Rivaling Roommates

                Mrs. Stillman woke up rather perplexed.  During the night, she had a strange dream.  The dream she had was that a former friend and roommate of her daughter Gia was standing in the dorm room with two sets of keys.  Mrs. Stillman awaited the arrival of her daughter to get home from school so she could tell her of her odd dream.

                Gia used to live in the dorms until she moved out due to conflicts with her roommate Gweneviere.  Since she did not live too far from her college, commuting was not a big deal.  Gia and Gweneviere seldom talked to each other due to their animosity.  It would be unfair to say that Gia hated Gweneviere, it was just Gia feared what the unscrupulous Gweneviere would do to her had they continued on since their friendship deteriorated.  Gia was going to her dorm for maybe the second time in the two months since the second semester started.  To Gia’s surprise, someone informed her that Gweneviere packed up her things and was moving out of the dorm with only a month and half of school remaining.  Posted on the door was a self-portrait of Gweneviere labeling the different parts of her body.  The interesting thing about this picture was that all the comments were negative.  An example of this is a line coming from her armpits with the caption “Where my bad BO comes from”; “BO” referring to body odor.  The picture shocked Gia but she got it out of her mind quickly, for she was more concerned with her moving out.  Even though it had been months since they talked, Gweneviere had previously done actions she deemed as revenge months after a conflict had happened.  Given this, Gia’s sensitive mind rushed to an elaborate plan she had.  The conclusion that Gia came up with was that Gweneviere copied the key to the room then handed the key in and moved her stuff out.  Later, she would come back to the dorm and, using the key she had copied, open her room and trash it.  Due to her moving out, Gia would be forced to pay for all her damages since Gia never officially moved out.  Although Gweneviere had performed such actions before, Gia’s friends assured her she was being paranoid; but Gia wasn’t convinced. 

                After a long day of classes and hanging out, Gia returned home.  Her mother told her of the dream she had last night, which furthered Gia’s suspicions.  The next day, Gia went to her friends for some guidance at their weekly café they hung out at between classes.  Once again, her friends told her she shouldn’t worry but these friends didn’t know Gweneviere like Gia did.  The one friend that did was non-committal in her response but the general aura was that even she didn’t think Gweneviere would do it.  Because conspiracies don’t enjoy dying, Gia remained skeptical but didn’t work herself up over it.

                A couple days later, it was Gia’s birthday, so her friends took her out for lunch after her classes.  As she received her gifts and socialized with those close to her, Gweneviere was up to something else.  Having moved out with no responsibility on what happens in the room.  She entered her dorm and unlocked the door with the key she had copied.  Her evil thoughts of Gia ran through her mind as she smiled in how she was going to get one up on her former friend Gia.  In one hand she bore spray paint; and in the other; a sledgehammer, she was in the mood to destroy.  She used the sledgehammer to pound the walls screaming off negative things toward Gia.  Every time she winded her arm to swing the sledgehammer, an image of Gia would appear and she would yell as she swung the sledgehammer into the wall.  She was jealous because Gia was able to rebound after losing Gweneviere as a friend. Even after Gweneviere stole Gia’s best friend, Gia still developed a circle of friends that she currently was celebrating her birthday with.  She hated Gia simply because Gia was stronger than her and that no matter how much she badmouthed her to new people, Gia’s affable nature and outgoingness quickly negated anything that Gweneviere had to say.  For people believe words to a certain extent but actions always speak many decibels louder.  Jealousy and envy caused her to destroy the room in hopes to hurt Gia some more.  Gweneviere dropped the sledgehammer, as she was satisfied with the carnage she wreaked on the room.  She then picked up the spray paint and wrote out obscenities that were anti-NYU such as “Fuck this school.”  She devilishly laughed as she performed each letter screaming to herself such phrases as, “Take that bitch.”  Suddenly while she was painting, the door swung open and there stood a security officer.  Dumbfounded Gweneviere stood there not knowing what to say.  The security officer commanded her, “Drop the sledgehammer and put your hands on your head.”

                Gweneviere was too shocked to move, how could they have found out?  Finally after repeated demands, she snapped back into reality and dropped her tools of destruction and placed her guilty hands on her head.  The security guard approached her and handcuffed her arms behind her back and led her out.  Girls in the hall’s eyes pierced her as she walked through.  All she could say was, “How did you know what I was doing?”

