor Binkley and discuss my work. It was something we did monthly to make sure I felt like I was always on the right track. Kent had a break after his class at one-thirty, and we were planning to meet up and study together until his next class at four. Then I was planning to go home and take it easy. I take the elevator up to
I wake up in the middle of a large bed with Kent beside me. We were completely tangled in bedsheets, just beside each other in a beautiful room. I sigh, feeling my body ache and my head pound, but it's bearable. I shuffle over slightly, laying my head on his chest and snuggling back into his side. That seems to get his attention. He moves under me and groans slightly, eyelids fluttering. I feel his lips press a simple kiss to my temple, and I smile. "Hey, Juls," he mumbles. "Hi," I whisper back, watching his eyes open slowly. He grins at me easily, running a hand through my hair. "How do you feel?" he asks, and I shrug. "I have a headache and I'm tired, but I'm okay," I sigh, tracing my fingertips down the center of his chest. "I had a lot of fun last night." "Good," he whispers, putting his hand over mine on his chest. "I know how hard you've been working and all the crap we've been dealing with." His voice is thick with sleep, deep and raspy. "It was nice to have a day that wa
"It's been an amazing night and an unbelievable birthday. I'm pleasantly tipsy, happy, aware, and buzzing," I express. It looks like all three of our friends have scored phone numbers tonight, giving Kent and me some alone time. I notice the place clearing out, and I realize it's probably time to head home. The bar is closing in about thirty minutes, and it's close to three in the morning. "Want to go somewhere else?" Abby asks as we wait for our jackets. I sigh and shake my head. I'm ready to devour some greasy food, drink water, and snuggle into bed with Kent. We've teased about getting intimate, but with all our roommates around, it's not a possibility. I've let go of that idea and just want a relaxed and easy night. "I'm good," I sigh, and she nods with a simple shrug. "Thanks a lot for everything; this night was so, so fun!" "I'm thrilled you enjoyed it!" She insists, giving me a hug, and I grin. Kent retrieves our coats, and I sigh, not looking forward to facing the cold a