Chapter 3 New Year, New Roommate

     The summer before my sophomore year I spent as much time as I could with my mom, Jenny Black. With it just being the two of us my whole life, at some point, my mom became more like my best friend instead of my parent. But, that was only after she realized I wasn't going to go off and become a rebellious teenager.

     Mom was absolutely amazed by my new look and confidence. One night after we'd been up for hours talking she admitted the city life might just be good for me. Which is something she had a VERY hard time admitting.

     I think, she was hoping I'd hate it and want to come back home. Instead of leaving to go back for my sophomore year. Mom missed me being home everyday when she got in, and was extremely lonely, but way too proud to admit it.

    Before my summer break comes to an end I set my mom up on a dating website without her knowing. At 36 she was still a knockout. She's on the short side at only 5'4. She has mid-length, wavy brown hair with bright blue eyes. She has a voluptuous hourglass figure. That resembles a pin-up from the Marilyn Monroe era.

     Which is why it didn't surprise me at all when she had over fifty replies on the website in just two days! I went through them all, and narrowed it down to two different men. I set her up with a date for both of them the following week. That way she wouldn't find out until after I went back to New York at the end of the week.

             That Saturday after everything is loaded up in my car, I showed my mom the site and her two dates for the following week. While she's looking through everything, and trying to figure out how to kill me without getting caught, I give her goodbye kiss to the middle of her forehead, and run out the front door.

             When I make it back to my dorm there's still a week before classes start back for the fall semester. I have my schedule already thankfully, so I set my room up on the same side as the year before. The decorations are the same as last year. Except the only new thing is a collage of pictures I'd made over the summer of all my favorite memories from the year before.

            But, once that's done the only real thing I have to worry about is the new roommate I'm getting. I call Joss that night desperate to stop my runaway thoughts, and we meet up at our favorite bar. It turns into a small welcome back to the city party that everyone shows up to, and doesn't leave until the early hours of the next morning.

             Since it's still early in the week there aren't that many people moving in the dorms, but luckily my roommate is one of them. The shy, doppelganger of me last year, shows up around noon. Carrying a single box in her hands, and a beach bag on her shoulder.

            She hesitantly walks through the open dorm room door, and places her things down on the empty bed next to mine. Then she turns back around to face me slowly. Raising her hand between us in greeting for me to shake.

           "Hi. I'm Mandy Jane." She tells me softly keeping her eyes on the floor.

           I bounce up from my bed with a smile, and take her outstretched hand. "Hey Mandy. I'm your roommate Abbie Black. Is this your first year at NYU?"

           I move my gaze discreetly along her body then. Mandy is about 5'2 with long, red hair full of wild curls and green eyes. She reminds me of Merida the Disney Princess. She's dressed in a button up three quarter sleeve shirt, blue jean skirt, and a pair of white Keds on her feet. She looks just like me before Joss took me under her wing.

         "Uh. No this is my sophomore year." Mandy tells me shaking her wild her across her face.

         "Me too. What's your major?" I asks her curiously, and my wandering gaze firmly back on her reddening face.

         "Pre-Med." Mandy says full of confidence for the first time.

          A megawatt smile takes over the bottom half of my face, and I start jumping up and down in glee. "No freaking way! Me too!"

        "Awesome! This year is already turning out to be better than last year!" Mandy tells me before joining in the excitement with me.

         I learn very quickly that even though Mandy isn't the most out-going person around, she is one of the most organized I've ever met. Her side of the dorm is always very tidy with everything in its place. She set up a study schedule for both of us, and never makes me feel bad for asking for help. Even though we don't have any classes together the first semester, she still gives me the lowdown on all my upcoming classes and professors. 

       It's safe to say Mandy Jane is turning out to be one of the nicest people I've ever met!

       About a month after the fall semester started I took Mandy for the night. To meet Joss and the rest of my friends, and let off some steam. We danced, laughed, and drank all night with everyone saying how much fun they had at the end.

      After that night, we all hung out a few more times on different weekends. Going to bars and different parties close to campus. To me, each night ending better than the one before.

       The third time Mandy hung out with us I asked Joss if she would take the girl under her wing, like she did for me last year. Just give her some fashion advice and tips on doing her hair and makeup to break her from some of that shyness. Joss reluctantly agrees, and even schedules a girls outing just for the two of them.

       Except the very next weekend while it's just me and the rest of my friends are going to another on of our friend, James party. Joss pulls me to the back of the group, and wraps her arm around my waist. Whispering her words low enough for only me to hear.

       "Hey sweetie. If I ask you to do something for me no questions asked, would you?" I hear the suppressed nervousness in Joss's voice clearly.

       "Maybe..What's up?" I give her a questioning look.

       Joss pulls us both to a stop. She places both her hands on my shoulders, and looks at me straight in the eyes. "I don't want you to bring Mandy back around anymore, and if I were you I'd keep my distance from her."

       I'm shocked speechless at Joss's admission, but still manage to mumble out one word. "Why?"

      Joss shrugs her shoulders and furrows her brows deep in thought. "I can't put my finger on it now, but Mandy gives me a super weird feeling. Like she's hiding something."

     Joss must be wrong about Mandy. She just doesn't know her, or spent the same amount of time with her that I have. That's all it is, but I don't tell Joss any of that. Instead I give her a smile. Then wrap my arm around hers, and pull the both of us down the sidewalk to catch up with the others.

     "Okay, but hurry up slowpoke! We're getting left behind."
     
   Except I don't listen to any of Joss's warning. I take Mandy under my wing, and try to help her like Joss did for me. We start hanging out a lot more becoming inseparable really. I take Mandy shopping, and give her a complete makeover. Little by little the confident girl I knew was inside began to shine through brightly.
     
   The only downside to my plan seems to be Joss though. Every time I make plans with Joss I have to hide what I'm doing with Mandy from her all to avoid a lecture. Until I'm blowing off everything Joss invites me to for Mandy. All without saying a single thing about the problem to the other.
      
   What a shitty friend I'm turning out to be!

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Authors Note

 SO, Be honest guys...How is everything going so far?!?!? 

 Don't forget to vote, and leave me a comment with your much appreciated feedback! Until next time my friends!

 Callie 

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