“Frank. He’s a sweetheart and he means well, but he’s desperate to find a girlfriend. All the guys give him endless shit about it too. Poor dude.” Sienna mock pouts, her gaze going to where Frank currently sits on the couch next to Cooper. “I saw the way he was holding your hand.”
“It was nothing.” I smile, trying to dismiss it, because for me, it really was nothing.
“Not to him it wasn’t. That’s his problem. If he could learn how to play it cool for once, he’d have women chasing after him instead of the other way around,” she explains. “I mean, look at Nico.”
I don’t want to. He’s too pretty. “Right,” I say weakly, making her laugh.
“He’s hot, isn’t he?” Sienna looks around me and right at Nico, fanning herself. “And I hear you two are sharing a bathroom?”
“Who told you that?”
“Cooper. He tells me everything. Well, mostly everything.” Her eyes are sparkling with mischief. “By the way, if you catch Nico coming out of his bathroom naked, please, for the love of God, take a pic and send it to me. I hear his dick is ginormous.”
She bursts out laughing, and I really hope she’s joking.
“Oh my God.” My cheeks are burning, and I shake my head, freaking out at the mere thought. “I really hope I never see his—dick.”
A skeptical look crosses her face. “Come on, now. You’ve met him, right?”
“I can’t let a guy distract me,” I tell her, my tone earnest because it’s the truth. “It’s been one crisis after another since I got here. I need to get my car fixed. I have to find a job. I need to buy a whole new wardrobe—”
I clamp my lips shut, hating how on edge I feel just thinking about everything I need to do. It’s overwhelming and I have no help. Well, it was my choice not to reach out to my mom and ask her for some advice or even a little money, but I know what she’s going to say.
No.
And I don’t want to hear it.
The skepticism switches to sympathy in an instant. “Aw, Coop mentioned all of your troubles to me too. I’m so sorry about ... everything. I can give you some clothes if you need them. I have a couple of bags of things that don’t fit me anymore—I was planning on asking my roommate if she wanted any of it before I donate it.”
The dismissive noise leaves me before I can stop myself. “Please. You’re at least five inches taller than me.”
“I have bad luck when it comes to clothes. I buy something, wash it, and it shrinks on me more often than not. The laundry rooms at our apartment complex are the worst. So yes, I have a few things I can give you,” Sienna says. “You can try them on, see if they’ll work.”
“I could pay you—”
“No way,” she interrupts, shaking her head. “I’d just give it to my roommate, and she doesn’t deserve it. That ho is so annoying.”
I burst out laughing, my entire body seeming to relax. “She’s a ho?”
“Not really. But sheisannoying.” Sienna tucks a few strands of hair behind her ear. “Look, I know we just met, but I mean it. If I can help you in any way, let me know. I’ll bring over a bag of clothes tomorrow afternoon.”
“I’m not sure if I’ll be here.” I grimace. “I have to go on a job hunt tomorrow.”
“You should try the café down the street,” she suggests.
“That’s where my car got broken into.”
“Oh. Well, maybe that’s bad luck, but they’re hiring. I saw the sign in the window. It’s fast paced because, like, everyone goes there, but it should be fun too. I’ve known a few people who work there, and they say the owner is super accommodating to class schedules,” Sienna explains.
“I’ll have to check it out.”
“What’s your major?” Sienna asks.
“Nutrition. I think I want to be a nutritionist.”
“Oh.” Sienna makes a face. “That takes a lot of science, huh?”
“Yeah, it does.” I’m nodding. Even laughing. I like her a lot. She’s so friendly and welcoming.