Chapter 12- Gail's New Roommate

Gail's Point of View;

I remembered that inside the building had stairs so when I saw Presley lean off the wall to start walking again. I waited for him to pass me. That way in case he fell back I could at least brace him from a hard fall. We made it up the stairs a bit slowly but without any difficulty. So when we got to our floor, we were now on flat ground. So now I could walk side by side with him. We made it back to our apartments and said goodnight to each other. I had just set one foot in my apartment when before I could even process the surroundings I screamed instinctively. I was caught in a trap with a rope wrapped tightly around my right foot causing me to be hung upside down and swinging from side to side in the doorway. As that happened, I continued to scream "Help!!!!! I'm trapped!"

I'm everyone on the floor heard me. Presley who apparently had just opened the door to his apartment turned and saw me. Mitchum also came out and they both ran to my side and stared at me. They had very confused expressions on their faces. I even heard another open and people talking saying things like, "What's going on?"

And the responses were, "I think someone pulled some kind of prank on the blond girl across the hall."

The voices I was hearing faded to the background when Mitchum asked, "How in the world did this happen?"

Presley used his shoulders to show that he didn't have an explanation. Then I saw a Latina girl step out of my apartment. I wasn't swinging to the side so much as before so she was able to step out from behind me to where Mitchm and Presley were in the hallway. She was wearing my football Pj's shirt that supported the FIFA team of Puerto Rico. She was also drinking out of my mug that my ten-year-old brother gave me as a gift when I moved here."Who are you and why are you trying to break into my apartment?" She looked very serious when her eyes narrowed looking directly at me and spoke calmly with a slight accent.

It may have been the blood rushing to my head but I felt my face heat up with rage and exclaimed, "Your apartment?! This is my apartment and you're stretching my clothes you-you-you demented PJ stealer!"

She didn't like what I said and I didn't care. "What did you just say to me?! Cómo te atreves!" She responded after taking another sip from my mug.

How dare me? How dare she! As I was going to reply back in Spanish Mitchum spoke, "Um well obviously you two haven't been introduced yet. Alejandra, this is your roommate who I've been telling you about."

Roommate? "Oh yes I've heard much about you, I'm Alejandra Corazon please to meet you."

Her demeanor changed from being threatened to friendly and excited. For some reason, she irritated me more with the swift change. But this would be no time to start an argument so I answered, "I'm Gail Israel and I would like to stand up straight."

She then laughed a little as if she took what I said as a joke before saying, "Oh yes my bad, see I didn't know what time you would be back so I set the alarm system. Sorry about that."

She untied the rope off me in no time. And it almost led to me falling to the ground head-first. But I positioned myself in time and landed on my back thankfully. That hurt as I got back up with Mitchum leading a hand to help me to my feet. I was a bit dizzy by the sudden change of position but was ok enough to understand what was going on.

When I was able to stand up straight without Mitchum's support I saw Presley approach Alejandra to talk to her and heard their short interaction.

Presley: So do you usually set traps at your apartment?

Alejandra: Who said it was a trap?

Presley: Well it looks like a trap

Alejandra: It is an alarm system

Presley: Aren't alarm systems more high-tech than that these days

Alejandra: It's homemade and only a trap for the unwanted and undesirable characters. So if you think it's a trap then you must be one of the two.

She gave him the same narrowed serious glare she gave to me earlier. Presley seemed very uncomfortable by her sudden change and took a step back. He would have continued walking backward if Mitchum didn't put his hand on his shoulder and stopped him. Then, Mitchum looked over to Alejandra and said in a friendly way with a smile, "This is my roommate that I also told you about earlier."

"Oh yes the unusual one, 'Mucho gusto'. I mean nice to meet you. I only make my own alarms when I'm not convinced of the security of a place. But since we're neighbors you are welcome anytime," Alejandra said again changing her tune and wearing a slight smile.

"Yeah I doubt I'll be coming anywhere near your apartment soon but thanks for the invite anyway. See you both tomorrow." He responded but avoided eye contact with her and began walking away.

Mitchum followed him as Alejandra said to them both, "Alright goodnight you two."

