Getting Acquainted (Room 206 residents)

[Deleted]

Every year, in the influx of new students and out-flux of old students, there was always a rearrangements of the residents in the dorms. Sera had moved quite a few times in the near five years that she had been here, and every time it irritated her, because that meant that she had to re-set up everything in her room all over again. It could take hours before she finally was comfortable enough with the look to call it perfect. It wasn't even like she had a lot of stuff either, just her archive of journals, a collection of other books, her sewing supplies, and an archive of DVDs which she never put on display anyway, but which she kept neatly tucked away on the shelf of her closet, organized by genre, title, and volume. She had pictures to put on the wall, awards to display, keeping sure that each were placed in chronological order as well, though she often wondered if it might not look more impressive to place them according to the award rather than the year she got it. Nope, chronological was a better way to show off her progress, as though it were a exponential graph she were putting on display.

Either way, it was most definitely a couple of hours before she was satisfied enough to finally emerge from her room.

Sera had yet to meet her roommates, though Sera had little interest in actually doing so. She stepped from her room and into the common area. Whether or not there were already people in there was a matter beneath her notice. Sera had other priorities. Like making sure the rest of the dorm was in some sort of order. She couldn't stand clutter and wasn't going to stand it from her roommates. In fact, to ensure that this wouldn't be a problem, Sera sat down at the table and immediately started writing up a list of ground-rules for the four of them. She'd post it on the refrigerator for all to see and bring it to their attention when she was done.

Pending nobody disrupted her before then.

[Madison Davis]

For her only being here since the end of December Madison had a lot of roommates coming and going. Each one of them had their own quirks and personality traits that made them interesting to live with. Of course traveling a lot Madison was used to dealing with different people from different walks of life. Every time she had gotten new roommates the friendly blonde had not been at all bothered by it and did the best to be friends with each. Only she had not got a chance to really talk to the two new girls that would be rooming with her for who knows how long. This would be the first time since Sammy left she would actually be rooming with girls so this might be different. She had gotten use to rooming with all guys and only really hanging with guys for that matter. She hoped the girls would be cool to live with and they could possible become friends later on.


Finished getting ready in the bathroom Madison made her way out of the bathroom drying her hair with a towel and dancing and rapping along to the song thrift shop by Macklemore that was playing in her earphones. With the headphones in she didn't realise just how loud she actually was but no one was in the common area just yet. "Imma take your grandpa style. Imma take your grandpa style. No for real can I have his hand-me-downs "?

She put the towel around her neck and climbed up on the counter so she could reach the top the top shelf and got out some of her pop-tarts. When Seraphine had come out Madison was sitting down crossed leg on top of the counter eating and still rapping the song. "Your grammy, your aunty, your momma, your mammy I'll take those flannel zebra jammies, second-hand, I rock that motherfucker. The built-in onesies with the socks on that motherfucker. I hit the party and they stop in that motherfucker". When she noticed the girl she took one of earphones and smiled at the girl. "I'm not bothering you am I"?

[Oliver Barnes]

Oliver had been at Hammel for about a year and a half now. It seemed like his roommates were always shifting and changing, but seldom did the introverted boy make friends or talk to any of them. He hid away in his own dorm, with the door locked, and headphones in. Ever since he was a kid, Oliver had a hard time talking to people and making friends, and after manifestation was no different. Thankfully, Oliver himself never had to shift dorm rooms, staying in his own little bubble, contently.

Only semi-recently did he reach out and talk to the one blonde, Madison, but it was her who had initiated the conversation. She was the complete opposite of him; a bubbly, outgoing girl while he much preferred the company of novels and himself. Although, Oliver was more outgoing than he was a year ago, able to meet lovely people and make a few friends along the way.

He had been writing away in his journal after a short phone call to his parents, something they insisted after the shy boy explained to them that he wasn't going to visit them this summer. He had only stopped to take a break, as the beginning of a migraine was forming along with a cramp in his wrist. Oliver unlocked his dorm door, peering out to see Maddie and an unfamiliar girl with jet black hair. He tilted his head to the side, watching them for a moment before quietly heading towards the kitchen for something to drink.

[Deleted]

Sera nearly didn’t notice when the other girl emerged from her bedroom, but it wasn’t long before the bouncy blonde’s of rhythm mutterings started grating on Sera’s ears, quickly causing her to lose concentration on the list she was writing up. Though that did give her reason to add yet another point to it.

Be mindful of your personal noise levels. Keep your music to yourself as not everyone shares your tastes.

Hopefully, the girl would take the hint that this meant that while she could have the earphones up as loud as she wanted, singing along to whatever trash she was listening to violated other people’s personal barriers.

