Chapter Text
Amélie listened without much interest to Gabe going off about the rent going up. Of course it went up, with the way the economy is going it wouldn’t be long before they were homeless. His word blurred into undefinable complaining until he said “we’re gonna have to bring someone else in.”
They did have an extra bedroom. The apartment was a memory of when Gabriel had a higher paying job, before he quit it to follow his “passion”, which turned out to be writing for hipster newsletters. Now he could barely scrape the money together for rent, even with Amélie paying half of it. Amélie personally thought they should just downsize, but Gabe was attached to this place, so a new roommate it would be.
“And how, pray tell, are we gonna look for this new roommate?” Amélie asked when she thought Gabe was finally done.
“How? I don’t know. Craigslist?” He offered.
Amélie chuckled, “okay. You’re gonna invite some stranger from Craigslist into your home?”
Gabe nodded, “people do it all the time.”
Amélie nodded, “I’ll agree to it, just because I don’t value my life much anyway.”
And with that cynical joke, they reached an agreement and Gabe went off to type up a Craigslist ad. It took until their next rent payment came up, and that was only because by then it became a priority. Gabe interviewed tons of options, but came back saying they were all unfit. Finally, because their landlord was breathing down their necks, Gabe came back with an option that he decided was “okay”.
Amélie had just come home from work and was drinking coffee while watching some lame reality show that she was addicted to when Gabe came home with their soon to be roommate. The girl was short, tan, with a purple ombre. Her outfit was definitely tacky, but kind of endearing, and she had half of her hair shaved off. She looked liked Gabe’s type.
“Amélie, this is Sombra, our new roommate starting tomorrow,” Gabe said.
“Hello,” Amélie said, not paying too much interest to the strange girl, her show was back on.
“Hola,” Sombra said, “Nice to meet you as well, hermosa.”
“Nice try, but Amélie is cold as stone,” Gabe said, “Anyway, this is the place.”
Amélie rolled her eyes and ignored the other two as Gabe showed her to the kitchen and around the whole apartment. Finally they came back to the living room and Sombra was saying something about how this was more space than she could ever imagine owning herself.
“Yeah, well, when you have a good job,” Gabe said.
“Which, clearly, you do not, or else I wouldn’t be here, would I?” Sombra said.
Gabe ignored Sombra’s comment and led her back to the door, “alright. I’ll see you tomorrow.”
Sombra nodded at him and turned to Amélie, who was still not paying them any attention as she watched her show.
“Nice to meet you, Amélie,” she said, “can’t wait to get to know more about you. See you tomorrow.”
Amélie just kind of nodded in her direction, keeping up a cool composure. She didn’t really need someone else getting all up in her personal life at the moment so there was gonna be none of that “getting to know more about you” thing happening.
-
Amélie treated Sombra’s first day in the apartment as if it was any other day, and it was easy seeing as when she got home from work Sombra was holed up in her room and Gabe was in the kitchen cooking something. Amélie almost forgot about Sombra all together, until Gabe called out to her that dinner was ready and Amélie was rudely reminded.
“So, how was your day, roomies?” Sombra asked as she took a seat on the couch beside Amélie. Amélie and Gabe normally spent their dinners in front of the TV, barely talking about anything other than whatever E! reality show was on and leaving their dining table to sit in the corner gathering dust and unread mail.
“Tiring, and now I would like to watch TV in peace,” Amélie said, brushing her off. Gabe nodded with his mouth full of food.
“Wow, you guys are one cozy bunch,” Sombra said, sighing loudly and staring at the TV blankly. Fifteen minutes later she was as into it as Gabe and Amélie.
The rest of the week with Sombra went mostly uneventful. Amélie found out quickly that Sombra was not a quiet person, and although she spent a good amount in her room doing who knows what, it seemed as if she was just waiting for Amélie to leave her own room so she could come out and bother her.
It was Amélie’s day off and she had hoped that she could quickly grab a cup of water before Sombra could appear with all of her questions and talking, but that was fruitless. Amélie was on her way back when Sombra came out of her room and greeted her in the hall.
“Hola, hermosa,” Sombra said, as if it was just a coincident that they were in the hallway at the same time.
“You know, I do have a name,” Amélie said.
Sombra smiled mischievously, “I know, but you’re so beautiful I forget it when I see you.”
Amélie rolled her eyes.
“Whatever,” Amélie said, frustrated, “I’m gonna go in my room now.”
And she did.
-
Amélie wondered if Sombra even had a job, she seemed to be home all the time. Of course, Amélie had a job, so she might just miss it when Sombra is gone. Which would be just her luck. Of course, this was just one of the many odd things about her new roommate.
Sombra wouldn’t share her last name, and Amélie wasn’t sure Sombra was really her real name in the first place. She only paid in cash, for everything, and Amélie wondered where she stored all of this cash.
