Behind The Scenes Of "Roommates"

October 1, 2019.

I woke up shortly after hearing the Instagram ding.
Who the fuck messages me at midnight?
I thought to myself as I grabbed up my phone from the bedside table.
That's when I saw it.

"menamassoud messaged you"

Along with:

"menamassoud followed you"

My brown eyes bugged out as I looked at my screen.
Ok, calm down its probably just a fan-made account scamming me.
I've had my fair share of scammers so I knew what to look for.
I slid my thumb upward on my screen, unlocking it. I quickly pulled down the notification bar, clicked on one of the Instagram notifications.
I saw the little blue check next to the handle.
Well, I wasn't expecting that! I thought to myself as I starred at the little blue checkmark.
Scammers couldn't get those. I thought to myself gapping the profile.
Yup. No scammer couldn't be behind this.
It was really Mena.
I collected myself naturally, meaning I screamed into a pillow until I saw stars. After that, I picked up my phone that I dropped.
I saw my message to him.
"JessalynnNichole - Hey I know you might be busy with interviews and filming your show, so doubt that you'll respond. I'm currently working on a project and I'm writing parts from your point of view. I'm actually having a terrible time. I don't want to throw it away because some people are loving it. My question for you is- how can I write in your point of view and be good at it?"
I rolled up and saw his response.
"MenaMassoud - Hi there, Jessalynn. Beautiful name by the way. So I'm guessing its some kind of fan fiction. That's sweet you want my parts to actually sound like me. My advice is to watch anything you can find me on YouTube, watch the videos on the 'evolving vegan' account on here, and listen to the podcast. I believe that you can listen to it on Spotify. I'm 120% myself in everything so it's easy to learn things that way. Now I'm very curious about what you are writing, are you willing in sharing with me?"
I chewed on my lower lip, debating on showing him my pathetic piece of writing.
I shut the Instagram app and went to my google document app, went to the share option of the first chapter of the story, quickly made it so he could "view" it only. With a huge sigh, I pasted the link to the message then hit send.
I went back to the document app and clicked on the second chapter, did what I did for the first chapter then copied the link.
I went back to the messages and sent him that link.
"Now we wait to see if he blocks you cause you are insane," I muttered darkly to myself as I tossed my phone on my bed.
I went back to sleep until like eight in the morning then I went through my day as normal. I started my day with a huge cup of coffee with nondairy creamer then I opened my little black Acer laptop.
"Hi, little buddy," I said opening her up and turning her on.
Once she loaded and showed my home screen, the live-action poster of Aladdin. Don't judge me, okay?
"Okay. So he said YouTube. So... YouTube it is."
Hours later, I heard my mother's SUV pull into the driveway.
I blinked in surprise. It was eight at night.
Where did the day go?!
I quickly slammed shut my laptop and quickly fed all our six cats and two dogs.
"Jess?" My mother asked as she walked in.
"In the dining room, Mom." I hollered back.
She set her work bag on the table with a huge long sigh.
"How was work?" I asked as I shut the dog food.
She worked in an Ann Arbor nursing home. We lived in Allen Park, so it was usually an hour drive from work for her.
"Long. Someone fell out of bed and we had a lot of paperwork. Then someone's family thought we were their own personal maid."
She's been in the nursing field ever since I was a kid. She was getting her RN when I was younger, but something happened and she only became an LPN. Still as a nurse but people in that field looked at you as an aid, not an actual nurse. It made me upset some days when she came home and ranted to me about her day.
I sat down on the couch, fiddling with my phone, "That sucks Mom."
"You hungry? Want that Middle Eastern place again?" She asked me as she kicked off her nursing shoes.
I nodded, "Can I have a falafel sandwich on pita bread?"
She cocked a thin brown eyebrow at me, "Yeah, sure. Coke or Dr. P?"
"Dr. P." I folded my legs to my chest, resting my chin on my knees.
Suddenly I heard my phone ding, I jumped out of my skin from the sudden noise.
It had to be Mena.
I smiled as I unlocked my phone and read the message.
"MenaMassoud - Giiirl, don't think you need help with writing my point of view. You are an amazing writer. Very nice. If you want I can help you with chapter three."
"Who has you all flustered over there?" My mother eyed me as I bit my lower lip.
"Uhh.."
Don't tell her the truth!
"Just a guy who said my writings are good," I muttered as I heard a knock on our front door, our food was here.
I locked my phone and forgot to reply to Mena.
I ate my vegan meal then showered then climbed into bed.
That's when I remembered that I didn't reply!
"Shit!" I hissed as I grabbed my phone.
I clicked on my document app,  went to the unfinished third chapter and decided to make it so he could "edit" the chapter with me, then copied the link.
"JessalynnNichole - Here is the link to the unfinished third chapter. I'm sort of stuck so maybe you can shine new light on it."
Then I sent him the chapter and fell asleep.