Totally Cliche Nightmare

Chapter 2

Beryl.

That was her name. The name of the mysterious, savior girl who didn't need money but needed a roommate. I still wasn't feeling okay about this.

My mum had already spoken to her and after thanking Adelaide and taking her number too, we went to meet Beryl at her apartment. It was like 25 minutes away from campus and we stared at the expensive, high class looking building for a while before Ron spoke up.

"I feel like I'd have to sell all my body organs plus Roxie's to afford an apartment here."

Honestly, same.

This place looked like it cost more than all my college fees combined. And that wasn't a small amount.

"Mum we can go back now," I suggested, really not liking this. "We can figure something else out."

"Roxie, I know you're feeling too cautious right now but can't you see?" My mum said, turning back in her seat to look at me. "Everything happens for a reason, from this mix up happening to you talking to Adelaide and finding out about this. Let's just meet the girl first, okay?"

"It's honestly all too much." I said, slumping into my seat.

"We already told her we're coming over honey," my mum said, reaching out to lightly squeeze my thighs. "Let's meet her first. If anything looks sketch, you know I'm the first to get you out of there."

With a nod and sigh, I opened the door and stepped out. Shortly later, we were on an elevator going to the 6th floor, where Beryl told us she stayed. Everywhere in this building was so spacious and decorated with lots of expensive looking paintings and artifacts. There seemed to be many recreational rooms from the signs I saw, and I'm sure I saw one that said "sauna". Oh dear.

"There's only two apartments on this whole floor?" Ron asked as we stepped out of the elevator. I looked around and saw a wide passage leading somewhere.

"I think maybe there's others there." I said, feeling a chill at how big this place was, and it wasn't from the aircon.

"Here it is." Mum said, looking in her phone at the text Beryl sent and then pushed a button on the little black device beside the door. There was another beside it, covered and I guessed it was the pass code device.

"Mrs. Harris?" A female voice came from the device and mum gave the biggest smile.

"Hello dear, yes it's me."

"Oh, I'll open in a few!" Supposedly Beryl said, her voice was really cheerful and bright.

We waited and soon enough, the door opened, revealing a girl still in her pajamas, the grey t-shirt stained with something orange and her hair up in a messy bun, some strands sticking to her face.

Apart from her being breathtakingly beautiful and having an out of this world clear skin, she looked like any other normal teenage girl. And really younger looking than I expected, making me feel like a grandma.

"I was cleaning around the house and didn't have time to change into something appropriate, I'm so sorry." She said with a little laugh as she let us enter. When we locked eyes, she smiled. "You must be my soon-to-be roommate, hello!"

"Hi, I'm Roxanne." I greeted, feeling it was impossible to not like her. She had Asian features, with a soft round face and beautiful wide, cat eyes.

"Beryl. Nice to meet you, roomie!" She smiled and I nodded awkwardly as I entered then heard her close the door behind me.

"Okay sweetie, she's not your roommate yet." My mum laughed a little as she sat down on a furry brown couch. "What are the agreements and conditions?"

I sat beside my brother in another couch as Beryl groaned playfully and landed in a huge bean bag.

"Mrs. Harris, you're making this a business deal, I don't like deals and stuff ugh," Beryl said, sitting in a lotus position. "I really don't need anything, my dad paid for the house already and I'll stay here till I'm done with college but I feel lonely without a roommate, that's like a highlight of college."

"True that," my mum agreed, looking like she was reminiscing about her own campus days. "However, we can't just freeload off you."

"You won't be free loading, don't worry," Beryl laughed then seemed to be in deep thought. She suddenly looked at me and I blinked. "You can do the house chores... and cook? You can cook right?"

I nodded slowly, "Just a little, to be honest."

"That's okay." Beryl waved her hands dismissively at me then turned to my mum. "And Mrs. Harris, really whatever you feel like giving me, you can. I'll use it to buy more household items, it isn't entirely furnished."

"Hmm..." Was all my mum said.

Beryl sighed and put her palms under her chin, elbows on her skinny knees. "This is hard."

"There's no catch to this?" My mum asked and Beryl smirked a little.

"The only catch is that I'm really messy and she'll find herself cleaning a lot." Beryl said, then sat off the bean bag a little to raise the side. "Look here, what I call cleaning when I do it myself."

We looked and saw some clothing articles stuffed under there and my mum actually laughed a little. I felt a need to take those clothes out of there and properly wash and iron them instead.

"Roxie herself is addicted to cleaning so that's not a worry," my mum said and I frowned at her.

"Hey I'm not!"

Ron put in, "She's always itching whenever something's out of place, it's a whole allergy."

"My own mother and brother against me, how lovely." I deadpanned even if it was true while Beryl was having the time of her life cackling uncontrollably.

"Okay then, I want to keep Roxie." She said, still laughing. "Roxie keep me please. I bet we'll get along really well."

