"Jenny, would you like to be roommates with me, after we must've left the hostel?" One of my course mates asked me after classes.
I thought about it for a second. It wasn't a bad idea but then, it was barely a week since we became close. Though she seemed cool and nice, I wasn't sure it would be okay to live with someone I did not know too well or someone I was not familiar with.
"Well, it's a nice idea but I don't know what my response will be yet. I'll get back to you later." I responded and with that, we parted ways.
I returned to my hostel and joined the conversation the other girls in the room were having. Soon, I forgot all about the roommate proposal. A few minutes later, one of the girls raised a topic on what life outside the hostel would be like.
"Jenny, would you stay with someone or would you prefer to live alone?" She asked me.
"Well, as much as I want to live on my own, my dad thinks I'll be lonely if I do that. So, I'm going to have a roommate." I responded.
" Have you found anyone yet that you can live with?" She asked again
" Not yet but I guess I'll find but if I don't, then it's a dream come true." I responded calmly again.
"Since my little brother might be admitted by the next session, he'll be staying with me. So I'm not going to have a roommate." She said again.
"That's nice. At least, you know the kind of person your brother is. You both won't be having any troubles." I replied again.
Moments after that, one of the girls who had been quiet during the whole conversation suddenly spoke up.
"How about we live together? You and I as roommates?" She asked me.
'It isn't a bad idea.' I thought to myself. 'At least, I've known her for almost a year. She certainly did have her flaws but then, she wouldn't be that bad.' And so, I thought and it pleased me that I would be staying with someone I know.
"That's good. I'll stay with you. I'm going to inform one of my friends tonight so he can search for an affordable apartment for us to live in." I said and with that, a deal was made.
During the hunt for the apartment, I noticed the nonchalant attitude that Zinny displayed. She was so carefree about everything and she left me to do the hunting all alone. These should have served as a red flag to me but for some unknown reason, I felt she would be better once we move in together.
One of these days, the other girl who had proposed to be roommates with me, came to see me and seek my response to the proposal she had made.
"I'm sorry. We can't live together as roommates but you can get an apartment close to mine, so we'll be seeing often as well." I apologized.
"Did I do something wrong? Why don't you want us to live together?" She asked. I could see a flicker of sadness in her eyes and I felt bad for a moment.
"You didn't do anything wrong. It's just that I already have a roommate and we'll be moving in soon." I explained.
She said it was all good and then she left. A few weeks later, I and Zinny moved into the apartment and four days after that, we started having quarrels and this was very disturbing to me.
"Zinny, you can't be leaving dirty plates in the kitchen for days and I can't keep doing the dishes for you. You don't sweep, you don't mop. Yet, you still do not wash your plates when you're done eating. It's unfair. The whole place is messy and untidy." I complained to Zinny.
"I've seen you. They should've given you an award as the world's neatest person. Whenever I feel like doing my dishes, I'll do them. If you can't wait till then, wash it yourself." She retorted and left the house.
The whole events that were unfolding before my eyes, seemed like a movie to me. I wondered how one person could become another in just a few days.
The worst of it all was that she started having different male friends visiting her, and they will always ask for privacy. In a week, she could have five different male visitors and on each occasion, I'll have to leave the room. To even worsen the case, when I complained that she should reduce their visitations, she accused me of being a sadist.
Meanwhile, my course mate who had then become my friend, was living peacefully with her roommate and most times, I'd seek refuge at her place whenever someone came to spend the night with my roommate.
One day, I decided to have a heartfelt conversation with Zinny. I cooked before she returned and while she ate, I thought of the most appropriate way to present the conversation.
"Zinny, don't you think quarreling and keeping malice while living together, is very unhealthy?" I asked her.
I saw the smirk on her face. She didn't respond for a long time but when she did, I got the shock of my life.
"I don't care if we're keeping malice or not. I'm no longer in my parent's house and I'm still not in the hostel, so I'm going to live my life the way I want and you'll have to live with it." She was so rude as she spoke.
"Zinny, people might think that maybe I'm just squatting with you. I can't remember the last time I slept in this room and I hardly stay here because of your male friends. It's unfair. I've never asked you to leave the room before." I tried to make her see reasons but she was just as stubborn as a bull.
"It's not my fault that you're antisocial and I won't displease myself to please you. And having said that, one of my friends will be coming over tonight and we'll need the room." She said and turned away from me.
Source
Her statement served as a wake-up call to me. I realized that she wasn't going to change and I was filled with regrets. I had to do something about the whole situation but there was nothing I could do and it was so frustrating. I decided to leave the apartment and probably insist on living alone, no matter how lonely my parents felt I'd be because my studies were already being affected by the whole situation since I couldn't even read when I wanted.