Dorm Norm - 1. Chapter 1: Hi there!

This is an original story which I am writing. Any accidental resemblance to any person dead/alive or fictional is regreted.

Chapter 1

“Samuel Williams,” Daniel read on the roommate listing.

Daniel Smith was a model student. He had gotten into Sharon Institution with his straight As at school coupled with letters of recommendation from each of his teachers.

Being had been a scholarship student at one of the most prestigious private schools in the country Daniel had always concentrated on his studies and thus never really been part of a friends circle as such. He was the guy who became everyone’s friend on the morning of the day when homework was due and then became a nobody as soon as the homework had been submitted. He had never had a girlfriend, no taste of romantic love, and he never had the inclination to involve himself in such affairs.

He entered the room to see the faces of football stars and rockstars adorning its walls.

“So Samuel is another one of those guys,” Daniel dismissed, and without further ado he got to unpacking his things and cleaning up the evident mess his roommate had made.

It took him about three hours to get the room clean and then get his things sorted out. There was still an hour left before dinner would be served so he thought he would take some rest.

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Daniel felt strong arms around him and a warm body pressed to his back. As he turned around he saw there was a half naked man beside him, hugging him. Instinctively he pushed the man away and the man fell to the ground.

The man was Samuel William, Daniel’s roommate.

“Who are you?” Daniel asked.

“Ouch! Who the hell are you? You’re the one who is the stranger, sleeping on my bed,” Samuel said as he pulled himself off the ground.

“This is my room,” Daniel said.

“Wait, are you Dan?” Samuel asked.

“I’m Daniel Smith. Now will you tell me who you are?”

“No need to freak out dude, I’m Sam. We’re roomies.”

“Okay. But why are you without your shirt? And why were you hugging me just now?”

“It’s so hot man. How come you still have your shirt on?”

“And hugging?” Daniel asked warily.

“I thought some dude was playing a prank on me so I thought I would prank him back,” Sam said sticking his tongue out, “but you’re quite comfy you know like a pillow so I fell asleep I guess.”

“Oh! Anyways I think it will be better if we lay down some ground rules. I do not like smoking of any sort or any kind of alcohol so I request that you to please not smoke or consume alcohol inside this room. I go to sleep at 9pm so I would prefer it if you could keep the sound down after that time. Also I would really appreciate it if I’m not used as a human pillow from now on,” Daniel declared.

“Man! What are so many rules for?”

“For the purpose of ensuring amicability amongst as roommates,” Daniel said. “It’s 7.58pm. Dinner will be served soon. Do come down when you’ve clothes on,” he said as he walked out of the room.

‘Amicability…funny guy,’ Sam thought as he slipped on a t-shirt and made his way to the mess.

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Daniel made his way to the mess, got his food and sat down in an empty corner table.

In a few moments the table was occupied by two more guys. The first among them was a cheerful guy with a big smile on his face while the second had an expression which suggested that he hated everything around him. The first guy had seemingly dragged the other one to the table.

“Hi I’m Mark,” said the first guy, “and this is my friend Michael.”

“We’re not friends,” the other guy announced.

“Well of course we are, there is no need to be shy,” Mark said.

Michael said nothing but simply glared at Mark for awhile and then got back to having his dinner.

“What is your name?” Mark asked.

Quite startled at first by the sudden inflow of new people Daniel replied after a while, “I’m Daniel.”

“Which room are you staying in?” Mark enquired.

“Room no. 43,” Daniel answered.

“Oh? We’re neighbours then. Michael and I are in room no.44. We are gonna be right beside each other all the time,” Mark informed.

Before Daniel had a chance to answer, Sam was sitting beside him.

“Sam!” Mark exclaimed.

“Hey dude! Watcha doing here? Followed me down here too?” Sam replied.

“Ya sure man,” Mark said sticking out his tongue.

“Sam and I have been friends since childhood,” Mark explained, although neither Daniel nor Michael had asked anything.

“Sam this is my new friend Michael!” Mark introduced.

Michael gave a brief nod and repeated himself. “We’re not friends.”

“Sam meet Daniel. He is living in the room next to Michael and mine,” Mark said.

“I know him. I’m his roommate,” Sam said.

Mark continued to chat while the others ate their dinner in comparative silence.

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“Your friend is very lively,” Daniel said as he and Sam made their way back to the room.

“He sure is,” Sam replied.

Back in their room Sam climbed up to the higher bed while Daniel settled down in the lower one. Sam took off his t-shirt and tossed it to the ground. Daniel immediately got up, picked up the t-shirt and started folding it.

“Dude leave it over there. You don’t need to bother about it,” Sam said.

“Oh but I do. I don’t like any sort of untidiness and you on the other hand seem to be very used to being irresponsible. Things will have to change a lot I feel,” Daniel declared.

He folded the shirt and placed it beside Sam’s suitcase. He switched off the lights and went back to bed.

‘Well I’m not used to changes and the only changes that occur around me are in the lives of others, and too controlled by my will. So I look forward to seeing what changes come about in our lives from now on,’ Sam thought as he dozed off.