"Hey," he greets with a friendly tone as he steps out of his room. "That metal bed won't cut it if you're aiming for an Airbnb," he quips, laughing, and I chuckle along, my gaze glued to the floor.
"Uh, no, I'm actually friends with Carlo," I reply, working to keep my heart rate steady. Why can't I just stay composed? "I'm Julianna."
"Julianna," he repeats, walking with me into the room. I offer a nod and swallow the lump forming in my throat. "I'm Kent," he introduces, extending his hand. Taking a deep breath, I mirror the gesture, carefully shaking his hand, trying my best to control the nerves.
"Nice to meet you," I manage, cursing myself for the slight stammer. I withdraw my hand a tad too quickly, wary of sweaty palms.
"Why are you in Carlo's room when it's empty?" he queries with a smile, and my stomach twists in knots.
"Well, I'm checking it out," I explain. "He mentioned you guys are looking for a fourth roommate."
"Ah, got it," he grins, putting me more at ease. Thankfully, he doesn't seem to think I'm a total dork. "Did you meet everyone else?"
"Yeah, they're probably deliberating if I should move in or not," I chuckle, and he joins in.
"So that's what the chatter in the kitchen is about," he sighs, and I simply shrug. "I don't really keep tabs on their conversations, but I think you'd fit right in." He gives a wink, and I swear I can feel my heart racing beneath my skin. "Well, I'm gonna toss my gym bag in my room. Nice to meet you."
"You too," I reply, feeling a rush of relief as he exits the room. However, just before leaving, he winks at me again, nearly giving me a cardiac arrest. I really need to chill.
"Julianna!" Carlo's voice calls down the hall, snapping me back to reality. Clearing my throat, I slide my hands into my back pockets. "You meet Kent?" he asks as Kent reappears from his room and closes the door behind him.
"I did," I answer, our eyes locking momentarily. Those green eyes might just be my undoing.
"Alright, come on out, and let's have a chat about some important stuff," he says, and I nod, trailing alongside him into the kitchen. Along the way, I sneak my phone out again to send my mom a rough address of our location.
With all five of us huddled around the kitchen peninsula, Mark produces a copy of the lease.
"Here's our lease," he says courteously, and I offer a smile. "If you're interested, Julianna, and everything checks out, we'd like you to move in. Take your time to review it and hit us with any questions. After that, we can arrange for our landlord to meet you, and you can sign on with us."
"Alright," I simply shrug, quickly flipping through the papers.
"Interested in moving in with us?" Kyle asks hesitantly.
"Yeah, I don't see any red flags," I shrug. "Are you all secret serial killers or something?" I jest, and they all share a laugh.
"Nah, just had to check," Kyle shrugs, a hint of a grin on his face. "Some girls might not vibe with it."
"I really need this," I admit, shaking my head. "I can't bear my commute anymore; it's draining me. I work at the campus pool, and if this works out, it would give me more freedom. I'd really love to move in. Good credit, tidy, quiet, and I can cook?" I rattle off in a jumble, and when I'm done, their collective raised eyebrows make me feel like I've said the right things.
"What sort of dishes can you whip up?" Kyle inquires, while Mark playfully nudges him.
"What's your deal?" Kent strides in, and I hastily avert my gaze from his. It's hard to think straight when he's in the picture.
"I'm an arts major, so my schedule's usually packed, but I'm pretty easygoing. I guess I'm more on the quiet side," I reply, stealing a glance toward him. "No wild parties or anything that'll keep you up at night."
"That's crucial," Mark insists. "It's cool to talk about it upfront. So, do you enjoy partying, or is that not your scene?"
"I don't mind it," I shrug. "Maybe not always, but I'm not opposed to a night out."
"Sounds good," Mark nods, and I echo the sentiment. "You tidy?"
"Absolutely, I'm very neat," I assure them.
"Your room is your territory, so you can leave it as messy as you like. But can we all agree to do our part and keep the common areas and bathrooms clean?" he asks, and I agree, unsurprised by the request.
"Sure thing, I'm on board," I promise.
"We're glad you're neat," Mark grins, and I can't help but join in the laughter. "Glad to have cleanliness onboard."
Mark looks around at everyone and concludes, "So, looks like we've got a deal." They all nod in agreement.
"We'd like you to move in," I can't contain my excitement, so I flash a beaming smile and give Carlo a hug. This was beyond thrilling, it was unreal. There's applause all around, and my heart races with joy. Living here would be such an upgrade, even with three guys as roommates. "I'll go over the lease, and we'll chat soon. I can move in whenever, right? Carlo's pretty much moved out."
