Diamond
Taking summer classes seemed like a good idea.
Earning credits faster? Hell yes.
Graduating early? Sign me up.
I figured I’d get the general classes out of the way and skip to the fun part of my degree. Little did I know, my brain would be fried not even two weeks into the course, and I’d wind up working twice as hard to keep up. Processing a whole semester’s worth of information in four weeks sounds good on paper, but in reality, it’s damn hard.
Crushing my books to my chest, I amble down the hall and pray for my headache to make itself scarce.
News flash: it doesn’t.
I’ve seen more doctors than I can count in the past year, and the tests all said the same thing. Technically, there’s nothing wrong with me. My concussion is long gone, and yet the migraines persist. The last doctor I saw said they might never go away. They sometimes make it hard to focus in class, and like it wasn’t bad enough, they often hit at the worst moments possible. Just one of the charming side effects of hitting your head and almost drowning.
My phone chimes just as I’m passing the dining hall on the way to my dorm. I have a message from Aveena.
Aveena: Meet me at Lenny’s, 2 o’clock sharp. Don’t forget.
I smile at the reminder.
Like I could ever forget about our coffee date.
Aveena declared that she had some news a few days back and that she needed to see me in person. She asked me and Lacey to meet her at this adorable coffee shop near campus. My guess is that she and Xavier are engaged. Or maybe it has nothing to do with her relationship? Only time will tell.
I type a quick reply and hit Send.
Dia: No pressure or anything, but if your news is that you’re moving back in and saving me from my demonic roommate, I’d love you forever.
Aveena’s response comes through in five seconds.
Aveena: What did she do now?
A laugh rips from my throat.
Dia: How much time you got?
Aveena: That bad, huh?
Dia: WORSE. I’d take you and Xavier destroying our bunk bed over this any day.
I never thought I’d miss Xavier and Aveena ripping the dorm apart with their animal sex. And no,I’m not exaggerating. Every time I left them alone, I’d come back to the room looking like a hurricane had gone through it. It was the only downside to living with Aveena, but my current roommate? She makes that shit look like child’s play.
I posted an ad online shortly after Aveena and Xavier got their own place off campus. Rent is too high for me to live in the dorms on my own, so it made sense to find a roommate and split the costs.
Enter Grace Paisley, my new roommate and worst nightmare.
She looked like a somewhat decent person when I met her. She was nice-ish, polite, and sure, she’s big on metal music, wears band T-shirts every single day, and those spike studded bracelets that could poke your eye out, but I couldn’t afford to be picky.
My savings were running low, and I would’ve had to move out by the next month without her. She could’ve worn trash bags if she’d wanted; as long as she paid half the rent, I would’ve said yes.
I was desperate and went for the first person interested.
And that was my first mistake.
Grace is everything but graceful, to put it mildly. She has absolutely no regard for personal belongings, frequently goes through my stuff, and eats all and any food I bring into the dorm. Not to mention she invites her stoner friends over at all hours of the night. Oh, and she’s also the worst slob I’ve ever seen.
I can’t remember the last time I was able to see the floor of my dorm. She leaves piles of stinky, dirty clothes everywhere, and I mean every flat surface. I thought I was going to gag when I had to dig through her dirty underwear to find my phone last week.