Apartment 3B

2. Seventeen Boxes

Jesse

The next morning was awkward as hell. I got up to make myself coffee, I took a steel pot from my boxes to the kitchen, rinsed it clean and started to boil water.

I heard a cough from behind me. I turned to see the pretty girl with dark hair and piercing green eyes staring right back at me. This was Hayley, if I wasn't mistaken.

The other girl was Luna. She was the nice one who sat with me after the awkward encounter and made me feel more at home. Kabir and Elaine were our other two roommates, she took the time to catch me up and was very courteous. She was straight forward but oddly comforting, her presence made me feel secure. Hayley, she told me, was her best friend since childhood.

Hayley was of average height, significantly shorter than me though. She was conventionally beautiful, the kind that breaks heart for fun.

I saw her checking me out when they had walked into my room. They probably think I didn't notice, but a guy always notices these things, especially when it's a damn obvious glare from a gorgeous roommate that I was going to have to live with.

It wasn't that I didn't have urges or even chances, but my parents have always been conservative Catholics and try to protect us from all "evil." One of the strict rules in my house was to never engage in the sin of lust.

It wasn't like they gave birth to a social pariah. I was well adjusted in school, I had friends who were girls. My school and college experiences were quite ordinary, I was quite ordinary. Maybe the biggest reason why I wanted to leave was that I didn't want to be ordinary anymore.

I learnt how to charm my way in and out of anything by virtue of being and interacting with all kinds of people at the shop. But being in such close proximity with girls was a totally different experience. I couldn't help but act like an awkward nerdy teenager and my nerves were going haywire.

"We have a coffee maker, y'know." She finally said.

I obviously didn't want to use their appliances without asking but since she had to be so blatant about everything, I replied, "Yeah, I just didn't want to impose myself and use your things, Hayley." I said her name to make sure I had it right.

Her fingers twitched and she mumbled, "Of course you can use it, it's no big deal. This is your home too."

Home. I felt warm around them already, I was glad I didn't end up with sloppy dirtbag roommates.

I could notice the similarities between the two of them. The kind you cultivate over decades of friendship. They had both been welcoming and I knew they actively were trying to be kind.

I also noticed the subtle differences; Luna went to work dressed professionally but simply. She had a calm aura to her. Hayley's style was bolder, like she knew she was a queen and wouldn't accept being treated any lesser than that.

Despite her confidence, I saw they both had humble roots and would do anything for each other.

I thanked her for the gesture and continued to let my coffee simmer on the stove. She waved goodbye and left for work. I had a few hours before I had to go open the store.

I took my hot coffee to my room and sat on the mattress. I opened my copy of Infinite Jest and continued where I left off. I was almost at the bottom of my mug when I heard some rattling.