The Country Boy and The City Girl

Trina Troubles

I sat in my Psych 101 class wondering if using my backpack straps to hang myself would be less painful. Gosh this was dull stuff. Majorly dull. But at least I was as far away from my new roommate as possible.

"If the reason you came here was to slack off and get an easy grade, I would advise you to leave now," the woman professor said as she stuck a pencil through her tightly pulled back black bun. Her glasses slumped heavily on the wrinkles and deep creases that lined her face, aging her more years than the one hundred she probably already had.

"How many pencils does she have shoved up her butt?" a voice behind me chuckled. "I mean come on? Has she smiled a day in her life?" Trina.

I turned around and smiled. "Hey you."

"Hey, Freshman."

Her big, warm brown eyes consumed me in one quick blink. Her tanned skin's glow and long curled dark hair complimented them immensely. "What brings you to a sophomore class?"

I ran my palms down the sides of my jeans and tried to swallow. "Lots of AP in high school."

Her eyebrows shot up and her red lips stretched into a smile.
"Four point oh grade point average?"

"And then some," I grinned, puffing my chest out with pride. She nodded, impressed.

I could feel my heart twinge as I looked at her, thinking about how Daniella would feel about this. Then I remembered...she didn't care anymore. I had to move on. This was my first step...I shifted in my seat and played absentmindedly with my pen.

"What are you doing tonight?" she beamed, leaning in close so that she could whisper.

My mouth opened, yet words failed to escape my lips. Daggum, Jason. Get ahold of yourself. "Studying was all I had planned."

She bit her full bottom lip and raised a curious eyebrow. "What are you really doing tonight?"

I felt a wave of confidence rush over me as I saw her eyes on me, focused and flirtatious. I grinned. "What'd you have in mind?"

"Excuse me! Is there something that is worth sharing and worth interrupting my class?" I felt all eyes turn in our direction and my smile dropped immediately. Crap.

I turned around and faced the professor and the rest of the students. "I'm...um....no ma'am?"

"What is your name?"

"J-Jason Barkley, ma'am."

Her lips pursed in annoyance as she watched me squirm. "Oh, so Mr. Barkley....what you thought was worth disturbing my class...wasn't really worth disturbing my class after all?"

"I- I'm-uh..."

"Think before you open your mouth. If you don't, that horrid mumbling you just did continues to be ringing in my ears. Now, come back to my class when you can keep it shut."

Trina raised her arm above her head and spoke up confidently. "It was my fault, Professor. It won't happen again."

"There is no need for heroism in my class, Ms. Muny. Help Mr. Barkley with his things and get back to note taking as he leaves."

Her pitied eyes found mine in a regretful stare. My face must've been beet red enough already before I turned to look back at her after seeing everyone else. This was humiliating in front of her. Times a thousand. She mouthed the words I'm sorry as she watched me pass her and make my way out the door.

"Don't worry about Professor Murray. She always makes a big scene the first lecture to ensure no one messes around all year. You were just this year's victim," a guy coming out the class doors said on his way by. "I'm Andrew. Andrew Charter. Sophomore."

Trina rushed up just as I shook his hand. Her eyes were wild with billions of apologies. "I'm really sorry, Jason. I had no idea I would get you kicked out-"

"It's fine," I assured her. "No big deal."

"You know Trina?" Andrew asked wearing surprised grin. "Awesome. We should all hang out sometime."

"Oh yeah! Jason, this is my boyfriend, Andrew." He wrapped his arms around her waist and kissed her cheek.

Boyfriend. Of course.

Andrew wasn't much taller than Trina, but by the looks of his cut frame he could sure handle himself without a problem. I watched as Trina ruffled his short blonde hair and straightened his glasses for him. They looked happy.

I wondered to myself if that's how Danni and I looked to other people:
happy and in love. I remembered the first time I held her hand down the halls and watched people's reactions. Some were envious, others shocked, and some indifferent. Each person had a new expression to offer. But I knew my reaction to Trina and Andrew...shocked and let down.

"Definitely. We can go get coffee later today if you want?" Trina smiled. "You up for it?" Did I read all her signs wrong? I did just meet her though....

"Sure," I faked a smile. "I'm in."

Trina jumped up and down excitedly and threw her arms around me for a hug before heading out with Andrew's hand in hers. Back to the drawing board.

Daniella's POV

"You aren't serious," I groaned as I laid my face in both hands. The housing director shook her head apologetically.

"I'm sorry, girls. There are no other dorms or girls who want to switch roommates at this point. You can try again next year but until then you'll have to make do."

"You don't understand. We can't be in the same room together without having problems," Mac panicked. "Literally being in this room with each other right now is tense and annoying."

"I'm sorry," she replied sternly. Her tone was low and slow. "There isn't anything I can do."

I sighed heavily and drug my fingers down my face, feeling my skin stretch to the limit. So much stress and dread filled my body. "Let's just go," I sighed. "We'll figure it out."

"No! No freakin' way! I'm not leaving until I am out of this suffocating bond. I need to switch with someone. Anyone."

The housing lady didn't bother to look up from her papers and writing as Mac breathed heavily with distress. She really didn't want to be my roommate.

Not that I was eager to keep her as mine either.

But it was like she said. There was nothing we could do. With no one else to switch and no extra rooms, we were stuck in this together. And I was about to scream at the top of my lungs at any moment because of it.

Of all people. It had to be her.

Being her roommate would be like pulling teeth, I could already tell. Amber would come over and I would have to smother myself with a pillow to escape their giggles and gossip. Kent would come over and she would make it as awkward as possible for us. I would try to study while she practiced cheer routines. Ugh. Was it wrong to feel like I was about to throw up? Because I was.

"Please make your way out the door and close it behind you," the director added calmly as Mac began to tear up. Pretty sure I would get to that point soon. With a heavy heart, we turned and left her office, shutting the door on any chance we had of getting out of this mess...