DisPLACEd: Beginnings

Chapter Three

The microwave beeped. Ryan flung open the door and grabbed for the bag of freshly cooked popcorn. The steam burned his fingers and he grimaced at the pain.

"Careful caveman. Hot." Jake rolled his eyes and left the room.

"What's with that guy?" Ryan asked as Harley handed him a large bowl.

"You were a bit of an asshole to him earlier." She shrugged, taking a few pieces from the top.

The group assembled in the lounge-room. With the prospect of spending the next few years living under the same roof, they decided to set aside the night to get to know each other.

Reb and Jake sat on opposing sides of the couch. Harley sat cross-legged on the floor. Eric eyed the comfy armchair, but was bulldozed out of the way by the burly football player.

Aadita sat on the other chair, textbook still in hand.

Reb shuffled over further as Eric dropped down between her and her brother.

Jake faced away from Reb, trying his best to avoid any kind of interaction with her. Aadita thumbed through her textbook, highlighting the occasional sentence. "Medicine?" Jake asked her.

She looked up and nodded. "You?"

"Law. First year." He sat up straighter and looked at Ryan. "You're obviously here on a football scholarship. What hack classes are you taking to skirt through on your already paid-for degree?"

"Knock it off Jake." Reb glared at him.

Ryan chuckled to himself, shaking his head in disbelief. This wasn't the first time someone had judged him before getting to know the real him.

"I'm doing Visual and Creative Arts. This is also my first year," Harley contributed, trying to divert any conflict.

"So if we want a critique of paintings or a quote from a mildly-obscure film, you're our girl?" Reb joked.

Harley chuckled and shot her finger guns. She took a handful of popcorn and munched away happily. "Eric, you're up."

"OK, I'm studying Mechatronics Engineering. Got my Bachelor and now I'm working on my Masters."

"Say what now?" Jake asked, eyebrows raised.

Eric laughed. "It's a blend between mechanical and electronics engineering."

"Wow that's pretty cool." Reb smiled. "Maybe you can rebuild this place when it falls down around us."

"Architecture isn't my thing. But I could trick this place out." Eric grinned. "What are you studying Reb?"

"I'll be studying a Bachelor of Music. "

Jake gave a very audible tsk.

Reb fixed her eyes on him. "At least I'm studying something I actually care about."

"Yeah well at least I actually want to be at university!" Jake retaliated. "Law is a respected and dignified profession."

"Dignified?" Reb snorted. "If you can call taking the safe option dignified."

Jake scowled. "Well being a grown up means sometimes doing things you don't want to do. It's called 'responsibility'."

The others shifted uncomfortably in their seats. The atmosphere was quickly turning sour.

Harley clapped her hands together. "Why don't we change the-"

"'Responsibility'? Mum gave you her orders and you followed, like the golden child you are." Reb stood up, looking down on her twin brother, in more ways than one.