Fell In Love With My Roomy Chapter 16

"Julianna!" Mark knocks on my door, and I quickly open it, surprised by his presence. "Hey, all set?" he asks with a bemused look.

"When did you arrive?" I inquire, wondering how he managed to pack up so quickly.

"Just within the last five minutes."

"You're ready to go already?" I shake my head, somewhat incredulous.

"Typical guy," I sigh, prompting a laugh from Mark as he points down the hallway. I thought I was a low-maintenance person, but apparently not.

"Are you ready to head out?" Mark turns to Kent, who lets out a sigh, grabs his phone, keys, and wallet, and joins us as we leave the apartment.

"So, how do you know Abby?" I ask Mark, grateful for the opportunity to chat with someone new.

"We met her during our freshman year, and I'm sure you'll get along with her," Mark replies with a reassuring smile. "She's a nice and laid-back person."

"Is she friends with Piper and the others?" I inquire, curious.

"Not really friends, no," Mark explains. "We hang out occasionally, but with Piper and her crew, it's a bit different. Abby is a bit more down-to-earth."

"Got it," I respond, exhaling with relief. The last thing I wanted was to encounter another girl like Piper, who made me feel inadequate just by her presence.

"Don't worry too much about Piper and her friends," Mark advises. "If anything comes up that makes you uncomfortable, just find one of us, and we'll help you handle it."

"Thanks, Mark," I say, feeling reassured. They truly were decent guys, so I hadn't ended up living with a terrible roommate after all. Even Kent, who was becoming my nemesis, didn't want me walking home alone at night.

Kyle should be arriving soon since he just got off the bus, Mark informs us, and we head down a different street by turning left.

As we approach, I can see lights and hear music in the distance. The house is painted blue and not overly large. It's been divided in half to create two apartments, and we're heading to the one on the left.

"Abby plays soccer for the women's team. She lives with two guys from the men's team and another girl from the women's team. I'll introduce you to them, alright?" Mark calls out as we ascend the stairs, and I nod in agreement.

Mark exchanges nods with one of the guys on the steps, and the guy nods back. This party felt unlike the ones I attended in high school.

"They're just making sure no strangers or uninvited guests slip in," Mark reassures me as he opens the door, and I follow him inside.

We're immediately hit with a wave of warmth and the unmistakable scent of a party – a mix of sweat, cheap cologne, perfume, vomit, and beer. The air is also flavored with fruity scents from Juuls and Puff bars scattered around the room.

A lively crowd dances in the spacious living room, which vibrates with the pulse of the music. I'm taken aback by what I see. I hadn't attended a college party since my freshman year, and this one seemed bigger and better.

"Please! Let me get you something to drink," Mark offers, and I nod, trailing him through the kitchen. Kent has already found his own spot in the room, but that doesn't bother me.

"Mark!" I hear a voice exclaim, and a brown-haired girl rushes over to him, giving him a quick hug.

"Hey, Abby," Mark greets her warmly. I'm relieved to see another brown-haired person in the mix. "This is Julianna. I didn't mention I was bringing someone-"

"We're roommates, but we're not a couple," I interject, trying to shake off the weird idea. "No offense taken," I add with a laugh, and Mark throws an arm around my shoulders as he chuckles.

"JulS is our new Carlo. I thought Kent had texted you earlier," Mark informs Abby, and her cheeks flush with a hint of embarrassment.

"I figured it would be a guy," Abby admits, her tone slightly apologetic.

"It's all good," I reassure her with a smile. "Nice to meet you."

"Likewise," Abby responds warmly. "Hi, I'm Abby."

"I'm Julianna," I reply, appreciating her genuine smile. Our connection wasn't solely based on our similar names.

"Mind if I borrow Chase for a minute while Julianna hangs out with you?" Mark asks, and Abby chuckles in response.

"No worries, it's fine. Go have your bro time," she playfully tells him, waving him off. "So, how did you end up moving in with them?" Abby inquires when Mark leaves.

"I was friends with Carlo. He let me crash in his room when I needed a place to stay. Since the guys were cool with me, I ended up moving in with them," I explain.

"How's everything been?"

"It's been alright," I shrug. "I'm still getting to know them, and I don't want to overstep boundaries."

"The guys are genuinely nice, especially Mark. He's all about helping people," Abby comments, smiling, and I nod in agreement. "I'm looking forward to getting to know you better. We might hang out even when the guys aren't around," she suggests.

"Yeah, let me grab my phone," I reply as I retrieve my phone from my back pocket. "So, who do you live with?" I inquire, eager to stay in touch.

She points to two guys conversing with Mark across the room and says, "Those are Darren and Chase."

"Ellis is around here somewhere too," she mumbles, attempting to spot her friend. After a few moments, she gives up. "Everyone plays soccer at this school."

"Yeah, that's what Mark mentioned," I say with a sigh.

"It does sound challenging."

"Oh, countless times, Julianna, I'd have preferred sticking a butter knife in an electrical outlet than attending a 7 a.m. turf practice," Abby exclaims, shivering at the thought, and we both share a laugh.

