Nowhere Fast
Chapter 2 - The First Meeting
Joey Potter
I set foot in the dorm building and immediately realized my good fortune. I went on line for check-in.
"Name, please." A rather snobby blonde barked out using a somewhat nasal tone.
"Joey Potter"
She looked up, surprised, "You're Joey Potter? Well, I guess I assumed Joey was short for Joseph. Identification please."
After I handed her my college card, she blinked, "I guess you really are." She handed it back to me, then poked the blonde-haired guy working the other line, "Check this out."
The guy glanced up from the form he was filling out for another student, "What do you want this time?"
"I'd like you to meet Joey Potter, your newest neighbor."
He looked in my direction and snickered, "This should be a treat."
The girl cleared her throat, "I apologize, we shouldn't be laughing. It's just such a treat. I can't wait to see how this progresses." Holding out her hand, "I'm sorry, I shouldn't be so rude. I'm Abby Morgan and this is my partner-in-crime Charlie Maiello."
Not quite certain what happened, I shook Abby's hand and continued dealing with the paperwork. Finally, Abby dug out the key to room 134.
When I entered the room, I was pleasantly amazed. Considering that I didn't even receive housing until five days ago, I was grateful at the good fortune of getting a room all to myself. I knew it was because the original resident found cheaper housing off-campus but I saw it as destiny.
Or actually, Dawson said it was destined to be. He seemed to use that word a lot. He's right, however. I've had to deal with so many people living in my house because Bessie converted it into a Bed & Breakfast. Can you imagine having total strangers to deal with on a regular basis, then being delegated to my own place? I wish I didn't know that feeling.
* * * * *
Jack McPhee
I entered the lobby where we would be checking in and waited on the first of what I was sure would be many long lines.
"Identification, please." The guy behind the desk stated.
I handed him my student ID. He glanced at it, scanning the check-in sheet, then looked up with a smile plastered on his face.
"Jack, nice to meet you. I'm Charlie and I'll be living down the hall from you. I'm a junior so if you need anything, just head two doors down."
The girl dealing with the other line snapped, "Stop flirting so we can get this over with." She glanced up in my direction, then reverted back to her work.
Charlie muttered, "Let me get the necessary paperwork done for you so Campus Residences doesn't become a pest." He scribbled down some information, then handed it over for me to sign. After doing so, he handed me the room key.
When I unlocked the door of room 136, I was amazed by its size. Or lack thereof. I'd be sharing this room with someone else? It looked like it could just about fit one person, much less two.
I glanced in the direction of the other door. The bathroom door. We'd be sharing it with the resident in the next room. I could hear noises coming from there.
I was about to greet him when the main door slammed open and a couple of suitcases were thrown into the room. Shortly thereafter, the other resident was standing in the doorway. A rather good-looking brunette who looked like he'd just woken up.
He glanced up, initially surprised to see me standing in the room. After that subsided, he walked over and offered his hand to shake.
"Pacey Witter here. You must be Jack."
Remembering that I hadn't known anything about my roommate, I was slightly startled.
"How'd you know?" I asked after shaking his hand.
"Simple. That bitch at check-in told me. She started laughing for no apparent reason. Strange girl." Pacey shook his head, "I suggest that we should be wary of that Abby girl." Glancing around the room, "Doesn't it suck that neither one of us got a single?"
I snorted, "Someday, I suppose."
"Have you met the guy yet? Our neighbor?" Pacey asked as he rummaged through one of the suitcases.
"I was about to before a cascade of luggage flew into the room."
"Eureka!" Pacey exclaimed as he pulled out a can of whipped cream, "Think this would make a lovely greeting?"
Is he serious? If I was the person on the other side of that door, I would run the hell out of here before meeting this.. this.. Or maybe I should be relieved that we're on the same side for the moment? "I somehow don't think that would make a good first impression."
He grinned quickly and was about to throw the can back into the suitcase when he changed his mind. "Actually, I see myself ready to give our neighbor a scare. I promise not to truly use this as a weapon but it'll be amusing to see the look on his face."
* * * * *
Pacey Witter
Some people feel they can use any scrap of authority they have as a way to put the "lesser" people down to their "proper" places. Abby Morgan was that type of person. Gauging from her reaction, I'd say she was a junior who would rub that mere fact in the face of every freshman she'd meet.
Okay, maybe I'm a little cranky. That's what happens when Jen insists on enjoying our last night together by celebrating in the clubs until closing. Our drunk selves managed to crash at Jen's boyfriend Drue Valentine's house. How the hell could she be attracted to that slimy cretin is beyond me. However, he is an even better expert than Jen when it comes to creating a little drama in our ordinary lives.
