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My manners overpower my nerves, and I speak up, “Hi, Benson! I’m so happy to meet you.” My cheerful words fall to the floor of a silent room.
The nervous dude looks everywhere but at me.
Madison steps in to ease the awkwardness. “Noah, Benson made you cupcakes to welcome you. Isn’t that nice?” There is a plea in Madison’s tone, asking our third roommate to behave.
“Madison is bossy. The cupcakes were her idea, and sugar is deadly.” His first words to me aren’t ideal.
Madison loses a bit of her bright, sunshiny demeanor as her eyes narrow on the back of his head.
Benson mumbles some nonsense, shakes his head, and stands. “Welcome, Noah.” He hands me the plentiful but pitifully frosted cake before he seems to shrink in on himself and slips from the kitchen.
“Thanks.” The one word cautiously leaves my lips.
“I’m sorry about him. I’d say this isn’t normally how he is, but that’s not true. Benson is wary of new people. He’ll get used to you though. Just give us a chance before you take off running.” Madison moves to the counter and grabs a roll of paper towels. “Let me clean up this mess a little, and then I’ll show you around the house.”
“Okay.” I move to help her with the frosting-covered surface.
Right now, she’s the only reason I’m sticking around. Well, that, and I really don’t have any other place to go.
When we’re done, she shows me to my room, which is just as warm and inviting as the rest of the house … well, besides Benson. She leaves me alone for a bit to unpack before dinner, which she says is cooking, and I take the unopened letter that came for me in the mail last week from my bag and tuck it away in a drawer. My clothes get hung up in my closet, and my list goes in my bedside drawer. It takes me a handful of minutes to unpack the entirety of my life, and then I shove my suitcase onto the small shelf at the top of my closet before lying back on my bed.
I am Noah Mackenzie. I survived life in an orphanage after my mother abandoned me. I can handle my new housemates.
I will thrive here and get everything I’ve ever dreamed life could bring. Positivity is my strength, and that can’t be broken. After staring at the ceiling for longer than I want to admit, I take a deep breath and head to dinner.
Benson mans the stove while Madison sets the table. I sit quietly, unsure of my role in this new house, as my new roommates move around, eventually taking their own seats at the table. Everyone digs into the pasta dish, which is so much better than anything I ever ate at Golden Heights.
“This is great, Benson. Thank you,” I compliment.
The twitch in his right eye strengthens, but he doesn’t look up from his plate.
“So, what prompted this big move, Noah? Will you miss Seattle?” Madison’s voice is pleasant over the clank of utensils against plates.
I take another bite and glance up at her. She’s looking at me with her head tilted to the side. I know she’s just trying to get to know me, but I kind of feel like a bug under glass.
“I won’t miss Seattle. There wasn’t anything there for me, and the move felt like a clean break. Today’s actually my birthday. Coming here was a present to myself.”
Madison’s eyes widen, and her fork halts midway to her mouth. “Oh! Why didn’t you tell us sooner? Happy birthday, Noah! Good thing we made those cupcakes. I’m sure I have a candle around here somewhere for after dinner.” Madison claps her hands with enthusiasm.
Benson continues to stare at his plate. His silence makes me nervous.
“So, Benson, do you have any tips for this new Floridian?” I fumble from topic to topic, trying to break the ice with him.
“Yeah, don’t drink the water from the tap. The government fills it with chemicals to program our brains, and you’ll end up just another sheep in the system if you drink that stuff.” Benson keeps his eyes glued to his bottled water.
Huh? Is he serious? Is the water unsafe to drink?
I examine the glass next to my plate.
“Don’t let Benson scare you. He has lots of colorful ideas. Some more valid than others.” Madison pats my hand, and I push food around on the plate with my fork.
We eat the rest of the meal in relative silence.
