Irritation

Faith was busily brushing her brown hair. One hundred strokes every night. Regina couldn't help but count along as she worked on her homework. She hated algebra. It made no sense and she knew she'd never have to use it after she graduated. The math teacher, Mrs. Westmoreland, was a grim, gray woman who never quite seemed to be mentally all there. She was clearly brilliant but just... not all there. Since Regina had trouble with math, it was a bad combination. Even though she like Mrs. Westmoreland, she hated math, and algebra in particular.

"Faith. Can you do that after I finish? Please?" Regina finally said, putting down her pencil. "I keep watching you and I have to finish this or I'll never pass algebra."

"I guess so," Faith said, putting down her brush. "But I don't see why it bothers you. All I'm doing is brushing my hair."

"I know," Regina said with a sigh, "But I hate this stuff and my brain is looking for anything to pay attention to other than my homework. I'll be done soon, I promise. Then you can brush 200 strokes if you want."

Faith snorted. It was stupid that she had to wait until Regina was through doing her homework. She wanted to brush her hair. And she wanted to do it now. Her homework was finished. Even the French worksheet she had to do for Madame Fontaine -- all of it was finished. She bounced with irritation on her bed and then bounced to her feet.

"I'm going to the bathroom to rinse out some things," she said.

"OK," Regina replied without really hearing Faith.

Several other girls were in the bathroom, one in the tub and three performing various portions of their toilette. Maribeth smiled at Faith as she came in and called out to her, "Hey there! Did you do the French homework for tomorrow?"

Faith nodded and moved to the sink beside Maribeth. "Yeah, I finished. Hours ago."

"That Fontaine woman has a lot of nerve giving us so much homework when she knows we have five other classes and our needlework to do," Maribeth groused.

"I know it. But I kind of like French. I hate homework, but French isn't too bad," Faith replied, dunking her few delicates in a sink full of soapy water.

"Ugh!" Maribeth groaned loudly making the other girls laugh. "I hate French and I hate Fontaine. She's like a giant heron or some big bird on stilts."

"Shush, Mari," Lulu, one of the other girls said, looking toward the doorway. "What if Miss Peale hears you? You know what she says about making derogatory remarks - especially about teachers!"

"I know, I know," Maribeth said. "She won't let us have any fun."

"Neither will my roommate," said Faith. "I've only been here two months and she's driving me crazy. 'Don't do this' and 'Stop doing that' and 'You're bothering me.' I can't win. She wouldn't even let me brush my hair tonight. Said it was bothering her. Can you believe it?"

"What?" Lulu said.

"You're kidding, right?" Maribeth asked.

"Nope," Faith said. "Not kidding. I left the room so we didn't fight. She's strange. All she does is practice her piano and go visit Elena's rancho. Very strange." Faith said, rinsing the suds out of her garments.

"I wish I had a different roommate. Someone normal."

"Yeah," Lulu said. "I know what you mean. Molly's pretty odd too. But at least I can brush my hair in my own room. You poor thing."

"It's all right," Faith said. "I can manage. After all, it's not forever. My father has already asked Miss Porter to change my roommate assignment. I don't think she's too willing, but Father is very good at getting what he wants. It's amazing what money can do," she said with a knowing smile.

"I don't think I'll have to put up with that strange Southern accent for much longer."

A Campus Tour

The girls left Miss Peale's office at a rapid pace. Although Regina liked the Headmistress, there was an aura around her office and living quarters that made being elsewhere seem like an excellent idea. Faith followed along just as quickly. As they reached the chapel, Regina slowed down.

"This is the chapel. You'll see a lot of it," Regina said. "I love the way the stained glass windows gleam in the morning light. But we've been having a lot of fog lately so there's not a lot of sunshine."

"It looks nice. Pretty," Faith said. "The church back home is a wooden shack practically, although the congregation is raising money to build a nicer one."

"Where are you from?" Regina asked.

"Reno, Nevada," came the reply. "And you're from Kentucky. That's a long way away, isn't it? How'd you end up here?"

"My Pappy, my grandfather," Regina said. "After Gran died, he wanted to make sure I was cared for and he brought me here. I'm supposed to learn how to get on in the world. Or at least find a rich husband.

"What's Reno like?" Regina asked.

"It's beautiful and wild and we have a huge new house. Father got rich in the mines around Virginia City and built the house Mother always wanted. Then they had me. Father still heads out to the mines and stays away most of the time. Mother didn't want me to end up with some no-account miner or storekeeper or married to rich man who's never home." Faith looked down at her new shoes and shrugged. "I guess that's all of it. You and I have dropped off here to get us out of the way. At least it looks like a nice place."

"It's not that bad," Regina said.

"No?"

"No," Regina said. She didn't need the emotional drama that Faith seemed on the verge of right now. Maybe she could change the subject. "The teachers are good. The classes are hard, but not too hard. And we have the best room in both dormitories. Come on, I'll show you!"

A New Roommate

Miss Peale knocked on Regina's door and then opened it. Regina was at her desk, light streaming in from the open window behind her, head bent over her Latin homework. She looked up, a little surprised to see her housemother.

"Is it time for chores already?" she asked, sounding confused.

"No, Regina. Miss Porter asked me to send you to her office. You're going to get your roommate finally." Miss Peale smiled as though being alone was a fate to be avoided at all costs and surely Regina had been praying for someone to share her space.

In truth, Regina enjoyed having the room to herself. She loved climbing out on the roof to watch the sunsets, feel the cool breeze off the ocean and to free her head from her worries. A roommate was the last thing she wanted. For half the term, she'd had the room all to herself and was much envied by the other girls.

Once in Miss Porter's office, Regina stood awkwardly in the doorway.

"Regina," Miss Porter said with a smile. "Please come in. I'd like you to meet Faith Faraday. Faith is a new student in your year and she's going to be your new roommate." The headmistress turned to the brown-haired girl sitting with her parents. The girl's strong features were clearly inherited from her father, except in a more feminine version. She had pale skin, clear golden-brown eyes and a down-turned mouth. Her father's legs were drawn up awkwardly as he fidgeted on the upholstered floral divan. Faith's mother was tiny, well-dressed and clearly more at ease than the girl's father. Her blue eyes were full of interest as they scanned Regina's face.

"Faith, this is Regina Reynolds," Miss Porter said. "Regina's from Kentucky and she's been with us since the start of the term."

Faith was silent. Regina stepped closer to the glum trio and nodded a greeting to the other girl. "Hello," she ventured, looking to Miss Porter for guidance.

"Well," Miss Porter said briskly, "Shall we let Regina take Faith on a tour of the campus and show her their room while we discuss the details?"

Faith's parents exchanged a glance and her mother took her father's hand. Without waiting for a response, Miss Porter once again took charge. "Regina, please show Faith around and we'll meet you both in the dining hall in half an hour or so. Faith's trunks will be delivered to the room while you're out.

"Thank you, Regina."

Looking to her new roommate, Regina offered up another smile. She didn't know anything about this girl and now they were going to be sharing a room. A room she'd gotten used to thinking of as her own.

What if they didn't like each other?