Cheap Shot by Brittney Mulliner

Haley

As I unzipped my suitcase,I nodded along to a song blasting from my earbuds, wishing the loud music and overstimulation could be enough to drown out the constant state of panic that has weighed on my chest ever since the attack.

Unpacking was going quicker than I expected, and if I finished this, I would be able to escape reality with a nap before the new student orientation. That was all the motivation I needed to sort my clothes into piles according to the drawer they belonged in.

A hand gripped my shoulder.

I lifted my right elbow and twisted in the same motion, aiming for my attacker’s nose.

A female scream filtered in over my music.

I pulled out my earbuds and tossed them on the bed as I dropped to my knees next to the woman. “I’m so sorry!”

Unnatural, steely, lavender eyes glared up at me while she covered her nose. “Good thing I have quick reflexes. You only nicked me.”

I scooted away as she tossed her head back, sending her crop of unruly bronze curls out of her face. The shaved left side of her head showcased the silver hoop in her eyebrow and dozens of piercings in her ear. Her warm brown skin was flawless, and I almost asked her about her skincare routine until I realized she was still glaring.

“I am really sorry.” I leaned back against the side of my bed. “I didn’t hear the door open.”

“Obviously.” She rolled her eyes and stood. Her long legs were covered in ripped fishnet tights that were only partially concealed by an oversized concert T-shirt with the name of a band I didn’t recognize and black combat boots with neon handwriting scribbled on the sides.

Everything about her screamed effortless and cool, from the pink and orange streaks in her hair to the septum piercing. Edgy in a way I’d never ever be able to pull off.

She was my opposite in every visible way. My dark brown hair hung limply over my shoulders, and my creamy skin was speckled with freckles and the reminder of teenage acne.

I bet no one would try to attack her. Well, at least, not on purpose.

My confidence had taken a serious hit in the last year, and her radiant self-assurance and pride that only came with being totally and completely comfortable in your skin made me want to shrink deeper into myself.

“Are you my roommate?” There weren’t many other reasons why she would be in here.

Her eyes narrowed even more. “Obviously,” she repeated like I was a moron.

I tore my eyes away from her to look at the other half of the room. The dove gray comforter and sparse decorations of succulents and candles hadn’t been enough to draw my attention when I brought in my stuff. Now, the juxtaposition was startling. The eccentric woman in front of me couldn’t possibly be responsible for such a boring living space.

“Oh.” I couldn’t think of anything to say that wouldn’t offend her or confirm her suspicion I was stupid.

“So, is your first instinct always to attack, or can I relax in my own room?” Her eyes softened, but only enough to tell me she was joking. Kind of.

I shook my head. “Only when I’m surprised.”

And grabbed from behind when I thought I was alone.

I turned to my suitcase but could feel her eyes burning holes into my back.

“My name’s Emery, by the way,” she said. “And you are?”

I set the shirt I was holding on top of a pile and faced her. “Haley.”

She eyed me from head to toe, not bothering to be discrete about her assessment. “Transfer?”

What about my charcoal shirt and ripped jeans told her that? “Yeah, how’d you know?”

“My last roommate joined a sorority and moved out. They said I’d have the room to myself unless a late transfer came in.”

I almost apologized but stopped myself. I had nothing to be sorry for. Plus, it didn’t seem like my arrival inconvenienced her at all. My side of the room had been completely empty when I came in. If I’d been her, I would have spread out and taken over the extra desk and dresser.

“Where’d you come from?” she asked.

It was an innocent enough question. One I expected to answer a few dozen times over the coming weeks, so I gave my prepared answer. “A small private college in upstate New York.”

She raised an eyebrow but said nothing else.

“Are you a sophomore too?” I realized how dumb the question was the second it left my lips. I was told this was the sophomore dorm when I received my room assignment. Unlike my previous school, West Penn encouraged students to remain on campus through their junior year and provided a much more affordable housing option than living in a house or apartment close by.

“Obviously,” I said with her.

Emery smirked. “At least you’re a quick learner.”

I nodded and attempted a smile. “Right, so where are you from?”

“Allentown.”

Since she didn’t add a state, I assumed that was in Pennsylvania. Nearly two-thirds of the students here were in-state. An unfortunate statistic for someone like me who was trying to blend in.

“What about you?”

“Rochester.” Which was the truth. There just happened to be several cities in various states by that name. Including one that was only about thirty minutes from West Penn. She might eventually find out I was from Minnesota and about my family, but since she nodded and didn’t ask anything else, that wasn’t going to happen today.

I finished putting the remainder of my clothes in the drawers and then slid the empty suitcase under my bed. I glanced over my shoulder and found Emery staring at her phone screen.

