Chapter 5

###FLASHBACK: TWO DAYS AGO ###

“You have to try to get out of trouble! I’m tired of the school calling me every time…” Taylor’s father was ranting about the recent fight he had been involved in at school.

Taylor was rarely home, yet this lecture served as his welcome-home speech. Taylor, however, barely paid attention.

His phone suddenly rang. He interrupted his father, saying, “Dad, hold on. Tanya is calling.”

“Tanya?” Taylor answered the call while his father was still talking. He could not focus and rushed the call altogether.

“Taylor - a Charlie King - to co-rent the condo,” Tanya said on the other line.

“Charlie?” He did not know why, but a certain Charlie flashed in his head. Charlie was a third-year engineering student, and they were in the same Structural Analysis class. Coincidentally, this Charlie had asked him about any vacancies at Fernwood Residence. So, Taylor immediately assumed it was him.

“Yeah, I know Charlie,” Taylor said. It did not help that Tanya was out of the country, and her line was choppy.

“Are -sure? She’s a - “Tanya asked.

“Yeah, yeah. Don’t worry about it. Charlie and I know each other. Thanks, Tanya. I gotta go. Dad is talking to me,” Taylor said before hanging up.

### END OF FLASHBACK ###

Back to the present.

Taylor was staring blankly at the signed contract. He compared it to Charlie’s school ID and confirmed her identity. He groaned and said, “What kind of parents would name their daughter Charlie! It’s a fucking boy’s name!”

“Hey!” Charlie snapped. “Don’t you know Taylor Swift? You’re the one to talk!”

The feisty blonde crossed her arms against her chest and claimed, “I think Charlie is a unique name for a girl! Your name, on the other hand, sounds girly!”

The two have now changed into their clothes and studied the contract. Charlie raised, “Why did this contract have Tanya’s name on it if you were already the existing tenant?”

“It’s less complicated that way!” Taylor retorted. “Besides, it clearly states that you are renting half of the condo. The property manager should have explained everything to you!”

“The property manager? You mean the new guy?” Charlie asked.

Taylor frowned. He clarified, “The property manager is new?”

They both ended up going to the building’s management office, which was on the first floor of the building. Eventually, Taylor discovered that the property manager was new, and endorsements were not made. That was where it all went wrong.

At Fernwood Residence, the property management office maintained the residential building and acted as an agent for rentals and any units for sale.

When they returned to the apartment, Charlie said, “I don’t think this will work. I can’t share a house with a boy! Especially you!”

“What do you mean by… especially me?” Taylor objected.

“Who in their right mind would want to be housemates with you? You, Taylor West—the notorious bad boy of Luxford University!” Charlie huffed, throwing her hands in the air. “Besides, you’re a guy, and I’m a girl! If my parents find out, they’ll ground me for a whole year!”

Taylor was taken aback. If this were any girl in the College of Engineering, they would be over the moon to be roommates with him, yet Charlie King seemed disgusted by the idea!

A scoff left Taylor’s lips. He said, “Bad boy?”

He leaned forward, his arms resting on his knees. “If you are housemates with a bad boy, then you are guaranteed safety and privacy. Who would want to bother… a bad boy?”

“This isn’t funny, Taylor,” Charlie said. “We must cancel this agreement, and I’ll find another place to live.”

“You know, you really look very familiar. Are you sure we haven’t met before?” Taylor asked again. He could not put a finger to it, but he was sure he had encountered Charlie somewhere.

“I have seen you on campus and during basketball games, but other than that, we have not met,” Charlie said. “This is the first time we have been strangely introduced.”

“Look, this is obviously a mistake. We need to cancel the contract, and you need to give me back my money,” Charlie insisted.

Her words made Taylor consider. It would be wise, but he needed the cash. He shut his eyes and leaned back. After a while, he said, “Look, maybe we need to think about this properly.”