Four letter word

9. Meeting Riley.

After the lecture ended, everyone got up to leave the room. AJ put all her things back into the bag and grabbed her jacket,

"Come on, I'm gonna go say hi to Riley. And you can finally meet her" Lindsey said, grinning at AJ.

"Oh, I actually have to get to-" AJ was about to say, but got interrupted.

"Fucking bitch" the black haired girl walked up to Lindsey, looking back at Dana who was leaving the room.

"What happened?" Lindsey asked.

"Nothing. She's just pissing me off" Riley groaned and rolled her eyes. She then looked at AJ, making her feel like she was intruding on a conversation. Luckily, Lindsey noticed this,

"Oh, this is AJ. Our roommate. AJ, meet Riley" she introduced the two. Riley just nodded at the girl and AJ awkwardly smiled.

"Do you have any other classes today?" Riley turned to Lindsey.

"Yeah, just one"

"Wanna skip?" Riley smirked.

"It's our first day, dude" Lindsey shook her head, disappointedly.

"Is that a yes?" Riley raised her eyebrow and Lindsey sighed.

"...sure. But just this once" she said, sternly.

"Cool" Riley cheered and then remembered that AJ was there as well, "you can come too" she shrugged.

AJ didn't have any more classes until the evening that day, but the thought of hanging out with Riley and Lindsey made her very uncomfortable. She figured she would be left out the whole time anyways.

"No, I have to get to the library. But thanks for the offer" AJ said.

She felt more comfortable when conversations were held one on one, but when it was more than two people, AJ could never participate. She just stood quiet, listening to what the others were saying, or zoning out into her thoughts. And then she would get called weird or quiet or shy and she hated those words more than anything. She didn't understand why people felt the need to point out her awkwardness. Why couldn't they just leave her alone?

And now, looking at Riley, AJ felt she would be the exact kind of person to make fun of her for being a little shy.

"Are you sure?" Lindsey asked, smiling slightly at AJ. Her eyes were so warm and welcoming, AJ thought. She wasn't as hard to get along with as all the other students. AJ was actually beginning to feel a but more comfortable around Lindsey.

But unfortunately, Lindsey was friends with Riley, who had managed to terrify AJ in less than three minutes.

"Yeah, I have to catch up on my studies" AJ explained.

"But it's the first day since break" Riley raised an eyebrow, slightly smirking.

"Yeah- um..." AJ begun mumbling. She was already being made fun of. Riley was probably thinking of how weird she was.

"Wish I had your kind of motivation" Lindsey said, sighing, "I'll probably end up procrastinating till the exams come. And she's no good influence either" she pointed at the black haired girl. AJ chuckled.

"Hey!" Riley whined, looking overly offended, "that hurt" she pressed a hand on her heart and frowned.

"Sorry" Lindsey laughed, "come on, let's go get some food. I'm starving" she said and put her hands on Riley's shoulders, turning her around and behind to leave, "see you later, AJ"

"Bye" AJ said, smiling. A part of her wished she had gone with them, but an even bigger prt knew that she would regret it immediately, so she went to the library instead.