I had barely stepped out of the dorm, suitcase in hand, when the last voices I wanted to hear came from behind. “Liam, you’re leaving without buying a ticket?”
Jason hurried forward, eyes full of curiosity. “Have you…found a place to stay?”
Emily frowned at me, her gaze like one scolding a child making trouble. “Didn’t you say you didn’t get a ticket? Where are you going with that suitcase? Don’t tell me you’re taking some bus…”
The contempt in her tone nearly spilled over.
“That thing is stuffy and crowded, full of all sorts. My roommate tried it once, and when she came back, her clothes reeked of cheap fuel and sweat. It gave me a headache.”
She crossed her arms and stepped back, as if I carried the odor she so despised.
“If you ride that junk, don’t see me again anytime soon. I’d be embarrassed.”
Her face showed me as if I were disgracing her.
“Yu, don’t be harsh. Liam must be desperate.”
Jason turned toward me, looking thoughtful. “That apartment I mentioned, though small and old, is still okay for now… I can give you the key. It’s better than cramming on that bus.”
He spoke as if I were so poor I needed shelter.