"I need space." Those were the words Jacky said to Ryan the night before they both left for separate colleges. Now, each of them will try to learn who they are without the other. Will their paths lead them back together?
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Ryan
Two days later, Ryan's roommates still hadn't spoken to him, and it was starting to get uncomfortable. Jordan was hogging the bathroom in the mornings, either to make it impossible for Ryan to get ready or because she was avoiding him. On Monday Ryan had washed his face in the kitchen sink and gone to school without brushing his teeth (luckily, Marina had gum). On Tuesday, Ryan tried knocking on the bathroom door. "Hey, do you mind hurrying up? I have to brush my teeth." Jordan ignored him, and Ryan waited until the last possible second to leave before class but she never came out of the bathroom. It seemed very unlike Jordan to choose being late to class simply to be passive aggressive.
It was hard to talk to Jacky about the roommates during their calls, because he was aware that they might be listening in. Over text Jacky suggested taking his shower in the evening and keeping his toothbrush in his bedroom so he could brush in the kitchen sink if needed. But the apartment's shower schedule was set, and when he tried to shower on Tuesday night after everyone else, there was no hot water left.
On Wednesday night, Ryan decided to get out of the tense atmosphere of the apartment and go for a walk while he called Jacky.
"Where are you?" Jacky asked after answering. "Hiding in the closet?"
"I'm outside." It was darker than he'd anticipated. Half the streetlights seemed to be out. "Needed to get away."
"What was the bathroom situation this morning? Is Jordan still being a dick?"
"She's being something all right."
"Wow. You are way too nice. I probably would have flipped my shit already."
On the screen, Jacky appeared to be sitting up in bed. His bedside light cut sharp shadows across his face.
"Do you ever fight with Billy?"
"Uh, all the time. You do recall that he's my ex-boyfriend?"
"You seemed to get along okay while you were here."
Jacky laughed. "It's gotten better with him. Ever since he and Liliana decided that fixing my love life was their new goal."
"Where is he now? It seems like he's never there." It was after nine o'clock.
"Who knows. He has a lot of sex, apparently." Jacky shifted his weight. "Seriously, though, what are you going to do about Jordan? How have the other roommates been?"
"Well, Harper is nowhere to be found. I think she might be living at Charlie's place."
"And the other one? Sam?"
"Sam's been... not that bad. She hasn't really talked to me other than saying hey when I come in and the other roommates aren't there." Ryan sighed. "I don't know what to do."
"Have you tried talking to them?"
"No. Unless you count me knocking on the bathroom door yesterday, which Jordan completely ignored."