The first time that Sombra handed Gabe a stack of cash for rent, he looked at it oddly but shrugged it off. Cash was cash, after all.
Since Sombra moved in, Amélie cherished the short amount of time between work and dinner when she arrived home. Gabe would be preparing some sort of dinner, and Sombra would be hiding away in her room.
Amélie and Gabe would hash out the details of their work day, gossip about coworkers. Gabe’s coworkers were entirely online, so Amélie personally thought he had it good. Amélie’s coworkers were annoying and chatty, they always tried to start up small talk with her when they walked by. She had gotten a few complaints from her boss to try to be more friendly with her coworkers, which she ignored.
After spending some time with Gabe, dinner was usually done and they all sat around the tv. Sombra had gotten the hang of this whole routine, she conversed with them about only the show and nothing else until the show was done. Sometimes, afterwards, Sombra would try to start some personal talk but Gabe and Amélie usually shut that down.
“Does Sombra stay in her room all day?” Amélie asked Gabe one day, almost a month since Sombra moved.
“Mostly, I don’t know what she does for a living,” Gabe shrugged, “comes out to eat sometimes, it’s not like I spend all my time in the living space.”
“You don’t know what she does for a living?” Amélie laughed, “So, let me get this right. You found this girl off of Craigslist and gave her the key to your house without even knowing if she had a job.”
“She paid twice the amount of rent, Amélie,” Gabe said, “Twice. She volunteered to pay two times the amount that I was asking for the first month, I wasn’t gonna ask questions.”
“Ha,” Amélie said dryly. “You are going to get us killed.”
Gabe just laughed and called Sombra over for dinner. This time, when the show was over and they were all getting ready to separate and Sombra was being nosy, Amélie asked Sombra what it was she did for a living. Gabe shot Amélie a curious look. Amélie shrugged and waited for Sombra to answer.
“Oh, so now you want to get personal, hermosa?” Sombra asked, a mischievous smile gracing her face, “Well, if you must know. I offer online technology support, I have to find some way to make money with my mad tech skills.”
“And you get paid a lot for this?” Amélie asked.
Sombra shrugged, “ and a few other things.”
Amélie raised her eyebrows as Sombra winked at her. Gabe laughed, “you just keep getting better, kid.”
Sombra smiled at him and said goodnight, leaving Amélie and Gabe to think about her cryptic answers.
“You have truly invited a crazy person into our house,” Amélie sighed, “good night, Gabe.”
--
It was Saturday, Amélie had no work and she was planning to spend the day doing absolutely nothing. The night before she had had a particularly unnerving dream of dancing on a stage in front of just one shadow, and halfway through she just completely forgot the routine despite feeling like she had practiced it for hours on end.
The dream felt painfully familiar and she was contemplating this as she sipped her coffee.
“Just the girl I wanted to see,” Sombra sang as she entered the kitchen. Amélie watched quietly as Sombra pondered the coffee selection.
“Last night you seemed mighty curious, hermosa,” Sombra said after she picked out a coffee and set it up for herself. “And, I usually only share information in an exchange. But, you have not told me much about yourself. I was being mighty generous last night, just giving away that information.”
“I think, as your roommate, I have the right to know how you are making a living,” Amélie said.
Sombra nodded, “right. So, tell me, hermosa, what is it you do?”
“You know I'm a secretary,” Amélie said, “I'm sure Gabe has told you that.”
Sombra nodded, “yes. He has. But thanks anyway, hermosa.”
And with that Sombra picked up her coffee and left to her room again leaving Amélie feeling slightly unnerved. Next, Gabe entered looking as rough as he usually looked in the morning. He ignored Amélie as he got his coffee prepped and then turned to her while he waited.
“Good morning,” Amélie said.
Gabe grunted in reply and followed it with a huge yawn.
“Chipper as usual I can tell,” she mused.
Sombra reentered the kitchen, this time looking all ready for the day with her coffee cup empty. That was quick.
“Good morning, sunshine,” she said to Gabe.
He nodded in her direction.
“What are you guys up to this weekend?” Sombra asked, dropping her cup into the sink with a clatter.
Gabe and Amélie stayed silent.
“Nothing?” Sombra asked.
Amélie knew she should say something, because she got the feeling that Sombra was about to make plans for them.
“I have...” Gabe started, “writing to do.”
“That, my friend, sounds like an excuse,” Sombra said, “let’s do something today. Roommate bonding time, you know?”
Amélie sighed, “I’m busy.”
“Doing what?” Sombra asked.
“Nothing,” Amélie said, “I just don’t want to do anything with you guys.”
“Honest, I like that,” Sombra smiled.
