Page 10 of Pucking My Grumpy Roommate
“Send me a picture.”
“Absolutely not!” I hissed. “I’m not going to creep on my reluctant roommate. Besides, I need to focus on finding another place ASAP.”
After hanging up, I spent two hours searching housing sites, finding nothing even remotely affordable within a reasonable distance from campus. Frustrated, I flopped back on the bed just as I heard the apartment door open.
My phone buzzed with a text.
Mr. Wrong Number
How’s your day treating you, Desert Survivor? Any close encounters with the bone collectors?
I smiled, grateful for the distraction, and typed back.
Let’s just say I’ve had better days. The universe seems determined to test my adaptability skills. How about you?
The response came quickly:
Mr. Wrong Number
Sometimes unexpected changes lead to interesting places. Though I imagine your Arizona blood is basically turning to slush in this weather.
I laughed softly, curling up against the headboard.
My extremities have gone numb so many times today I’m starting to think it’s their natural state. Is it always this brutal, or am I just lucky?
My mysterytexter replied:
Mr. Wrong Number
You picked a special kind of Minnesota welcome week. It’s been three years since we’ve had a cold snap this intense. Even the locals are complaining.
Great. So I’m not just being a desert wimp. That’s oddly comforting.
So Mr. Wrong Number, what’s your idea of a perfect evening?
The response took longer than usual.
Mr. Wrong Number
Simple pleasures. You?
I bit my lip, feeling unexpectedly bold.
You’re surprisingly easy to talk to for a wrong number. Makes me wonder if fate has a sense of humor.
Mr. Wrong Number
Maybe it does. Or maybe talking to strangers is easier because there’s no history, no expectations.
I thought about that for a moment before replying:
True. Like how it’s easier to dance when nobody’s watching. Speaking of which, I should probably sleep. Big day tomorrow.
CHAPTER 4
AUSTIN
Iwoke at precisely five a.m. just as I had every morning since I was sixteen. No alarm needed—my body knew the drill. The morning routine was sacred: protein shake, stretching, meditation, shower. Each step carefully calibrated for optimal performance.