                The security guard answered, “People on your floor mentioned they heard screaming and loud bangs coming from your room, you were just too loud.”  Gweneviere had a meeting with the disciplinary board, but she already knew she’d have to pay for all the damages.  Her plan backfired and she had to humble herself to tell her parents who scolded her.  Gweneviere wasn’t listening to what her parents were saying.  All she could think about was how Gia enjoyed her birthday and Gweneviere spent the day being questioned by security personnel and threatened by NYU to press charges if she didn’t fully cooperate.  This unnecessarily diabolical act of jealousy could end up in expulsion from NYU (Gia and Gweneviere’s school), making it difficult to transfer and forcing her to face her parents. Even if she could transfer the deadlines for almost all schools is March 15.  She committed the acts of vandalism on March 13 and wasted the day with questionings from security guards and her parents.  There was just no time to fill out applications before the deadlines.  The meeting would take place after March 22 since spring break started after classes on March 14 (Most students, like Gia and Gweneviere, don’t have classes on Friday, which March 14 is, thus they started spring break March 13).  In this moment of distress and defeat, Gweneviere refused to blame herself; she blamed Gia.

                Gia was going to Miami March 15.  In the two days from her birthday to her flight, she had not heard what happened to her dorm since she had no school Friday thus didn’t come to campus nor talked to those living in her dorm.  The school didn’t call her since they were punishing the culprit already and they didn’t want to have to deal with replacing Gia unless there was a complaint.  They hoped that Gia would already have gone somewhere for spring break.  Unbeknownst to them, Gia hadn’t lived there for quite some time so a complaint wouldn’t be coming since they were unaware.   Gia enjoyed herself in Florida with her friends but her parents stayed home.  Her parents received a letter a couple days before Gia had to go back stating that Gia’s dorm room was vandalized and they wanted to discuss where to relocate her.  Gia’s mom called the school and informed them that Gia would stay with them until the room was fixed, which would have been the case regardless of the state of the room.  This relieved NYU and now they just had to focus on Gweneviere. 

                School had started but Gweneviere wouldn’t have the meeting until the following week.  In this time, Gweneviere found Gia while she was alone on E 14th street on her way home.  Gweneviere approached her and said, “You fucking bitch.”

                Gia looked at her surprised, but curious to what Gweneviere was going to accuse her of doing (Since they stopped being friends, Gweneviere would blame Gia for rumors spread about her).  She responded, “Excuse me?”

                “You always have to win, you always got to be better than me, you just don’t know how to fucking lose do you?!”

                “Gweneviere, what are you talking about?  What did I win?”

                “I come up with a plan to fuck you over by fucking up the room and making you pay for it.  But no, those bitches on the floor have to rat on me.  Everyone loves you, they look out for you and fuck me over because people like you.”

                By this time, Gia was informed on what happened but wanted out of the situation so she said, “Gweneviere, you know I didn’t have anything to do with you getting in trouble, I know you don’t like me but there’s nothing I can do, I wasn’t there.”

                “No you fucking weren’t there, you were out with your stupid friend for your fucking birthday……me I can’t get any friends, I took Vanessa (Gia’s former best friend) and you keep that silly smile on your face and get some more friends, where are my new friends?  Where are the people that look out for me when someone is trying to fuck me over?  Why can’t I have what you have?”

                “Gweneviere, they weren’t looking out for me, they were scared”

                “Shut the fuck up! This is my point, I scare people but why?  What the fuck do I do?  You’re a little fucking angel, I try telling people about how you lost your innocence and they just look past it.  You’re not judged by it, I can’t destroy you because you just keep bouncing back.  Nothing I do works, I talk shit, people judge you for themselves. I’m sick of your fucking shit.  I’m sick of hearing that you’re so fucking nice, and Gia this and Gia that, it fucking sucks.  You don’t know what it’s like to be miserable.  I sit here, I’m not attractive, I can’t get guys unless I’m a fucking slut.  You got that cute face and that constant smile, everybody loves you, could get a guy whenever you want and still keep your dignity, what the fuck do you know about being me?”

                A certain urge deep inside of Gia wanted to snap back on how Gweneviere was full of shit and couldn’t blame her being in trouble on Gia but fear suppressed this urge.  Gia realized just what caused this whole rivalry; jealousy.  She was speechless, which only made Gweneviere more furious.  Gweneviere rolled up her sleeves and said, “That gives me an idea” as a smile came on her face, “I can’t hurt you with words, so I’ll fuck up that cute innocent face of yours.  I’ll fuck you up so bad, that you wouldn’t dare to smile.  Yea that’s it, I’m already getting kicked out of this fucking place so why not?”