--
Turns out Sombra was a good negotiator, because Amélie and Gabe found themselves at the mall with Sombra and no other plans. Amélie hated malls, too many people and too many bad shops. Everything at malls was tacky, Amélie preferred to shop at smaller boutiques.
Sombra led the day, taking them into a bunch of stores and insisting they all try something on. Amélie thought this sounded a little immature, but somehow Sombra convinced her to join in on her little “game”.
After about three stores of this, they went to the food court to grab something to eat. This turned into an ordeal, because Amélie and Gabe were kind of food snobs and food court food did not fit their criteria of edible food. Finally Sombra managed to get them to eat some pizza.
“You know, you guys are acting like two big ol’ kids,” Sombra sighed after they finally sat down to eat. “You could at least try to have some fun.”
“Sombra, I agreed to come to the mall,” Amélie said, “not to have any fun at the mall, plus have you tried any of this trash? It’s gross.”
Gabe nodded, his mouth full of pizza.
Sombra gave him a look and turned back to Amélie, “I’m just trying to get to know my roomies a bit more.
“I’m wondering what part of your experience so far as given you any sort of idea that we want to be gotten to know better?” Amélie asked.
Sombra frowned, “you’re hurting my feelings, hermosa.”
Amélie shook her head and took a tiny bite of the pizza, it wasn’t too bad.
“Well, then we can go home now,” Sombra said, “if that’s what you want.”
Amélie nodded, “yes, that is what I want.”
So, they did.
--
After the mall incident, Sombra was especially holed up in her room for about two weeks, and Amélie almost felt a bit guilty for being so rude. But, that didn’t stop Amélie form also feeling a bit thankful for some peace and quiet.
Sombra came out for dinner, watched TV and talked about it a bit, before slipping back into her room with only a few pleasant good nights.
“Amélie, you know, I think you might have actually hurt the poor girl’s feelings,” Gabe said one evening.
Amélie shrugged, “I don’t know what you want me to do about that.”
“Nothing,” he said, “I’m just saying. I thought she was invincible. Turns out she’s not.”
Amélie said nothing.
Amélie came home a few days later and found Sombra sitting at the dining room table with a bunch of computer parts spread across it.
Amélie’s curiosity got the best of her, “what are you doing?”
Sombra looked up, almost surprised to see Amélie.
“Oh, this?” she gestured to the mess, “I’m working on a computer for a client, that’s all.”
Amélie nodded, feeling for some reason like she shouldn’t just disappear into her room. Sombra went back to her work and Amélie watched for a moment before catching herself and going into the kitchen where Gabe was preparing dinner.
“At least someone is using that table,” she said.
Gabe nodded, “and we get some proof of that job she has.”
After dinner, Sombra was almost back to her friendly self. She chatted about how lame this computer job was, about how the guy could have practically done it himself it was so easy.
“But, hey, it’s money,” she shrugged as she gathered the materials off of the table.
Amélie said goodnight and went to her room, feeling oddly... good. She shrugged off this weird good mood and went to bed.
--
Amélie was at work a few days later. The situation back at the house had improved in the past few days. Sombra was back to her nosy self and order was restored. Amélie tried to pretend she hadn’t missed nosy Sombra, or just Sombra’s presence period.
So, Amélie was working, or, at least, pretending to work. She was actually on her phone mindlessly playing Candy Crush, when an all too familiar voice greeted her. Amélie looked up to see Sombra leaning on her desk.
“Hello, hermosa,” she said.
“What are you doing here?” Amélie asked.
“I was bored,” Sombra said, “so I thought I would visit my favorite roomie.”
“At my place of work?” Amélie asked.
“Yes,” Sombra grinned, “When do you get a break?”
Amélie checked her phone, “uh, in about thirty minutes. Why?”
“Let’s eat together,” Sombra said.
“Why?” Amélie asked again.
“I’m bored,” Sombra said, “and lonely.”
Amélie sighed loudly, “fine.”
Sombra grinned bigger, “Awesome. I’ll wait outside, so I won’t get you in trouble for fraternizing on the clock.”
Amélie nodded and watched, perplexed, as Sombra left. She was annoyed, but another feeling was mixed in there as well; a feeling that kept coming up around Sombra. Amélie ignored that feeling, and focused on annoyed.
Thirty minutes later, Amélie was walking with Sombra down to the cafe she normally ate her lunch at.
“So, this is your idea of good food, huh?” Sombra said as she held the door open for Amélie.
Amélie ignored her. She went here everyday, so she barely had to order. Sombra looked over the menu for a second before saying she’ll take whatever Amélie was getting.
“Hope you have good taste,” Sombra teased.
Amélie rolled her eyes.
“So, you work for an insurance company,” Sombra said as they sat down.
“Guess the secret’s out,” Amélie deadpanned.
