Mrs. Archer Xavier (REWRITING)

Chapter Six

THE ONE WITH THE GIRL ACROSS MY ROOM

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The very next day of my move, there's a knock on my door at 8am. I swear I could burst into tears. This life is just not it, you know. I walk towards the door but I pass by a mirror on the way so I caught a glimpse of my morning self — and she's a monster. No one can see me like this. I refuse.

There's another knock and I go into a state of panic. "Wait a minute!" I holler as I run to the bathroom. I splash my face with cold water to wake me up and to combat my greasy morning skin. Barely into my morning routine, there's yet again another knock. What the fuck?

I grab my toothbrush and did the quickest brush I've ever given myself as if I'm on my way to a last minute dental appointment. I put my hair up in a quick bun and throw on the bathrobe over myself. I wasn't wearing anything under my favorite thin admittedly overused and worn down shirt.

Another set of knock was on it's way but I swing the door open in the middle of it. "Hey," I beamed, immediately looking for the face of the devil who decided it's okay to bother a stranger at 8 am.

Well, she didn't look like a devil at all. Her face was round and she had the brightest smile on her face at 8-fucking-am. "Hello, good morning!" She greets me, handing me a box of ... chocolates. I look at her, confused. "Thanks. Good morning?"

Maybe, the devil is a scheming bitch parading around New York with a mask of the bubbliest girl I've met?

"I'm Heaven," she introduces herself, and I almost burst into a fit of laughter. I hold it back easily though. It's not the first time I have to mask how I feel — good or bad. "I'm Jianna. Listen, um, not to be rude but what is this about?" I ask when I finally got the courage.

"Oh, I live across you. I just wanted to see how you were settling in. Mrs. Powers had asked me to show you around. So?"

"Right now...?"

Mrs. Powers, I believe, is either the woman at the office or the dorm-manager-person — I don't even know.

"Oh my gosh, you're right! I'm so sorry. Were you sleeping? Did I wake you up?" She rambles after a quick moment of silence. It was as if she blinked herself back to reality. "I just thought, hmm — you see classes usually start by 6 or 7 so I thought you'd be awake by now. Body clock and all," she reasons out matter-of-factly.

Did she just say '6 am'?

"I could come back later, if that suits your schedule," she suggests. "You don't have to do that. I don't want to impose, you already offered. It's my fault," I reply awkwardly. I don't want her to move her schedule around just because I was not ready when she was. But to be fair, she did show up unannounced.

"No, it was my fault. I should've checked in with you. And you just moved in, I don't want to stress you out. Classes haven't started yet," she laughs to herself. I thought the conversation was over and I was ready to say goodbye but she doesn't leave. Do I invite her in?

"Anyways, I do have time this afternoon to show you around if you're up to it. I'd be really glad to," she tries to convince me again. Well, if my father is the devil, then she couldn't be, right? No? Oh, whatever.

"Actually, that would be great. My sister used to go here but considering her schedule, I don't think she'd be able to until school starts," I tell her and kind of overshare. "Oh my goodness! My sister went here as well! I used to visit her and she showed me around, but she's kind of busy right now too. What was your last name again?"

"Avery. My name's Jianna Clarisse Avery, but most people just call me Jianna or Jia," I answer and she thinks for a second before a light bulb appears in her eyes. "Real estate?"

"Yeah."

She nods. "My mom's in the fashion industry. So's my sister now. L-Y. Heaven Ly, don't laugh," she then informs me, reaching her hands out to me. At home, people wouldn't have asked me what my dad was doing — or at least for a different reason you know. It's definitely not something you mainly know people by.

I shake her hand. "It's nice to meet you, Heaven," I giggle slightly but only because she brought it up. I wouldn't have said anything. "So I'll see you later?" she confirms with me before leaving me to my morning. "Yeah. See you later."

Things weren't so bad. So far.

I was already awake so I can't really go back to sleep anymore. I place the box on the small dining table good for 4 people. The room was more like a expensive fancy hotel rather than a school dormitory. I don't worry too much about how much it costs because my father was the one paying.

But I know at some point, I will have to pay him back, somehow.

I push the thought aside and collect myself. Right now, I pay him back by going to this school, acing my classes, and showing up to social events/activities.

I call Marianne while I get breakfast ready, but I remember it was 5am in California. I was about to end the call but she picks it up and screams, "Jia! Oh my god! How are you?"

I laugh because we just spoke last night. "Stop," I giggle and she giggles back. "Did I wake you? I forgot the time difference," I say shamefully. It's ironic because I was about to hate Heaven for it earlier. "Sleep? Who needs sleep in the middle of summer?"

"God, I wish I was home," I sigh exasperatedly. "Me too," she yawns. "I mean it, Marianne. A girl just woke me up at 8 am," I rant dramatically, earning a playful gasp. "What for? Are you in school already? I thought you were just staying at the dorm."

"I am," I groan in response as I spread butter on a piece of bread. "Hold on, Aren's calling,"

"Ooh~" I teased but she rolls her eyes and adds him onto the call. "Hey! Why wasn't I invited?" He whines immediately. "I just added you right now!" Marianne shot back and suddenly I'm home. I couldn't help but laugh even though tears were welling up my eyes.

"Jia, how have you been?"

"Jia, don't listen to him! He's gonna try to make you listen to his new album!"

"No, I wasn't! I was genuinely concerned."

"I miss you guys so much..."

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a|n: i changed my mind. i'll just dump chapters whenever. having a schedule on top of my class schedule is stressful.

i'll write when i can, and then publish a bunch on a certain day. i personally think that works better, so writing doesn't feel forced and the chapters won't end up crappy.

so yeah, ttyl.