The End

Two

Two

"We're definitely going to have to go out soon," Mark announced as he re-entered the dorm room. His hair was wet from his shower and his skin was no longer dirty.

"And why is that?" I asked, setting my book back down. Reading was my escape these days.

"Because I smell like strawberries right now and I only have one outfit that isn't torn up," he said.

"Well, we can go out and get clothes and all your manly shower essentials whenever. I have a load of my own laundry to do, so I'll wash those," I offered, taking the clothes out of his hands.

"Okay. Thanks."

I got the laundry started and when I returned, Mark was sitting on his new bed, enjoying some Ramen noodles.

"Embracing the college life, I see," I laughed.

"It wasn't too long ago that I was in college," he revealed. I had a realization that I knew almost nothing about this person who I was going to allow to live with me.

"How old are you, anyways?" I questioned him.

"Twenty-six. What about you?"

"Twenty. I feel like such a child, now," I admitted.

"And I feel like such an old man. So, what exactly do you do for fun around here?"

"Read, watch movies...that's about it, honestly. There's so much more I could do, with everybody gone, but I haven't felt like going out and messing around all the time on my own is such a great idea. I really only leave when I have to."

"Well, there's two of us, now. But I don't feel like going out tonight, anyways. I've been on my feet for a while today. Why don't we watch a movie?" He set his noodles down on his desk and took a look at my movie collection on mine. He smiled when he got to one of the last ones on the shelf. He held up Warm Bodies and smiled.

"Really? A movie about the zombie apocalypse while we're in the middle of a zombie apocalypse?"

"Of course! It makes perfect sense, doesn't it?" I didn't object to the idea even though I pretended like it was dumb, so he put the disc into my DVD player and we watched it as we ate our dinner. I took breaks throughout the movie to check on the laundry and to switch it from the washer to the dryer, and by the time the film was over, the clothes were clean and dry.

"Here, you can have your underwear back now," I told him as I tossed his clothes at his face.

"Great, I don't have to go commando anymore," Mark laughed. Right, I had forgotten that I hadn't been able to give him an extra pair... "I'll, um...I'll go in the bathroom to get dressed."

"Oh, we're both adults here. I'll just turn around," I decided. I faced the wall as he put his boxer briefs on and I waited until he told me it was all clear to turn back around to face him.

"If you don't mind, I need to change, too," I said. I grabbed a pair of shorts and a t-shirt out of my dresser and he turned around without me having to say a word. I stayed facing him to make sure that he wasn't peeking while I changed into my pajamas. He waited until I told him to face me again, which was comforting. So far, he seemed like a decent guy.

"I think I'm going to go to bed like a loser," he announced, pulling his shirt up over his head. Damn, he had a nice body...but he was quite a few years older than me and I wasn't looking for a relationship anyways. He was just my roommate.

"Suit yourself. I'm staying up a little longer," I let him know, grabbing my book again.

"You're quite the bookworm, aren't you?" he asked as he got into bed.