"This is awesome," I exclaim as I take hold of the lease. "Thank you all so much."
"Come on, you're doing us a solid," Kyle chimes in with a look of relief. "This is going to be great. I've been saying for ages this place needs a bit of a woman's touch." Kent and Mark roll their eyes, and I tuck the lease into my bag.
"Oh! I should probably grab your numbers so we can stay in touch," I remark, fishing my phone out of my bag.
I create a new contact and hand my phone to Mark first, figuring he's the guy to coordinate with.
"We've got a group of girls living above us. We all hang out and are pals," Kyle shares, and I nod and shrug. I couldn't help but wonder if they'd include me in their activities or if I'd just become one of those cohabitants they didn't really connect with. I really hoped at least one of them would invite me to hang out. These guys were different from my usual crowd, and I didn't feel as cool as they were.
"Cool," I reply with a shrug, tucking a strand of hair behind my ear. Kyle takes my phone, and then it's Kent's turn. The thought of Kent giving me his number makes me a bit tense. These guys are out of my league, so I'd never think of messing things up, yet here they are sharing their numbers.
"Julianna?" Kent calls my name, and I glance up at him. "Your mom needs you." He hands me my phone, and I shrug and take it back. A shiver runs down my spine as our fingers accidentally touch.
"Oh, I have to go. But I'll reach out to you, and we'll sort things out," I inform them, and they all smile. "Thanks again."
"No, no. Thank you," Kyle chuckles.
"Just so I don't forget," I say as I turn to hug Carlo. "Enjoy your new job."
"Thank you," he mutters. "Thank you for taking over my room."
"I appreciate you offering it to me," I mumble, and he releases me. I wave to everyone and make my way out.
"Goodbye, Julianna!" I hear a collective farewell and grin as I exit through the screen door, ascending the steps back to ground level.
I can't help but wear a constant smile; I'm absolutely thrilled. I can't believe my luck. I need to put together a budget and get everything ready for the move.
I can only think of two potential snags. First, my parents are going to have a meltdown when they find out. Second, I'll need to figure out how to coexist with Kent.
To be honest, that second one makes me quite nervous.
"Mom, what do you think of Carlo?" I asked as we drove into our neighborhood. "I like him," I replied with a sigh, running my hands over my knees. But I still hadn't told her about what happened this afternoon. I had left in the morning to meet a friend, but when I returned, I had a lease for a spare room in my bag. Living at home made it hard to distinguish between being a child and an adult. My parents were respectful of my age, but they still treated me like a kid, asking where I was going and when I'd be back every time I went out. Whenever I mentioned moving out, they'd bring up the expenses and suggest waiting until I finished my undergrad. I had saved up a good amount of money, and my original plan was to wait until I finished college to get a nice apartment or maybe even buy a car. But now, I was glad I hadn't, because I had more than enough money to make moving out a reality. "He lives in that house on the corner," my mom asked, pointing. I nodded, confirming that Carlo li
"Henry, she wants to move in with three men!" Mom exclaimed, clearly upset, and stormed off to the kitchen in anger. "She came up with this plan without even discussing it with us." "Colleen," Dad interjected calmly, which managed to stop her outburst. She was visibly distressed and surprised, but I had anticipated her reaction. "Please, Julianna, tell me the whole story." I began to explain, "One of my friends is relocating to New Jersey. He currently shares an apartment with three roommates, and it's just a 15-minute walk from campus. However, since he's moving, he didn't renew the lease. His friends have been searching for someone to take his place in the apartment, and Carlo offered it to me. I met his roommates today, and it seems like a suitable place for a student to live." Dad asked, "How much does the rent cost?" and I responded with a shrug. "It's actually not that expensive; it's $643 a month," I informed him, to which he simply nodded and shrugged. "The location is conv
I grab my phone and search for Mark's number so I can get in touch with him. [ME 15:58] "Hey, Mark! It's Julianna. I wanted to say thanks again for today. "My dad is reviewing my lease, and I'm getting things organized. Do you think I could move in next week?" "That is if you still want me to and everything." I wait anxiously, and I see the typing indicator pop up almost immediately. [MARK 16:00] "Hey Jules" "We definitely still want you to move in." "That sounds good; no need to rush." I smile and send a response. [ME 6:01 PM] "Awesome, I'll keep you updated." "Also, my dad wants to check out the place before I sign anything, I hope that's okay." [6:01 PM MARK] "That's more than fine! Thanks again, Julianna; you've been a lifesaver." I almost shout with excitement and nearly fall out of bed. Finally, something positive is happening. I'll be moving into a college house and making new memories. I still talk to some of my high school friends, but they aren't as important