Sombra smiled, “what else don’t I know about you, hermosa?”
“Nothing,” Amélie lied, “I’m an open book.”
Sombra nodded, raising her eyebrows, “really?”
Amélie nodded.
“Well, I don’t know where you grew up,” Sombra said, “where you acquired that sweet accent of your’s”
“You’re serious?” Amélie said, “clearly this is a French accent.”
Sombra grinned big, “France! What part?”
Amélie shook her head and said nothing. Just thinking about France brought back those hard memories, the ones that make no sense to Amélie’s muddled mind.
“Okay, I get it,” Sombra nodded, “I’m also not from this land of America, Mexican born.”
Amélie nodded, saying nothing.
“So, why a secretary?” Sombra asked.
“Why?” Amélie asked.
“Yes, why did you choose to become a secretary?” Sombra said.
“Seemed quiet,” Amélie said, although she didn’t know why she was volunteering this information.
Sombra nodded, “You wanna know why I went into computer stuff?”
“Sure,” Amélie said noncommittally.
“I’m gifted,” Sombra said, “basically been doing this since I was a kid, it was the natural course. Plus, it turns out people will do anything to get their computer fixed for cheap.”
Amélie raised her eyebrows at that, “anything?”
“Yeah, including paying someone they found on craigslist in cash up front,” Sombra said, “Easy business.”
“Do you plan on telling me why you prefer that instead of a real business?” Amélie asked.
“Nope,” Sombra grinned.
Amélie found herself smiling at that, but stopped herself. She had to admit, she was starting to not mind Sombra so much. She wouldn’t go as far as saying she liked her, but she was entertaining and Amélie could commiserate with her need for privacy even if she didn’t know why.
If only Sombra would extend that courtesy to other people.
--
Sombra turned this lunch this into a routine. Everyday, at 11:30, Sombra would show up at Amélie’s job with a grin and invite her to lunch. Amélie would reluctantly say yes and they would go to the cafe, eat Amélie’s regular, and talk about stuff that was, in Amélie’s opinion, too personal.
Amélie would share very little information, and Sombra would only volunteer a similar amount. But after a week of this, Amélie found herself knowing more about Sombra than she would have liked and Sombra knew more than she would have liked about herself.
Sombra now knew that Amélie had moved to America for college, but not that she studied dance, that Amélie’s parents still lived in France, but not that Amélie didn’t talk to them anymore because hearing their voices hurt too much, and that Amélie had met Gabriel in college, but not that after the accident Gabe was the only person from her past that she could bear to be around.
Amélie now knew that Sombra had moved to America after high school, but not for college, that Sombra’s parents had passed away, but she wouldn’t share how, and that Sombra thought that Gabe was “a neat guy”.
Amélie wouldn’t admit that she started watching the clock, waiting for Sombra to come in. She wouldn’t admit that lunch became one of her favorite parts of the day. She wouldn’t admit that she was starting to actually like Sombra’s presence and that when she came home from work she was happy to see Sombra working on stuff at their unused dining table so that she could watch TV and talk to Sombra while she worked.
Their conversations weren’t all overtly personal, sometimes they just talked about the news or food.
Amélie was sipping her coffee on a Saturday morning when Gabe came out, surprisingly already ready for the day but still looking grouchy.
“I noticed you and Sombra seem to be getting along, finally,” Gabe said, preparing himself some coffee.
Amélie said nothing, just nodded.
“I’d almost say, you guys seem to be friendly,” Gabe said.
Amélie chuckled at that, “friendly, right.”
“Well, you are,” Gabe said.
Amélie was gonna refute that when Sombra came in, looking chipper as usual. Sombra seemed to be both a night and morning person, and Amélie had to admit she was kind of jealous of that. Amélie and Gabe were not morning people.
“Buenos días, amigos,” Sombra said, throwing a mug that probably held coffee once into the sink carelessly.
“If you break any of my mugs, you have to replace them,” Gabe said.
“With the exact same mug,” Amélie rolled her eyes, “I know because I’ve done it. It is not easy to locate these mugs.”
Sombra laughed, “alright, got it. I’ll be more careful. So what are you guys up to today?”
“I have work stuff to do,” Gabe said, “I’ll be gone all day.”
“Oh, great, more one-on-one time with my favorite roomie,” Sombra grinned, “what do you say, hermosa?”
Amélie rolled her eyes, and ignored the excitement building in her gut.
Gabe raised her eyebrows at Amélie, “alright, see you guys later.”
With that, Sombra and Amélie were alone.
They spent the day not doing much but hanging out around the house, leaving once to grab some lunch from an Italian place down the street, and Amélie had to admit it was a perfect Saturday. Amélie guessed that meant her and Sombra were friendly now, but, so what?