Subjects

4- A Short Guide To Making Friends

Emily has to wait while Eva takes her sweet time showering. She takes out her phone only to realize it's useless here where there's no signal. She looks out the window down to the yard between the buildings. She doesn't regret coming here, but it just feels a little lonely right now. She hopes maybe things will change tomorrow when she meets other people here on the island. Eva doesn't seem like a bad person, she's just so... self-centered -No, spoiled -No, ungrateful -No, Emily can't find the right word even in her mind. She sighs and decides to unpack her clothes.

The bag she brought with her contains her every possession. She looks over at Eva's ginormous suitcase that is already open and half empty. Eva's things are scattered all over the place, where she left them. How she managed to make the room this messy already is a true mystery. Emily decides that even if she has to lock horns with Eva, she won't let her take over the room and make it look like there was a hurricane here. They are roommates, after all. She has to have some say in the matter.

When Eva finally comes out of the shower, Emily has already emptied her bag and tidied everything in the closet.

"Listen, Eva. I get that you must be super tired and miss home right now, but I think we'll both feel better if the room looks nice. I left you some space in the closet for your things."

"You're right," says Eva. "I'm sorry I left such a mess before."

Emily now notices that Eva looks a bit shut down. It's not like she saw her being very cheerful before, but now Eva seems just sad. This can be an opportunity to be a good friend. Who knows, maybe Eva actually has a human side.

"Is there anything wrong?" asks Emily.

Eva sighs miserably, "I really do miss home."

Emily comes up to Eva and hugs her, "I know, I do too."

"I just wish that I could call home, hear my dad's voice."

"You two are very close, aren't you?" Emily tries to make Eva talk about it in the hope that it will make her feel better.

"We really are," Eva whimpers.

"What would he tell you if he were here right now?"

"He would say that I probably broke the world record for making a room that messy."

The girls start laughing, still hugging one another.

"Come on," says Emily. "I gotta take a shower and then we can check out one of those DVDs over here," she starts walking towards the shower.

"Emily," Eva stops her. "Thank you."

"Any time."

At that moment the two of them know, no matter what happens next, they have each other. The days to come will not be easy, but they will have this friend to rely on and that is all they really need.

And at that same time, at the guys' room...

"You want to play some cards?" asks Ben.

"Yeah, sure."

Well, that's another way to make friends, I guess.

And at that same time, at Leo's room...

Kidding, there's really nothing interesting happening there. I'll spare you and skip all of his miserable thoughts. You can thank me later.

Now it's five pm and the four are waiting for Leo on the first floor. It may seem like he was busy doing something important, but to be honest, he just fell asleep.

"Leeeeooooo!" Eva calls him, not really expecting him to hear her. She's just bored and screaming is sort of a way to pass time.

"Will you be quiet for once?" Ben snaps at her. "There could be people sleeping here."

"Will you give me a break, YouTube wonderboy?" says Eva. "Go to film a tree or something."

"Are you always this annoying?" Ben replies.

"I could ask you the same thing."

"Come on, you guys," Emily tries to break them up, unsuccessfully. "Are you always going to be at each other's throats?"

"If he continues to be such an arrogant jerk."

"If she continues to be such a spoiled brat."

"I agree with Emily," says Roger. "What are you even fighting about?"

Ben mutters something unclear under his breath and Eva just rolls her eyes. It's a good thing Leo didn't take too long to arrive after that because that silence was seriously intense.

"Are you kids okay?" Leo asks seeing them all standing there with gloomy faces. "Cheer up! This trip has only begun."

"Yay," Eva says with the most unenthusiastic tone. Ben has to hold back the urge to roll his eyes at her. This gesture just seems to be taken by her.