Meeting Mariela

Archer's POV

"Are you sure you could help me find a roommate?" I asked Kent as I came with him downstairs, and we had coffee at the cafe on the ground floor of my new building.

"Don't worry, and I already asked our friends. May I know why you wanted to have a girl as your roommate? You can ask one of your admirers, Archer. And I am sure they will line up at your doorstep." He said.

"Don't ever mention this to any of those girls since I want this time my new roommate will have no idea I was the one she was texting, and I am using my private number this time, so no one will recognize it is my number. Don't worry, and it would be part of our contract that she can't fall in love with me." I said, and my cousin laughed.

"That is better, and you should be ready. I am sure whoever your roommate would be, she will be throwing herself at you the moment she sees you, so good luck in finding your roommate, and I am sure you will find someone sooner. I already texted the boys, and they are on it, and please tell me if you need money, Archer." He said, and I was shaking my head.

"I told the boys they should give the paper with your number on it to some plain girls." He added, and I furrowed my forehead.

"And why is that?" I asked, confused.

"Who knows you will fall in love with someone ordinary? Those hot chicks, beauty queen type, and model type didn't catch your attention, and I could tell you are looking for someone like Claudia?" He asked.

"No, what we had is just a simple romance, Kent, and you know that," I responded.

"Why do you still want me to be with Claudia? She had already moved on; for heaven's sake, give her a break." I added.

"Are you sure about that? You were in love with her, and everyone knew it." He replied.

"I wasn't in love with her, and that is why she was pissed with me when I couldn't say I love you to her; she has been telling me she loved me, and I always avoided telling her I love you too since I don't feel anything towards her, Kent. I only courted her because of my parents, that is all." I declared.

"Okay, don't be so stressed about it; you don't need to get angry with me, Archer, and I am sure your quest of finding your true love will end soon." He said while he was smirking at me.

"Do you want me to stay with you tonight?" He asked.

"Nope, just bring me my remaining things, and I would be okay," I responded.

"Okay, I will bring them when I get back; I am sure you already brought your essential belongings; maybe I will bring them tomorrow afternoon." My cousin said.

"Yes, I already brought the important things and documents; no need to hurry. I am good with my things, and I only needed some groceries." I said.

"Don't worry, I will ask Linda to buy some groceries tomorrow," He responded, and I got some cash from my wallet and handed the cash bills to him.

"Hey, save that for future use," Kent said, and he didn't accept the money.

"Kent, please don't do this; I need to prove something to myself," I muttered.

"I know, Archer, but let me give you something for your housewarming, and I hope you will not say no to a gift." He insisted, and I put my cash bills back in my wallet.

"Thank you, Kent," I said, and I heard my phone ding, and I couldn't believe I got a text from an unknown number, and I am sure this would be my future roommate, and I wanted to call her, but I don't want her to know I am a guy yet since I am sure she will back out unless I will tell her I am Archer Lopez.

"Why are you smiling?" Kent asked.

"Well, I am impressed with the boys' power; I've got one message from an unknown sender," I replied.

"What are you waiting for? Open it," He said, and I opened the message, and I felt so happy the sender was a girl, and she texted me one message with complete details of what I needed to know about her. And I couldn't believe she even told me about what happened with her previous roommate, that is why she needed a place to stay, and I smiled when I realized she is a freshman in Nagazville.

"Is it a girl?" Kent asked, and I nodded my head with a broad smile on my face.

"Her name is Mariela Alvamiza, and she is eighteen years old and a freshman scholar student at Nagazville," I responded with a beautiful smile on my face.

"She is what I need, Kent," I muttered.

"Why do you like a girl for your roommate, Archer? I am just curious." My cousin asked.

"You know me, Kent, we are the same; we grew up with maids who will take care of our needs even now that we are in college; how am I supposed to cook and do the laundry? I wanted to learn those things now, and I needed someone to help me, and usually, girls from lower-class families would know about all the household chores, and that is why I wanted a female roommate." I declared, feeling so confident with myself.

