She nods.
"Yeah... I was standing in front of one of those panels at the university where you can put offers, lost stuff, and so on. You were about to put up that note saying you needed a roommate. I asked you how much it was, and you asked me how much I could afford. I told you a very low sum on purpose, I thought I could find a way to negotiate like that if I started super low, or you'd just turn me down... I was shocked when you agreed right away to what I said. I thought you'd laugh at me."
Wow, I didn't expect that... She had simply told me we met through an online thing. I don't think I ever asked her how much she was really paying to stay here either.
"We started living together... I finally took it easy on my job, until I only worked on the weekends. It was a really... nice change of pace, to not have to worry all the time about money. I focused on my studies, and I managed just fine. Although, as I said, we never got close. You barely talked, I'd just run into you from time to time."
So that part was true, at least. She could have embellished it a little, now that I think about it. Saying we’re buddies or something. I still don't really get what role my sister has to play in this, though. Kelsi sighs and I hear her dry throat. I sigh as well and take her almond milk out of the fridge to make us some late-night chocolate milk.
When she realizes what I'm doing, she looks a little bit relieved and comes to sit on the stool across from the island. I am impressed that Ben is still snoring like a pig while we're chatting a few steps away from him like this. We are speaking rather softly, but still...
"One day, I ran into your sister while you were at the university. I have to say, I literally freaked out. I am not super confrontational, and your sister is... a bit..."
"...Scary?"
Kelsi grimaces. Yeah, Amy tends to do that to some people. She is so imposing, everyone else feels like ants next to her. I can easily imagine Kelsi, in one of her silly, fluffy sweatshirts, coming out of her room and meeting Amy. A close encounter of the third kind. They are almost like two species that were never supposed to live in the same environment...
"So, what happened?" I ask, grabbing my cup.
She sighs and pulls hers closer, frowning a bit at the pink mug.
"She asked me what I was doing here, so I spilled the beans... I couldn’t tell if she was upset about it or not, she didn't get very... talkative. She said I wasn't really supposed to be here, so I understood she wanted to kick me out or something. That's when she gave me her card."
I frown, confused.
"Her card?"
"Yeah, her business card." Kelsi nods. "Your sister said to call her if anything ever happened to you... Back then, I was a bit surprised, so I just took it without saying anything."
"...That's it?" I ask with a frown. "That's how you started to... spy on me?"
She almost drops her cup, shaking her head.
"No, no! That's not how it went. I put her card into my agenda, and I decided not to think too much of it... She had told me not to tell you too, so I didn't think twice about it. That was at the end of February, months ago! To be honest, I forgot about that stupid card until you disappeared."
"What do you mean?"
She grabs her mug to sip a bit, clearing her throat, and lets out a long sigh.
"One evening, everyone on campus started talking about some big fire that had happened, with some people inside. All of social media was going crazy about it. There was news about a girl who had survived and had been rushed to the hospital. At first, I didn't think twice about it, but... when I got home that night, I felt super uneasy. You weren't home, and it wasn't like you to stay out at all. I decided to stay up, in case you were just late, like at the library or something."
She keeps turning her mug nervously between her hands as if she was feeling the stress from back then all over again. I can just imagine it. A nervous Kelsi, pacing around in the living room and hesitating.
"The university library closed around 10:00 p.m. that day," she continues, "so I waited until then, but I had this feeling, you know? When you still didn't show up by around 11:00 p.m., I grabbed your sister's card and I rushed to the E.R. to ask about the girl they had brought in. They hadn't been able to identify you yet, so they let me in when I explained that my roommate was missing, with your description."
"You saw me... like that?" I mutter, shocked.
Kelsi shivers and nods.
"Yeah... I recognized you... Gosh, you had tubes everywhere, it was so... scary... They only showed me your face, though, don't worry, I didn't see... you know, all the ugly parts. I mean, no, I don't mean ugly!"
"I was burnt to the fourth degree, Kelsi, you can call it ugly," I shrug, shaking my head. "I've seen it too, it wasn't pretty. Then, you're the one who called my sister?"
"Yeah, and the hospital did too. She was out of town, so I texted her about your state throughout the night and into the next morning about how you were doing."
"You stayed the whole night at the hospital?"
"Yup, with a lot of coffee... I met Bonnie this way, actually. She let me use the nurses' resting room to get coffee and some food."