"It certainly sounds intense," I acknowledge.

"So, what's your major?" Abby inquires, her interest piqued, and I hand her my phone so she can enter her number.

"I'm majoring in history," I reply. "It's broad, and there's a lot to explore."

"That sounds really cool," she says. "I'm in the sustainability and management program, so mine's a bit different."

"That's interesting," I respond with a shrug. "Maybe we could study together sometime." It's a bit of a gamble, suggesting a potential new friendship.

"Absolutely! I'd love that," Abby enthuses as she returns my phone, and I offer her a smile. "So, how long have you been in Carlo's old room?"

"About four days," I reply casually. "I seem to be getting along well with Kyle and Mark."

Abby raises her hands and playfully guesses, "That's not Kent."

"Yeah, but what's the deal with him?" I inquire, relieved that she seems to share my concerns.

"He's always been enigmatic," she comments. "Mark and I became friends in our first year, and that's how I met him. Kent was Mark's roommate, and sometimes he can be really sweet and kind. But he definitely keeps his guard up around most people."

"That's frustrating," I mutter, crossing my arms, and Abby nods in agreement. "He seemed so nice when I first met him, but after I moved in, he just changed."

"I wouldn't lose too much sleep over it, Julianna," Abby advises, giving me a reassuring pat on the back as we both glance over at Kent, who's already deep into his drinks in the corner. "I mean, sure, he's good-looking, but he's complicated and kind of a jerk."

"I figured," I sigh, running a hand through my hair. "C-can I ask you something?"

"Of course."

"What do you know about Piper? She came over to our place earlier, and I got a really weird vibe from her," I confess, prompting Abby to roll her eyes.

"Piper is mean and irritating. Don't let her façade fool you; when she sets her mind on something, she won't let anything stand in her way," Abby warns with a firm tone, crossing her arms.

"Are you two still friends?" I inquire, feeling somewhat puzzled.

"Well, not exactly friends, but I try to tolerate her and the other girls," Abby explains, sighing and shaking her head. "During your first year, you're so eager to make friends and fit in that you form connections without really thinking. Over time, I realized I didn't really get along with her, but I try to keep things civil."

"She did come off as a bit..."

"Snobbish?" Abby interjects, and I chuckle in agreement.

"Exactly," I sigh. "And she seemed quite taken with Kent."

"Ah, you don't know about them," Abby responds, and I furrow my brows.

"Is there something I should know?" I ask, feeling somewhat bewildered.

"Kent has a bit of a reputation for hooking up with girls when he's had a few drinks. It's consensual and all, but he only engages in intimate encounters when he's under the influence. He approaches girls to get what he wants and then acts like they don't exist when he's sober," Abby whispers, causing a shiver to run down my spine. "He's emotionally unavailable and a bit of a player."

"Ugh," I mumble in disgust, and she nods in agreement. "Why would they keep going back to him?"

"Because he's Kent, he's good-looking, and the guy everyone wants to date. They always think 'this time will be different.' Piper's been one of his fallbacks since May."

"That's terrible," I admit, my opinion of Kent taking a significant nosedive.

I now had a completely different perspective on Kent, and it wasn't a flattering one. I understood that casual hookups and relationships could be separate things, and I wasn't prudish about sex. However, the idea of engaging in sexual encounters exclusively in non-sober moments, when people might have different expectations or emotions, didn't sit well with me. For me, sex and emotions were intertwined, and the thought of sleeping with someone who would treat me as if I were invisible was discomforting. Kent using girls like Piper, who clearly had feelings for him, to his advantage made me dislike him even more.

"He's like a Rubik's cube," Abby sighs, leaning back on the counter, and I nod in agreement. "I don't know anyone who wants to try and solve him. He's just too complicated and moody."

"I understand that," I admit, recalling the various sides of Kent I'd witnessed since moving in. Most of the time, it was exhausting.

"Don't dwell on him. He'll eventually ease up around you," Abby reassures me. "Let's grab a drink and have some fun. Let Kent make whatever mistakes he wants."

I can't pinpoint why it bothers me so much how he behaves with others. It shouldn't concern me, and his intimate life is none of my business. Nevertheless, it gnaws at me, and I hate dwelling on it. Maybe I had overestimated Kent when I first met him.

"Let's do a Jell-O shot," Abby suggests, opening her fridge and sorting through the small plastic cups. "Cherry, okay?"

"Cherry's fine," I agree. She hands me a cup and demonstrates how to run my finger around the outer edge to release it. "Cheers!"

"Cheers, Julianna!" She smiles, and I tip the cup back into my mouth, quickly chewing the Jell-O. It had a distinct aftertaste, and I could feel the vodka chills, but it was good, and I realized right then and there that I liked Abby.

"Sounds great! I'd love to meet some new people," I respond, and I follow her through the house.

My social life had finally emerged from its stagnant state, and I couldn't help but feel excited about it.