Dear Terrorists,

Chapter 10

Jennie poked her head into her vacant dorm room. It was symmetrical, longer than it was wide. Her half of the room was plain and undecorated and it appeared smaller than the other side. The dark yellow walls echoed with age and smelled of dust.

"This is my room?" asked Jennie disappointingly.

On the other half of the room, a girl was hanging up a poster on the wall of an average-looking Middle Eastern lady in a black dress with the galaxy behind her. Below the lady a quote read: THE STARS STARE BACK AT YOU IN AMAZEMENT.

"Who is that?" asked Jennie.

"Oh, hi!" welcomed a surprised girl with double take and a wide smile. She spoke English with a heavy Arabic accent. "That's my mother. She passed away three years ago, so my sisters and I made this poster. My mother always used to say this when she caught my us looking up at the stars at night."

"Oh," replied Jennie with a sorrowful voice. "I'm sorry. That's nice that you have her poster to look over you though."

"Yeah," her head dropped down, and then she snapped her head back up.

"Hi, I'm Amira!" she introduced herself with that same wide, beautiful smile.

Jennie reached out to shake Amira's extended hand, hypnotized by her beauty. She was tan with beautiful, black hair, most of it coiled into a tight bun on top of her head, with the rest flowing below in sinuous twists. Her thick lips curved along her Cupid's bow. She possessed large, dark beady eyes that concealed secrets beyond anyone's understanding. A thin scar ran along the left side of her jawline.

"Hi," gawked Jennie. "I'm Jennie, Jennie Farr."

"It's nice to meet you, Jennie," smiled Amira. "Would you like to hang out and get to know each other tonight?"

"Sure," replied Jennie, unsure. "I think I have to make sure I move all of my stuff in first, though."

"Of course," assured Amira with a friendly giggle. "I haven't yet finished mine and I moved in yesterday morning."

"Oh joy," said Jennie sarcastically. "I love what you did with your side of the room, though. You'll see my drab personality over here in a few hours. I don't have much decoration."

"Well, you've got to be you!" she joked. "But if you would like me to help you, I really love decorating!"

"Okay, well first let me get settled and then we'll see what you can do," replied Jennie.

"Okay that sounds great!" enthused Amira. "I'm actually going to go uptown and shop for some organizers and posters, so I'll be out of your way while you move in."

"Okay. You're not in my way but have fun, I'll probably still be here when you get back," responded Jennie with relief.

Jennie stood with her hands placed along the inside trim of the doorway of her new room. She stood and pondered for several minutes.

Amira. Amira seems nice. This is going to be really weird living with another person. I wonder if she snores. I wonder if she goes out. Will we get along? I hope so. I hope she likes to read. What is she studying? Where is she from?

"Jennie?" muffled Sarah from down the hallway. Jennie could only see the top of her forehead from behind the three stacked boxes she was carrying. "Hurry, come help me, my hand is slipping!"

Jennie rushed over and grabbed the top box from Sarah's grip, revealing her greasy and undone face and smile.

"Ha!" she laughed. "Maybe next time I'll only grab two. That seems to be my limit."