Theories of Insanity

33 | Mediation Part Three

33 | Mediation Part Three

Sunday, March 4, 2018

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Insanity:

The fact that there is even a chapter entitled 'Mediation Part THREE.'

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            We need to have a roommate mediation after church.

            I looked down at my phone during church and turned to look at Ashley, my eyebrows raised as I read her message. She shrugged.

            "I'm done with them acting like they run our apartment and then not even following any of the rules they made themselves." She whispered as a kid our age spoke at the front of the room as if they knew what they were talking about, "We're going to have a discussion, like adults, without Rebecca and without Stephanie. Just everyone sitting down and talking to each other openly."

            "Good luck with that." I shook my head, "I'm all for it, but I feel like Madison's just going to start crying to get out of actually talking about anything serious."

            Ashley nodded.

            "She probably will, but I mean...it's worth a shot. It's better than her coming into whatever room we're in and slamming every door in sight."

            "You're right," I agreed, "I'll try not to laugh when she starts crying."

            "You and me both."

            A reply came through to both of our phones and we looked down to read Samantha's message.

            Not to be rude, but I feel like the tension in the apartment has primarily excluded Bella and I. Do we need to be at this roommate mediation?

            I looked over at Ashley, who shrugged. Samantha was right; ever since Bella had moved in to replace Christina, Samantha had been attached to her hip and out of the roommate drama. (1)

            Nah, you're good.

            I typed out the reply and sent it after getting Ashley's approval. It wasn't necessary to include third parties in this. (2)

            "Are you gonna bring up her calling you a whore?" Ashley whispered curiously.

            I cocked my head to the side. I was considering it, but I also knew she would deny meaning it in a malicious way, and Paige would come to her defense immediately. It almost wasn't worth the effort.

            "I don't know. Maybe." I shook my head, sighing and folding my arms. "But I am going to mention Stephanie's email. 'I have had a few concerns raised to me by some of your roommates'? You know she meant Madison and Paige, but I don't know what 'concerns' they would have raised about me specifically."

            "It's worth a shot to ask them." Ashley nodded her agreement. "And even if they don't tell you what they said, their faces will give away if they said anything at all."

***

            "So why are we here?" Madison asked as the four of us sat down in the living room after church. "And why don't Samantha or Bella have to deal with this?"

            "Because the four of us are having issues with each other and it's not a pleasant way to live." Ashley replied firmly, "We still have a month and a half left of the semester, and we need to be able to get along in our own apartment."