The Girl She Knew

Chapter Three

They all went along with the game. To everyone's surprise, after her miserable loss during the first round, Amelia won four out of five games. "I watched what cards you each picked in the first game, makes it easy to play to your tzar," she explained as they all but rage quit after her fourth win. 

"I don't know about you all, but I," Rosie announced stepping towards her desk," need a drink." She opened up a mini makeup fridge, which was lined with peelable face masks exposing mini bottles of liquor behind them. She opened one of the small bottles of fire ball and took a long swig, passing it to Kylie afterwards. She tossed a little vodka bottle at Jo, who promptly poured half into her lemonade. Offering the rest towards Amelia.

"Did you rob an airport?" she asked, examining the mini bottle.

"I wish," Rosie laughed, "my mom is a just really cool." 

"And a super hot pilot," Kylie added. Rosie threw her pillow at her, snatching the fire ball again, causing Kylie to groan and try to take it back. 

"Nope. You're drinking rights have been revoked."

"It's not my fault you have a sexy mom!"

Rosie plugged her ears and started humming loudly to tune her out. While they were distracted Amelia slipped the bottle back into the fridge and started to collect her belongings. She didn't want to come off as a prude, but she had no interest in alcohol. 

As Jo piped up in agreement about Rosie's mom being hot, Amelia slipped out of the room. She let out a shaky sigh and made her way back to her dorm room. 

She was about halfway back when she heard Kylie call out to her. "Amelia! Where'd you go? If you weren't down with us drinking you could have just said so."

"I didn't want to interrupt," she admonished, nervously tucking her hair behind her ears. 

"Still you could have at least let me walk you home, no business being out this late all alone." Amelia smiled, not only was she nearly a head taller than Kylie, she wasn't afraid of being out at night. The air was cool and the moon kept her path well illuminated. She actually liked the somber sounds of  the night enough to keep her ever present ear buds tucked in her pocket. 

To Amelia's shock and partial horror, Kylie linked her arm in hers and started dragging her back towards their hall. "Nonsense," she said, her voice a little warm and cloudy, "the mosquitoes are going to tear your nice pretty skin up." 

When they made it to their room, Kylie sat down on the edge of Amelia's bed. "Look," she said clearing her throat. "I'm sorry I got all crazy and defensive earlier. Rosie is just.. Really special and sometimes I work myself up into a mess when we meet new people and you were actually really fun tonight and I'm glad we got to hang out together."

"It's cool." Amelia said, bemused with the tipsy girl on her bed. 'Light weight,' she noted. 

"Anyway I thought of another rule while we were in Miller, it's that if we're going to be roomates, we have to be friends."

"Are you serious?" 

"I'm dead serious."

"Look you don't have to be my friend out of pity, you clearly have really popular friends and hanging out with you was nice and all, but I don't want to be a burden-"

"Amelia! They loved you! We all did. We don't care if you don't drink." 

"You just don't seem like the type to hang out with people like me." 

"What makes you say that? You don't seem like a serial killer and I think that's the only kind of person I don't give at least a small chance."

"Well I figured you and your girlfriend were more of the sporty type, that maybe you like to go out and party all night."

"Pftttt," Kylie smiled,  no, I know I'm here on a soccer scholarship. But doing art with Joanna and Rosie is really my passion. I know they're both here for nursing, but what they really love love is painting and performing." 

Amelia nodded. "Makes sense," she added after a moment of silence. 

~

"Augh," Amelia muttered as she woke up, dried drool covering her cheek. She had fallen asleep on  top of her comforter and and had used her arm as a pillow. The lights had been left on and Kylie was curled up at the foot of her bed. They must have fallen asleep talking. 

The two had gotten into telling each other about their pasts sparing no detail. Amelia had learned about Rosie and Kylie's first date. How she'd taken her to a picnic two days after their graduation and finally kissed the girl she'd spent two years pining after. Amelia told her about growing up in Ridgewood and how she'd moved away just before highschool. How much she missed it, but was still excited to start her life here. 

They'd gone back and forth like that, little annecdotes about what made them up. Amelia was surprised by Kylie's candor. Based on the anger she'd exhibited when they'd first met it seemed like she was the repression type, but all it took was an in and that girl could talk for hours. 

Kylie jumped up as Amelia adjusted, scrambling for her phone. "Hey it's nearly lunch time, do you wanna come with me to the caf? I'm meeting Rosie." 

"Sure."