Maraschino 🍒 (gxg)

3

"These reality shows are such trash but I can't take my eyes away," Carlie muttered, opening another bag of Ruffles. Her and Chelsea were sitting in the recreation room, which was on the first floor of their dorm. They found a couple of bean bag chairs in the corner that faced the TV where reruns of Jersey Shore were playing. There was a group of girls closer to the TV, shouting and cursing between commercials, and although it annoyed Chelsea to no end, Carlie didn't seem to even notice; this must be a regular occurrence. "It's like a car wreck on the side of the highway."

Chelsea shrugged and tossed her empty bag in the garbage bin a couple feet away. "I've never been able to watch those shows. They're clearly fake and I don't know why anyone would willingly make a submission tape."

Carlie choked. "They have to apply to be on this show? I thought they just chose random people."

Chelsea opened her mouth to say something snarky in response, when Carlie's whole demeanor changed and began waving at someone past Chelsea's shoulder. She turned and saw two girls -- one tall, with light brown hair and a serious face; and the other short, mixed skin with a lip piercing and shoulder-length black hair -- approaching them. They either didn't notice or didn't care that Chelsea was there, and she figured it was an equal chance of either option.

"Hey, guys," Carlie greeted as the two sat down in another set of bean bag chairs. "Finally got my roommate. This is Chelsea, and Chelsea, this is Stephanie and Manny."

"I'm going to automatically assume that she's cool if she was already sitting here with you," said the tall one, Stephanie, as she reached over Chelsea's lap and snagged one of Carlie's bags of chips. Her long hair brushed past Chelsea's nose. It smelled like coconuts.

"She's all right, I guess." Carlie shrugged.

"Well, thank you," Chelsea muttered. She sat in her bean bag, munching on her chips as Carlie and her friends started their own conversation, completely abandoning her just as fast as she was introduced. She wasn't necessarily offended -- who doesn't prefer to hang out with their dedicated crowd? -- but she felt awkward, and she had no idea what to do next. Go back to the dorm? Wander around? Start planning her midnight escape?

"What about you, Chelsea?"

She turned to the girls, who were watching her, waiting for an answer to the question, which she had no idea what it was, or who even said it. She blinked a couple times, straining her brain to remember what was asked.

"Uh... what was the question?" she ended up mumbling, facing Carlie.

She rolled her eyes. "Steph asked what got you landed here."

Chelsea shrugged. "Well, not much, really. Some breaking and entering and spray-painting interstate tunnels."

Manny huffed and threw herself back in her chair, sending her inky black hair flinging into the air. "Booooring. That's, like, what everyone is here for."

Stephanie elbowed her in the ribs, scowling, earning a small yelp in response, then turned to Chelsea, her eyes steadied and focused. "Despite her name sounding similar, Manny doesn't have a firm grasp on manners."

Manny stuck out her tongue, arms crossed.

"Is this your first time in a school like this?"

"Yeah, but apparently, my mom couldn't stand me for another year so she carted me off and left me here to die."

Carlie rolled her eyes again. Chelsea wondered if her eyes ever got stuck in the back of her head, with how much she rolled them. "That's a little melodramatic, but I can't stay I disagree."