Accidental Roommate

Anna watched helplessly as her dad flung out the last of her belongings. Standing on the porch with his hands folded across his chest, the door was shut behind him as he stood there watching for her next move. To beg her oh-so-loving father to reconsider his decision, to cry her eyes out till he feels a little remorseful? Oh, no! She'd rather stay out than give him the satisfaction of thinking that she needs him, that he's the backbone she can't function properly without.

She ignored the stares from the nosy neighbours, and smiled at her father's smug face, a look of confusion crossed his face as she slung the heavy bags on her shoulders. She half expected him to stop her, to stop his little girl from disappearing from his life, and embrace her, and tell her he's sorry. It was when the door opened and slammed closed that she knew right then and there that this chapter of her life had closed, it was up to her to start a new one. But she had no freaking idea how, or where.

Her shoulders were aching from bearing the load for too long. Damn her stuffed backpack! Not that they're worth anything. Just some old books that had hints of foxing towards the edges of the pages, and other old stuff, along with the wheeled bag that contained her clothes.

By the time she reached the nearby bus stop, she was exhausted, not only physically, but mentally too. Once there she found out that the money she had was not enough to buy her a ticket to her Grandma's town. She bit her lip to refrain from crying as she sat on a bench also occupied by a guy who held his face in his hands. She sighed, placing her legs covered in boots on her brown wheeled bag, leaning back to contemplate her life, and next strategy.

What a perfect way to spend one's 18th birthday. A beautifully dreadful day.

"Why?" She turned to the source of the voice, and it was the stranger she was sitting next to. Anna cautiously shifted away, just in case the guy was some sort of psychopath.

"Is our fate already written; factually unchangeable, or it really can be changed, but we never knew how to?" She glanced at him once more, his words cut her deep like they were spoken specifically for her. But the guy was talking to himself, and somehow, he was making sense.

"I guess before you go on and on about blaming fate, and whatever bullshit, I think it's only fair to see ourselves deeper than we let on," She found herself saying," And then start by changing ourselves, the rest will follow."

What about her own case? Would she still be living with her dad if she had changed to be the daughter he wanted her to be?

She shook her head ignoring the 'what ifs' knowing fully that no matter how much she tried, she'll always be herself: Carefree, adamant and disparate.

For the first time since she arrived, he looked at her, as if unbelieving that she answered his question. "Who are you?" She took her hazel eyes off his blue ones, settling her gaze on the collar of his black shirt, then back to his face where she noticed the crease between his trimmed eyebrows.

"No one important," She leaned forward, resting her elbows on her knees, "It seems like today isn't much of a beautiful day for you." A beautifully dreadful day.

He rubbed his angular cheek bones with his large hand, before cupping his pointed chin for just a second or two. "So you find it beautiful then? Travelling, maybe to meet your long lost lover?" He glanced at her stuff sprawled in front of her, by his voice, it was clear that he was teasing her, yet she didn't find him funny.

"I'm not talking about myself right now," She stated, as though talking about herself was the most boring thing in the world. "Let's start with you telling me what the hell is wrong with you. Girl problem?"

"Goodness no! My girlfriend and I are still going strong even after so long, my problem is more like life problem. Today's my sister's death anniversary and each year I'd say to myself that the pain won't hurt as much, but I can't seem to get my shit together on this day." He leaned back, running a hand through the short haircut of his blond hair.

"Oh," She muttered, unable to know what else to say, she really wasn't good at consoling people, at all. Especially death related issues. Although she'd had her fair share of experiencing the death of a loved one. But still...

The guy shook his head, "Never mind, this is stupid, I don't even know why I'm here, or why I'm telling you, a complete stranger, shit about me."

She stared off into space. "Do you know what enables us to resist moving on after losing someone in our lives?" She raised her fingers and started enumerating," It's because 1) We get this feeling that by moving on, we're kind of betraying the deceased, 2) that moving on means forgetting and 3) blaming ourselves unnecessarily."

"Yes," He agreed, sighing, "But it's so hard."

"I know, believe me, I do, but do you think your sister will like it when you're moping around? Isn't today a perfect day to reminisce the good times you had together and smile, and cry a little, but smile nonetheless?"

He sighed again, holding her gaze. "You know what? You're right, I'll stick to your words, meeting you here changed my perspective about things." He grinned, "And here goes your bus."

He watched her stare at the bus until it left and he was clearly confused as to why she was there with so much baggage at a bus stop without heading towards her destination.

And that was basically the last bus for the day.

"I'm not boarding the bus."