She couldn’t expect the girl to read it over her shoulder, however. Sera had only just written the rule, along with a number of others. So when the blonde spoke up and asked if she was bothering the quiet girl, Sera replied curtly. “Excessively.”

Sera did not look up from her writing as another person emerged from their room and entered the kitchen area. Sera closed her eyes, irritated. It’d had gotten crowded in here very quickly. The temperature of the air may have dropped a few degrees.

[Madison Davis]

"Oh, I'm sorry I'll keep it down. I just love Macklemore so much." She walked over to the girl. "By the way I am Madison Davis but you can call me Maddie. It is a pleasure to met you. Oh my god how could I almost forgot"? She ran to her room and grabbed her camera and ran back out snapping a picture of the girl. "Must get a picture of my new roomie. Never know when it might be a memorable moment". Madison smiled as she saw Oliver walk into the room. "Morning olly olly oxen free" she said cheerfully.

[Oliver Barnes]

Oliver made it to the kitchen, and was about to open the fridge when he felt a chill run down his spin. Shivering, he shook it off before opening the fridge and grabbing the pitcher of ice tea he had made earlier that morning and a cup. He poured a glass, his eyes watching the two girls interact, hoping to stay out of it until Maddie greeted him.

Smiling, he gave a small wave. "Hey Maddie. Awful cheery this morning." He commented. Then again, when was his blonde roommate not? Oliver's gaze landed on the dark haired girl, before clearing his throat. "You, uh... living in this dorm now?" Obviously, she was. The painfully shy boy felt like dying on the spot from embarrassment.

[Deleted]

Sera barely paid enough attention to catch the girls names. She already was irritated by the girl. Sera hadn’t invited her to speak or for small talk or chit-chat. Sera just wanted things to be quiet while she finished up this list.

She certainly hadn’t invited the girl to take her picture. Sera looked up when she heard the sound of the camera. “I didn’t give you permission to take that.” Sera scowled. And glared.

Sera slid her eyes from the boy for a brief moment when he asked his question, then refocused on the girl. “Delete that picture at once.”

[Madison Davis]

"Sorry. It just that I like taking surprise pictures. They are the best because you capture people in their natural state". Madison turned her attention back to Oliver smiling. "It's a lovely morning and not to mention when am I not cheerful"? The girl was definitely a morning person...well and am afternoon and night person at that. Madison was just always cheery and full of energy no matter what time of day to be honest.

Madison turned her head to the side probaly looking like a confused puppy. People never really took her taking a picture negatively. There was always confused at first but they never ask her to delete the picture. "It's not a bad picture if that what you're worry about" she said showing her the picture. "I just like to have pictures of the first time I meet them is all".

[Oliver Barnes]

Oliver shifted uncomfortably once more as the other girl looked at him. He poured his ice tea, taking a long sip before leaning against the back of the counter, watching the scene unfold in front of him. He much preferred to observe rather than get involved, especially with this scary new roommate. The old Oliver would have run away at first sight of conflict, but Ev had warned him about the dangers of phasing too much. Also scary.

He refilled his empty glass once more, putting the pitcher away. "I don't know how you do it." Oliver commented to Maddie, with a small smile. To be so blissfully optimistic and... happy.

"You should see the one of me." Oliver suddenly blurted out, not sure how to diffuse the situation. He looked like, for lack of a better word, a total derp.

[Deleted]

Well, what if Sera didn’t want her “natural state” captured? She just blatantly and rudely breeched Sera’s right to privacy. It had nothing to do with how it looked! It was the principle of the thing. Sera did not want random pictures of herself being taken without her permission. “I said delete it,” she said again firmly, barely taking a glance at the picture when the girl showed it to her. Sera rose slowly from her seat. She’d take that camera away and do it herself if she had to.

For the moment, she was completely ignoring the boy. He may as have not been there, for all Sera cared.

[Madison Davis]

"That easy" Maddie said to Oliver. "I was raised by hippies therefore I'm a total flower child. It's what we do" she joked.

Madison smiled at Oliver. "It wasn't bad. A little silly looking but not bad". Madison looked back at the girl. "If you really don't like getting your picture then consider it delete I guess". Madison turned it towards the girl as she deleted the picture so the girl could see it was gone. "There it's gone. Be warn I do take a lot of pictures".

[Oliver Barnes]

Oliver just chuckled underneath his breath in response. He lifted the glass of ice tea, watching the two girls interact with a hesitant expression on his face. And then the scary girl was standing up and he cowered away on instinct.

It was just a silly picture; he didn't know why the other girl was being so rude about it. Of course, Oliver didn't say anything.