Chapter 2, Personal

Part 1

Joy noticed that Patricia had a very strange face on today, almost as if she'd eaten something foul. The dark haired girl kept on flipping through her phone, pressing buttons rather angrily. Joy didn't know her roommate that well, after all, its been only a few weeks since she's been here. The only thing close to a friend she had was the girl Victoria she sat with in Drama.

She watched as Patricia closed her phone rather forcefully, and discarded it on her bed. Joy was contemplating on whether or not ask her what was wrong, when her thoughtful expression changed into an almost sinister smirk. Snatching up her purse, Patricia exited the room, leaving Joy confused.

"Trudy! I'm going into town for a little bit."

"Come back before supper, dearie."

Joy sighed and flopped down on her back, looks like she wasn't going to be able to even attempt to make friends with Patricia today. Unknown to her parents, who thought by now Joy must have made loads of friends, she was a bit shy around new people. She needed a topic of common interest before she began to even think of trying to talk to that person . She wasn't the type of person to just walk up to a stranger and start a conversation, not even if they were in the same year as her.

She heard something vibrate on Patricia's bed, and quickly sat up.

She can't go into town without her phone!

"Patricia, wait!" The brunette shouted franticly, quickly picking up her roommate's phone and nearly flying down the stairs.

Joy almost sighed in relief when she managed to catch the dark haired girl's shoulder, as she was about to leave the house. Patricia turned around, clearly startled and annoyed to say the least. Noticing her expression, Joy released her rather quickly. She quickly caught her breath, and held out Patricia's phone.

"You forgot your phone." Joy smiled nervously, and watched as Patricia's hostility melted.

"Oh, thank you Joy." Said brunette blinked in surprise at the genuine smile that was on her roommate's face for the first time in days.

Well, it's now or never. What do I have to loose?

"Oh and Patricia," said girl, who was in the middle of exiting turned around. "I was wondering, if you didn't mind if I accompanied you to town today."

The dark haired girl paused for a moment, making Joy loose her confidence.

"I guess that sounds fine. Come along then Joy." Joy's expression brightened up instantly, and she followed her acquaintance out the door.

Patricia was having a rough day, to say the least. Her mother had just notified her that she would be spending her break after the current term at her aunt's, all the way in America. Again.

Her mother was always too busy with her work to pay attention to her. That's the whole reason she put her in this boarding school. She had finally had enough of Patricia's 'stunts' and sent her off. All she ever was to her mother was a nuisance, something she hadn't wanted. Another factor in her amazing from rags to riches story.

Well, now Patricia was done. She was done trying to please her mother. She certainly couldn't, not with grades, or behavior. She looked in her mirror today and examined her hair. It was a dark brown, and went down to her shoulder blades, similar to her mother's. She looked over the student handbook, and discovered a loophole in the article discussing foot wear and leg covering. It said nothing about leggings, nor about boots. Just that the calves must be covered, and the shoes not heeled.

So now, she was going to change. Become a new Patricia, one who didn't stretch herself out in vain of trying to please someone who didn't appreciate her.

She looked over at her companion for the day. Perhaps it would be nice to hang out with a girl for a change. She couldn't talk about everything with Jerome and Alfie, that was for sure.

Even though she's been to town almost every week, she could never get over how beautiful it is. Especially around this time of day. It certainly fit the "Old English" definition. The cobble stoned side walk stretched out for who knows how long, basking in the evening day sun. Along it were dozens of mom and pop shops, ranging from grocery stores, boutiques, to bookstores. There was even an automotive repair shop somewhere in the middle. The buildings were rust colored red bricks, with green shuttered windows, that looked lovely in the afternoon. What Patricia loved the most was the park located right off her favorite movie shop.

But right now she had a different destination in mind.

"Joy, I hope you don't mind, but I have a few stops to make." She stated, keeping her tone indifferent.

"That's fine. After all, I came to hang out with you." Joy replied with a sweet smile.

Patricia was stunned, to say the least. She wasn't used to having people care about her, or show her any consideration. She hadn't had a good friend in a long time. She didn't know how to reply.

"So where are we going?" Her roommate asked, swinging her arms a bit with each step she took.