"And do you think the one who texted you come from a lower class?" He asked, and I nodded my head.

"I am positive since she told me she would be here before ten o'clock because she is still at her part-time job. And not only that, she is a scholar at our school, and I am sure she can't afford the tuition at Nagazville, and the rich would always pay the tuition even if they are bright and honor students since they wanted to show off their wealth." I declared.

"You could be right," Kent replied.

"And my only problem now is how to stop her from flirting with me," I mumbled.

"Well, if you say no, I am sure that woman will listen to you, just be careful some are desperate, and if she will know your family owned the company that manufactured the number one brand of chocolate globally, there is a big chance she will seduce you," Kent said. At the same time, he tried to impersonate a woman by speaking and acting like one, and I couldn't stop laughing at him.

"Are you sure she is coming? It is ten minutes to ten o'clock." Kent complained.

"I already told you to leave me; why did you even stay," I said.

"I am just curious about this woman. Why I couldn't find her on any social media maybe you are right, she is the one." Kent said.

"Maybe her profile is private. That is why you can't see her anywhere," I replied, and Kent stood up from his seat.

"Are you going to leave now that she is coming?" I asked, and he shook his head.

"No, I will be sitting on the table far from you; I don't want her to feel intimidated if I am sitting at the same table with you." He responded.

"That is a good idea," I said as I looked at my watch.

It was almost ten-thirty in the evening when I received her text message that she was in the lobby of the building, and I texted her to proceed to the coffee shop. I sent Kent a text that she was here, and he was looking at the door the entire time, and since I was sitting at the far end, I couldn't see right away who got inside the cafe. And I could see my cousin was smiling, and I could tell right away that my new roommate was coming, and she was finally here.

When I raised my head, I couldn't believe she would look like a model; she was tall and far from the description Kent had mentioned earlier. I couldn't stop myself from closing the distance between us while I could see my cousin out of the corner of my eye eyeing her, and I knew he was sizing her up.

I could tell right away she was the one since she was holding an old suitcase in her hand, and I could tell her status in life right away by looking at her worn-out clothes, but her beauty stood out even if she didn't wear any make-up. And I couldn't stop myself from smiling when I could see how she looked at me, and I knew she was mesmerized by my looks.

When I confirmed she was Mariela, I suddenly felt nervous when her expression suddenly changed. I could see the disappointments on her face the moment she found out I was the one looking for a roommate, and I didn't expect she would turn around and walk away from me. And I was shocked that my charm didn't work on her.

I was standing like a statue as I watched her walk away from me, and when I turned my head, I found Kent motioning me to follow her, and that was the only time I moved, and I ran after her, and I couldn't believe she could walk so fast.

"Mariela! Mariela, wait!" I was calling her name, but she kept walking, and I never felt so frustrated like this because of a girl, and I ran faster like I was chasing some thieves. And when I caught up with her, I was panting.

"Mariela, please, at least try to hear me out," I said, and I felt glad she stopped walking, and when she turned her head to look at me, I could still see the anger on her face, and I couldn't deny she looked sexier when she was looking daggers at me.

"What do you want from me? I already made clear I don't want to have a male roommate." She said while she crossed her arms over her chest; her angry stares made me nervous.

"My name is Archer Lopez, and please let us go back to the cafe to talk about this; I know you have nowhere to go, so maybe you can stay for the night if you want, I can assure you I am not a psycho, and if you don't like to stay with me, then you can go tomorrow, and I will not charge you anything," I said. I could tell she was weighing my words, and I felt glad at least her face softened, and Mariela is no longer looked furious.

"Give me one reason why should I agree to be your roommate?" She asked, and I felt my throat dry as I looked at her compelling eyes, and I realized Mariela Alvamiza is not an ordinary young woman, and she would be the death of me.