CHANCE ENCOUNTERS
Prologue -
February 2007The morning sun rose over the trees that grew behind the second residence building of UONM (University of New Mexico, Albuquerque). It shone brightly through the slits of the vertical blinds that hung over the window and came to rest on the lump in the bed.
Up until now Sharpay was sleeping soundly in her cozy little room. That was until the loud banging started on the flimsy door, rattling it loudly in the frame.
"Hey it's 8:30! Don't you have a class this morning?"
It took a moment before the words registered in her tired mind. "Oh my god I'm late!"
Shielding her eyes from the intense light, Sharpay threw the sheets off the bed and frantically began to search for her clothes, while at the same time doing some rapid calculations to figure out what class it was that she was late for. Jumping into her jeans and throwing on a sweatshirt, Sharpay ran out of her room and began pounding on her roommate's door. "Hey, Gabriella! We're late for class!"
Satisfied with the muffled moan that she was awake, Sharpay headed for the fridge to see if anything was edible.
"There's nothing in there, I already went through it." Taylor, one of Sharpay's other roommates sat at their small table nursing a mug of what looked like sludge. "Head across the hall, they've got coffee." She grinned.
"Thank goodness for dorms huh?" Sharpay held the door open with her foot and leaned across the hall managing to knock on the door and stuff shoes on her feet at the same time.
"Can you make sure Gabby gets up? We've got class this morning and we're already late."
The door opened and an arm snaked out holding a decanter.
"Late again are we?" Said a voice behind the door.
"Just shut up and pour will you?" Sharpay said.
A tall, dark-haired figure in shorts and a T-shirt emerged and obligingly filled the proffered mug.
"Thanks, Zeke. You're a lifesaver! I owe you a big one." Sharpay smiled at him.
"Oh really?" Comically wriggling his eyebrows and pursing his lips he leant toward her. "Give me a big wet one then."
Laughing she put her hand on his face and shoved him away. "Ugh! Get away!" Turning around, she shouted for Gabriella. "Hey! You up yet?"
"Yeah, yeah, yeah, I'm ready. Let's go." Gabriella's small figured shuffled out of the first bedroom door, her short dark hair in disarray and clothes wrinkled.
Sharpay grabbed her arm and literally dragged her down the hall. "We're late! Bye everyone!" And with that the two girls disappeared around a corner.
Zeke, still holding the decanter, headed across the hall and sat down next to Taylor.
"So when do you think those two will realize that it's Saturday?"
"I don't think that they will until they get to a locked classroom door. The big question is whether or not they will forgive us for this one." Laughing, Taylor took a sip out of her mug and then grimaced. "When are you guys going to learn how to make coffee properly?"
"Hey I haven't had any complaints yet. I think it's got a good kick to it." He took a swig as if to prove his point. He swallowed and started choking; "Maybe I'll cool it a bit with the beans."
Taylor took a sideways glance at him and whacked him hard on the back and smiled.
"Yeah well look who you live with. It's not like they have any taste anyway." And with that the door swung open.
Two other guys walked in, one lanky and blonde while the other was a bit shorter with darker skin and black curly hair.
"I think that we resent that, Tay," said Ryan, the lanky one. "As a matter of fact, I know we resent that. Don't we Chad?"
"Yeah whatever." Chad Danforth was already in the kitchen rummaging through the cupboards looking for food. "You got anything edible in here?"
"Not until later, feel like coming grocery shopping with us? The more the merrier." Chad slumped onto the couch and moaned something about wasting away.
"So you guys send Shar and Gabs off to another non-existent class again? When are they coming back? Do you know?"
Taylor shrugged, "Well the last time we did this to them they disappeared for about an hour to think up a come back. So they could be back in twenty minutes or two hours from now. It depends on how long it takes them to think of something nasty to do to us."
Zeke looked thoughtful; "Could you imagine doing stuff like this last year? They probably never would have spoken to us again. Who would have thought huh?"