My Roommate Is A Tomboy

MT Room

Monica is Ella's grandma!

That was a shocker. I found myself laughing and then controlled myself.

"I'm so sorry," I apologized sheepishly. "But that hit me quite hard. It just feels so absurd...I mean, you seem too young to be a grandma to someone my age."

"I dont blame you dear," she smiled calmly. "Ella's mother married young. Too young that she couldn't cope with her married life and fled from her husband when Ella was just an infant. Ella grew up in front of my eyes. It was just me, Ella and her mother in a small dusty village somewhere in France. And then I left to find a better life for us and destiny brought me here," she sighed dreamily and continued. "Once I found out this is a great place to shape and mould young people, I sent a note to her to ask her to come here."

"What about her mother?" I asked with curiosity.

"Ah...Frances," she smiled satisfactorily. "She's living the good life in LA as a supermodel now."

Whoa! Ella's mom is a supermodel in LA?

"Well, and Oscar?"

"Oscar was her only companion," she explained. "She sent a note to me the day she found and rescued Oscar from a lake. She kept updating me about Oscar every now and then. The young girl's life revolved around her pet. He's the only thing she really ever cared about. Before she came here, she asked me if she could bring him along. She wasn't coming if Oscar was to be left behind."

I looked down at my coffee. It was getting cold. And I forced her to part with her favorite companion.

"So you're her roommate?" She asked but continued before I could reply. "I'll never forget the night she brought Oscar here. The little pair didn't want to be separated. Normally, if I knew her, she'd never sacrifice being apart from Oscar for just anyone. You must be a special friend."

"Well...," I trailed. "I guess so."

"She hardly opens up to anyone. She doesn't always share things with me or anyone else. So do you think she's happy being here?"

That was one tough question. I battled for a logical answer. I saw traces of her in my mind. Saw her laugh, saw her cry, saw her with Jenny.

"She must be happy."

That evening, I walked back to an empty room. Ella finally decided to move out. I sat in my bed and stared at the empty bed across me. The empty space where Ella's guitar used to be. The room felt so silent. And lonely. i  wondered where she was now. I bet to myself that she is sharing a room with Jenny. I bet that she's happy. I looked down at my phone. No notifications. I felt tempted to call her or text her just to ask her how her day had been and that I'd met Oscar. Then I remembered she belonged to someone else. That I have no place in her life. That I shouldn't get in between her and Jenny and spoil everything.

I rang a number and waited as the call rang. Once, twice, thrice.

"Hi mom!"

Tears rolled down my face as I heard mom's voice on the other end.

"I'm okay," I replied. "It just gets a little lonely sometimes. I really miss you. I miss home."

A small smile spread across my face as I listened to what mom was saying.

"Tell Aaron I actually miss him too," I grinned.

"Okay, I love you too."

Nothing felt better than calling home when I'm depressed and lonely. I wished I could just forget everything here and go back home but I wasn't that senseless. There's still a whole life in front of me and I wasn't gonna allow one unfortunate love affair to put out the light in me.

The next day was a rainy day. A perfect day to lay in bed all day and do absolutely nothing. But I had a lunch appointment with Courtney. I haven't seen much of neither Jenny nor Lena for quite sometime. With Courtney, it was just some occasional meet ups. I was spending more time on my own. I decided to stay in bed a little longer and go out only when the lunch time drew near.

After a twenty minutes or so in bed, there was a knock on the door. It made me jump since I hardly get visitors knocking on my door. I got up to open it. The knocking went on persistently.

"Coming!" I shouted.

I was still wondering who it could be as I opened the door to reveal Courtney.

"Courtney!" I exclaimed in disbelief. "I didnt expect you. It isn't lunch time yet, is it?"

"No, silly," she giggled. "Come quick, I've got something to show you."

I goggled at her. What was so important? Something seemed strange about the situation as well as her. Something felt off. She even looked a little strange.

I wanted to wash up first but she didnt have time to wait so I threw on a sweater and followed her out the door, through the hall and down to her room.

"What is it that's gotten you so hyped up?" I asked as I hurried behind her.

"You'll see," she grinned and the turned her head, her eyes darting here and there.

I looked at her in confusion. I turned my head too but nothing seemed out of place. Her behavior was confusing me but I kept mum.

Finally, she opened her door and swung her hand forward with a dramatic ta-da. I peered inside. There was nothing. Nothing extraordinary. Nothing to ta-da about. Just her old room peered back at me.

"Is this some kind of joke?" I demanded, refusing to step inside. "Have you gone mental?"

Courtney gave an exasperated sigh.

"You didnt see where I was directing my gaze at," she defended. "I was talking about what's on my nightstand."

My look automatically shifted to the small table beside her bed. From the distance, I could make out two white chalk-like objects.

"What is that?" I squinted at it trying to figure out what it was as I  walked slowly into the room.

Then I saw what they were.

"Holy shit Courtney," I exclaimed in disbelief. "Youve gotta be kidding me."