Drue thought it would be amusing if I found out the tolerance level of my roommate as quickly as possible. Determine if he was an "uptight elitist like our parents" or someone willing to have a slight bit of fun in the next four years.
Sorry, getting sidetracked while waiting for this meeting to be over. That's right, back to the bitch known as Abby Morgan. Something about that girl just emitted immediately that she would treasure causing trouble. I don't mean trouble in the way Drue insists on creating drama because at least he isn't delibrately trying to hurt anyone. Abby could probably take what little information she already knew with the intent of using it against everyone. Very sad person indeed.
How the hell she even managed to have a confidante such as the other check-in guy, Charlie I believe, I have no idea. Probably involves blackmail since she certainly wasn't dating him. Not that I have radar or anything, but it was pretty clear that Charlie was gay. He was definitely scoping the guy he was currently helping.
Abby handed me the key and waved me off. As I left with the necessary materials, Abby called out, "Tell Joey that I wish everyone good luck."
I raised an eyebrow, the shrugged it off. I tried to balance the two suitcases and the freshman information as I climbed up the stairs. I was ever so thankful that there was only one flight to negotiate. Finally, I found room 136. The door was slightly ajar so I took the opportunity to throw down the suitcases.
I felt a pair of eyes on me. I glanced up, seeing my roommate standing there, completely startled. I believe Abby said his name was Jack. Or maybe this was Joey. No, she didn't say who exactly Joey was. Just "wished us luck".
Ended up getting it right, miracle upon miracles. Maybe it was the questioning look when I entered but I had this need to immediately try Drue's idea. It was imperative to me at that moment. Not surprisingly, he freaked out, his skin turning an even lighter shade of pale.
Nevertheless, he did follow me through the bathroom as I tapped on door on the other side. The door opened and there stood the most beautiful woman I'd ever seen. Her soft brown hair framed around her face. The cutest blue t-shirt and jeans outfit. Those eyes with just a hint of blue in them.
And they suddenly turned ice cold.
"What do you want?" Eyeing the whipped cream can in my hand, she shirked away a little. I immediately passed it behind me to Jack.
"I'm sorry to bother you but we were looking for the person who lives her. I suppose your boyfriend or brother.."
She stated emphatically, "You don't live here."
I gave a half-smile, "I think I know where I live. At least, as told by the people at check-in."
"No. You don't because.. I should have known there was a problem. This living arrangement seemed too good to be true."
Jack asked, " You live here?"
She replied rudely, "Yes, I live here. How the fuck did those idiots make such a stupid mistake?"
She lives here? The beauty lives here?
"This is a blatant mistake. I know this dorm is co-ed but that's based on floor, not room." Joey ranted.
"Until this problem gets resolved, I guess we'll have to be roommates," Jack said.
She lets out a deep sigh before nodding, "Yeah, I suppose so." Putting on an obviously fake grin, she introduced herself, "Hi, I'm Joey Potter."
Why did that name sound familiar. Oh, yes, Abby blatantly knew about the room mix-up. I retorted, "You couldn't use Joanne or Joelle or whatever.."
Joey snapped, "It's short for Josephine. And yes, Joey is the name I used on the application. But I also clearly marked the F option on the question of sex so that .."
"Josephine is a lovely name," I observed.
"Don't ever call me that again. Unless you don't mind your voice changing to a soprano."
I backed up a little, "Understood, Jo. I'm just trying to figure out how this happened. Not that I mind a female roommate, but, you know, complications involving the opposite sex always occur." I gave a suggestive leer to back that up.
Joey scrunched her nose (another beautiful trait, I might add), "Believe me, there is no way that," pointing to me, "you're ever going to have anything resembling a physical relationship with me."
"Was that 'you' implying me or 'you' implying both me and Jack?" Realizing she didn't actually know our names yet, I added, "Sorry, he's Jack and I'm Pacey."
She snickered a little, "That's amusing. With a name like Pacey and yet I'm the one with the gender crisis in this school? Then again, they must have known that you would think that's the best arrangement in the world."
I replied, "Those people wouldn't bless me like that. Because you know that all the women would be clamoring for me. I could make many wonderful acquaintances that way."
"I somehow think it would only help you get better acquainted with yourself. But that's just the way I see things. As much as I love the idea of dealing with a member of a lower species, I really have to go find better people. Nice to meet you Jack. Not-so-nice to meet you Pacey."
She spun around, then turned back to slam the door shut.
Chapter 3 - You've Come A Long Way, Baby
Nowhere Fast Index
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