15

Nia tried to be quiet as she got ready for class.

Tanya was sound asleep. She hadn’t been exaggerating when she’d said she was a night owl. It had been past two when she came in the night before, and it wasn’t even the weekend. Tanya opened her eyes. “Hey roomie. What you doing?”

“Getting ready to go to Bible study.”

Tanya sat up and stretched. “What time is it?”

“Seven thirty. What time is your Bible Study class?”

“Same as yours.”

“Really? I haven’t seen you there.”

“Too early for me. I’ve been meaning to ask if you can let me see your notes. That way I can keep up with the class.”

Nia stared. “What? Are you never going to class?”

“Course I’m gonna go. Just maybe not every day.”

“Maybe you should see about changing to the later class. Dr. Danforth seems nice enough, so she’d probably change it for you.”

“I don’t want to have to do that. Come on. Be a good roomie and share your notes.”

Nia hadn’t come to Bible college so she could learn how to be a cheat. “I don’t think so.”

Tanya pounded the bed with her fist. “You are a Jesus freak. I knew it. Just my luck to end up with one.”

Several retorts came to mind. Instead Nia walked out the door, hoping to avoid saying something she might regret. Nia went to her desk.

Tanya walked in looking as if she’d forgotten to brush her hair. The girl spied Nia and walked toward her glaring the whole way. “Thanks a lot, roomie. I won’t forget this.” She flipped her blonde hair and walked away.

It would be a long year.

***

“Come on, Nia. Let me be nice to you after being such a brat.” Tanya rattled her keys. “We can do our volunteer hours together. Since you don’t have a car, it will make life easier on you.”

Nothing about Tanya was easy. She’d refused to speak to Nia for a week. Now she was trying to be her best friend. Oh, Keisha. We were supposed to be roomies.

“That’s very nice but I’ve already decided to volunteer at the library.” Her first thought had been the medical clinic, but it would have only been another painful reminder of Puzzle House. “And I do have a car. It’s just not here.”

“Whatever. Come on. You’re stuck on this campus all week. If we do our volunteer hours together, then at least once a week you can go eat at a fast food place or where ever you want.”

Campus food was good but who didn’t love fast food once in a while? “Anywhere?”

“Anywhere you want. Once a week. Your choice. I promise.” She held up her hand as if taking an oath. She grinned. “As long as I like it too.”

Nia wasn’t sure it was a good idea, but she was tired of being at odds with Tanya. They had to live together all year, and they needed to get along. If this would make Tanya happy, maybe she should do it. “I’m not agreeing to anything permanently. I’ll go with you but just today.”

Tanya clapped her hands. “Yay.”

“Don’t get too excited. If I don’t like this place, I’m not going back. Understand?”

“I understand completely and I’m with you on that. If I don’t like it I won’t be going back either.” Tanya opened the door. “I’m just glad you want to be friends with me.”

Maybe not best friends like her and Keisha, but that didn’t mean they couldn’t do stuff together once in a while. They needed to learn how to get along with each other.

“How’d you find this Helping Hands place?” Nia asked.

“Actually, they found me.” Tanya drove in and out of traffic toward Knoxville. “They left a pamphlet on my car the other night when I was at the mall. It sounds as if they’re doing good things there. I thought it would be a good place to do my volunteer hours. So I called them.”

The mall?

“Are you sure this place is legit?”

Tanya gave her a quick glance. “Why wouldn’t it be?”