Two Kids Stupid and Fearless

It was around six now. After my initial freak-out, I had taken a shower and done my hair while Jack put away some groceries (that's why he wasn't home when I arrived). To make up for all of the day's drama, he had insisted on bringing me to a quote "nice fancy welcome" dinner.

Not that Dumpling Palace was considered nice. Or fancy. Or dinner. A dirty, smelly Chinese place down the block, Dumpling Palace had probably received an F health rating, but their food was definitely an A+. Something told me we would be coming here a lot.

"Tell me about yourself. What brings you to this dirty corner of Soho?" Jack asked through a mouthful of orange chicken.

"My parents retired early and moved to Hawaii, and I've been meaning to move for a while," I replied, spooning through my rice.

"You in school?" He asked

"No, I dropped out my sophomore year of college. I didn't like it. You?"

"As soon as I graduated high school, I got the job that I have now, so going to college seemed pointless." He took a sip of coke. "Now how old are you, so I don't sound like a creeper keeping a young girl in my apartment."

I chuckled at his question. "I'm 22," I answered truthfully.

"Good, I'm 24. Now, do you have a job yet?" He continued.

"Not yet," I admitted. "I'm looking though."

He perked up in his chair a bit. "I know this concert venue/nightclub in Tribeca that's hiring. You okay with loud shows and drunk people?"

"Those are my specialties," I answered, cracking a smile.

"I'll write the address down for you when we get home," Jack said, getting up and shrugging on his coat.

I gathered our now empty paper plates and threw them away. We walked together towards the door and Jack yelled a thank you to the boy behind the counter. He put his hand on my back and guided me through the door and out into the city.

It took less than five minutes for us to get home and we made small talk on the way. I learned that Jack is from Baltimore, his favourite colour is green, he loves Home Alone (explains the posters in the living room) and is a big fan of Ravens football. His birthday is in June, he has a brother and a sister, and he's Arabic. And one time, he chipped his tooth on a tootsie roll. This kid is weird. We'll be great friends. Maybe having a roommate wouldn't be so bad after all.

Jack unlocked the door and shoved it open. "I really need to fix that creaking noise. I've gotten complaints from my neighbours."

"Yeah, it sounds like something from a murder movie. Especially in this shady apartment building." We walked in and I took my shoes off. Jack laughed, it was loud and adorable, just like his personality.

"It's not that shady," he argued, taking off his coat and hanging it up.

"Whatever. I'm going to bed. Don't let anybody murder me while I sleep." I started toward my bedroom.

"It's like seven o'clock! The night is young, don't you wanna party on your first night in the city that never sleeps?" Jack did a little dance before plopping himself down on the couch.

"No, I don't want to party. I just drove for twelve hours straight and then did a bunch of heavy lifting, then I almost got robbed by an Arab! I am eXHAUSTED!!!!!" I replied dramatically.

"Fine then," he said with defeat. Then he quietly added "poopyhead."

I turned around with a fake shocked expression. "You're the poopyhead." I stuck my tongue out at him. He gave me the finger. "Whatever, I'm going to bed." I resumed waking to my room.

"Night Mia," he called.

"Goodnight." I replied. "Poopyhead."