"I have a bit of shopping to do. Then I was thinking of stopping by the salon for a bit of a trim." She tried to keep her voice even, but couldn't help but let out a little laugh.

If her mother ever found out what she planned to do, she wouldn't approve. Not one bit.

And that's exactly what she was going for.

Joy was a bit confused as to what was funny, but she didn't question her. She followed Patricia to hair dressers. The building was wedged in between a creamery, and a bookstore.

As they entered the salon, the scents of different shampoo and conditioner flavors hit her nose head on. Coconut, vanilla, and the smell of burning hair could faintly be detected among them. The floors were spotless, almost blindingly white. It wasn't very crowded, the only other people that were there were a toddler possibly getting his first hair cut, and his mother. The mother was trying to calm her screaming child, who most likely got spooked by the scissors. A frantic hair stylist was waiting at his station not too far away from them, rubbing the back of his neck.

The lady at the front desk was obviously bored and unaffected by the child's wails, popping her gum and flipping through a magazine. When she heard the bell chime, signaling their arrival, she merely glanced at them. The light haired girl looked over at her roommate, who had her lips pursed and arms crossed. Patricia cleared her throat loudly, and the hairdresser put down her magazine.

"How may I help you?" She asked in a bland tone that made Joy want to roll her eyes at the women.

"I'm going to need a cut and new color." Joy's eyes widened, and she turned to her companion.

She didn't mention anything about dying her hair.

"Right this way then."

The brunette followed them both, wondering what else Patricia had left unmentioned about today.

To Joy, her roommate's hair was beautiful. She didn't understand why she wanted to change it. It was a deep brown, almost jet black, and went down to the middle of her back.

She decieded to say nothing. After all, it was her hair. She could do whatever she wanted with it.

She watched in silence as Patricia got several inches cut off, her long hair nothing more than tuffs on the floor. She waited patiently, flipping through her phone and trying her hardest not to look over at the child who hadn't stopped crying since they entered, as they both waited for the color to set in. What confused Joy was the sense of accomplishment and strange happiness emanating from her roommate. She was sure Trudy was going to have a cow when they got back.

"All done. Don't wash your hair for three days, you'll wash some of the dye out." The hairdresser ordered after what seemed like years to Joy.

"Thank you, and I won't." Her now redheaded roommate replied, handing the lady the money.

As they walked out, Joy started to feel wary about what else Patricia had in store for them. It doesn't make any sense for her to dye her hair like that out of the blue, especially red. She hadn't even mentioned it to her.

I have a feeling today is going to be very interesting.

Patricia felt unstoppable. She couldn't keep the wicked smile off her face, she was her own person now. She no longer a walking replica of her mother. She had something different that made her stand out. And maybe she even had a new friend.

Maybe.

The redhead blinked, looking at her possible-friend. She noticed Joy looked uncomfortable now. Her arms were crossed, and she looked conflicted. She looked like she wasn't having a good time, that was for sure.

Patricia calmed her stride, bit her lip, and looked away. She felt a tad guilty now. After all, Joy had been so nice to her, it was about time she started returning the favor. That is what friends did, or at least she thought so.

"So Joy, what would you like to do now?" Her voice seemed to bring the girl back to reality, who in turn blinked.

"Well there is this new romcom that just came out that I've been dying to see. . . " The brunette trailed off, looking at Patricia , trying to suppress a sheepish smile.

"When does it start?" She questioned, hiding her own at the girls excitement.

"I was looking at the listings in this mornings paper. There's a showing at 4." She informed her, now seeming much happier.

Patricia opened her phone to check the time, and gasped. It was 3:52.

"Well then, hurry now Joy. The Picture show is across town, and we have less than eight minutes." She grabbed her roommate's wrist and started running.

The two laughed as shouts of angry pedestrians trailed behind them. Patricia figured she could warm up to Joy, in due time anyway.

So then, there is Part One of Two of my Joy and Patricia centric story. I'll post the second part later this week. It's not all rainbows and butterflies. Expect some conflicts, and maybe a few tears. Possibly my own idea on how Fabian became friends with them both. Maybe a little bit of Alfie to lighten things up? Then comes another Jerome chapter : ) So I bid thee farewell!

-Rae