'Taking Flight' book one of the Growing Wings Trilogy

Chapter 13

Chapter 13 Tori

"Thanks Eliza" I took my bag from my Aunt and led it back to my room without saying good bye.

I didn't really like my family much. I never got along with them and it was mainly because I couldn't care less and I never tried to be social.

I shoved the bedroom door open and stumbled inside parking my suitcase at the foot of my bed.

I noticed my roommate sitting at her desk styling her hair with a shocked expression.

"What?" I snapped, placing my hands on my hips and glaring at her.

I watched her shake her hair and pull it over her face and I stared in confusion. It took me a minute to realise I still had my bitchy persona on and I was being rude. I quickly stood up straight and forced a smile apologising to her. She smiled at me and I could tell she had no idea what just happened.

"So, do you like.... How long have you been here?" I asked trying to change the topic.

"Since yesterday" she said quietly and I leaned in closer to hear her.

"Oh yeah, okay" I frowned trying to strike up a conversation.

I couldn't have a roommate that hated me that would be too awkward and she looked like a really nice girl. We could totally be great friends.

"Where did you come from?" I asked.

"What do you mean?" She turned around so she wasn't looking at me through the mirror and I collapsed on the bed crossing my legs and sighing. This was going to be difficult.

"Like... I came from South Australia" I stated.

"Oh right, yeah I'm from there too"

"Really?" I was shocked.

I never actually thought another girl from my country would be here.

"Yeah" she nodded pulling on the strands of her hair and twisting them around her fingers.

After a few minutes of awkward silence curiosity won over and I blurted rather loudly "why are you here?"

She looked at me shocked and I could just imagine her mind going into a frenzy at my words.

"Nice bitch" I muttered to myself "Sorry, I meant what brought you here, like were you forced to come...." I trailed off mentally slapping myself.

She started mumbling and trailing off half way through sentences and I realised I had said something that probably scared her.

"Look, I'm sorry, that was a really personal question" I was still mentally slapping myself but now I was actually considering grabbing a book and slapping myself with that instead. "I don't know what came over me... I... Well I guess..." I trailed off when she ran out of the room slamming the bathroom door behind her.

"Shit!" I whispered face planting the blue pillow on my bed and screaming insults at myself while my head was still pressed against the pillow.

Eventually I stopped screaming and punching the pillows and realised silent tears streamed down my cheeks like a waterfall.

I angrily wiped them away and drifted off to sleep.