I really want to go to university.
Take some time to develop skills and earn some money first. You’ll have a better time, and there’s really no rush.
I guess college is a goal I can work towards. Gives me a reason to save. Now I just need a way to earn some money.
I’ve always wanted to be a street artist. There’s money in that, right? I’ve been practicing a lot. I don’t want to get busted, so I just spray on the floors and the walls at home.
I’ve been seeing Chauncey, too. First, we just called each other. Then he started coming around. Now he’s here every day.
I ask him to move in. Not as my boyfriend–we’re not there yet. Just as a roommate and a friend. My best friend, actually. I can’t really believe he says yes. I’ve got nothing–not even enough money to fully furnish the place. So he’s sleeping on the floor in the spare room. The entrance to the bathroom is in that room. I try not to stare when I walk past.
He’s so dreamy.
He’s a great roommate, too. He’s been helping to keep the place clean. And he’s got a job as a weather man.
I still can’t believe my luck, meeting him on my first day here. It’s like it’s fate.
Don’t be so sure. Take some time to get to know him.
I get a call from the city to paint some ground murals. I don’t know how they found out about me. Perhaps Chauncey has some contacts at city hall, and he told them about my work.
While I’m finishing up the mural, a wild horse approaches me. It’s majestic.
“Want something to eat?” I ask. Then it gets spooked and runs off. I hope I see it again.
Chauncey wears the cutest bunny slippers. He’s got a furry chest, too. I don’t usually like a lot of body hair, but on Chauncey it looks good. What does it feel like? Soft? Or coarse.
We have some nice times. Chauncey surprises me by having a painting delivered, because he was thinking about me, and he thought I’d like it. We talk all the time. He reads a lot, and works on his laptop. We don’t even have a proper table, but he doesn’t mind. He just sits with it on the floor.
He pays his rent on time. He cleans. He enjoys my cooking. Life is great.
Sure, he’s got quirks. I notice that he gets really upset whenever he takes a shower–he gets panicky. I wonder if he had a bad experience with water as a kid. He also never takes off his clothes. Even when he showers, he’s got swim trunks or his boxers on.
It’s little things like that that give us each our individual charm.
Then, with no warning, storms come. Chauncey rages into the bathroom while I’m washing my hands and slaps me.
This is out of nowhere. What did I do?
It’s not you.
I keep running through my mind what I might have done. Is it because I didn’t clean the shower stall? Is it because we don’t have furniture? Did I forget something? Am I just an awful person?
It’s not you.
“What’s that for?” I ask.
“Like you don’t know.”
This is abuse. Now you know. It’s not too late.
I don’t know. I realize I did nothing wrong. And even if I had done something, this isn’t an acceptable way to handle it. He’s got issues.
I think about asking him to leave. I feel like I lost a friend. In fact, I did. I lost my best friend. Maybe we can be friends again. But there’s no way I’m going to get romantically involved with him now. Soon as I earn enough money and finish with college prep, I’m leaving for university. When that happens, I’ll be glad to leave Chauncey Grimm behind.
I guess you never know somebody until you know them.
Better to discover now, before you’re more entangled.
Cathy Tea's SimLit Anthology 