Five Steps | Chaelisa

Chapter 22

Roseanne's POV

I reach up and tug my hood down over my forehead, trying desperately to block out the rain. Lisa wasn't too happy when I showed up to bio this morning in my regular old clothes, but I couldn't break out my new wardrobe today. The weather is way too crappy. Everything would've just gotten soaked... or at least that's what I told myself. In reality, I may have chickened out.

As I swipe into my building, I pull the hood of my rain jacket down and slip into the elevator. Just as the doors are about to close, a girl comes through the front door absolutely drenched from head to toe. Normally, I would step deeper into the elevator and pretend not to see her to avoid an interaction, but I reflexively stick my arm out, and the doors pop open again.

"Thanks," she says as she hurries in, shuffling over to the other side with the buttons.

"No problem," I reply, recognizing the girl who lives a couple of doors down from me, a Pitt soccer player according to her backpack, which is also soaked. She presses 5, and I wait for her to ask what floor I'm on, knowing she most likely doesn't recognize me. But instead, she drops her arm back to her side and gives me a friendly smile.

"You're in the single just down from me, right?" she asks, and I look over at her, slightly shocked, but I remind myself to take a breath and not overthink.

"Yeah. I'm Roseanne," I say, extending my hand to her.

"Jordan." She shakes it. "I like your raincoat. People warned me about the weather, but I still didn't come prepared." She wipes her hand down her bare arms, water dripping off onto the floor.

"Where are you from?" I ask as the elevator carries us up.

"Small town south of LA. You?"

"Yinzer, born and raised." I point over my shoulder. "If this bothers you, I worry for your mental health through your first Pittsburgh winter," I say, instantly tensing up as I realize the joke might not land right with her. But, to my surprise, she actually laughs in reply, and I feel a surge of confidence for this small win.

"Oh God, don't remind me," she pleads. "I don't even want to think about it yet." The elevator doors open, and we walk side by side toward our rooms. "Hey, my roommate, Kendall, and I are trying to get a game night going on Thursdays. Would you be interested?"

"What kind of games?" I ask, having flashbacks to the party and that horrible game of Never Have I Ever. That night feels like so long ago now, but it still stings.

"Monopoly, Cards Against Humanity, maybe even Ping-Pong in the common room, whatever." She shrugs. "Kendall's a little game obsessed. They have, like, thirty board games in our room right now." Ping-Pong. One of my great loves. Immediately I think of the table in our basement, where Alice and I used to battle it out for chores. It was the one thing I was actually able to compete with her at.

"Yeah, I'd totally be up for that." I try not to show how dorkily excited I am. That's... exactly my jam. "Is it cool if I bring someone?" Maybe I'll end up inviting Suzy or something.

"For sure. We could use some more people. Common room, Thursday at eight?"

"See you there," I reply as I stop in front of my door and she continues down the hall.

I close the door behind me and lean back against it.

That was odd.

It all felt so... so normal.

Like I wasn't quiet Roseanne, who only thinks about school and doesn't talk to anyone.

I was just... Roseanne.

Now that I think about it, maybe that reputation was more my fault than anyone else's. Today I let Jordan in. Sure, on a very small scale, but I did it. I caught the elevator doors for her. I physically extended my hand out to her to introduce myself instead of shrinking into the corner.

Maybe this plan of Lisa's is helping me in more ways than one. Because yeah, while I know I'm destined to be with Suzy, this year has also been about making a real friend, too.

I've never had someone like Lisa to listen and hang out and tell me the things that she must not share very often. I mean yeah, she gets under my skin just like my mom does, but... any best friend knows how to do that.

Any best friend. Huh...

I can't put my finger on when exactly it happened, but I think it might be the truth.

I just wish she hadn't run off last night.

It makes me think maybe this whole thing isn't just about helping me break out of my shell anymore. Maybe it's actually about both of us. Because I think in some small way, I'm helping her, too, and she finds it just as scary as I did.

My phone vibrates in my pocket, and I pull it out to find a text from Suzy.

Abby and I are hitting up the library tonight if you and Lisa want to join

Cool, when? We'll meet you there!

6. Main floor. I'll be the one next to the girl complaining a lot

I reply with a simple thumbs up. Abby spent most of biology class today groaning about how she doesn't understand any of it, even though we're still in the basic introduction to the class.

Library with Suzy and Abby tonight at 6!!! I text Lisa.

YOU asked her!? Slow DOWN, you're jumping ahead in the plan JKJK

I laugh, but as I'm typing up a reply, a text comes in from my mom. I quickly swipe it out of sight to finish my text to Lisa.

Lol no, Suzy texted ME!

Even better. Wow I am GOOD. Meet you there.

One second later...

AND ROSEANNE YOU BETTER WEAR THE NEW CLOTHES IDC IF ITS BLIZZARDING

I smile to myself as I toss my phone onto the bed and slip out of my raincoat. I still haven't found the time to clean up, so I have to step around all the clothes that are strewn about my room from Lisa's Queer Eye closet cleanout.

I run my hand across my new jeans, draped over the back of my desk chair, then look over at my new shirts, hanging up in my near-empty closet.

I feel a lot less nervous about wearing my new clothes in front of Suzy after my successful interaction with Jordan. I try to remember how I felt looking at myself in the mirror at the mall. These clothes are only going to add to my confidence tonight, and I'll take all I can get.