"So you've found roommates?" My mother asked over the phone.
I was in the midst of setting a flier up on of the many boards on campus. "No mom. That's what I'm doing right now."
"Oh..." She sounded worried. I knew exactly what would follow after that tone in her voice. "Maybe you should come back Parker. It's not too late."
"Yes it is," I sighed stapling another flier. "School starts in about a week. I'm not coming home."
I don't have a personal vendetta against my family and friends. I know they all mean well and love me as much as I love them. But back in Michigan nothing ever changes. At least, not for me. My brothers and friends all decided to go to the same university. After I graduated high school, I tried studying there too. I did a whole semester at the same school as everyone else when I realized I couldn't.
My high school friends are there, my professors remind me too much of home, and every weekend I would either have to visit my parents or they would come visit me. Everyone there lives in a bubble. Everyone grows up there, goes to the same college, then moves back to their little suburb. My dad had already planned out how my brothers and I were going to take up the family business. Watching myself mirror my family suddenly made me realize how uncomplete and unsatisfied I would be. I knew I had to venture out.
When I first realized I needed to leave Michigan, I started looking into different schools. The easiest way to transfer my credits along with a place that can give me a great education. I would need a scholarship, but most important: it had to be out of state. I applied to about three different schools and decided on the farthest: Miami. Not because I wanted to be away from my family, but because it was a new territory for me.
I knew it was a terrible idea to go out of state for my undergraduate years, but I didn't care. Racking up student debt was going to be inevitable and I knew that if I was only going to be able to attend college once in my life, might as well be somewhere I wouldn't be miserable.
Needless to say, the move was tough. I've hardly been in Miami for a week and already I'm struggling. I later realized once I was here that I chose a city that attracts so many tourists, that all the prices were elevated. Even milk became hard to buy. Where all the negative was, I tried focusing on the positive.
I was lucky enough to have my own place. Having a dad in the real estate business helped with getting into contact with people here. It didn't come cheap to find a home but in the end I found somewhere that isn't far from campus. My new apartment wasn't necessarily big but it was good enough considering it was the perfect distance from my studies, the beach, and the city. Even the view from the apartment was amazing. Now I just needed to find roommates that could share the expenses with me.
"Parker..." My mom sounded at the verge of tears. "We miss you. And we want you to be safe."
"Don't worry," I reassured her as I headed back to my car. "I'll keep you posted. Everything is just how I like it. It's awesome here. I touched my first palm tree the other day."
That got her to laugh softly, "Ok baby. You be careful, alright?"
"I will mom." I grinned, "I'll send you some Cuban coffee. Love you."
"I love you too." After we hung up I slipped into my car. Walking around campus was beautiful. Even when it started getting dark, I wish I could have stayed to see all the lit-up palm trees.
My whole life I had been sheltered in living in our small home in Michigan. My parents would take my family and I on trips to the Great Lakes but we've never left the US. Not even to go Canada. I grew up in a small town that meant I made close friends and could easy draw where everything is. My older brothers--there's three of them--taught me to stand up for myself but always kept close to me. I love them all to bits and they were honestly going to be the only major thing I would miss about Michigan.
Michigan is a beautiful state don't get me wrong. But Florida? The only beach I had ever gone to was the sand that boarded Lake Michigan and Lake Huron. The beach in Florida was completely different. It was salt. Not Lake Michigan salty, but actual Atlantic ocean salt.
It sounds stupid and childish to have a mind like mine. To say these things in Miami when I know half the people here don't even hesitate when thinking about what the beach is. It was just a complete different world to me. I wasn't surrounded by giant pine trees anymore, they all seemed replaced with palm trees. I had never heard any Latino music before arriving here. The closest I'd ever come close to listening to Latin music was when Pitbull was featured on a pop song.
One if the worst things about coming from Michigan and moving to Miami is the fact I'm paler than paper. Walking down the streets I look like a ghost compared to everyone else. Not even the summers in Michigan were as hot as it is here. I was so accustomed to always wearing layers of clothes that seeing people in see-through shirts, shorts, sometimes just walking around in swimwear--was completely baffling. I didn't want to feel self-conscious about how I looked. I think the reason I did was because now I became a part of this community--whatever the actual name for it is--but I looked like a complete tourist.
