"Why am I roomies with someone like you."
"I'm not someone like me. I am me."
"And do you know who you are?"
"What's that suppose to mean."
"Well for instance you are always passive and happy and nice, but right now you are just as snappy as me. It's like your personality fully depends on who you are around." I stammer for words. She hit my week spot.
"You have no right to judge me." I huff, meeting her eyes. She lets out a cackle-like-laugh.
"Oh honey. No one has the right to judge others." She has me at that. Silence rules for the next few minutes as we both start to unpack our bags.
"It's only for a week. Art Camp doesn't let us stay in our rooms much."
"Your point?"
"We might as well make our nights here sufferable. My name is Mae. And yours?"
"Of course I know your name Miss Popular. We go to the same school." I look at her in shock. I thought I knew everybody in our grade. And everyone likes me. "You don't know many people outside of your social group do you?" Hit after hit, she keeps getting me where it hurts. "Well I'm Chessie. I would say nice to meet you, but I think that would be too pleasant. And mama taught me not to lie." I fume at her words, but instead of fighting I find my sketchbook and pencils out of my backpack. I start to walk out of the room, noticing Chessie set up her stuff. She has pastels and pencils neatly next to her in a package. Chessie has a big thick notebook, which she opens to around the middle. She then grabs her phone and turns on some soft, indie sounding music. I leave before she catches me creeping on her. I walk outside of the hotel the camp is using and observe my surroundings. I see a nice looking pavilion with a pretty bench and flowers surrounding it. I sit down in the grass when I find a good angle to draw from. I start sketching, and by the time I know it, my belly is rumbling. I slowly get up, my bones aching from sitting in the same position. I quickly head back to my room to put away my supplies. Chessie is still in the room, but is now sitting on the floor in front of the sliding doors to our balcony. I glance over at her drawing and almost take a step back at how much it awes me. There's a girl, in beautiful colors that still seem to be realistic. She looks sad. The background conveys the same emotion, it's dark and rainy, the rain soaking her hair. The wet marks on her face could either be tears or rain. The music seems to pull the mood together. I tap Chessie on the shoulder. She slowly looks up from her drawing, a little annoyed.
"Yes Miss Popular?"
"I think it's dinner time. Want to come with me?" I ask trying to make amends with snapping at her earlier. Chessie fake gasps.
"But I'm out of your social group! It would be a catastrophe." I disguise my hurt with a blank expression.
"The offer stands if you want to take it." I offer wearily, putting my book and pencils next to my bed.
"Thanks for the offer, but no thanks." I see Chessie glance at her belly for a second, then look away, a disappointed expression on her face. Then she returns to drawing, turning her music up. When I come back from dinner I bring a cupcake for Chessie.
"Here ya go!" I say cheerfully, placing the cupcake in front of her. Chessie looks at it, then back at me.
"I'm not hungry." I shoot her a glare as her belly rumbles.
"Clearly." I push the cupcake closer to her. She looks... Grateful.
"Fine." She grabs the cupcake and munches on it. Softly, I hear her say:
"Thank you." I smile and plop on my bed. I find the TV remote and turn it on. Immediately the news comes on.
"Warning. There is something spreading around throughout the United States. People are being infected more quickly than help can arrive. Please stay inside your homes. If you come into contact with any infected, stay away from their teeth. As soon as they Pierce your skin and their saliva enters your system, you are doomed to also be infected. Also keep their saliva from open cuts. On a last note, this academic will most likely spread across the world quickly. I wouldn't depend on anyone else. Especially the government." The screen blacks out and all I can hear is static. Chessie is staring blankly at the screen. Then she quickly gathers what looks like provisions.
"What a lame joke." I chuckle nervously. Chessie ignores me. "Chessie."
"Start packing what you think you need. And your valuables." When Chessie notices I'm not moving she hands me my bag. "Quickly." I jump into action, feeling numb. But at the same time I feel like I'm holding back tears. That was National television. It couldn't be a joke. But it had to be. "Is there a hardware store, a gun store, or convince store in this immediate area?" I nod. "Then lead the way." Chessie stands next to the closed door, waiting for me. "And you probably won't be able to keep all that." I throw my makeup and hairstuff to the ground, honestly removing most of the weight and mass of my bag. Chessie nods in approval. Then she does something unexpected. Chessie takes a Swiss Army knife out of her pocket and tosses it to me. Then she Grabs a black and white switch blade from her back pocket. "The best I got." she says and shrugs. I shake it off and take one of the blades out of safety. Then I open the door and start to lead us to all of the places she mentioned.