My Roommate Is A Tomboy

New Environment

I sat on my bed and looked around, feeling satisfied. The hostel room was neat and cozy, except that it was a little crammed. All of my stuff were out of the pack and I glanced around satisfactorily at my arrangement. The room faced the compound and it was bright and airy. My focus went out to the empty bed opposite mine. I wondered who my roommate would be. I'd joined the university and it was my first time staying away from home. I hoped my roommate would be a nice girl, not someone who would make first stay away from home a living nightmare.

I had a quick shower and strolled outside. The place was crammed with other girls who were either lost or arriving or moving their things. I didn't know a soul here. Everything was foreign to me. With my hands in my pockets, I walked around, greeting everyone who looked friendly. I figured if I was gonna be stuck here for two years, I might as well make some friends. Well, lots.

The hostel was three storeyed and it was huge. The compound was big and the university, exclusively for girls, lay sprawled in all its blue and white glory right opposite the girls' hostel.

It was early afternoon. The sun burned hot against my skin as I stepped out of the building into the green compound. I visited the cafeteria which lay at the side of the university. It was a small glass walled cafeteria. Bright and neat. There was no one except for a woman on the counter. She was scribbling something on a paper and looked up as I entered.

"Hello dear," she greeted cheerfully in a faint Spanish accent. "Welcome to star cafe."

I liked the woman immediately. She might have been in her mid thirties. She had a warm smile and a round and kind face, framed by wavy shoulder length auburn hair. I smiled and sat down at a table set for four.

"First day here?" She asked warmly.

I nodded.

"How do you like it here?"

"So far, so good," I answered.

She chuckled.

"Trust me, you'll like it here," she winked at me. "What would you like to have?"

"A cup of coffee please,"

"Right," she said, turning to the coffee maker. "A cup of coffee coming along."

As I had my coffee, we chatted a little bit. I learned that she'd been working there for over six years and she loved it. I told her about how it was my first time away from home and then she told me not to fret as I could rely on her as a mother away from home. I thanked her for her kindness. Somehow, she made me feel as though my stay there wouldn't be so bad.

I ordered another cup and carried on with our chat. It felt good to have someone to talk to when you're feeling lonely. When I finally went out, the sun wasn't that scorching. I checked my watch. 3:28 pm. There was nothing much to do even if I returned back to my room so I continued strolling around. I wondered if my roommate had arrived. Again, I hoped that she would be the friendly sort, whoever she might be, wherever she might be from. I closed my eyes in heavenly delight as a gentle breeze blew my brown hair back from my face. Then I took a deep breath of fresh air and smiled alone. So far, so good. I had talked to my mom and assured her I'm fine although I nearly cried missing home. I already missed home, mom and my big brother but I figured I should be a big girl now that I'm twenty one.

I sat down on a bench under the shade of a maple tree and carried on with one of my hobbies: people-watching. There were girls of different sizes, shades, styles and nationalities. Some were hanging out in groups and pairs while some were alone like me.

By the time I started for the hostel, the sun had already gone down and it became a little chilly. All the way to my room, I kept wondering if my roommate had arrived and what kinda person she'd turn to be. I was so lost in suspense that my heart actually thumped faster by the time I reached the door. The lock was unfastened, which could only mean one thing: she had arrived. Practicing a quick smile, I let myself into the room and saw no one.