My first couple days in Miami involved going to campus to set myself up with everything and then going to the beach or the pool. I got a sunburn my first day out and realized that adapting was going to be a lot more difficult. The heat and humidity was slowly becoming more unbearable the longer I was out.
When I finally finished placing all the fliers out on campus, I decided it was time to head back to the apartment. There was still a lot of unpacking I had to do that I always seemed to put off. My apartment was situated on the 18th story of a building. All my neighbors were basically composed of elderly men and women who retired in Florida. Some of them looked like old leather bags from the amount of tanning they would do. Seeing old people sag wasn't my ideal image of going to the beach, but they were friendly. At least, some of them were.
It's not to say there weren't young people in the building. Other than all the old retired folk, there's a few families that have young kids. Apparently there is a public school nearby which means a lot of families are attracted to the neighborhood. The other thing I realized about my neighbors is that they all come from different countries. Disregarding age, most people in the building are Latin, others Russian, some are European or Middle Eastern. It's just surprising to enter the elevator and suddenly be listening to people talk all sorts of languages.
The security guard nodded in my direction as I walked by the lobby to the elevator. My backpack was still full of printed fliers I needed to pass out. Maybe instead of only placing them around campus I could start posting them around the town. Except, if I told my mom I was allowing people from the streets to live with me there was a high possibility she would get on the next flight to Miami. I sighed as I walked down the hallway to my apartment.
Even from over a thousand miles away I felt like I was being watched and monitored. It was a constant feeling I had when I lived in Michigan. I hate being micromanaged which is why I moved down here in the first place. My parents are friends with some of the professors back home at the university. The professors would ask how I was doing. They would sit with me and tell me what classes I should take. Sometimes they would try and convince me to switch out of my major.
The day I couldn't take it anymore, I snapped. Now I was just in the constant fear that they would still somehow manage to show up. Even as an adult, my parents treat me like a child. I think it has to do with the fact that I'm their youngest child and only daughter in a house with three boys. My mother was going through serious empty nest syndrome when I graduated.
I walked into my apartment suddenly overwhelmed by the amount of things I had to unpack from boxes. I took a deep breath, sitting on the yoga mat I had sprawled on the floor, and grabbed a pillow to scream into it.
When I looked up I took another glance around my apartment. It was composed of two bedrooms linked by the living room and kitchen. The larger bedroom has a smaller bathroom inside. And the smaller room has a larger bathroom. I didn't mind which room I got, I was meaning to discuss with whoever my roommate would be on which option they would prefer.
Right now, the living room was empty except for a small coffee table where I was eating my meals every night. There was a cushion where I would sit and my laptop was switched onto Netflix.
Boxes lined up the rooms with labels like: Bathroom, Bedroom, Living Room, Kitchen. It had taken me a solid three or four episodes of How I Met Your Mother to get all the boxes into each specific room. I sighed looking around the mess. Grabbing an apple, I quickly started working. I set up some music, loud enough to cloud over my apartment but soft enough that the neighbors wouldn't complain. Slowly, I managed to get the entire kitchen done. Plates were now in cabinets. Utensils in the drawers. Glasses were next to the plates. And luckily, the apartment came with a fridge and microwave.
I grabbed my large sketch pad and camping chair. When I opened the door to the balcony I was suddenly flooded with the smell of the ocean. It didn't matter I was facing a canal, I could still smell the salt in the air. There were light noises of cars honking. Not excessive like in New York where there is constant buzz and chatter. Only sometimes someone would honk. Only sometimes would I hear the sirens.
What was always constant was the light in the sky. Skyscrapers made it seem like the stars were touching the earth. They went as far as I could see and I had never seen so many lights all together. It didn't matter in what direction I looked, there were buildings with the lights of everyone's home's showing off into the night sky. I couldn't believe so many people could live in one city.