                Gia wanted to run but fear kept her standing.  Her only hope was to reason, but how do you reason with a psychotically jealous person.  She knew she couldn’t fight Gweneviere because, even though Gia had never been in a fight, she knew nobody should fight an ugly person since ugly people have nothing to lose.  She said, “Gweneviere, I’ve never talked bad about you, I’ve given you your privacy and tried not to interfere with your life.  I’ve done nothing intentionally to hurt you, please, I know you can beat me, you’ll always have that over me.  Yea you’re not going to this school but you hate it here, I’m stuck in this shit hole; you’re free.” 

                “Don’t try to sweet talk me bitch.” Gweneviere said before slapping Gia across the face.  After the contact, Gia instinctively slapped back.  Gweneviere held a hand to her face as Gia contemplated running, but Gweneviere grabbed a fistful of Gia’s hair before she could turn.  Out of desperation, Gia kicked Gweneviere in her shin and then smacked her across the face with her bag containing her books.  Gweneviere wobbled dazed from the blow but remained on her feet.  She ran forward and tackled Gia to the ground and flailed her arms at Gia’s face.  Gia lifted her arms around her face as they absorbed the blows stopping Gweneviere’s hand from connecting on their target, only frustrating Gweneviere further.  Gweneviere calmed enough to realize that her slaps weren’t hitting Gia’s face so she sat up with her legs on either side of Gia pinning her to the ground.  Gia wondered why nobody bothered to help her, and then she realized that this was New York.  Instead of helping, people gathered to watch a cat fight.  Gia was smart enough not to lower her arms, instead she swung her right hand across Gweneviere’s face and shoved her off and got to her feet.  Gia ran but Gweneviere grabbed her and forced her to face the wall.  She felt Gweneviere’s arm grip on her hair as Gweneviere whispered, “Your face is going to meet the nice brick.”

                Gia swung her elbow back and connected with Gweneviere’s nose bloodying it.  Gia turned around and faced Gweneviere with a new confidence.  By using her instinct alone, Gia was winning this fight since Gweneviere kept hesitating when she gained an upper hand.  Gweneviere touched her nose with her hand and pulled it away to confirm there was blood.  She looked up at Gia with even more fury in her eyes.  Gweneviere had taken Gia lightly but not anymore, she shoved Gia against the wall and tried to jab Gia in the face but Gia moved her head to the side and Gweneviere hit nothing but brick bloodying her knuckles now.  Gia didn’t know when this was going to end, but she wanted it to.  Gweneviere grabbed Gia’s hair and pulled it back.  Gia reached and pulled Gweneviere’s hair as well.  Suddenly a call from the crowd called in a Brooklyn accent, “Bitch, you better get your filthy hands off my girl.”

                Both girls turned to see one of Gia’s friends Stephanie.  Stephanie lived in the East New York part of Brooklyn, New York for most of her life and now lived in the NYU dorm on 14^th street, explaining how she knew about the fight.  The girls let go of each other’s hair and Stephanie stepped between them facing Gweneviere, “Bitch, stop trippin and go home, your rich ass is bleedin,”

                Whether it was the accent or the blood, Gweneviere realized she had lost the fight and she was not in the mood to take up another one.  She turned to Gia and said, “You win again, and now I’m forced to clean myself up, enjoy your life, but one day, you’ll fall.  Don’t expect to ever hear from me and under no circumstances come to me when your in trouble.”

                Stephanie started, “Bitch…” but Gia grabbed her bicep and Stephanie decided not to say anything.  Gia simply said, “Okay Gweneviere, bye”

                Gweneviere hailed a cab and went home.  Stephanie turned to Gia and said, “Shit yo, you whooped that cat”

                Gia laughed and her and Stephanie hung out a little before Gia returned home.  Gweneviere met with the board and they expelled her and made her pay for the damages.  She was forced to take a semester off school and stay home and work but she never bothered Gia again.  Gia continued at NYU and never lost her circle of friends.  Even though she didn’t need Stephanie’s help, she appreciated the fact that her friend was there for her and willing to fight for her.  Ironically the Gweneviere situations made Gia further realize something.  That these friends that make up her circle would never be influenced by others’ opinions of her, and would always stand by her through thick and thin.  It also gave her relief to know that her friends knew the actions were reciprocated.  Sure they joked and teased each other like all friends, but if the shit hits the fan, Gia knew she never had to face it alone.  With the reciprocal camaraderie she encountered with her peers, how could she not smile?  Ironically, what she originally feared with Gweneviere’s ulterior motive, happened, but it worked for the best since she no longer had to worry about Gweneviere anymore.