"You're such a nice girl from what I've seen, Beryl dear." My mum said and I knew this was going to be finalized soon. I still don't know how to feel honestly.

"Thank you ma'am, I like you too." She beamed.

"Okay then, we'll look around the house if that's okay?" Mum said and Beryl nodded, standing.

"Sure sure, I'll give a tour."

About 15 minutes later, we were done looking everywhere and honestly it was a lot. Three bedrooms, two with en suite and one without. One guest toilet, a huge ass kitchen with sleek modern cabinets and utensils then so many storage cupboards. She also took us to the balcony which was in a semi circle, decorated with oversized potted plants.

It was honestly where someone like me wouldn't afford to live in.

"It's a nice house." My mum said, pretending not not be wowed by everything however her eyes literally twinkled.

"Yeah, Rox, you lucky human!" Ron narrowed his eyes at me. "Mum can I over every weekend for a vacation?"

"Behave, Ronald."

"Mum..." Ron whined but my mum ignored him and turned to a giggly Beryl.

"Let's discuss more.."

***

About five hours later, everything was finalized and all my things were now in my new room, which was so big all my things felt small and empty in it.

Mum and Beryl had helped me to arrange my things while Ron just walked around, opening then closing random drawers and checking his hair in the bathroom's big mirror.

Lots of things were found out about Beryl as my mum struck a conversation with her, I kept mostly quiet as I arranged some of my books on a desk but listened into their talks.

Things I found out about Beryl was that she lived in Washington and her dad was a senator, her mum owned a huge jewelry brand and her elder brother was a singer in a group she didn't reveal.

Ron had freaked out when he heard that last part, he keeps up with boy groups more than I do... which is never if you need know. He tried to get Beryl to talk but she playfully avoided it, asking about his interests instead. Ron dove into talks of birds and animal rescue.

It was getting late so I told my mum she could go. It'd been difficult but she later budged and after a few tears and kisses which embarrassed me and Beryl cooed over.

"If you need anything, absolutely anything, call me okay." Mum said, holding my shoulders firmly and looking me in the eye. And even though I would try my best to not disturb her whenever I needed anything, I nodded.

"I will, mum." I smiled and she held me even firmer.

"Promise me, Roxanne." She pleaded, her eyes filled with that emotion again. I sighed loudly, instead leaning forward for a hug. Beryl excused herself to leave us to our little moment, skipping out the door and playfully jabbing Ron in the belly before she ran out.

"I said I will mum." I reveled in her soft citrus smell, her short, chic bob cut brushing against my neck. "Now go on."

She released me then looked at me, tears coming to her eyes again. Oh no, not again. "My little baby's growing, oh my God."

I swiftly moved away before she started kissing me again and then looked to my brother who was leaning against the wall beside the door and staring at us. He looked a little sad, and to be honest, I was hella sad. I was going to miss this annoying human.

"Stop playing cool and come here," I said, spreading my arms and soon he was in it, hugging me tightly. The force of his hug surprised me, making me tease him a little. "Ooo, someone's going to miss me."

I heard him sniff a little. "Shut up, grandma." I laughed as he buried his face in my neck. "I'm going to be all alone now, with no one to piss off with talks of my favorite bands."

It was inevitable, I teased up so quickly, already feeling nostalgic. "Shut up, I'm not dying. We can always FaceTime everyday, okay?"

Ron let me go, and soon we were laughing at the other tearing up while wiping our eyes. My mum stood in a corner looking at us, her eyes filled with love and tears.

"Okay, now you two go before I decide I want to follow you back to Michigan." I said, playfully pushing Ron away with a smile. Mum came and hugged me again and I groaned. "Muuuuum."

She laughed and released me, tucking a stray colored hair beside my ear. "Have fun sweetie, and study hard, okay?"

"Studying is stressful so I'll have fun only." I teased, tucking my tongue out a tiny bit at her and she yanked my ear a little.

Soon they were going out with me escorting them out the door with Beryl waving happily at them and teasing Ron for tearing up. I was amazed at how quickly she became friends with my brother, who mostly kept to himself. That gave her big points in my book.

When they left, I sighed a little, feeling that this is actually real. I'm actually on my own now with my family many hours away from me.

"Roxie, want to watch a movie?" Beryl asked and I looked to the little girl, feeling the most shocking thing about her was that she was a year older than me.

Smiling I nodded and she cheered, hooking her arms with mine and dragging me to her room where we binged watched a Korean drama for hours, eating a really good chicken pizza and drinking lots of fizzy soda.

I wondered, maybe, just maybe this wasn't a bad idea after all. I probably would be okay by myself over here.

And it really was, I met new friends, my classes were enjoyable, I joined student clubs and just got the hang of everything. Life was going great. My housemate was great and fun, my course mates were the nicest, I FaceTimed with my family every night.

Everything was going fine.

That was until a month later, the beginning of everything I called my morals started crashing down, slowly and steadily. And it wasn't fine anymore.