Chapter Two Settling In

It's very easy to have another home. Just buy one but it is very and I mean very hard to make another home.

I walked into the dorm to find a guy painting a mural on the walls. I didn't know who he was at the time but later I found out his name was Blake Wilson.

Let me paint the picture of the scene (pun unintended). I saw Blake painting a mural of seven people at the time of this happening. I did not know this but all the people were our roommates. Blake-painting the mural was standing so we could see his back. He wore a black and white striped shirt and black pants. He had jet black hair and from what I could see tan skin. And kid you not he was standing on a ladder. A ladder. The mural was on the ceiling.

He fell. And of course, the heroine of this story caught him.

Kidding I'm not that arrogant. And, yes I did catch him

"Er.........who are you exactly?"I asked. Blake's head laid in my arms still-but he was slowly getting up.

��Blake Wilson-I am part of the visual arts study and a resident of unit 108" he blinked. I noticed his eyes. A dark blue with white swirls and gray specs. Rather unusual. By this time he was sitting on a wheel chair with his legs in a "U"-like shape.

"Isla Kalaiarasan-part of the journalism study and the creative writing program and I reside in unit 108."I replied

"Oh, we're roommates."

"I would think you would've known when you were painting my face."

"I mean-I knew your face but not your name. My mom wouldn't tell me."

"Who is your mom to tell you?"

"Oh, the headmaster."

If I had water I would have spit it out.

"Your mom is the headmaster."

"Yup. Pretty much. "

Yes."

"I wasn't expecting an ans-"

"Your question was rhetorical."

"Sure. Whatever that means."

"Ugh. You don't know what a rhetorical question is?"

"Yup."

"That was rhetorical."

"You know you're a know-it-all right?"

"You think I don't?"

"Hahahahahahahahahaha that was rhetorical."

"No, it wasn't."

"Oh then no."

He was up on his feet now. I looked at him a bit more. His black hair was curly and his eyes were almond-shaped. Then I had a good look at the dorm unit. There was a circular area that had a few couches and a large fluffy gray rug. The walls were a white color-the perfect canvas for a mural. There was also a small kitchenette of roughly the same color scheme. There was also another circular area that had seven desks and chairs with monitors to connect our laptops with. There were seven sections against the walls-however they were all closed with a gray curtain. I decided to ask Blake what those sections were for.

"Blake. What are those sections?"I asked. He walked up to one and opened the curtain.

"The sleeping quarters. This one is mine." he said. I walked into "his sleeping quarter". There was a twin-sized bed with white sheets. The walls were a pretty pastel blue. There was a dresser, a bookshelf, a nightstand, and a door that supposedly leads to his private bathroom. Blake also had some anime posters hanging on the walls. I tried to name the anime each poster was for. Blake must have caught me staring.

"I'm a fan of a lot of animes. And I cosplay a bit." he said

"Oh cool."

"Claim your own area sleeping section thingamajiggy."

"Oh yeah."I said."I'll do that."

I walked out of his section to find an empty one right next door. Not that I wanted to live next door to Blake-rather that I was too lazy to walk across the whole unit. My sleeping quarter was basically the same as Blake's except its walls were a pastel purple. I put up a few of my own posters. I had some for anime myself-but I also was the owner of a few K-Pop ones and one of Ariana Grande and another three of Taylor Swift. After hanging my last "BlackPink" poster I flopped on the bed and took a four-hour nap. Blake of course was so "thoughtful" to wake me up.

I threw a pillow at him.

Because duh.

"You know I hate you right? Because it is very important to me that you know that" I said

"Yes, I know you hate me. Now get up everyone else is here."

"Like the rest of the roommates?"

"Yes, like the rest of the roommates." he said."Now get up for me. Will you?"

He did baby eyes.

"Fine."I sighed."Gimme a minute to freshen up and do all that."

"Mmm 'kay."

I took to the mirror and grabbed my hairbrush. My appearance reflected. I have straight and thick black hair. My eyes are big-lotus-shaped and obsidian-shielded by my glasses. My lips and cheeks are a rosy pink color. I changed into a more polished version of my original sweatpants and sweatshirts after washing my face. I switched my cat-eyed brown glasses out for big clear ones.

I walked out to find faces that matched the mural that Blake had finished during my nap. I took to a girl with brown hair that peaked out of her headscarf. She had hazel eyes and fair skin. I introduced myself.

"Hi I'm Isla Kalairasan."

"Oh, hi Isla I'm Sabrina Gahs." she intoned

"I'm part of the journalism study and creative writing program. You?"

"Study of mechanical engineering. I'm also part of the feminism committee."

"No way, me too. And the anti-racism committee."

"Wow really."

"Yeah-I hope to make a difference through journalism."

"Oh, activism journalism."

"Pretty much. Have you gotten yourself a room yet?"

"Oh yeah. Over there," she said gesturing to a closed section across from my own quarters.

"I'ma see what's the sitch for dinner 'kay.���

"'Kay 'Kay," she said-intoning again. I walked over to Blake to ask him.

"I don't really know-we could order out."

" 'Uber Eats' "

"Chipotle?"

"Obviously."

"We could set up a 'make your own taco thing' "

"Coolio."

"Light bulb Maggi noodles?"I said-he cringed.

"Maggie's noodles?"

"No-it's a brand of noodles."

"Oh come on."I replied and took a box of white bread from the cabinet." here's some bread."

"Bread?" he managed.

"Yes, bread."

"Why?"

"Eat the bread," I answered in a stern manner served with a death glare.

"Ok Ok."

"Ok Ok." I mocked.

"Shut up Isla."

"Shut up Isla." I mocked again

"Ugh."

"Neika."

"What."

"Neika."

"Mmph." he managed through the spice and bread.

"It's my tick just ignore it."

"Oh." he froze "Wait, what"

"Didn't I tell you to ignore it?"

"Ok ok," he managed before spitting it out again.

"Weak" I muttered before exiting the kitchenette into the living space thing. I don't know but I walked in there. Blaring on the TV was the news; it was depressing to even look at the coronavirus charts. Sabrina however had her eyes glued on it.

A tear traced her cheek.

"Sabrina are you alright? It's okay not to be-just-just tell me."

"My mother...…...she died-due to corona."

"Oh.........er......….you mother she must be a great person."

"Yeah, she was."

"Oh use the word she is because her spirit still...roams-but if you need someone to talk to-I'm always here for you."

"That means a lot to me."

"Er.........do you need tissues?"

"That would be wonderful."

"Ahm."I grabbed a tissue box from the kitchenette and put it beside Sabrina.

"Here," I said

"Thank you" she sniffled" So much."

"Not a problem at all."I walked over to the edge of the sofa where Blake was sitting. I sat next to him. I yanked his blanket and cuddled up in it. "Fair enough," he mumbled and smiled; which was his only reaction.