At home, everything was country. At night, there would be cricket sounds. Followed by a few dogs barking or the whistle of the wind through the trees. There weren't any lights except for the brightness of the moon. And on clear nights the beauty of the stars. But here--the city--it was filled with constant beauty. Like nothing could ever taint or extinguish the light. When I looked up at the moon, it didn't seem bright or magnificent anymore. It was merely lost with everything else.
I sighed contently and began to draw. I built buildings like the ones I was seeing. I drew skyscrapers and monuments. I tried pulling all of my imagination together into a sheet of paper. I was out on the balcony longer than I had expected. When I checked the time I realized how late it was. Tomorrow I planned my day for roommate searching and finding a bed frame.
I set my pencil down and looked once more at everything in front of me. I smiled feeling content with myself. It wasn't a mistake I came. I knew that this was exactly what I had to do for myself. I had to come somewhere where I knew I could become something more than my mother and father's daughter.
When I went back inside I went through my usual nightly routine. Pajamas, brushing teeth, etc. and then I grabbed my sleeping bag and made my way to the inflatable bed. My mattress was supposed to arrive soon but as of now the air bed would be better than the cold tile floors. I checked my phone to set an alarm for the morning when I saw a text from an unknown number.
Hi, I was wondering if this was Parker with the extra room in their apartment?
My heart skipped a beat and I sat up on the bed which let out a high pitched squeak. No way, no way, no way, I thought to myself as I smiled. Someone finally answered!
I replied: Yes, that's me.
They answered almost immediately, Cool! Well I know your flier says you only need one roommate but would two be alright?
That depends...Was my response.
We can share a room. We're siblings.
Oh, I thought to myself. Well then that could be better. The more people to share the rent the easier it is to pay off.
Before I could answer they asked, Do you think we could meet up for that interview?
Sure! Just tell me when and where.
I went to sleep knowing that finally I found someone. Even though I didn't know who they were or what their intentions are, it at least gave me hope that my fliers were working. It made me feel more confident knowing that other college students were still looking for a place to stay. After taking my moms advice on scheduling an interview, I went to sleep. But before I crashed I noted that if my mattress didn't arrive the next day, the company would get a nasty email.
************************************
I waited anxiously at a Denny's. After a few hours of planning, the person who contacted me finally agreed to meet with me at a local Denny's. I ordered a milkshake and side of fries but I was so nervous that I hardly touched my food.
I wasn't sure what to expect. Everyone in Miami was different than back home. They were either really loud or very quiet. Walking down the street people are talking with their group of friends and laughing or sometimes everyone just stays silent. I started playing a game with myself of how many languages I would hear spoken whenever I left the building. The streets to the beach were filled with families and retired couples.
My family still couldn't believe that I actually came. To prove to them I was actually here, I would send pictures back of just anything I saw. A palm tree, an iguana, the sand from the beach. Living in the north meant snow. And cold. My brothers laughed and asked when they could come and visit. I told them never but that hardly mattered.
As I waited at the Denny's, my waitress kept giving me an evil glare. I'm not sure what it was that caused her to hate me so much. Maybe because I was slowly dipping my fries in the shake before eating them. Or maybe because every time I heard the door open I would look up like a desperate girlfriend waiting for her long-lost love. It could have also been the fact that as I sat there I pulled a book out of my bag and started reading it.
Honestly, it was probably the fact I looked like a tourist. I left my hair down and with the humidity, it had curled uncontrollably. I was thankful it wasn't frizzy, but it wasn't the way I liked it either. I was also trying to find where all my summer clothes were so I was wearing a pair of ripped jeans and a black T-Shirt with a camp logo on it from a summer at Lake Huron a long time ago. Either way, she was ridiculously impatient.
I'm here, I texted the number after a few minutes of waiting.
I went back to my book, completely absorbed by the characters and the plot lines. Shawn Parris is by far one of my favorite authors and when I found out his second book was releasing, I nearly died of a panic attack. The whole world was holding their breath when Shawn became extremely ill from his cancer. After he survived, his book shot up so fast on the charts he broke some sort of record. I think it's my third or fourth time reading his book and still, I couldn't help but fall in love with his writing style. It's very unique, comical, yet always maintains a very realistic tone. Even when he's talking about things like having voices in one's head.
