My Summer Roommate by Bridie Hall Read Free Book Online Page A

ages. It’s close to three in the morning. I danced, I laughed, and I had more fun than since forever. It’s not like I haven’t been to parties. I have, plenty. But I was still with Adam then and we went to parties organized by our friends, well, his mostly. It’s not that people expected of me to behave differently while I was Adam’s girlfriend, but I did nonetheless. I was more conscious of my every word, every move. Here, half of the people don’t know me. I’m here with my cool roommate, who must be the most undemanding and chillaxed male on the planet. I can be myself and just let go for once.
    Chris has gone off to greet a bunch of his buddies, and I’m chatting with two girls that I know vaguely from class. It’s just polite chit chat that keeps me occupied for a few minutes, but I catch myself eagerly waiting for Chris to return. The feeling comes so out of the blue that it leaves me dizzy with confusion. I’m not used to being so vulnerable and in such need of someone’s company or attention. I’m quite good at being on my own. I’m not afraid of solitude. I’m pretty sure this is all because of the change—the unexpected move, the imminent move to college, spending less time with Izzy because she’s busy with Harper. It has to be.
    I’m so deeply in thought that I miss half of what Morgan is saying.
    “Sorry, what?” I pretend I didn’t hear her because of the music and noise.
    “I said it’s weird that you’re staying with that guy.”
    Her words unpleasantly surprise me. “Why?”
    “What she means is that you barely know him. I mean, it’s not like you’re friends, right?” the other girl says. Everyone calls her Mars. Her real name is Veronica, and she’s blond, and a geek. You get the picture.
    I’m surprised to see her and Morgan here at all. They’re not the party type. Especially not if the jocks are hosting the party. But then again, these people aren’t exactly my crowd either, and I’m here.
    “I n eeded a place quickly.” I shrug. I don’t owe them an explanation. I don’t have to tell them that Chris and I are becoming friends. Good friends, even.
    “He seems nice, though,” Mars says.
    “He’s cool.”
    “He was in a class with us, wasn’t he? Geography maybe. I don’t think I ever heard him speak,” Mars says, while Morgan watches me. I find her intense scrutiny eerie. I don’t understand her hostility. Maybe that’s just who she is, or maybe she has a crush on Chris and she’s jealous. If the latter, I’m tempted to say she has nothing to fear from me. She can have him for herself. I’m just a roommate.
    A roommate who danced with him for hours and loved it? Uh-huh.
    “Is he that quiet at home, too?” Mars asks again.
    “No, actually, he’s pretty fun to be around,” I say, and smile when I realize that I couldn’t be more honest about it.
    Someone grabs my arm and I jerk around.
    “Oh, hey.”
    “Hey,” says Chris, and then yawns mightily. “Ready to go?”
    I chuckle. “Seems like you are.”
    “You killed me on the dance floor,” he says, as I wave to the girls and we start towards the garden gate and out onto the lit street. A few classmates are loitering about on the sidewalk, two of them getting into a car. The party is winding down as the night is preparing to wake into a clear, warm Sunday morning.
    “It was your idea,” I say.
    “Ha, you were up for it right away.”
    “I like dancing.” I shrugged.
    “And you’re good at it,” he says, glancing at me, and wrapping his arm around my shoulders. It unnerves me, not because I wouldn’t like it, but because I do. I can’t wait to get to the car and slip into the safety of the car seat.
    “So are you,” I say, because I can’t lie.
    Or won’t.
    He insists he will drive even though I think he’s not sober enough. He won’t give me his keys. He does seem okay when he starts the car, though. And it’s not a long ride.
    “You could get party plates for this,” I say,