Chapter 3: The Shape of Ordinary

She was tall, with nice features, her ears stuck out a bit, but her hair covered them.

She was honestly kind of pretty.

I tried not to stare, but it was hard not to notice the way she moved—nervous, careful, as if afraid to take up too much space. She caught me looking and blushed, focusing harder on her hair.

After drying her hair, she sat by the bed, fiddling with her fingers, not sure what to do.

I sat up and asked, "Where are you from?"

Her: "Ohio."

"What's your name?"

"Lauren Pierce."

"How did you get caught up in a pyramid scheme?"

She turned her head. "Are you a cop or something?"

I grinned. "Nah, just curious. Goodnight."

I spread the blanket down the middle of the bed as a dividing line, leaned against the wall, and lay down. "I'm tired. Goodnight."

I could feel her shifting on the other side, the mattress creaking. For a while, neither of us spoke. The city sounds drifted in through the window, and eventually, I fell asleep.

In the morning, I was woken up by the sound of sweeping. I opened my eyes to see her cleaning.

She'd found my old broom and was quietly tidying up the corners, careful not to make too much noise. Sunlight filtered through the blinds, catching dust motes in the air. It felt almost domestic—like we'd been roommates for years. Weird, right?

What a find—she was actually pretty diligent.

I grabbed my phone and saw it was 7:50. I jumped out of bed and rushed out without even brushing my teeth.

There were two major classes that morning—any more tardiness and I'd definitely flunk this semester.

Panic set in. I threw on jeans, grabbed my backpack, and nearly tripped over my own shoes getting to the door.

Two seconds later, I ran back, scribbled my phone number on a sticky note, and put the key on top:

"Here's the key. Remember to lock the door when you go out. If you get hungry, just come to my campus. Call me and I'll meet you at the main gate."

I pointed at the campus entrance across the street. "Just head across the street and go in that gate, okay?"

I rushed out again. She looked up, as if wanting to say something, but I'd already closed the door.

For a second, I wondered if she'd be there when I got back. But there wasn't time to think—class was calling, and I was already late.

She didn't call me that day. There were still some snacks in the room—maybe she was just too shy to go out.

I pictured her sitting on the bed, knees tucked to her chest, nibbling on stale granola bars. It made me feel a little guilty for leaving her alone.

In the afternoon, I played basketball with my classmates all day.

The gym was loud and sweaty, full of shouting and the squeak of sneakers on polished wood. For a few hours, I forgot about everything—Lauren, writer's block, even the draft deadline.

When I got back, she looked even more worn out than the day before. I picked up my clothes to go shower, and she licked her lips and asked, "Can you give me a dollar to buy some rolls downstairs?"

She sounded almost embarrassed. She clutched the hem of her shirt, eyes darting to the floor.

I looked at her, confused. "You didn't eat?"

She nodded.

I got annoyed. Didn't I say, if you're hungry, just come to my campus and call me?

My tone came out sharper than I meant. I felt a twinge of frustration, mixed with worry.

Her voice got even quieter. "I... I don't have a phone."

I was stunned. That was a pretty good excuse.

I'd always thought of a phone as a necessity, like an organ—everyone has one. But I'd forgotten she was a girl who'd just escaped from a pyramid scheme.

It hit me then, how easy it was to take things for granted. I remembered how I'd lost my phone for a day last semester and nearly lost my mind. For her, it was just another thing she'd left behind.

I felt a little guilty for how I'd acted earlier. "Come on, let's eat together."

She shook her head. "It's okay, you go shower. I like dinner rolls."

I was a little helpless. I took out a five from my wallet and handed it to her.

She took the money and left.

The door wasn't locked. I went into the bathroom with the laundry basket.

While I was showering, I heard the door close. It was probably Lauren coming back with the rolls.