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CHAPTER 3: 2 BATHROOMS

I stick close to Carlo as he leads the way through the city. I couldn't recall the route to his place very well; I had been there once but only briefly.

I'm incredibly nervous, my palms sweating profusely. All I can think about is how awkward I am. To others, this might not seem like a big deal, but for me, it's a huge step. I've always been somewhat socially awkward. While I've improved over the last year or two, I still blurt out silly things from time to time.

"It's up there," Carlo points to a white house on the corner and says, "That's it." Like most college houses, it's divided into three smaller apartments. I thought Carlo lived in the basement suite.

"I forgot about the basement part," I mutter, and he chuckles.

"It's spacious, with high ceilings and everything," he reassures me, and I follow him to the side entrance.

As I step inside, I glance around, blinking in surprise. He was right; for a basement, the ceilings were quite high. The living room was right next to me, featuring a large leather sectional and a flat-screen TV. To the left, there was a half wall with shoes, and on the other side, I spotted the front closet and a dining table. Beyond the dining area was the kitchen, and straight ahead, a hallway with doors.

"So? Not too shabby, right?" he asks, and I nod, giving a nonchalant shrug. The floors and walls could use some cleaning, but it didn't bother me much.

"It's great," I smile as I shrug.

"I need to use the bathroom. You stay put; I'll show you the rest in a minute," he insists, holding up his hands. I nod and watch him head down the hallway.

I look around a bit but don't wander. I take in all the clutter scattered around—traffic cones in the corner and beer boxes against the walls. It's a typical college house, and this is what college students do. How would it be sharing a place with guys? I wasn't entirely sure, but back home, my family and I all shared a bathroom, and I knew how to clean up after myself. It might not be so bad.

"Hey," a guy emerges from a back room into the kitchen. "Don't I know you?" he asks, and I inhale tensely because I couldn't recall who he was.

"Um, I'm not sure, but it's possible we've met," I shrug. He's got blonde hair and blue eyes, resembling any other guy I've encountered. "I'm Julianna."

"Right! I remember you, Julianna," he beams, rifling through the cabinets while snapping his fingers. "We all played cards in the dorm lounge the first time we met."

"Oh, okay." I recollect that now. I had forgotten the people we played with, but it's starting to come back to me.

"You look different; it's kinda hard to recognize you," he observes, and I make a playful face.

"Different in a good or bad way?" I inquire, and he laughs, grabbing a box of frosted flakes from the counter.

"Good," he assures me as he tears open the box, taking a handful and munching on it. "I'm Kyle."

"Right," I sigh, recollecting more now. "Sorry, that was about 2 and a half years ago."

"No worries," he shrugs, popping more cereal into his mouth. "So, you still friends with Carlo?" he asks between chews, and I chuckle.

"We haven't kept in touch as much," I admit.

"What brings you two here today?" he asks, swallowing his food.

"Well, kinda," I shrug. "I'm actually here to check out your available room." I worry slightly about his reaction.

"Really?" he exclaims, enthusiastic. I nod. "That's awesome! We've been searching for a new roommate for weeks!"

"Carlo mentioned that, and I'm itching to get out of my parents' house!" I share, and he smiles, setting the cereal box back down.

"Hey, Mark!" Kyle calls from the kitchen, and Mark steps out of the door on the right side of the hallway. Mark was good-looking, much like Kyle. It was evident that these were Carlo's friends, and they were all quite attractive. Did I even meet their standards to be their potential roommate?

"Hey, Kyle," Mark greets him, then takes a moment to glance at me and back at Kyle. "Who's this?"

"Julianna, you've met Julianna before, man," Kyle persists, while Mark raises an eyebrow. "She was a friend of Carlo's, and she played cards with us that one time."

"Oh, right," Mark recalls, seeming more welcoming now. Mark was probably about five-eight inches shorter than Kyle, but his red hair suited him well, and the freckles on the bridge of his nose added to his charm. "Is Carlo here to see you?"

"No, you goof, she's here to check out the apartment!" Kyle chimes in, continuing to pour cereal into his mouth.

"Oh, you're the person Carlo texted us about."

"Yeah, being closer to campus would be nice," I agree, and he nods.

"Well, we probably shouldn't make any major decisions until Kent gets back!" Mark suggests with a shrug, and I nod in agreement. "You've met Kent before?"

"Nope," I confess. I was most anxious about that, but at least I knew the other guys.

"He's a good guy; you'll like him," Mark reassures me. "Do you want to see the rest of the house?"

"Sure," I reply with a shrug, and he smiles, leading me down the hall. Kyle follows behind, holding a box of cereal.

There are seven doors in the hallway.

"I've got the room on the right," Mark mentions as he quickly shows me his somewhat messy room. "Kyle's is the one across the hall," he adds, and Kyle opens his door to reveal a mostly tidy room. "This is the main bathroom," he continues, stepping one door to the right. It's quite spacious, featuring a toilet, a sink with ample counter space, and a shower. "And over there is our laundry room and a half-bath," he points, although it's closed, so Carlo is probably inside.

"Two toilets!" I repeat, and they both nod in agreement.

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