"Hi," Someone said to me as I flipped another page. I looked up and came in contact with dark green eyes. A guy—probably just a bit older than me—was giving me a soft smile. He had just folded his sunglasses on top of the buttons of his polo. His hair a sandy light brown that was cut short except for the front that flowed perfectly upward. He had a pair of dimples that showed clearly when he smiled and through his smile I could already sense his friendliness. He put out his hand for me to take, "I'm Pierce Mosdenea."
I must have looked shocked because I definitely felt it surprised. It was like a moment of small terror that rang through my body thinking, Uh oh.
When I had asked for my 'roommates' name they had said Mosdenea. I just assumed it was foreign but now I realized how utterly wrong I was. I must have looked dumb-folded. My mouth sank down and my eyebrows raised. I quickly shifted back to a smile as I started feeling a small surge of panic.
I took his hand, "Parker Finch."
He took a seat across from me—his smile never dwindling. "I've got to say," He said looking around the Denny's. "I never thought I would be here."
I was still in shock. I could not process what was happening. When I had placed my posters up I must have forgotten the major detail that I wanted a female roommate. It wasn't that I have anything against this guy—or guys in general—but what?
First of all, I'm not all too sure I would be comfortable rooming with a man I hardly know. Second, I think my whole family would disown me and frankly, I enjoy Thanksgiving. Third, if I have a roommate that looks like this the last thing I need is for him to start bringing girls and having parties. He looked like the crossover of a nerd with a frat boy.
"You don't seem very pleased to see me." Pierce said lifting an eyebrow and giving me a crooked smile. It was then I realized that I was basically staring at this boy with an open mouth.
"Sorry," I shook myself out of it. "I just didn't expect..."
"Someone so good looking?"
"A guy."
Pierce looked disappointed—almost worried. "Oh," He said shifting a bit in the booth. "Well I didn't know you were a girl either. I just got your text and I've been sitting here a solid twenty minutes waiting for some college guy to arrive. But I saw you on your phone before I got the message and realized you're the only person here that's alone. It was either that or I'm at the wrong Denny's."
I glanced around the restaurant realizing he's right. Everyone else had company except for me which was probably a red flag to Pierce that I'm Parker. "I'm so sorry," I said completely embarrassed. "I should have stated it on my poster."
I could tell he was disappointed the moment he sighed, "Let me guess, it's your first home. You're worried about finances which is why you need a roommate but you wanted a girl."
I think this "interview" was quite disappointing for both of us. By the look on my face I could tell he knew my answer. My shoulders sank and he turned to look out the window while pushing his fingers through his hair. "I'm really sorry Pierce," I ended up saying. "You seem like a really nice guy but yeah."
"Breaking up with me five minutes into a roommate date?" He asked trying to place humor between us. "That's low Finch. What kind of guy do you think I am?"
I couldn't help but smile. He gave me a sloppy grin back before looking down at the table with me. "It's not really you," I said playing along. "It's me. But in reality, it's you."
"It's definitely me," He said laughing softly. I felt terrible and we both just sat there a few minutes like we were trying to think over what to say. I wanted to get up and leave but I also didn't want to be rude. I had taken the time out of my day to come here instead of looking for a job. I'm sure Pierce took time out of his day too. So I shifted awkwardly in the seat of my booth.
"So," I said breaking the silence. I could slice the awkwardness between us with a knife. "I guess I should be going then."
"Just wait, why don't you still ask me all your questions and get to know me? Maybe you can change your mind." He said putting his hand on the table like he was trying to make me stay. He seemed rather hopeful which caused me to give him a skeptical look before he added, "We're already here. There's nothing to lose. And I'll pay for your fries if you give me some."
I sighed trying to think about my options. This seemed like one of the craziest things I could possibly do. I've heard of people of opposite sexes being roommates. They told stories about how it's fun and interesting but honestly, it did not sound like something I had in mind. Ever since high school I had planned on finding a perfect roommate. I'm pretty sure it's a cliché first thought of anyone who's going into college.
