Chapter 1
The New Girl
“So quiet.”
Plants and a tree, visible through the fence, surrounded Gaby as she sat on the bench outside her college apartment. The tree’s branches cast shadows inside the apartment, creating a serene but somewhat eerie atmosphere. She glanced at her watch and saw that it was almost 6 o’clock.
“Dinner is coming, and I’m alone in the flat,” She thought, a blend of excitement and silence swirling within her.
After a while, she heard noises coming from inside the apartment. She was a little worried and curious whether her housemates had shown up. “Maybe I should go see if they’re here,” she thought, her heart beating a little faster at the prospect of meeting them for the first time.
As she approached the main door, she heard happy sounds inside. Gaby was a little nervous; this was her first time living with others. “I’ve read that roommates often fight because of different personalities,” she reminded herself, hoping her new roommates would be friendly.
Taking a deep breath, she slowly opened the door. The three women inside turned to stare at her, their expressions unreadable.
“Hello,” She said shyly, feeling her cheeks warm with a blush.
“Oh my God!” they all screamed at once, startling her.
A pretty woman in shorts and a white T-shirt walked up to her. She was about 5′6" tall and had a haircut that perfectly framed her face. She grabbed Gaby by the arm and led her to where the other two women were standing.
“Hello, are you our new roommate?” the woman asked as she pulled Gaby closer.
“Yeah! My name is Gabrielle Shin Johnson,” Gaby said, feeling overwhelmed. “But I like Gaby better.”
“Oh, by the way, my name is Sasha De Leon. This is Ashlee Alonzo and Arabella Anderson, whom we call Belle most of the time.”
“Hi there!” Gaby smiled and greeted them, trying to mask her nervousness.
The two women looked her over, taking in her features. Gaby felt a bit uncomfortable under their scrutinizing gazes. Like Sasha, Belle had long, beautiful, ash-brown curly hair. She also had a wide nose bridge, thin lips, and big breasts. She had pear-shaped hips and long legs, standing about 5′8", the same height as Gaby. Belle had some great curves!
They cheered, “You’re beautiful!” and continued to look at her appreciatively.
“Hey, your skin looks great, and those eyebrows! Are they real? Your dimples are adorable!” Ashlee yelled out.
Ashlee sat next to Belle. She was just as beautiful, with short, curly hair. Unlike her two friends, she had a Morena complexion and a body like Barbie’s. Gaby admired Ashlee’s interest in sports, stunts, and risky games, yet her flawless appearance constantly drew her to beauty pageants.
“Oh gawd, Gaby! You’re beautiful!” Ashlee said enthusiastically.
Gaby giggled and said, “You girls are also pretty. Girl, I love the way your body looks. You’re great.”
“But you’ve put yourself together perfectly,” Ashlee said, admiration clear in her voice. “Do you like the color of my skin?” she asked. “What color skin does the average Filipino have? Your body looks better than mine.”
“Ashlee, you look beautiful. Your skin tone looks great on you!” Gaby reassured her. “Have you ever competed in a beauty pageant?”
Ashlee smiled and said, “Yeah, I won in middle school.”
“When did Gaby get here?” Belle asked.
“Not long ago,” Gaby answered.
“What’s your major?” Sasha asked.
“I’m in my third year of studying civil engineering for my bachelor’s degree,” Gaby replied.
“I’m in my third year of studying tourism,” Belle said.
“Oh, and I’m in my third year of BS Business Administration, too!” Sasha yelled out.
She also said, “I’m in my third year of political science. Nice to meet you, Gaby.”
Gaby felt a surge of happiness that almost drowned out the next round of screams from the women. “My roommates are cool,” she thought, “Even though I was nervous at first, I think we’ll become great friends.”
“Were you a beauty queen, celebrity, or actress? Just curious!” Ashlee asked.
Gaby giggled and shook her head. “No way, I wish! Sadly, no. It’s just a dream.”
“Why’s it impossible? You’ve got all it takes,” Belle said.
Gaby smiled and said, “Because it’s impossible out there!”
Belle joked, “I bet you’re one of those girls who likes to be with boys.”
