The Bad Boy Is A Loser

5. || she's out of her mind

Inhaling deeply, Isabella trudged down the empty hallway with Carter. Two heavy, carry-on bags weighed down her thin arms like twenty pound weights. She struggled to keep her balance behind him as he strolled two large, stuffed suitcases down the corridor.

     It was late afternoon, possibly around six o'clock on Monday when Carter had finally confirmed that Isabella would be getting a new roommate. Though he had assured her she would be much safer than Brandi, Isabella was still exasperated by the amount of anxiety it gave her. She hoped her roommate was quiet. Maybe if she was lucky, they would be just alike. They would both stay in most nights, study, and read.

     Who am I kidding? She thought bitterly as they walked in silence down the brightly lit hall, This is college. It's filled with party animals.

     They turned a corner briefly and Isabella hoped they would arrive at the dorm soon.

     "So, a few things before you meet your new roomie, Izzy," Carter broke the silence, dress shoes shuffling heavily against the carpeted floors. Isabella gave her full attention to him, watching the back of his brunette afro bounce with each step he took. "Melissa is getting her masters degree now, like you. She's a medical student. She's... sort of fucking insane."

     Isabella frowned deeply and furrowed her eyebrows. "You said you'd set me up with someone nice!" She whined, "Someone better than Brandi!"

     "I did!" Carter argued defensively and glancing back at her for only a second, "Look, it's the beginning of the school year and everyone has a roommate now. It was really hard to find you someone. The only reason why you have Melissa is because too many people have filed complaints on her!"

     Dread filled every fiber in her being and a huff rolled from her lips. "What's wrong with her? Tell me now, please. I want to be prepared."

     "Well, she's not violent or anything, if that's what you're scared of," Carter slowly started in, "She's just... sort of a germaphobe. She won't use the utensils in the dining hall at lunch or breakfast. She brings her own and has special soaps and shit she uses. She smells like a hospital, if you could imagine that."

     Isabella tried to imagine herself conversing with a girl who was so fearful of germs, she would only use her own utensils. That was bizarre, but as long as she wasn't violent, she could adapt to the new roommate.

     "Is that all?"

     "No," Carter shook his head as they turned a corner smoothly, "She'll make you put hand sanitizer on before you touch anything of hers. I've tried to talk to her and she makes me stand a certain length away, so I won't spread any 'bacteria' her way. So, don't try hugging her or shaking her hand, or whatever you girls usually do when you meet someone."

     Touching would be off the map. Isabella could handle that.

     "That doesn't seem too bad," If it weren't for the heavy bags she carried, she would have shrugged.

     "Yeah, sure," Carter retorted sarcastically, "Whatever you say."

The muffled sound of a vacuum cleaner zipped behind the white walls.

"Um, is someone cleaning?" Isabella asked, lifting her head over the heavy bags in her arms.

Carter stopped in his tracks and turned to a door to the left of him. He looked over to her as she stopped and smirked devilishly.