Mitchum was the only one who turned back to say goodnight. He kept his cool with it all but I can't say the same for Presley. Who could blame him? Seeing the way Alejandra's tone changed from suspicious to relaxed upon learning Presley was not a threat was uncomfortable. She also had an upfront way about her that I didn't like. I managed to hear a short part of Mitchum and Presley's conversation before their door closed.

Presley: How could you tell her that I was unusual?

Mitchum: I didn't say you were unusual, I said that sometimes you do unusual things

Presley: What?! When have I ever-

Then the door closed, oh boy looks like they were in for a roommate squabble. I just hope the walls of these apartments aren't thin or otherwise I won't get any sleep tonight. I turned my attention back to my new roommate who I knew I obviously have to set some boundary rules. Rules that are especially directed on the matter of not wearing each other's clothes without permission. I exhaled because I knew if I did this in an angry manner we would get nowhere. "Well that was an experience, so Alejandra let's step inside the apartment and sit down. So first let me say that I'm glad to see you made it here ok."

I felt a little calmer and said that then I closed the door and Alejandra sat on the couch."Yes, so am I, and happy to be finally here," she replied.

"Yes so you're Latina right; your accent sounds like it's from Puerto Rico dominantly but I bet you have some Mexican heritage in you also," I said as I went over to the couch to sit next to her.

"Yeah, how'd you know?" She asked in shock that I knew that about her. I smiled and I thought that was enough small talk and answered in a way to get to my point.

"It's kind of the field of my studies and I've once visited there on one of my family vacations. I even got a football PJ shirt there. Actually, I think you're wearing it."

Alejandra looked down at the shirt and had the nerve to look up at me straight in my eyes and say, "Your football shirt? You must be mistaken. Esto es mío, I- I mean I think you are-"

I didn't want to listen to her lies so I cut her off mid-sentence. Clearly, my patience was already running thin as I said trying still to remain calm. "Mistaken, I don't think so unless we both own exactly identical shirts and yours even has that grape stain in the corner that I got on it last month. Are you sure it's yours? Well just to make sure, how about I take a look at the back of it; I crochet my name near the tag."

As I leaned over to look at the tag which will settle this dispute once and for all, she moved away. "Enough talk about shirts, tell me what is your major? Perhaps we have some of the same classes."

She changed the conversation and I still didn't get a look at the name tag. What is up with this girl? She can't be that clueless, ugh! Calm down Gail; she is your roommate for the next four years. You will deal with this in the morning. "Oh um well, I doubt that also but why not tell me yours first."

She nodded and said, "Neuroscience is my major and I have a minor in mathematics. Since you can have visited Puerto Rico, do you speak Spanish, Gail?"

I smiled slightly even though I was irritated and didn't want to have any more small talk. I thought it better to end the conversation. "Yes I do, fluently. You know, by the sound of your major, you'll fit in just fine around here. Now if you'll excuse me I need to get some sleep, I have an early class tomorrow. Buenas Noches."

As I made my way to my bedroom she remained on the couch with her back facing me. I saw her take out her phone as she replied back Goodnight to me in Spanish. I looked back momentarily only to shake my head. I can already tell that I got the wrong end of the deal I made with Presley. But what's done is done. I continued to walk and opened my door. The same thing happened again that led to me dangling in the doorway to my room.

I again let out a shriek that I hoped no one outside the apartment heard, "AHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH! WHY DID YOU PUT ONE IN HERE TOO?!"

"Oops! I forgot to warn you. Te bajaré de inmediato!"

She got up from the couch and ran into the kitchen to get a knife and a stool to stand on. This one held me higher than the other doorway into the living room. When she came back and bent to rest the stool down it was then I noticed my name crocheted into the tag.

That's it! When I get down from here, I and Ms. clothes thief are going to have a serious pow-wow. Ugh! This must be my punishment for hacking into the school's network.

I certainly wouldn't describe what I felt about how Presley made me make a deal to fix my mistake as relief anymore. Nope; sick is what I would say fits the description now. From all of this dangling upside down, who wouldn't be sick?