Meet Your Match

4.5

Hanna remained under her blanket well into the morning, the waves of her hair fanning out behind her, face hidden by a hand. Her closet doors were open, suitcase tucked away, clothes neatly organized. For some reason, the sight of them made my cheeks warm up.

I was such a freak. I blamed Gina for my weird reaction; I was no longer accustomed to living with a normal woman. My roommate had ruined me.

A glass flower on the small table near the window caught my eye. I must've missed it yesterday. Etched onto it: Halston and Hanna. The tag attached to it warned: Do not move me.

With one last look at Hanna—and an involuntary smile—I quietly exited our room.

Passing a hallway TV, I asked, "Does Hanna have any allergies?" "NONE" appeared beneath the logo.

She'd be hungry after she came out of that sleep.

Hearing familiar voices, I paused on the bottom steps.

"I feel sorry for Hanna," Crystal was saying.

A few women agreed.

"Oh, well. I'm glad it wasn't me," Shannon sang.

"Right?" Crystal shrieked. "If they had put me with another chick, I would've left. For one thing, there's no winning. Like, who wants to watch that?"

I shook my head. Their laughter said more about them than anyone else.

"Hmm, I don't know, Crystal...maybe all the people who voted?"

Amira. The refrigerator door opened and closed. Hard.

"Why are you even in here?" Crystal snapped.

"Your insecurities were so loud I thought I'd come in and turn them down a little before you embarrassed yourselves more."

Mutters and footsteps signaled the group's departure from the kitchen through the opposite side.

Amira was finishing her glass of milk. She straightened in concern as I entered. "Did you hear that?" I nodded. "Don't listen to them, Halston." She threw her long black hair off her shoulder. "They're just burning up because people won't stop talking about you online. Couldn't escape all the clips of you, I'd bet."

Touched by her kindness, I ignored the jolt in my stomach at the online stuff. "Thanks, Amira. Call me Halle."

"'Friends call her Halle.' I remember that on your introduction card." She did? "So I'm a friend now?" 

"If you want."

Glitter from last night still dotted her dark skin. "I do." She tilted her head, shrewd eyes watching me play with the hem of my shirt. "Thinking about the nonsense they said?"

"Yeah, but it's okay. I don't know them, so..." I shrugged. I'd never see them again after this—who cared what they thought? I was just glad to have been spared the awkwardness of my match hearing them. "I hope they won't be rude to Hanna, too. Especially when they're sent home and she stays." I raised an innocent eyebrow.

Amira whistled at my fighting words. "Hell yes!"

"And I appreciate what you said. You didn't have to, but it was good of you."

"Well, I'm bi, but even if I wasn't, I would've said something. They were out of line, Crystal in particular."

"Yeah, she doesn't like me," I said.

Amira scoffed, tying her hair back. "She doesn't like any of the women...they'll figure that out if they hang around her. She barely kept herself in check the night of the formal."