Please Don't Cross Me, I Asked Nicely

Once we reached the dorm buildings, which were next to the co-ed ones, we climbed the cement stairs, our footsteps echoing on the silent campus.

Reaching the third floor, the floor for Juniors, Nick opened one of the blue double doors for me. I mumbled a quiet thank you. We were greeted with brown walls, blue carpeting and air conditioning.

The odd numbered doors were on the left, while the even numbered ones were on the right. 1C began my side as 2C began Nick's side. I estimated at least 40 rooms on this floor.

We walked down the hall until we reached our respective doors.

"I'll see you around?" he asked.

"Yeah. Just come over if you ever need to talk or can't find your way around", I said playfully.

"Will do", he replied. He pulled out his key as I pulled out my own, and unlocked our doors.

There was a huge sliding door with a balcony. In fact, the blinds were opened and pulled back.

The carpeting in here was beige like all of the others. The walls were plain white. Ugh. I hated it already.

A girl around 5' 6 came our of one of the open closets, earbuds in her ears, the music cranked up to what seemed to be the highest volume.

I looked to my right and saw 4 boxes, each labeled something different. The bottom box, closest to the floor was labeled Books. The one after that was labeled Electronics. The third was labeled Bathroom Stuff and the fourth read POSTERS.

The girl looked at me and jumped a little in shock, pulling the headphones out and placing her black, IPod Nano on pause.

"Hey", she said, walking to me.

I took in her appearance.

She had shoulder-blade length, chestnut brown hair and piercing blue eyes. Her hair was in a ponytail like mine. She wore a blue, jean skirt, a black AC/DC shirt and dark blue converses that didn't pass her ankles.

I took note in realizing she had 7 piercings; one on her nose and 3 on each ear. I was impressed. I've never seen a punk rocker like her here at New Preston. She must be new.

"Hi. I'm Melanie", she said with a hand outstretched, which I shook immediately.

"Rosalina", I replied with a small smile.

"So, you're my roommate", she said as if she asked a question.

"Yeah", I said, my eyes roaming to her things around the room.

"Did you want to help me unpack?" she asked, her eyes quickly roaming from me to her things and back.

"Sure", I said with a smile.

"Be careful with the electronics", she said as I walked to the boxes.

I nodded in return before setting the boxes of Posters and bathroom stuff down, seeing as we can do that last.

Opening the electronics box, I smiled brightly. Melanie had a PS2, PS3, and a red, Apple laptop with a red and black mouse as well as a black mouse pad that had a skull design on it. Also, there were mostly adventure and RPG games like Star Ocean, Kingdom Hearts, both one and two, and The Sims (ALL of them) along with cheat code books and 3 Gamesharks. I was in heaven.

"You like?" she asked with a smile as she looked over my shoulder.

"Yeah. I've played all of these games and I love them", I replied enthusiastically.

"Let's set all of this up before we play any of them", Melanie suggested.

About an hour later, we'd finished setting up both of our electronic items. There were bedside tables, book cases, and desks (all black and wood) on each side of the room. I was grateful. When I set up my electronics, I remembered I brought my camera, a LOT of film, a light, blue Apple laptop, black mouse, dark blue mouse pad, my IHome, which could hold two IPods, my ITouch cell phone, and charger.

About 30 minutes after we finished, we set up our bathroom, which to my surprise, Melanie brought an entire set of shower curtains, bath rug, and toilet rug, all brand new and what I found to be our favorite color, blue.

She even brought different shampoos, conditioners, body washes, shower gels, lotions, body sprays, toothpaste, and mouthwash, as well as floss, all of them EXACTLY the same kind that I use and brand new. She was my best friend without even saying anything!

More time passed and she pulled out two bed-in-a-bags. Hers was blue, white, and brown, while I chose the black and white set. I loved this girl!

I found out after another hour that Melanie and I had a lot in common. We liked the same video games, music, animes, movies, actors.. She was the sister I never had.

Checking the time on my phone, I saw that it was 5 p.m. already.

I was sorting and hanging up my clothes in my closet as Mel was sorting her books on the bookcase, when she spoke again.

"I'm kind of nervous", she admitted.

"Why?" I asked, caught off guard as I hung up a green shirt that read, "PARENTS JUST DON'T UNDERSTAND".

"Well", she began, "I've never had to share a room before and this school... I don't know how these people are", she finished, staring at her almost-filled bookshelf.

She had the Series of Unfortunate Events set as well as Twilight, Harry Potter and the Chronicles of Narnia set along with other books I've heard of, but never read.

I understood what she meant.

"I know how you feel", I began as I continued to hang up more jeans, not turning to face her. "I thought the exact same thing in my Freshman year. The people here, well, some of the kids here are decent, while the others", I bit my lip as I thought of Victoria, anger pulsing through me a little, "are just complete jackasses", I finished.

"Anyone I need to worry about?" she asked, sensing my anger.

I sighed, then pulled out last year's yearbook, flipping through the pages until I landed on Victoria's.

My natural, long fingernail rested on Victoria's face.

"My twin sister, Victoria", I began.

Melanie didn't press the subject at the moment.

I flipped a couple of pages back from ours, considering I was on the same page as Vic, until I rested on..

"Jacob, otherwise known as Jake. He was friends with", my fingers trailed to, "my ex, Brian. Basically, all of the jocks and populars", I concluded.

Melanie nodded in comprehension.

"So, what's with your sister Victoria? It's a bit obvious that you don't like her."

"It's not that I don't like her... I just don't like how she acts. She hates being my twin, due to our different personalities. Every guys I've befriended or liked, she went after them and got them. The most recent thing was last year after New Years. We went on a field trip and I... went to the bathroom, came back, and saw Brian and Vic making out. Afterwards, he told me he never loved me and that he was going to marry Vic. He even flaunted her around school and treated me like dirt", I explained, reliving the painful memory in my head.

Mel nodded once more.

"Well, you have one friend who won't do that to you", she said, startling me.

I did NOT expect to hear her say that. I smiled, then nodded my head a little.

"So, how about a tour of this large ass campus?" she asked, standing as she grabbed her key and phone.

"No problem", I replied, grabbing my phone and key as well, slipping my converses on again.

We exited out of the door, shrugging the poster duty off until later. I love Melanie.