Marionette Read Online Free Page A

was starting to like Jenna.
    The four of us inspected each other. Jenna had light hair, almost white. Her deep azure eyes and naturally bronzed skin told me her hair color wasn’t natural. She towered over me. Why wasn’t she in any of my classes in grade school so I wouldn’t have been the tallest girl and teased constantly? Maybe she was on a basketball scholarship. Karen had curly red hair, and plenty of it, and was stocky, more the soccer type.
    Great, I’m living with Minnie and two jocks . What was the point of the personality test I filled out for the university so they could match me up with people I’d get along with? I never said I liked jocks, or happy shit. Why couldn’t I have a morose roommate who didn’t bother me? Like that girl in The Breakfast Club —‌the depressed one who ate tons of sugar packets. We would have been great roommates. No talking. And I could share a sugar packet or two to keep things friendly.
    “When did you move in?” Karen’s attempt to start a conversation was valiant. I eyed the bathroom door. I wanted to leave the room and forget all about them.
    “Yesterday. Paige had to register for classes today, and I came early to rush.” Minnie’s words fell out of her mouth so quickly that I couldn’t help staring at her lips, wondering how she squeaked so fast.
    They didn’t seem too surprised that Minnie was the sorority girl type. She had the personality for it, just not the hair. Seriously, what was up with all the tangles?
    The four of us stood there, staring. It was excruciating.
    Minnie exclaimed, “Have you guys figured out where all of your classes are yet? I never knew this campus was so enormous. I still can’t find my chemistry class.”
    I wanted to ask her if she tried the chemistry building that was right across the street from our dorm, but I didn’t.
    No one else responded either. Minnie looked at me for help. A few boards came crashing down behind us.
    “Do you need any help putting up your lofts? Audrey and I put hers up yesterday and now we’re experts.” I said.
    Minnie smiled at me. The night before, we had been up half the night constructing her fucking loft. I think she learned some new words from me. Minnie, the Catholic, was unfortunate enough to get an atheist as a roommate. Did the university even bother to look at our questionnaires?
    “Yes, we could use the help.” The answer came from one of the fathers, who was drowning under all of the boards.
    A woman put her hand out. “Hi, I’m Karen’s mom.”
    “Hi. It’s nice to meet you, Mrs. Cooper.” We shook hands.
    After a quick introduction to the rest of the parents, someone tapped my shoulder. I turned to see Mr. Cooper. “I’m so glad you know how to do this. I’ve never been very handy.” He laughed self-consciously and peeked out of the corner of his eyes at Jenna’s father, a manly giant wearing a tool belt.
    All of us got to work. It was difficult working in such a confined space with eight people. But I loved that no one spoke, except to say, “Pass the hammer,” or “Can you hand me the screwdriver?” Those were the type of conversations I excelled at. Actions, not words. Not one personal detail was exchanged. Not one intimate detail about my life or my family was asked. They knew my first name, and that was all. Once, when applying for college, I thought about changing my last name because it had occasionally appeared in the papers when I was forced to pose for photo ops with my parents. However, I had learned, over the years, that no one really looked at the names under those photos—‌well, except for the people in the photos.
    They might have suspected that I lived with a nut job. But so what, I was fucking surrounded by kooks. How did I get a Mouseketeer as a roommate?
    I sighed. It was going to be a long year. Maybe if I got a job I could afford a private room after the first semester. I knew, for a fact, that Abbie had a room to herself. But not me. I had to