“That’s what makes you so beautiful!” Sasha said.
Gaby could only smile. She told Sasha, “You look good here. I’m lucky to live with such nice people!”
“We understand!” Belle was amused.
Gaby thought, “They’re sweet and fun. This is going to be a great experience.”
“We don’t mean to brag, but we were the college sweethearts. The groups for women are like the well-known groups for guys. Almost every guy at our school had crushes on us,” Ashlee said.
“Really then?” Gaby said, “Wow, you three must have been the heartthrobs.”
“Yes, there are now four of us. I can’t wait to see how the boys respond tomorrow,” Sasha said with a sly grin.
Gaby laughed, feeling more at ease. “It’s impossible not to be friends with them. They’re cool!” she thought.
The door suddenly swung open, letting two guys in, interrupting their talk.
“Hi, girls! Were you missing us?” one of the men said.
“No,” Sasha replied.
“Sasha, stop being so rude. The other guy joked, “I know you have a thing for me.”
“Excuse me!” Sasha raised a brow. “You’re not my crush and never will be. Your confidence shines through.”
The man chuckled and looked over to Ashlee’s side. “Oh!” Matt and Riki both let out shocked gasps.
“I thought this was a house. It ends up being a home for angels!” Matt smiled.
Matt put out his hand and grabbed Gaby’s. “I may not be the nicest person in the world, but God must love me because He sent an angel to see me. Hello, Miss Beautiful. My name is Matt,” he said.
She smiled. “Gaby.”
“Jesus, I can’t help it—you’re beautiful!” Matt smiled and said it.
Matt fell off the couch when Ashlee and Sasha pushed him quickly. Riki, another guy, came up to Gaby and took her hand.
He held her hand and said, “Hello, my name is Riki. Matt is right. You’re beautiful.”
Her answer was, “Hello, my name is Gaby.”
Ashlee and Sasha pushed Riki around for fun, and she ended up sitting on Matt’s lap on the couch. “Hey man, relax! You weigh a lot!” Matt joked.
Everyone laughed, and the room was full of jokes and happy talk, especially about how Matt and Riki were always fighting with Sasha, Belle, and Ashlee.
“Are these the famous Heartthrobs?” Gaby asked.
“You mean Matt and Riki? These two are real heartthrobs. A lot of women and gay people find them stunning,” Sasha replied.
Gaby’s family owned the college. The only other person in her family was a Johnson. Her father was a famous builder in the US, Canada, Australia, and Europe. Her mother, meanwhile, was a renowned heart and lung surgeon in Canada and Europe.
SU, one of the most expensive schools in the country, was started by Gaby’s dad. The student flats had a nice living room, kitchen, four bedrooms, and a bathroom on the first floor. Each bedroom on the second floor was big enough for one person. It appeared to be a pleasant residence for students, with easy access to maintenance whenever required.
“There are four of them, and you haven’t met the other two,” Ashlee said.
“Whoa, seriously?” Gaby asked. “That means there are four of them? Like the F4?”
Sasha nodded. “Yeah, four good-looking rich guys.” Ashlee giggled. “The women talk about their bodies all the time.”
Gaby smiled. “Body “luscious”?”
Sasha replied with a laugh. “Yes, of course. Clark and Dylan look even better. They are the most well-known in the group. Clark has a huge number of fans.”
“Dylan’s here? Certainly not! My best friend can’t be him!” Gaby thought to herself, a mix of disbelief and excitement.
Ashlee said, “It’s easier to get in touch with Dylan than Clark.”
“Are they that well-known?” Gaby asked, her interest growing.
Gaby remembered that Hana Yori Dango was her favorite Japanese comic.
Sasha giggled and said, “Yes, women are crazy about them.”
With Sasha’s excitement, Gaby couldn’t help but giggle. “What college or university are you from? It’s been a while since school began. This is a good place for you,” Belle said.
Her dad’s ownership of the place expedited her acceptance. “I have been to Canada before.” Gaby answered, “I’d like to study here.”
“Whoa, you’re from another country!” Belle smiled.
It made Gaby feel good to be around her new friends, who were laughing too.
