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Chapter 1

�When are you planning to do this?� Andi asked her friend, Jewel, who is sitting opposite her.
The two girls decided to meet at a coffee shop before heading home from work. They�re both secretaries, but in different companies. Andi, a 24-year-old, tall, blue-eyed blonde, works for a record company, while Jewel, a 22-year-old, brown-eyed brunette who�s shorter than Andi, works in a publishing house. They have been friends for 5 years, ever since Jewel arrived in that town. They met in her apartment, when Andi was about to move out. Andi gave Jewel her cellphone number, just in case she needed something since she�s already very familiar with the apartment. They�ve kept in touch, and, eventually, became close friends.
�I�m going to start packing tonight,� Jewel replied, taking a sip of her mochacino. �The sooner I get out of that apartment, the better. I just can�t stand that landlady any longer! What�s her problem anyway?�
�I know what you mean,� Andi agreed. �She�s really annoying. Calling you to remind you about your rent almost everyday when you�ve just paid for last month�s rent, insisting to let her son do the plumbing in your flat when everyone knows that he�s no Mr. Fix-It, being suspicious when you invite someone over and then gossip about it with her friends��
�I really can�t wait to get out of there.�
�So, have you found a place to stay?�
�Well, I am looking at a couple of rooms. I�m not sure if I�ll be taking any of them, though. I might look for other options.�
Andi sighed as she folded her arms on the table. �Jewel, are you sure you don�t want to live in my apartment? We could be roommates!�
�Sounds like fun,� Jewel smiled. �But I like to live near the office. I could save more money on transportation.� Taking another sip of her drink, she added, �But I would like to stay with you for a while, if that�s okay. Just until I find a place to live.�
�Sure! You don�t even have to ask.�
�Thanks.�
�We�re going to have girlie nights every night!�
Jewel laughed. �Yeah!�
Andi finished her espresso, and looked at her watch. �Ready to go?�
�Yup. I want to start packing as soon as I get home.�
They both got up, and, after paying for their drinks, headed out of the coffee shop to each get a cab. Andi got one first.
�See ya, Jewel!� she said as she got into the cab.
�I�ll call you, alright?�
�Yeah.�
As soon as the cab left, Jewel hailed a cab, and after a few minutes, she�s already in her one-bedroom apartment. She turned on the lights in her wallpapered living room, kicked off her shoes and proceeded to her bedroom. Thank goodness there wasn�t much work today in the office, she thought as she changed in to a pair of shorts and a t-shirt. Otherwise, I�d be too tired to even think of packing. She tied her layered, shoulder-length hair into a ponytail, and turned on the radio. She went to the storage closet near her bedroom and pulled out a carton box. She started filling it with some memorabilia. It didn�t take long for the box to be filled. She then got one of her luggage bags and started to put some of her clothes in it. After filling a few more boxes, she decided to eat dinner. It must be nice to live with a few more people. I�m getting tired of living alone. She took a bite out of her fried chicken, and spooned some mashed potatoes and sweet corn onto her plate. But I just have to put up with it. Then again, maybe I�ll have roommates in my new apartment. As soon as I find one, that is. After dinner, she washed up in the kitchen and headed to the bathroom to brush her teeth and wash her face. Then she went to bed. She sighed as she pulled up the covers. I sure hope I can find a place soon!

It was Friday afternoon, a week later. Jewel and Andi were in Andi�s apartment, drinking root beer in the living room. They have just finished transferring Jewel�s things from her old apartment.
�It�s a good thing your boss let you out early today,� Andi said, taking a gulp of her root beer.
�Yeah, or we�d be pooped by dinnertime,� Jewel agreed. �I hope your boss didn�t mind you leaving early from work.�
�Nah. Mr. Donovan is a nice fella and I have talked to him about you. I�ve had a few overtimes this month, so he allowed me leave early.�
�Thanks again for letting me stay.�
�No problem,� Andi smiled. �What are friends for?�
Jewel smiled back. �So, what are we going to cook for dinner?�
�Ugh! I�m not in the mood for cooking,� Andi pulled a face. �Let�s just order a pizza.�
�Fine with me,� Jewel shrugged. �So, make that medium-sized, with onions, green bell peppers��
�Olives, salami��
�And extra cheese!� They giggled as they finished together.

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