"Oh, someone's picking you up or something?"

"No, no one's picking up a homeless person like me." She thought for a second. Homeless, that's her newest title.

"Wait, what?" His brain was still processing what she had said when she suddenly stood up and started trailing off. He watched her retreating back, carrying so much load it made her shoulders sag.

She glanced over her shoulder as she spoke, "Worry not about a stranger like me, go live your life, but for the love of God, go make the best out of this beautifully dreadful day."

"Just because you're a stranger doesn't mean I have to be nonchalant," He caught up with her, matching her briskly fast pace, "You just helped me back there, you were like this therapist only without the pay, how insensitive will I be if I refuse to pay you back?"

"I don't need your money." Oh, money is what she needs alright. But not his, or any other person's.

"I don't mean it like that, I meant let me help you or something, is there a place you think you can crash, a friend's or something?"

"Yes, but..."

"Great! I'll take you there." He walked her towards his Civic, loading her stuff in the boot, with a smile, he started the car after they both entered and took off.

"So, where are we headed?" He side glanced at her.

"Er...," she gulped, noting how he was awaiting her answer after he glanced at her the second time. With a defeated sigh, she responded hesitantly, "Two streets away."

The car ride was silent, but not awkwardly silent. And she was grateful for the serenity to give her time to think. She lied and she knew it, there was no 'friend' two streets away. She's got no one in Ontario except her dad. They moved here two months back and she closed herself off from the opportunity of having any friends.

"Here we are," He announced after she pointed to some random house. And she forced a smile, an awkward one that looked almost hilarious.

"Yay!" She faked enthusiasm, getting out of the car, the guy took out her bags as she stood there staring at a house she'd never seen before. She realised he was giving her a strange look that spelt out 'why are you just standing there?' And so she forced a grin, muttered a thanks and goodbye, heading towards the door after taking her bags with her.

She knocked twice on the door, her nervous state made her knees grow weak, "Um, hey." She greeted the plump woman in her nightdress, cocking an eyebrow at her or... what used to be. Anna often wonder why some women shaved off their brows, do they have any idea of they look without makeup on? She smiled at the woman as if she didn't have an internal conversation about her.

"Can I help you?"

She wet her lips, glancing behind her just to find the guy leaning against his car with his arms crossed, giving her a billion dollar smile. Isn't he like, supposed to go his own way? She returned the smile, once again setting her attention to the clearly impatient woman.

"Do you need someone for a job, or something... maybe babysitting?" She cursed herself for being so daft. Like, who in his right sense will take her seriously, showing up by a stranger's doorstep, with overstuffed bags near her feet, and casually ask for a babysitting job in the middle of the night. Yeah, right!

"There are at least a thousand things to say to your outrageousness, but I only have time to say one thing: Fuck off." And then... Bam! The woman slammed the door in her face. There goes her cue to deal with that persistent guy.

"Is everything alright? That doesn't seem to have gone well."

"Um... my friend and her family moved away."

"Okay, then what gives?" He rubbed his nape.

"I'll just―" She trailed off, for the first time since her life made a wicked turn, she broke down into a mushy mess. She felt his arms swathed around her, and she almost pushed him away, but was internally too weak to do so. "I have nowhere else to go, I'm-I'm totally screwed. Shit."

"Hush, now," He leaned back studying her face, "I'm not going to let that happen, trust me."

"You shouldn't worry about me," she stepped back out of the embrace, "Just... just go your own way, and I'll find mine."

"Nonsense! I'm not letting you spend the night on the street, because I know that's likely happening."

"But I have nowhere else to go," her lips trembled.

"I know," He nodded, "And that's why I'm taking you to our house."

"What?" She sniffled.

"How would you feel about staying with four guys in the same house?"

She actually laughed in between tears. Her suspicion was right, the guy really was a psychopath. "That's preposterous! Not to mention downright crazy."

"I know, but look, if there was another way then I'd gladly help, but for now the only way I can help is by taking you to my home to stay there until you can get on your feet. It wouldn't be that bad, I promise."

"Are they like, your brothers or something?"

"No, friends."

"And your parents?"

"We don't live with them. We're just a bunch of guys that decided to live together. If you agree to this offer, you'll be our first girl housemate."

She thought for a second, "Are you sure that's a good idea?"

"Are you kidding me? It'll be a fantastic idea! Think of all the fun you can have away from your parents or guardian or whatever who don't know your worth, away from the rights and wrongs, away from the curfew, and all sorts of parental bullshit."

Was that really her last option?

"Okay, I agree."

***