Fell In Love With My Roomy Chapter 13

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 amazing."

"Most of them probably got devoured," Mark chimed in, and I nodded, agreeing with him. "Sorry about that."

"I baked them for everyone, so it's all good," I reassured them.

"Let's not forget they came from a box before we sing praises," Kent remarked as he turned off the stove, then placed two plates of eggs and bacon on the island, grabbing a third for himself. Kent, once again, had opted not to invite me, so I sighed and moved to the kitchen to prepare something for myself.

I wasn't pleased with the way he left the kitchen in disarray. I had made sure it was clean last night. I always ended up tidying up after someone else, but I decided to let it slide since I was the new roommate. With a sigh, I opened the dishwasher's door to unload it.

"So, how did things go for you guys last night?" I ventured, not quite sure how to start a conversation.

"We apologize for not saying anything, but it was a pretty laid-back evening. It wouldn't have been your thing. Most of the people there were strangers, so we just drank and chatted. I doubt you'd have had much fun. Plus, you looked pretty wiped out after your shift," Mark explained, and I nodded. "You did seem exhausted."

"I really was," I admitted. "Although there wasn't a formal party, we felt bad about leaving without saying goodbye. But we did send you a message since you were in the shower," Kyle continued, his mouth full of food. All I could do was shrug.

"I don't mind at all; it's totally fine," I affirmed, sticking to my earlier statement as I finished unloading the dishwasher. If I didn't feel like cooking, I'd probably grab some cereal or a granola bar.

As we chatted, I heard footsteps descending the metal staircase leading to our apartment, prompting everyone to turn and see who was making the noise.

"Knock, knock!" a high-pitched voice echoed as the apartment door swung open, revealing four girls entering, all laughing and engaged in lively conversation. Their perfectly straight or perfectly curled, fake blonde hair, and Lululemon-clad attire caught my attention. They exuded a distinct aroma of Victoria's Secret perfume.

"Hey," Mark chuckled, addressing the unexpected arrivals. "What brings you ladies here?"

"We were bored and wanted to see what you guys were up to," the first girl chimed in, wrapping her arms around Mark's shoulders, making him squirm.

"Yeah," another girl added as they all approached the kitchen island, standing next to Kent. "Hey," she whispered to him, but he just stared at the wall. I kept busying myself with loading the dishwasher, not really paying much attention to their conversation. I usually got along well with other girls, but I had a feeling we might not click since I didn't quite fit into their mold.

"So, have you guys found someone to fill Carlo's room yet?" the third girl inquired as they crowded around the counter, taking over our kitchen.

"Isn't she right over there?" Kyle's exasperated sigh was followed by a gesture toward the kitchen, where I stood. I paused in my task, offering a friendly smile to the newcomers.

"Hi, I'm Julianna," I greeted them warmly, but they all seemed a bit deflated by my presence.

It seemed like they were waiting for someone new to show up, someone they could all flirt with and make it look like they were just friends with these guys. Instead, they ended up with me, and their disappointment was palpable.

"Oh, I didn't know you were looking for a roommate," the girl next to Kent said. "Any of us could have taken it."

Kent chimed in, "If all of you live on the second floor, why would we have asked you?" I could see through it – these were their friends from upstairs.

She retorted playfully, "I just wanted to be close to you." Kent rolled his eyes and dug into his eggs, clearly uninterested in any of them.

"Is that Emma, Ava, Chloe, and Piper, Julianna?" Mark stepped in, and I nodded, grateful for the save. Piper was sitting next to Kent, her gaze locked on him, but he refused to acknowledge her. At least I wasn't alone in my awkwardness.

"So," Chloe began as she leaned in behind Mark, causing him to shift to the side once more, "we wanted to tell you something—"

"But maybe we should save it for later," Piper interrupted her, and when she looked at me, I couldn't help but narrow my eyes. What was her problem?

"Piper, just say it. I don't have time for your nonsense," Kent interjected rudely, and I was tempted to chuckle.

"Well, Abby's throwing a party at her place tonight, but I didn't want to mention it to Julianna. You know, just to be nice," Piper explained, sighing as she combed her hair with her purple acrylic nails. It was a pretty low blow, even for her.

Kyle asked, "Why not?"

"Well, I didn't know you had a new roommate, and Julianna wouldn't know anyone there. Since Abby doesn't know her, it wouldn't be fair to just add her," Piper shrugged.

"Julianna is coming," Mark insisted, and Piper's eyes narrowed further. "She lives with us, and she's our friend. She's coming."

The other three didn't seem to mind, but I was still unsure if Ava or Emma was one of the other two. They all seemed to blend together, but it was clear that Piper was the standout, and the other three seemed to be doing their best to emulate her.

"Well, you can count, can't you?" Piper continued, "This time of year, there are always fights that the police have to break up. We don't want things to get too out of hand."

"One person won't make much of a difference," Kent told Piper, countering her last excuse. "I'll call Abby myself. I'm sure she won't mind."

That was a surprise. Kent had never really stood up for me before. It made me wonder if there was more to his defense of me than just opposing Piper. When his gaze met mine, it felt like I was about to levitate out of my own body.

"Great," Piper replied with a forced smile. "What's everyone up to today?" She inquired, swiping a piece of bacon from Kent's plate. He grunted and quickly reclaimed it, devouring it in haste.

"Not much, I'm off to the gym at 2," Kyle mentioned.

"I'll join you," Kent grunted as he moved away from the counter.

"Wait," Piper rushed over and grabbed his arm, but he swiftly pulled it away. "Should we hang out before heading to Abby's tonight?"

"I can't, I have practice until 7, and Julianna and Kyle are working until 8," Mark explained the situation.

"I'm going for a run," Kent informed her as he placed his dishes in the sink, and my eyebrows shot up.

Kent, are you out of your mind?

I'm right here, loading the damn dishwasher.

"So, are you going to the gym or going for a run? Can't seem to make up your mind, huh?" Piper retorted, prompting Kent to roll his eyes, push past her, and stomp down the stairs to his room.

"Thanks again, Julianna, for the cookies," Kyle said with a smile as he deposited his dishes in the dishwasher.

"No problem," I replied, and he slowly made his way down the hallway. I didn't want to be alone with these girls, but there was no avoiding it.

"I need to start getting ready; I have to pack," Mark sighed. I checked the time and realized I had a swim lesson to teach in an hour, so I needed to prepare.

Mark helped me load the dishwasher, and then we walked down the hall together to his room. The four look-alike girls remained clustered around the kitchen island, tapping away on their sleek iPhones with well-manicured nails.

"How do you know them, Julianna?" Piper inquired, and I shrugged in response.

"Carlo was my friend, and I stayed in his room, where I met the other guys. I moved in because they seemed happy to have me around," I explained, giving her a nonchalant shrug. I grabbed a box of granola bars from the cupboard and selected one, then added, "I've been here for a short while."

"I've never seen you before," she remarked with curiosity. "Ever."

I didn't appreciate her tone. It felt like she was being rude to assert that I didn't belong here. I wasn't going to let her make me feel that way.

"Just a short time," I replied with another shrug. "I should get ready for work, but... Well, I guess I'll see you tonight."

"I suppose so," she replied with a smile. I couldn't shake the odd feeling I had around her. I usually didn't have an issue with my roommate's friends, but these four were a different story.