The Angel On My Shoulder

Chapter Two: R222

Damion sat silently until he realized they weren't planning to leave the room again. Perhaps if he was quiet enough, he could slip back outside. He stood to climb down the ladder, and as he stood his satchel bag fell off his lap and onto the floor. It was very quiet, making a weird flop sound, but it was silent enough to be heard in the even more silent atmosphere. Damion cursed under his breath. He looked up to see the person had turned towards the noise.

Damion looked up to make eye contact with another guy.

"Roommate?" He said, walking over. Damion froze, then slid from his perch on the ladder onto the ground.

"Yeah." He muttered, knowing it was a loud enough acknowledgement.

He had short, sandy blonde hair, large black glasses, and amber eyes. He wore a simple gray sweatshirt and jeans, and had socks on his feet, no shoes.

"I'm West." He said, sticking out a hand. Damion stared at it, really wanting to just stare at it. But that was cruel, and unnecessary, and as much as he was okay with that, he would be living with West for the rest of the semester.

"Short for anything?" Damion asked, shaking his hand but not returning his name.

"Nope, just West." He answered, looking a little put off. "You are?" He asked next, without missing a beat.

"Damion." He said flatly. West nodded.

"Good to meet you." He said, still trying to get something friendly out of Damion.

"Yeah." Damion offered. West looked put off again, but he seemed to snap out of things quicker than Damion would have hoped.

"So, can I drag you down to the dining hall with me? I just came to check out the room." He explained and grabbed his own suitcase, throwing it to the bottom bunk. "Wanna come, it'll be a while before my other stuff gets here. I saw a spot for a couch and TV, I've got those, do you? Because we can use yours if you want." West rambled aimlessly. Damion tried really hard to repress in-taking air in his exasperation. It didn't seem like West was going to give up. Which made sense, they were stuck together after all.

"I don't have any furniture." He muttered.

"Well then let's head down to the dining hall." West chirped.

"Alright." He agreed resignedly, pulling his boots back on. West smiled and disappeared to grab something from his suitcase. His shoes it turned out.

When he reappeared, Damion was leaning nonchalantly against the wall.

"On we go." He said cheerily, opening the door. Damion reluctantly followed him out.

"So, where're you from?" He asked, as they fell into step. Damion's mind stuttered. He wasn't from anywhere. He'd lived in eight different states. Eight. He barely remembered the one he was born in. All he could recall about California was the ocean. They, his family, took him to ocean every weekend. But most of his memories were in CCS buildings.

"I'm from." He began. Pick a place. He thought wildly. "Austin." He blurted out finally. Austin Texas, home of Austin University.

"So, do you live near campus?" West asked, oblivious to Damion's poor lying skills.

"About two hours out." Damion answered, his mind imagining the Asher household.

"Lucky, I'm from Arkansas. Home's a bit further for me."

"That's nice." Damion said, not really paying much attention.

West smiled. "It's something." He agreed. "Here we are." He pointed out. They looked up to see the doors to the dining hall.