SELENE
In this world, arcana is abundant.
It fuels creation.
It reflects identity.
Everything is blessed by it.
You can find it in the trees, in the birds, the cat, the dog, the mountain – and of course the humans.
That is why I wanted to capture it. To create a story board out of it.
Those beautiful moments. To paint this world that it is worth living.
My motivation in moving forward, starting my journey with Arcana University... and yet…
"Who…. are you?" I asked. Already exhausted from back and forth finding the exact location of this apartment and taking up the goddamn stairs.
A woman with a pale blond girl who is in her blue dinosaur hoodie, slowly looked up to me. Sprawled and was already unpacking her things from her bag. Books, some clothes, junk foods and some old cute small wooden sword were scattered in the floor.
Her ringed golden eye struck me – like a wolf from the mountain. Like whoa. A predator in the wild, wanting to take a bite on her prey. This is my first time seeing one. And ringed eyed at that. That's rare. I admit she looks…. really pretty. I wanna paint her.
Though she looks kind of annoyed.
Also pretty lost that she may have thought that this was her apartment? Or is this Ms. Darma – the owner? I double check the address texted to me by the owner. "Unit 4C, 91 Luna Street. Red door. Right side. Rent split 50/50. No landlord. No interview. No questions."
"I know I'm in the right place though. This place is smaller than the picture."
"….. Who are you?" she asked back. "Look, you are trespassing. If you are lost, Magical McGuffin is that way." She said pointing out the direction. Then she got back to unpacking her things. "This is my apartment, Miss Blue."
"Blue?" My blue hair? "I-no. What? No I'm not. This is my apartment!" I said. To be accused of trespassing out of all place. I cup the keys on my pocket and the folded lease and waved it at her. "I signed a lease. One day ago. With this middle age lady online – missdarma2022. Look!" I let her look at my copy. I already paid it three days ago too.
Miss pretty blond stared at it and pick up her phone, scrummage her bag and also get a copy of her lease. "Huh hmm…. What the. Me too. And I paid it a week ago."
"Wait, what? You also signed a lease?"
"Yep. Here." As she showed me the exact copy of the lease. Same owner, same address, same contract. They are the same. The signature too.
"Damn it, double booking. So…. You think we've been scammed?" I asked. Damn it I can't really afford to find another cheap place near the University.
Goldy eye exhaled deeply. "Most likely. Let's call the owner."
"You are pretty calm about this." I said, not thinking. I forgot to shut my mouth.
"Does it look like that?" She asked curiously. "So I appear like that. Huh."
"Your voice does." I said. "You had a calm voice."
"Let just call the owner." She said, scrolling through her phone – probably to search for the owner's number.
An hour goes by.....
"Did she answer you?" She asked. We tried calling for hours already. And I'm a bit frustrated and angry about it now. I spent a lot of hours commuting to this town. Though it is still my fault for trusting online people to be a decent human being.
"Well, it is finally ringing." I said.
"Hello?" it finally damn answered.
Miss Goldy on the other hand, stood behind me and whispers low in my ears, "Put her on speaker." I can feel her breath in my neck. It sends shivers in my like what the fuck. It tickles.
"Could you move a bit, that kind of tickles - Miss Goldy." I whispered yelled at her.
"Eh, Goldy? Okay okay. Just put her on speaker."
"Hi, is this Miss Darma?"
"Yeah. Speaking. Though you might have misread it. It's Mr. Darwin."
"Huh." Goldy looked at the lease and she and I realized. The owner is a guy. Not like it matters. "Oh yeah. Can't read your cursive. Anyways, this is Selene. You know, we chatted the other day about renting an apartment on Luna Street, near the Arcana East University. But, listen, there is a slight problem. There is also someone here – she says she also signed for this unit." I said, trying to keep my cool with this scammy owner.
"Yep, I did that last week, and paid in advance and deposit." Miss Goldy says, whispering near my neck again. Is she for real. So I kinda push her face from my neck. A bit too forceful. She stared at me like, "what did I do?" So, I motioned to keep her distance.
"Oh! Yes, yes! That's correct!" says the owner.
"… Correct? How?" Blonde says a bit frustrated. Who wouldn't.
"Yes! I decided to…. Rent it for the both of you! See, it has this large, big space. You two can definitely share it! Cheaper and more affordable plus it was near your university. Cool concept of co-living together right?"
Miss Goldy and I turned our head and re-assess the whole apartment again. What the hell is this guy talking about?
Single bedroom barely fitting one bed shared with the small table (or the dining table).
A weirdly large closet. That is the only large thing in this apartment.
Kitchen where the sink and stove were touching.
A living area the size of the small bathroom.
A comparted bathroom. With water closet and lavatory sink in one.
Hallway are too narrow.
This could really work if only one person lives here. But two?
"Where are we going to share? Just one bed for the two of us? Or the bathroom?" I said angrily. "Can't you just refund us?"
"It didn't even tell in your listing that it is supposed to be shared." Miss Goldy said, equally angry. "You can't even add a bunk bed on this."
"Oh, no. No. No Refunds. Plus, it is in your contract. If you had it right now, you could see the at the bottom of the text: Shared Living arrangements may apply, depends on availability as seen by the owner. Also no refunds.
"What the sh- "Goldy start.
"Damn you! You tricked us!" I said.
"No, no, no! I gave you a chance! You both pay cheaper right? Lower price, yes? That is very rare near one of the Elite University in town. Also, If one of you cancels, the other will pay the full rent. If both stay, price is half-half. Win-win!"
"What we paid is not even the full rent? That is false advertising, you – come here I swear." I am closed from strangling away the phone.
Miss Goldy pinched the bridge of her nose.
"So basically, our only choices are: 1. Both of us stay and share the rent, 2. One of us leaves and the other gets trapped with full rent, 3. We both leave and lose the deposit." Miss blond says.
"Exactly! See! You finally understand! Very efficient arrangement, right?" Mr. Darwin says.
"Come here you co-." I said.
"Enjoy your home, you two! Ba-bye!" then click.
I tried calling again but it got disconnected.
I sat on the floor defeated. Miss Goldy, with her things unpack, sighed and inspect the bedroom. And was looking at the closet as of the moment.
"I knew that it was too good for the price, shouldn't have done that. But everything here is expensive." Also can't decide if that Darwin is a genius or a crime." I said.
"Well, both?" Miss Goldy replied. Speaking of…
"So…. What are we going to do? What are you going to do? Miss Goldy?"
"Well, either find another place as cheap as this before the school start or we both suck it up and live together. For your information, I do wake up early and had a lot of alarm clock. I organize my things because I had less things and stuff on me. Also…" She said as she looks back at me.
"Also?" I asked.
"Call me Soren. Soren Vale. If we are going to live with each other, I think knowing each other's name would be beneficial. Instead of just calling me Goldy. That's annoying you know. Right Blue?"
"…Fine. Soren. My name is Selene. Orryn. Selene Orryn. But how are we even going to share this? There is only one bed? Not even a bedroom. Also it's a single cramp bed."
"Do you not want to cuddle?" She smiles at me and wink. I know she is joking…. And too confident. Though she is pretty and probably can get both guys and girls around if she tried to flirt more.
"I will break your neck if that happened. No. I need space." I said and she made a disappointed face.
"No, worries, I think I could fit right into this cabinet. It is pretty spacious. The only thing big enough in this apartment." She said, opening the cabinet. "Well the bed is yours, Selene."
"Also I am broke… so." She said. "That deposit is my last money."
"… Same." That is also my last money before moving to this town.
"You know, we need some rules, roomie for this to end well." And I agree.