There's this dream that whoever you become roommates with will be your best friend and stick with you with just about anything. My first year with a roommate turned out to be terrible. I was rooming with my best friend in high school and although I still love her, living the the same confined area was a terrible idea. Now it somewhat felt like that dream was changing all over again.
I looked down at my hand where I had written a few one word questions:
Home?
Miami?
Plans?
I pushed the fries towards him.
"So where are you from Pierce?" I asked.
He gave me a bright smile like he was glad I had accepted his challenge, "Washington. The state. Not DC."
I gave him an odd look. That was so far away, farther than my home. I guess my next question tied in perfectly with his response because I asked, "Why'd you come to Miami?"
"I'm used to moving around," He said. "I'm studying at the University here. It was between here and D.C. but I chose here. Feels more like home."
"How so?"
"The people. The atmosphere."
I raised my eyebrow, "Washington doesn't sound at all like Miami."
"Well yeah," He quickly said. "What I mean is, it feels like I belong here. Big city and a lot of people. Like there's a sea of everyone and you're just a little fish that's swimming around. I didn't like D.C. as much even though it is beautiful."
"So what are your plans?" I asked taking a sip from my milkshake.
He thought it over for a second before letting out a breath, "I want to major in linguistics. I've spoken several languages my whole life. I figured here it would help a bit. Then I just want to travel. As of right now, I'm just trying to find a place to stay. Which is why I'm here with you."
Pierce gave me another smile. I couldn't help but to smile back. He didn't seem to be smiling on purpose, it was like an instinct to him. When he told me about wanting to travel it reminded me of myself. I think exploring the world was probably the seconds biggest thing I want to do. Number one: Architecture.
"So you said you want to room with your sibling?"
As I asked a motorcycle pulled up just outside the window we were sitting in. The rider turned off his bike leaving his helmet on the seat. If I were him, I would be more afraid of someone stealing that helmet. Pierce and I both seemed mesmerized by the way he effortlessly strolled in.
He took his time walking into the restaurant giving me a clear view of him. His dark hair was wild. Sloppy. When he took his sunglasses off he tucked them into his black leather bomber jacket. His eyes pierced the vicinity until they landed on me. Brown. A dark brown that almost looked black.
Typically, I would have made fun of him. I always thought it was funny whenever I saw a guy trying to replicate the idea of being a "bad boy." In Michigan, I remember seeing boys like this all the time. They would act like they were the toughest kids in school until they realized that their mothers hold more power than anything else.
The "bad boy" complex was something that always appealed to me in a story but in real life I thought it was a joke. Not this guy. This guy is not from Michigan. This guy actually looks lethal. Not because of what he was wearing or driving, that's all an act. But by the way he looked at me. Behind his eyes there seemed to be a wall of misery and hardships but the anger definitely coated it well.
Looking into his eyes was like looking into fire, eventually, you have to look away because it hurts.
The clothes he was wearing had nothing to do with the idea of him trying to look like he could beat someone up. It was like a shield that easily pushed people away that wouldn't have the courage to talk to him. But as he glanced around the diner, he looked like a man on a mission, and he wasn't going to take no for an answer.
"That's Aaron," Pierce said waving over the guy to sit with us. "He's my brother."
My mouth dropped again for the second time. When Aaron sat down by Pierce I kept looking between them. The only thing they seemed to have in common was the color of their hair. Even their face structures were different. They're both very handsome, but in different ways.
Pierce had a young lively vibe that surrounded him whereas Aaron seemed like the kind of man that would be monotone over everything. He looked bored whereas Pierce looked excited. Pierce had a nerd-frat boy face that was filled with inviting smiles and dimples. Aaron looked like a man who was good at keeping people away by simply looking at them.
Aaron took his jacket off leaving him in a gray tank top. I caught a glimpse of a small tattoo on his shoulder when he shifted to get the jacket off. He laid back in the booth simply watching out the window and admiring his bike.
"You're kidding me right now, right?" I directed towards Pierce.
Pierce sighed, "We really do need the place Parker. Please."
I laughed. Not one of humor but out of disbelief. "Why would I let you two near where I live? I don't know you!"
