Chapter 1 MY ROOMMATE HAS ABS

RIVER

I stare at the house in front of me and then at my phone again; it is exactly the house I had rented for my four years here. I look around the place and see similar houses lined up around the street. I take a deep breath and walk up to the door. I had been told by my roommate via chat that she was going to be around but might not be in when I get there, so I just need to go in with my key that I had gotten delivered.

I dig through the bag slung over my shoulder for the key. "Oh my goodness!" I exclaim as I search. I know you had put it in here; why then was it not there? I squat and search through the bar until my fingers finally glide through a slippery, silver-like metal. I pull it out and plant a kiss on it before I push it into the keyhole and open the door.

The door clicks open, and I am left with a huge space right in front of me. This must be the living room. I push my bags inside, glad I only had to struggle with one suitcase for now, since my other things will arrive later that week. I walk in, leaving the suitcase at the door, and the door closes.

I pass the kitchenette and walk to one of the two doors side by side. I open one door, and I see suitcases lying around. "I guess she hasn't gotten round to unpacking yet," I murmur to myself before closing the door silently and then opening the next. I see an empty room with the windows closed, and I smile to myself. This is the perfect house. I am glad that I snatched it up when I did.

I walk into the room and sit on the bare bed for a moment before I walk back to the common area and drag my suitcase with me into the room. As if my father knows I had arrived, my phone begins buzzing, and I smile when I see his name plastered over the screen.

"Daddy, I just got here," I say happily into the phone.

"How did you find the flight down?" he asked in his usual husky voice.

"Scary, but I am glad I came. I am yet to go see the campus, but I am glad that I came," I say, and I am sure he can feel my happiness.

"I miss you already, kiddo," he murmurs into the phone, and I close my eyes, trying to stop tears from flowing once again. It had been a war for me this morning to be able to leave him. It was almost as if I was tearing my heart out.

My mom had died when I was one year old, and since then, my dad and I had only grown stronger and closer together. "I miss you too," I add, not wanting to think about anything. "Do you want me to come back?" I asked, knowing he was not going to allow me. I feel bad for leaving him, but this was for him. I was going to be the best student and make him proud.

"Of course not, kiddo, you have fun and make sure that you make your college experience count. Remember what I have been telling you..."

"Live your life for yourself." I cut him off before he could recite his mantra. "You don't have to worry about anything; I am living my life for myself," I say, taking a deep breath. Doing this for him is the same as doing it for myself.

"My college days were one of the best in my entire life, and I want you to..."

"You want me to have the best as well, and I agree. I want to have the best, but I need you to trust that this is the best."

"I trust you," he lets out after a sigh.

"I have to go set up my things. I will talk to you later."

"Sure thing, kiddo," he says, and the line beeps dead. I lay on the bed, feeling my body sink into the soft mattress. I close my eyes and only open them when I hear the door beside mine open. I wait for a while before I walk to the kitchenette to get a bottle of water.

I can't wait to meet my roommate; we have been talking over the phone for a while now, and even though she seems a little mysterious, I want to meet her. Maybe we would complement each other so well, even though I am hoping that we get along.

I take a bottle of water and struggle to open it before gulping down the entire contents. I gulp down the water, and my head is still thrown in the air with the bottle in my mouth when the door opens and a shirtless boy emerges, standing a few meters from me. I sputter the water flying from my mouth as my eyes trail his body.

"Who are you? What are you doing here?" I ask, coughing as I try to understand why a shirtless boy would be in my apartment.

"I should be asking you that," he says, a smirk on his face. I look at him; his blue eyes are piercing, but they look tired, like someone who hasn't slept in a long while. His blonde hair was tousled in loose curls on the top of his head. He stared at me, all the questions he wanted to ask boldly on his face.

"This is my apartment; you must have gotten into the wrong one," I say, trying to stop myself from looking at his perfectly toned chest.

"You like what you see?" he said, not responding to my earlier claim. I look up at him, and he raises his eyebrow with a smirk plastered on his face. Oh, dear God. I was not prepared for this. Not now. Not ever.

"What are you saying?" I throw him a look of disgust, and he tilts his head. I can't understand why he was so calm when it felt as if I was about to shit my pants in that moment.

"River?" he asked, and I nodded. Then I saw his smirk widen as he stretched his hand towards me as if we were in a business meeting. "Hi, I'm Taylor."

I stare at the blue-eyed Ken-looking boy staring at me, and I shake my head. This is impossible; Taylor is a girl. She has to be a girl; that is the only way this makes sense.

"You're what?"