I arch an eyebrow. “Vee, is everything okay?”
“Of course.” Aveena avoids my gaze, bringing her coffee to her lips.
“I was starting to think your psycho roommate murdered you,” Lacey teases, and I have to force my gaze away from Aveena. She looks like she’s trying to disappear inside that coffee cup.
What’s going on here?
“She can’t. If she kills me, who’s going to feed her?”
Lacey cringes. “Still stealing your food, huh?”
“Every. Single. Day. I tried to outsmart her last week and only bought snacks she hates. She ate it all anyway.”
“I thought you talked to her about boundaries?” Aveena asks.
I cover my face with my hands. “I did. I told her to stop stealing my shit and pick up her dirty clothes, but it’s like I’m talking to a wall.”
“Girl, you have got to get rid of her.” Lacey states the obvious.
“I’m trying. I filed a complaint with campus housing, and they won’t assign me another dorm until after summer break, which means I’m stuck with her until late August. I don’t know what to do.”
“You could always move in with us,” Aveena says like it’s no big deal. Like she didn’t just give me a ticket straight out of hell.
My jaw goes slack.
“What?” I’m ninety-nine percent sure I hallucinated her offer.
“Why don’t you move in with me and Xavier until you get assigned a new dorm? We have a spare room just sitting there, and we could use the extra cash.”
I blink at my godsend of a best friend and wonder why she doesn’t have a halo above her head. Seriously, the only thing missing here is the sound of angels singing.
Shit, there’s still one problem.
“But I couldn’t pay this rent and my dorm at the same time,” I point out.
She shrugs. “Then you’ll just have to make up for it by helping out around the apartment.”
Someone pinch me.
This couldn’t be more perfect. Sure, I’d have to commute to school for my classes since Xavier and Aveena’s place isn’t directly on campus, but it’s just until the end of the summer. Then I’ll move into my new dorm. I can handle a few bus rides if it means I get to sleep in a room that doesn’t smell like two-week-old pizza.
“Are you serious?” I half-expect her to take it back.
“Dead serious.” Aveena grins.
“Did you ask Xavier about this?”
“No, but I don’t think he’d mind. Basketball is taking up a lot of his time lately. He’s barely even home.”
“You should ask him before we make plans, just to be safe.”
She nods. “Sure, I’ll let you know what he says.”
“Do you even need to ask? The guy would set himself on fire to make you happy.” Lacey snorts.
Aveena chuckles. “You make it sound like he’s my slave.”
“He is!” Lacey and I blurt out at the same time, and Aveena laughs, knowing damn well that she can’t argue.