Brother's Keeper✔️

7. One for the Party

Manny POV

"That party was so live!"

He was not much of a party-goer, but that first party of the year was on another level. Last year he went to a Homecoming party that was decent, and then another that he stayed at barely twenty minutes. It was not his thing. He wanted to be cool and hang out with his roommate because he thought he was pretty cool. In the week so far, he found they had lots in common.

Besides both being nineteen and from St. Louis, they also liked the same television shows and movies, both being big Marvel Comic fans. But they were the total opposite on personal things. Jordan talked a lot, he liked to be soft-spoken and quiet. Jordan could be the life of the party real quick, while he was content staying in the shadows of others. That was a good thing for him, he knew he needed to get out of that shell.

He found a new friend and when they did not have their separate classes, they would meet up and hang out. Jordan had a few buddies he would sometimes include, but typically, just the two of them.

They both were in their room studying at their desk, him quietly, Jordan with earphones on when there was a knock on the door.

Jordan didn't hear it, he was busy bobbing his head to the music, so he stood up and went to open the door.

"Oh, hi!" It was the two girls they helped move their things in. He had seen them around the residence hall and spoke, but that was it.

"Manny, right?" Marketta asked.

"Yes, hi." She was so pretty he didn't think he could find the words to talk.

"Ummm...is your roommate here?"

Of course, she would ask for him. He was cooler, had more experience with girls, and didn't feel like an idiot around them.

"Come in, he's...Aye Jordan!"

Jordan turned, saw the girls, and snatched off his headphones as he stood, knocking over papers on his desk.

Both girls chuckled at that, and at least he was glad he was not the only one flustered by girls.

"Yo! Ladies...sisters, what's going down? Come on in. You finally decided to hang with us?" Jordan snatched off some old sweatpants from his bed, quickly tossed them under his bed, and kicked his shoes under there as well as he walked closer to them.

He wondered if their room smelled like stinky feet and musty underarms. It sure smelled better than his room last year.

"Bored." Laila looked around the room. "We don't have a nice TV like you guys. Can we watch?" She was cute too, but there was something about Marketta that set her apart. She was more friendly and outgoing, whereas Laila seemed like she had a chip on her shoulder.

"Mi casa et su casa!" Jordan said, waving his arms open.

He inwardly groaned and wanted to add that it was his large flat-screen television, but perhaps that was being petty.

"Come on, sit right here, on my bed." He quickly smoothed out the blanket that was tossed over his bed.

As the girls sat on his bed, he also wanted to point out that it was his spare sheets now covering his bed. Jordan's threadbare sheets and cover were an eyesore so he gave him his. Also, he helped to make his side of the room match his side. He did not mind sharing with his roommate and now friend, but he wanted to impress the girls if he couldn't do it by how he physically looked.

"Where you guys in the middle of something?" Marketta asked, her eyes never leaving Jordan.

"No, nothing at all," Manny lied, giving Jordan the eye and he nodded in agreement.