AllFreeNovel
Share Us
“So… Transfer student,” Thalia was saying to herself before she lifted her gaze to me. “You’re not from Westport?”
“Nope.” I lifted my brush and started applying paint to the wall. “I’m actually from Dallas…or near there. On the northern outskirts.”
“Leave a big family behind?”
“Not really. I’m an only child, but my mom has a sibling and Dad has two, so I have aunts and uncles and cousins spread across the country.”
“I only have my parents and a younger brother,” Thalia said. “Damien,” she added with an adoring smile. “He’s such a sweetheart. So cute, and oh my God…shy.” She pressed both hands to her heart. “If you ever have to have a little brother, I recommend the shy kind. They never annoy you, are great for fetching things you don’t want to get up and get yourself, and oh Lord… All you have to do is give them the simplest compliment, and they blush for days. I just want to squish his adorable cheeks every time I see him.”
“Aww,” I said, actually feeling a little jealous. I’d always kind of wanted a sibling.
After miming the act of pinching her brother’s cheeks, Thalia sighed and dropped her hands into her lap, where she sent me an adoring smile. “Damien’s the best.”
I nodded as I concentrated on making smooth, even strokes. There actually wasn’t all that much to paint, just a few white patches to cover. The wet stuff was obviously darker than the drywall around it, but I figured it would dry and lighten to match spot-on, so I didn’t bother painting the entire section.
When I finished covering the last patch, I stepped back to survey my work before glancing over at Thalia. “What do you think?”
“I think…” Sliding off the chair, she wandered over to study the wall before turning to me severely. “Your key’s in the cookie jar on the counter,” she answered. “And rent deposit information is tacked on the refrigerator. Welcome aboard.”
“Oh my God!” I yelped, physically hopping in excitement. “Are you serious?”
This was so awesome. My stars were finally aligning.
Thalia nodded slowly as she watched me. “I think it’s imperative that you stay, actually,” she said thoughtfully. “Because I have this sense about you, Ms. Oaklynn. Someday, I think we’re going to be, like, sisters.”
2
OAKLYNN
And that was how I got my new place.
Thalia hadn’t been lying about rarely being around.
It’d been days since I had moved in, and I’d only seen her one other time aside from the first day we’d met. But I couldn’t complain about having the place to myself. I didn’t have to worry about dirty dishes in the sink, other people’s shoes tripping me up everywhere I stepped, or anyone keeping me awake with their sex sounds on the other side of the wall.
It was honestly the dream.
Waking up before my alarm went off, I stretched in the king-sized bed that had come with my room.
It felt as if I was staying at a hotel…one of the nice ones, except the pillows were better.
I stretched under the covers, my arms poking out the top and brushing against the cloth-padded headboard. And with a satisfied yawn, I sat up to gaze about my new kingdom.
It was very beige. Beige carpet, beige chair, beige curtains, beige bedspread. At least the throw pillows and nightstand knobs were accented with gold. And the wall behind me was a deeper brown, while another wall was a tan and brown brick ensemble. But then the last two returned to a creamy…beige.
Aside from a tall, fake plant in the corner with brilliant green, palmy leaves, the only color came frommystuff: purple suitcases propped against the brick wall, a hot pink shirt thrown over the arm of a chair, seafoam green laptop on the nightstand, peach walking shoes sitting by the door. Each item seemed to pop with such a dull background, which made me adore the room even more. It was as if the place wanted to highlightme.
Totally willing to accept a little extra attention—even if it was just coming from a couple of walls—I threw off my covers and sprang out of bed to greet the day. My bare toes sank into the plush carpet as I hurried into the bathroom.
Let me repeat…my own, private bathroom.
In all my twenty years, this was the first time I didn’t have to share a bathroom with anyone.
Living it up, I had my toiletries scattered everywhere, hogging basically every inch of counter space to myself.
It was the life, I’m telling you.
On top of that, there was a smart toilet, a waterfall-style faucet, and a clear glass wall surrounding a mammoth shower.
