Nicola declined the glass of rum from her new roommate.“You don’t drink?” Leah moaned as she sipped from her own glass.“I drink sometimes, may...e at Christmas or Thanksgiving, but I don’t routinely touch the stuff.” Nicola defended as she shift nervously atop the bed.“Geez…we gotta change that. This term is gonna suck if my roommate won’t join me for a drink.” Leah declared, as she leant towards Nicola, who looked at her feet.“Look at me, Nicola.”Nicola slowly complied, looking into Leah’s brown. Ata?"Mr. Ata sneered at Kathy. "I think you're unclean, and you think I'm evil, don't you?"Kathy paused. "I won't stay for conversation, but I will answer that question." Kathy looked downward in thought for a moment, and then looked up into the intense hatred in Mr. Ata's eyes. "A great poet once said, all spirits are enslaved who serve things evil." So you do think I'm evil!" I think the cause you serve is evil. Look at you, a slave to your hatred, chained to believing your own lies, trapped. “Despite that, even knowing I should ... I can’t walk away from you. You mean too much to me.” He swallowed. “So if you don’t ... if you ... well.” He cleared his throat. “Now is the time you should tell me, if you don’t want this. Because otherwise I want ... I would like...”It was her turn to stop him, putting a slender finger over his lips with a smile. “I’m not going anywhere. We both have complicated pasts. I don’t care – and I can take care of myself.”He nodded, his palms slick with. Alice was chatting with her, being friendly, and welcoming Cynthia into her private space. It was okay to accept that, Cynthia told herself. This was all positive. She forced herself, very deliberately, to lean back into the couch cushions. After a moment, she uncrossed her arms and sat on her hands to keep from crossing them again. After a moment’s fumbling, Alice called out from the kitchen, ‘Is instant okay? I’ve got some of that French Vanilla stuff. It’s dreck, but it’s sweet dreck.’.