"Hey there!" Kyle enters my room and calls out. "Is there anything else you need help with?" His cheeks are red, his hair a little damp, and he's carrying a bag. It's clear he's just returned from the gym. "I think my dad is bringing in some boxes. Do you want to help?" I give a shrug, and he nods, but his response seems a bit odd. I'm in the middle of moving my bed right under the window when I hear a door open across the hall. Kent has arrived. Even though he's sweaty and disheveled, he's still very attractive. In that tank top, I can clearly see his muscles and shoulders. God, I don't know how I'm going to handle this. "Hey," I try to be polite and say something, but he doesn't respond. Did he even hear me? "How long are you planning to live with your family in our apartment?" He asks me rudely, and my whole body freezes. My hands stop in mid-air, my body straightens up, and my eyebrows furrow. Why is he talking to me like this? I don't even know how to respond. "Um, I'm not su
My first job shift ends late in the day. I've never worked a shift this late before, and I can't wait to go to bed when it's over so I can finally get some sleep. Even though I'm sleeping in a new place and bed, I've really been enjoying the extra sleep. It's great. Even though I've been in my new apartment for three days, I still don't feel like it's mine. I always feel like I need to ask permission to use the kitchen or be in the living room, and I have to keep reminding myself that this is now my place, too. I've been very clean because I was afraid they would dislike me for making a mess. So I always clean up after myself, don't leave anything out in the bathroom when I get ready in the morning, and regularly sweep the entire apartment. It seems like they like me, but I'm not entirely sure. Since that first night, we haven't hung out much, and I haven't even seen much of Kent. He's either in his room with the door shut or out doing something. "What's up?" I hear it from where
Micheala, older than both Oliver and me, was fully committed to her job. She possessed an unwavering belief in the power of determination. "I'll support you with it, Julianna. You're an excellent guard, and I'm convinced you'd make a great instructor. I keep suggesting that you take the instructor's course to work with the teenagers who attend lifeguarding." "But I enjoy teaching the little ones," I murmured. "They're adorable, no doubt. However, I think you're ready for the next step because I believe you'll excel at it," she encouraged, and I let out a sigh. "Alright," I shrugged. It was time to stop letting fear hold me back. "Okay, now head home and get some rest. See you when you return," she smiled, and I nodded, picking up my bag and leaving the pool. I waved at Oliver, who was headed in the opposite direction, and began my walk back. Walking home at night like this was a new experience for me. The well-lit path was bustling with other students. I pulled out my headphones,
I detested arguing, and Kent had a way of pushing my buttons. I reach home before him, descend the stairs ahead of him, and open the front door first. "Hey, Julianna," Mark calls out from the living room where he and Kyle are engrossed in a game of Call of Duty on the Xbox. My brother is quite the gamer, but it's not really my thing. "Hey," I sigh, unzipping my sweater to relieve the warmth and placing my bag on a dining room chair. I head to the kitchen and grab a glass of water from the cabinet. After taking a sip, I hear Mark instructing them to pause the game. "You're a lifeguard?" Kyle puts his controller down on the coffee table and looks at me. "Yeah, that's where I work. I also teach people how to swim," I reply with a casual shrug. "So, are you like David Hasselhoff from Baywatch?" Kyle teases, and I chuckle, setting my drink down. "Well, not exactly. Since it's an indoor pool, I mostly tell people to walk," I explain. "It's not as glamorous as you might think." "So you
I woke up feeling incredibly rested this morning. Letting out a contented sigh, I slipped out from under the cozy sheets and glanced at the clock; it was almost 9 o'clock. My stomach grumbled with hunger, signaling that breakfast was a must. Before heading out, I slipped into my slippers, threw on a sweater over my shorts and t-shirt, and took a quick look in the mirror above my dresser. The sounds of people chatting in the kitchen down the hall reached my ears, so I made a pit stop at the bathroom before making my way to the source of the voices. Kent had his back to me, tending to some cooking, while Kyle and Mark were slouched on the kitchen island, looking a bit worse for wear, clearly dealing with the aftermath of a night of drinking. "Morning," I greeted softly, and Kyle got up, draping his arm around my shoulders. "You're the best, Julianna," he slurred, attempting to plant kisses on my head unnecessarily. I raised an eyebrow. "Thanks for those cookies last night, they were