Chapter 3

Two weeks later, Sam was settling in well with the guys, doing well in her classes, and liked her job in the shop. With one exception. Alyx Collins. He was the most infuriating man on the planet. How Mick just shrugged it off. She had no idea.

He stomped around, pissed at the world, and made decrees as if he owned the universe. On the Thursday after she moved in, he even started a list of ‘Rules for Sam’ on the back of the door using what looked like a big sheet of brown shop paper. Paxton had been kind enough to scratch that out with red marker and write ‘Sam Rules!’ and there was steam coming out of Alyx’s ears when he saw it.

Rules for Sam

Sam Rules!

5 minute showers

Wear clothes at all times

No alcohol

No drugs

No boys

No girls

Stay out of Alyx’s room

It seemed like every day there was something new added to the list. Sam didn’t know what happened in his childhood to make him such a weirdo, but she was getting sick of it. How was she going to last a whole year of this?

The third week, he came home to find her and Mick dancing together in the living room while Paxton laughed and picked new songs. When they woke up the next day, there were two new rules. Music only with headphones and no dancing. Mick scratched those out in blue and wrote, This isn’t Footloose. A few days later, when Sam was rushing around and didn’t have time for a shower after her shift and before her physics class, she spritzed herself with a light perfume to get rid of the engine grease and jet fuel smell. The next day? No perfume.

Week four had Don’t take pictures in the dorm (when she took a selfie with Paxton and Mick), No stuffed animals, fluffy blankets, or girl pillows (when she accidentally left her favorite blanket on the couch after a movie night), and Don’t use Alyx’s coffee cups (none of which were labeled so she had thought they were for everyone) show up on the big piece of paper.

Week five? No scented hand soap, no candles, no wind-chimes, and no bird feeders . All because she put a moisturizing liquid soap next to the sink in the bathroom. She did one thing, and it was like he spiraled out of control, obsessed over what she might do next, and made up rules to try to prevent his own weird imaginings.

Alyx Collins was being over the top, and she had no idea how these guys could stand to live with him. He might just be the worst roommate ever!

“Wind-chimes and bird feeders? I’m not Snow White!” She complained to the boys as they all settled in for a fairly quiet Friday night.

Mick casted her a grin over the back of the couch where he was helping Paxton with an airflow lesson. “Obviously. You are more Mulan.” She tossed her shoe at him and he ducked with a laugh. “See! Throwing shoes just like her. Just ignore him and do whatever you want. What’s he going to do about it?”

Paxton nodded, “Yeah, I mean, we’ve got your back, and who would he even complain to? Housing? He would sound like a lunatic.”

That was yesterday.

When she came out Saturday morning, still in her pajamas and in search of coffee, Paxton grinned and casually pointed his thumb over his shoulder at the list. “Have you seen the latest?”

Sam’s hands buried themselves in her hair with a frustrated groan, and she tugged hard enough to bring the world into focus again. This school was hard enough without having Alyx trying to ruin everything. Why was he such a tight ass? He didn’t want anyone to have any sort of fun around him. He was the person who called the police on a party just because he wasn’t invited. I hate that guy! She tried being nice, and followed some of the more reasonable rules in an attempt to appease him, but this was really pushing it.

She turned without a word and stared at the new blocky print she became familiar with as Alyx’s. How did he come up with this stuff?

“That’s it. No more nice Sam.” She stomped over to the door he and Mick shared and, with a deep breath and an encouraging “You got this!” from Paxton, she banged on the door as hard and loud as she could. Then she braced herself.

We were all adults and he could not tell us what to do. He didn’t own this place, and he was starting to get on her last nerve. On everyone’s last nerves.