Can I be your favorite?

Chapter 12: Stalking is the new Smoking

I sigh in content as soon as the cold water falls onto my bare skin. All the sweat and grime from today's outdoor class washes away. We had a guest lecturer today, speaking about the different types of foundations. Feeling overly enthusiastic, she dragged us from our air-conditioned classes into the sweltering hot sun. In a corner of the ground, she had placed numerous crates filled with a variety of dirt. 

The class was as educational as it was crazy. By the end, all of us had gotten into a mud fight, flinging dirt and water, left and right. Even our professors joined in. I had fun with Sarah and 'Idiot Jerry', although I would have preferred not to ruin my clothes with various kinds of mud. It made me feel nostalgic, remembering the days in my grandparent's farm, toiling away in the fields. Although the clean up after wasn't as much fun.

However, now I was running late for my coffee date with Nikki. Chasing away my distractions, I focused on scrubbing myself clean. I hesitate when I reach out for my body wash that Ricardo had gifted me. Being reminded of him ruined the good mood I was in for the past three days. Ricardo has been pestering me for 'dark secret', yet when I ask for his in return, he immediately turns around and leaves. It's been like this every time he finds me. It's been driving me crazy.

Furthermore, during my shift at café Wesley, he would come up to the store front and pace back and forth (which was terrible for business), then run away when we made eye contact. I was so fed up with his childish behavior that yesterday I demanded him not to come back until he was ready to speak to me about what was actually bothering him. When I came back in, Jessica gave me an odd look, which I ignored. I already had one mystery to solve.

That being the reason for today's coffee; I had texted Nikki asking if she was available that day. She responded immediately but postponed the date to today. She said she had some argument she needed to settle between her and Chris.

Wrapping my towel across my naked body, I step out of the bathroom, feeling refreshed and annoyed. I glance at Jessica, who is seated on her bed, facing the window mounted on the wall in between our beds. Her eyes were unfocused, a pensive look on her face as she chewed her thumb nail. This was very unusual behavior for her. She'd either be on her phone texting or scrolling through Instagram. Never idle.

"What's up with you?" I ask as I rummaged through my clothes for an appropriate outfit. "Hm?" She snaps out of her trance. I repeat the question as I laid out some options on my bed. She groans, falling on to her bed, knocking her head against the wall behind it. I laugh as I watch her rub her head and groan from the pain this time. I slip into a bra and panties after dropping my towel to the ground. "It's... something. I'm not sure how to tell you" She whines.

I growl, annoyed, "Not you too. Ricardo has been the same these last two weeks. Seriously, if you have nothing to say, don't open your goddamn mouth!" She cringes at my heated tone, "hey! it was you who asked! Love the skirt. I hate that top." She replies as I show her a combination of a long tiered white skirt and plaid orange shirt. I nod my head in agreement. Jessica comes over to my bed and lifts up the plain green crop top onto my bra covered chest. "Hypothetically speaking, let's say my friend knows something about another friend's boyfriend"-

"I'm goanna stop you right there. Your hypothetical friend doesn't want you to spoil the rest of her evening having to wonder what she wants to say when she refuses to open her mouth."

I give her a pointed look. She takes the hint and backs down. "What kind of roommate refuses to give advice?" she pouts as she hands me the green sandals with a white bottom from her clothing rack. "The one that has enough shit in her life that it's starting to stink," I reply as I wear the sandals. Jessica lets out a stunned laugh. Then, she picks up the hairbrush and begins to comb my hair as I apply mascara and lipstick.