Gratitude

The pair had trekked down to the administration building, only to discover that the grass outside had become host to what could well be the world's first homeless shelter comprised entirely of college students. Tents haphazardly filled the fields like flowers, the flimsy structures speckling every patch of green around the building. A line of disgruntled young men and women enclosed the building, the noise filled with tremors of their rising indignance.

"How the hell is the university always this incompetent!" Nicola's face was red with rage and frustration as wrinkles scrunched her brow like creases on an otherwise flawless artwork.

He didn't say anything, lest the tall girl's wrath be redirected towards him instead. Nicola began pacing backwards and forwards like she had at the apartment, muttering dark promises of vengeance towards the middle-aged women that controlled the college's massive bureaucracy. It was becoming clear that William was destined to stay at least one more night in the same apartment as the beautiful girl, and although he could hardly complain about the prospect of spending more time around her, it also saddened him that she saw him as such a burden.

Done with her thinking, Nicola's green eyes turned to him. "Okay, here is what we'll do. You stay at my place again tonight, and then we try again tomorrow. I've got shit to do today, so I guess I'll see you later. Try not to make a mess."

It occurred to him that he could detonate a nuclear bomb inside the apartment and it would probably end up cleaner than it currently was, but decided not to voice his opinion. He lazily strolled back to the dormitory, taking detours around the majestic campus along the way as he familiarised himself with his new home.

Upon entering the apartment, that smell of bad food and musty carpets overwhelmed his senses once more, making him gag as he readjusted to it. If he had to stay here, there was no way that he was going to put up with the odour any longer.

Cleaning the dorm proved to be a much easier task than he anticipated; most of Nicola's mess could be resolved by just cleaning the dishes and throwing away bad food. After that, he persuaded one of the neighbors to loan him their vacuum and cleaning supplies so that he could cleanse the dorm's stained, carpeted floor. After hearing that he was cleaning the place, the neighbor was overjoyed to lend whatever he needed to remove the disgusting, wafting smell from Nicola's habitat.

Interacting with the neighbors allowed him to learn that Nicola was considered somewhat of an oddity to those that knew of her; beautiful and anti-social is a rare combination.

The cleaning took the entirety of William's day, and so by the time Nicola returned, he was strewn exhausted across the tattered leather couch whilst the sun gently retreated into the horizon. For a minute, she just stood in the doorway, her face devoid of any expression.

"You cleaned?" Her voice was barely audible, a harsh whisper carried on a breeze to his awaiting ear.

"Yeah."

"Why?"

"I - I - I don't know, I guess I just like things to be tidy and I wanted to thank you for letting me stay here."

Suddenly, she strode into her room, slamming the door behind her without looking at him once. William was left there to bathe in silence and try to make sense of her reaction.