This is prompt from the 100 (GT) Themes Challenge. Feel free to send a number/word from the list for me to write about, and a specific character to go along with it, if you like!
This is the 8th installment of An Extra Roommate! Introducing Zoe!
Here are the other prompts that I’ve filled for the challenge!
Cassandra's heart fluttered with a sense of trepidation that never quite eased when she was away from her nook. There was something particularly nervewracking about being in Zoe's room, though the borrower found herself returning to it for the third time that week.
The room was cluttered as ever--a borrower's dream, as far as hiding places and knickknacks to claim. The bed existed in a permanent state of unmade with the sheets tossed haphazardly atop it, and the desk was cluttered with sketchbooks and crumpled papers, which only left the floor free for art projects in need of drying.
Lily had been the one to suggest that Cassandra visit Zoe's room if she was bored--but only while the dorm was completely empty, of course. And bored Cassandra was. She was stocked up with plenty of supplies and food.
She would be picking way through perishables for the next few days, which meant she didn't have borrowing to occupy her time. She didn't want to read, either; it was much more enjoyable to share a novel with Lily.
So while the humans were away at their classes, Cassandra had taken to exploring--something she never would have seen herself doing for fun until Lily inspired the confidence in her.
"She's a great artist, you know," Lily had said offhandedly just last week. "If you're ever in the mood to stretch your legs, it'd be worth checking out her stuff. Just don't step on anything--she'll notice."
That wasn't surprising, as Zoe seemed quite protective of her projects. Even before noting Lily's warning, Cassandra had overheard commotion more than once: Zoe shooing her friends away from her bedroom and slamming the door shut, exclaiming that her paint was still wet, or her project was unfinished.
It almost felt like a particularly risky adventure, getting to see what the girls of the dorm were barred from.
It proved to be a nice distraction, too.
Cassandra returned to her home only once since discovering Vince had rifled through her storage, along with the note claiming he wanted to return to her. She wouldn't have returned if she could help it, but all her things were down there. There was no need to bring any food, Lily said. Only her other essentials--clothes, climbing gear, bags.
The hope was that if Vince returned, he would see her belongings gone and think she had abandoned the space in the walls for good. The food was all his if he wanted it. Though resolute in her decision, Cassandra's stomach did backflips while she had retrieved her things, terrified that Vince would be waiting for her or would show up while she was clearing the place out.
He didn't show, but that didn't stop her from thinking over and over what he would say if she found out she was moving her belongings to the bottom shelf of Lily's bookcase.
There was no telling how long the setup would last. Lily assured Cassandra that she was more than welcome to stay as long as Lily was still living in the dorm. With winter break months away, they had time to sort things out.
For now, Cassandra was content enough living behind a stack of books on the shelf. The space didn't feel quite as homey as she was used to. The books could be used to create barriers, she supposed--something to divide her makeshift bed from her storage area--but she felt embarrassed at the thought of asking Lily to accommodate her any further. She was doing Cassandra a kindness enough by sharing her room.
Cassandra shook those thoughts away and focused instead on seeing how Zoe's work was coming along.
A thick sheet lay upon the carpet, along with several cups of all sizes containing murky water. Two sets of watercolor palettes lay beside the sheet, some pans still damp.
"Wow," Cassandra breathed, leaning over the painting while being careful not to disturb it.
Up close, it wasn't easy to distinguish the deep green forest that Zoe had painted, but even so, Cassandra was thoroughly impressed by the detail that had been added since she'd last visited. She needed a higher vantage point, and luckily the bed had proved to be perfect during her previous venture.
No sooner than she'd started unwinding her climbing rope, a noise came from the main area of the dorm that made her flinch back violently--straight into one of the smaller containers.
Water sloshed across the corner of the sheet, staining across the dark forest floor like an unexpected flood.
Cassandra clamped a hand over her mouth, eyes darting over the mess she'd made while a human voice floated from the front entrance of the dorm. It was Lily.
"Can't believe Jones let us out early!" There was an awkward tightness to Lily's voice. It was a warning to Cassandra to hide quickly if she was out and about in the kitchen or living room.
"Uh… yeah," came Zoe's reply, though she didn't pursue Lily's strange tone. "Anyway, naptime for me. Wake me when before noon, huh?"
"Sure thing," Lily answered as Cassandra scrambled to hide under Zoe's bed. There was no way she could sneak past, not with Zoe's footsteps already beginning to tremor through the floor as she approached her room.
Ducking behind the nearest leg of the bed, Cassandra squeezed her eyes shut. The door swung open, and the ground gave a particularly frightening shake as Zoe flung her bag carelessly to the corner. Before Cassandra could begin to hope that the human would simply lay down and fall asleep, Zoe gave a strangled gasp.
Cassandra dared to peek out from the shadows, her blood turning to ice when she saw Zoe's gaze was pointed in her general direction.
But she was looking at her ruined painting.
The human's short black hair seemed to curl at the tips as she stared, her burgundy-painted lips forming a perfect 'o'. Her eyes went from glazed with shock, to glowing like blue flames.
She whirled on her heel. "Who's been in my room!" Her shout made Cassandra cover her ears and whimper. The angrier the human got, the faster she spoke, sentences running into each other. "Who's been in--I'm going to kill--do you have any idea how long it took me to--Lily!"
Lily had already strode into Cassandra's view, standing just shy of the doorway and looking wide-eyed. "Shh! What's going on?"
"I left earlier than you," Zoe seethed. "Did you see Amelie or Nat go into my room? M-my painting--there's water all over--someone spilled--"
"Calm down!" Lily advised, stepping over to see what the fuss was about. She frowned at the painting, and perhaps it was because she had gotten so used to seeking out Cassandra, her eyes landed on the borrower peeking out from behind her hiding place almost immediately.
Even after weeks and weeks of knowing her, Cassandra felt a thrill of fear race through her veins when Lily spotted her on the ground.
They shared a brief look, Cassandra's heart pounding away while tears tickled the corners of her eyes. She ducked away swiftly in case Zoe followed Lily's line of sight.
"Well?" Zoe demanded. "Did you see--"
"I-I… I did it," Lily croaked.
"You… what--what were you doing in my room?" Zoe snapped, and Cassandra could just imagine her eyes widening furiously.
Lily stammered for a few seconds before settling on her story. "I c-couldn't find Slaughterhouse Five, I thought you had borrower--borrowed it, so I came in. I didn't see the cup. I thought it was just a few drops and that it would dry up without leaving a mark, I swear."
With a snarl, Zoe stalked off, maybe to calm down before she ripped her best friend limb from limb. Whatever the case, the ground shook with the approach of a human, making Cassandra nearly jump out of her skin.
"C'mon, c'mon, Cassie," Lily breathed.
The shadows around Cassandra darkened as a giant hand presented itself beside her. She didn't think twice about scrambling aboard, holding tight to Lily's ring finger as she swept her off the ground.
Before Lily got halfway through a whispered, "Are you okay?", Zoe's voice sliced through the air like a knife.
"Why are you still in here?" she demanded angrily, storming back into the room. "You're going to ruin something else--"
Lily let out a cry of surprise as Zoe gripped her shoulder and sharply tugged to turn her around. It left her no time to cover Cassandra or hide her away.
In an instant, the room was drenched with an awful silence. Though Cassandra had her head down while she cowered against Lily's fingers, she was very much aware that she was exposed. The room around her darkened as Lily's other hand draped over her, but it was too late.