I checked the papers I stacked on my desk to double-check the details. “I should head out. I’m supposed to meet a group in the quad for orientation.”

“You don’t need to go to that.” She kicked her feet up on her bed. “I can show you where your classes are.”

That was a surprisingly generous offer, considering her apathetic attitude toward me. I almost accepted just to keep from burning the tentative bridge between us, but I couldn’t.

“I might have to take you up on that later, but I have a few questions for my counselor, and the instructions say that we’ll have guaranteed time if we attend.” Meeting with an academic counselor had proven to be nearly impossible so far. I’d emailed mine five times and hadn’t received a single response. Even though I registered for classes a few weeks ago, I wanted to check in and make sure a few of my classes from my last school transferred. The last thing I wanted was to get stuck taking Intro to Biology or College Algebra again.

She shrugged a shoulder. “Just don’t fall for their BS about buying a student sports pass. They always try to push them before the semester starts, but they get discounted after the first football game.”

I nodded then paused. “You go to the games?”

She didn’t strike me as the school spirit type.

“What else is there to do around here?” She blew off my question, but at least she didn’t say obviously.

There was actually plenty to do. West Penn was a large school with more clubs and extracurriculars than most colleges offered. From the student interviews and articles I’d read, there were always activities happening on and off-campus. You simply had to close your eyes, spin, and walk in any direction to find something to do. Plus, we were only twenty minutes away from the restaurants and shopping of downtown Pittsburgh.

“Do you play any sports?” I asked, no longer trusting my initial impression of her.

She scoffed. “What, like roller derby or boxing?”

“Sure, or soccer or lacrosse.” The venom in her tone caught me off guard. How had I managed to offend her yet again?

Her eyes trailed over me, but I refused to look away or back down. If what happened to me taught me anything, it was that acting meek was a weakness that invited danger. I couldn’t let anyone ever see me as weak again.

“No, I don’t,” she finally said.

“Me neither.” I let out a sigh. I didn’t want to live like this for the next year. I wasn’t naive enough to think I’d instantly become best friends with my roommate, but this tension was already grating on my nerves. “I know I didn’t give you the best first impression of me, but I promise I won’t attack you again.”

She dropped her phone to her side. “I hope not.”

It would have been really nice if she could meet me halfway, but I didn't see that happening.

I offered a tentative smile. “So, you won’t hold it against me?”

Her resolve cracked, and her lips curved ever so slightly. “I’ll try not to.”

“Good.” I picked up my purse and pulled the strap over my head.

“If,” she said, and I paused mid-step and turned to face her, “you come with me to a party tonight.”

I didn’t bother hiding my cringe. A party wasn’t anywhere near the top of my list of things to do. Surprisingly, after everything that happened last year, I was fine with crowds and people. The loud music and talking didn’t even bother me. It was the smell of alcohol that triggered unpleasant reactions. Which was a very polite term for nausea, headaches, tunnel vision, and the occasional panic attack.

“What kind of party?” I mentally crossed my fingers she was going to say a nice, quiet get-together with our floor. Maybe a poetry jam session at a local cafe?

“One of the football houses hosts a party to kick off the school year every year. Everyone goes. It’s this whole thing.”

I blinked. A football party? Her? She was a walking, talking contradiction. Who was she, really?

“I don’t know...”

“I’ll stay with you the whole time. We can go, make a few rounds, I’ll introduce you to some people, and if you’re not feeling it, you can leave.”

That was a pretty tempting offer. Although, I was even more nervous at the idea of meeting her friends. I doubted I’d fit in with them; then again, I’d been wrong about her so far.

I played with my strap. I didn’t transfer here to hide in my room for the next three years. This was supposed to be a fresh start, untainted by my past.

What better way to settle in and make friends than going to a party and meeting people? I didn’t want her first impression of me to be that I turned down her offers. She might not ever invite me again.

“There will be plenty of cute guys there too.” She wagged her brows like it might entice me to say yes. I shrugged, and she cocked her head. “Plenty of cute girls too.”

I let out a chuckle. “Guys, but thanks for checking.”

“Either way. You are sure to meet someone there to at least hold your attention for the night.”

A few hours of distraction was just what I needed. I wasn’t ready to jump into anything serious, but it could be fun to hang out with her and her friends. It seemed like a safe way to ease myself into socializing.

I forced a smile. “I’ll think about it.”

“Fine.” She picked up her phone.

I checked my watch. I really needed to get going, but things still felt strained. “I’ll be back in two hours. We can grab some food, then head over if you want.”

She didn’t look up, but I caught the hint of a smile. “Okay.”

I turned and hurried into the hall, hoping I wouldn’t regret this decision.