Apologize to Brandon

You think of Alice's surgical takedown of you and your quick temper. Yes, Brandon isn't perfect, but maybe you aren't, either. He at least deserves the benefit of the doubt when you've only had one conversation with him, that went badly. But it's not going to go anywhere unless you're willing to admit how you were in the wrong. And anyway, assuming worst-case scenario, that he actually is some irredeemable jackass, you'll still be sharing your room with him all year, and it'll be important get on his good side.

You knock on your own door, hoping he's home. Technically you don't have to, it's your door. But it feels more apt for what's to come.

The door creaks open. "Oh. It's you. Why didn't you just walk in?" Brandon's voice says, as the door fully swings open you see him walking away and sitting back down on his bunk, again.

"I wanted to say..." you almost break off and try again, rewording it. "Look, I'm sorry I jumped down your throat about the luggage."

He looks up, examining you as if to see if you're serious. When he is satisfied he says, "And?"

You consider, for a second, what else he might be mad about. Then you say it with a sigh. "And I am sorry for humiliating you in front of the hot asian RA."

"Once in a lifetime," he mumbles. "Those tits on an asian. Now any chance all gone...like tears in the rain..."

The words almost come out: I doubt you'd've had a chance regardless. Or: Can you be serious for just one second, here? But no. No, now's not the time for that.

"Anyway," you rescue it. "The point is, I'm sorry."

"Not just because my hot sister went savage on your ass?"

Oof. He knows. His eyes are hard on you. And now he looks serious. You don't even know. That's not something you interrogated about yourself. Are you just apologizing because of Alice? Maybe.

"Well..." you answer honestly. "She put some things into perspective."

"So you're not just after my sister?"

You hold back a groan. "Look, man. If I was after your sister, I doubt I'd have any chance at this point regardless of what I said to you. You should have heard her."

"Oh, yeah. She gets pissed. You aren't even ready for how pissed she can get, bro. You got the sampler plate," he studies you. "Okay, so I'll be fair. Maybe we aren't all the way cool. Because damage has been done. My shot with that RA is down the drain and never coming back. But you humbled yourself before me, man. And that takes balls. So I guess we're a little bit cool."

You let out a sigh of relief.

"But for the record, dude, not my sister."

"Yeah, sure," you shrug. "Not your sister, who totally hates me. I can live with that."

He smiles with a nod. And you get the sense that your roommate experience is going to be a lot better than it could have been.