No weirdos.
I stop.
“No way, man,” Ryan says, following my gaze with an expression of displeasure. “Don’t even think about it. That’s Mike Pierce’s address.”
“You know him?”
“Everybodyknows him. The guy is a total disaster. He’s not even an undergrad. Dude’s doing some master’s thing. Throws parties every weekend,actualparties, not a couple of peoplehanging out. Plays in some weird rock band. And,” he lowers his voice like his next words are too much to say in public.
“Sleeps with anyone. Guys, girls, doesn’t matter.”
I look at the flyer.
“Your roommate is better than him,” Ryan adds. “I can promise you that.”
I think about last night. About every single day since I moved back into the dorms this August. The silence that makes my skin crawl. The notebook that I needed for an exam.
The three emails I’ve sent to the housing office and gotten no reply.
“I don’t know…”
“Alex.”
I take a picture of the flyer.
“Dude, come on. You’re gonna be miserable.”
Maybe. Probably. Mike Pierce doesn’t sound like my speed in any way, shape, or form.
He sleeps with anyone. Guys, girls, doesn’t mattersits in the back of my head, flashing a red neon sign telling me not to go there.
Don’t let it happen again.
But even if he is all of those things, he’s probably not interested in stealing my stuff. And that sounds freaking amazing right about now.
“Maybe he’s nice.”
“He’sinsane.”
I look at the number and open my phone again, decision made, even though Ryan is watching me like I’ve grown another head.
I don’t care.
I text the number before I can talk myself out of it.
Alex: Hey, saw your flyer. The room still available?
“You texted him,” Ryan says, his voice going flat.
“Yep.” My phone buzzes before we’ve even walked away.
Mike: Come by tomorrow!
I show Ryan the screen. He scoffs, throwing his hands up. “I warned you.”
Chapter 2
I don’t know what I was expecting when I decided to come here.