Maybe I was going to let Pierce stay. He was charismatic and I hated the concept of judging people by first sight, but I wasn't simply walking by these two on the street. I wasn't even going to a party with them. They were here to try and live in the same apartment with me. If it were just Pierce, then maybe. But when Aaron walked in I felt all the alarms in my head go off. Not because of his clothes, not even because of his eyes--which are scary--but because he doesn't even look like a college student. He's a man not a boy.
"But we were doing so well," Pierce said it like he hadn't meant to say it out loud.
That was the first time I heard Aaron speak. His voice wasn't loud or overly deep. It was dense like the feeling of slowly pouring honey on toast. It hung heavy over the table, "If you stay out of our way we'll stay out of yours."
"Or maybe you'll just kill me while I'm sleeping." I retorted.
"What's your name?" Aaron asked in the same dense tone.
When he finally looked at me again I tried to figure out how much older he was from Pierce and I. It didn't look like a lot but then again, everyone's twenties look the same. Even though I was examining him, he was definitely trying to read me. He was looking at me with miserable angry eyes that were digging into the back of my head like laser vision.
"Parker," I said narrowing my eyes. "Parker Finch."
"Like the bird." He said causally.
"Before you say anything else," I said holding up my hand just as Pierce opened his mouth. "Answer one more question for me. Why don't you two just live on campus or find your own place?"
"We will," Pierce answered. I was looking towards him but could feel Aaron's eyes on me. "Find a place I mean. We just didn't expect to be here this semester so we had no time to get housing. And Aaron isn't in school so by splitting rent we figured it would be the cheapest option."
I shook my head staring at the cold french fries. Pierce confirmed that Aaron is older than us by telling me he isn't in school. That would have to mean he has a job. About a thousand more questions started to compile in my head. "This is insane."
"Parker please-"
"If you're so desperate you can find a place somewhere else." I tried saying it in a nice manner but there was no way that would come out as nice. Maybe in Michigan this would have been ok. Living on the countryside typically meant people are more trustworthy. Living in the city, that's a whole different story. It sounds stereotypical and stupid, but I didn't want to turn up on the six o'clock news because I didn't know my roommates enough that they threw me over the balcony.
I'm not saying that it's a proven fact, it's just statics. At least, back home I knew everyone. So if I needed someone to do me a favor and house a few friends, it was easy. Here? There are thousands of people. Hundreds of thousands. Trusting someone that easily is taking a huge leap of faith that I'm not sure I'm willing to take.
"Birdie," Aaron turned his head in a lazy manner as I got up to leave.
"What?" I was referring to the nickname he had just placed for me. But that completely seemed to slip his mind.
He looked me in the eyes again. "I don't see the big deal here. We only need a temporary place. We'll give you the money you oh-so-desperately need, and as soon as you find a better roommate, we'll bail."
I thought about it for a second. If there was something I needed the most right now it was the money. There was no way I could afford the place to myself for more than a month. It made me somewhat angry that Aaron could see right through that. And by Pierce's terrified expression, it looked like he desperately needed a place to stay too. Maybe I could remake my fliers. Keep them up for a while longer. Start at school and find someone who is willing to split the cost with me.
I hesitated. "Once I find a different roommate...you'll leave?"
"I'm an honest man," Aaron replied. He slowly crossed an X on his heart to prove his point. There was something in the tone of his words that made me question him. I did think he would move out if I asked him. It was the idea of him being an honest man that seemed to be a lie.
I glanced at the door, then back at the table. My mother was going to kill me if she finds out. "What room do you two want?"
Pierce gave me a genuine smile. Aaron didn't even grin. But his eyes said it all: he had just won a battle. I just wasn't aware I had placed myself in the middle of a war.
*=*=*=*=*=*=*=*=*=*=*=*
Tell me what you think of the new story!!! Please comment, I love the feedback.
Also, y'all I would love love if you clicked that little star at the bottom and voted. Please please pretty please. Thanks you guys it means a lot.
Other than that, hope you're enjoying it :)
Vote
Share
Comment
Thanks