Avoiding Commitment (Avoiding #1)(99)
"I've replaced nearly everything inside from knocking out walls and replacing the floorboards. So it's not really like it's the same place anymore. Not to mention the fabulous view."
Lexi resisted the urge to mention that the penthouse was also the last gift Chyna had ever received jointly from her parents. She highly suspected this accounted for never selling the place. Some things just didn't need to be brought up, especially when Lexi was finally getting Chyna into her dorm room. Lexi could easily admit that an NYU dorm room was nothing compared to Chyna's apartment, but she was far from ashamed of the place.
She shared a common area with three other girls all who had been admitted into the law school that fall. The space was cluttered with nick-knacks from each other's previous residences. A mismatching couch and loveseat were crushed together in front of a tiny tube TV. The kitchen didn't even have a stove due to the safety hazard this produced. This explained why their tiny freezer was always overstocked with microwavable dinners. Four doors on the far wall opened up to the bedrooms. Lexi had the first room, if you could call it that, on the left. She hadn't lived in a lofted bed since her freshman year of undergrad. But if she hadn't put her bed nearly touching the ceiling, nothing else would have fit in the space. A tiny desk, rolling chair, and miniature refrigerator were crammed under the bed. The rest of the furniture was built into the room. Somehow she wasn't a bit embarrassed to bring her rich friend back to her place even if her room was as big as the girl's closet. She was in New York City at a top five law school. This was how people were supposed to live or at least, that's what she kept telling herself.
"Here we are," Lexi said hearing the lock click and pushing the door open. Chyna inspected the shared living space while Lexi produced another key and unlocked her bedroom.
"It's so…quaint," Chyna announced cocking her head to the side thoughtfully. Her eyes scanned the room purposely avoiding the ugly carpeted floors before landing back on Lexi.
"You haven't seen anything yet." Chyna turned towards Lexi following her into the bedroom.
"Wow. You didn't prepare me for this," Chyna mumbled her jaw slackened in surprise at the size of the space.
"Yeah, well, I didn't think it would be possible to prepare you anyway."
"You're probably right," she agreed in awe. Swiveling in place, Chyna observed the size of the room before saying, "You do realize my closet is bigger than this room."
"Well, maybe next year I'll move into your closet," Lexi quipped only half-joking.
"Then where would my clothes go?" Chyna asked her hands placed lightly on her hips.
"I'll work around it."
"Fine. Just don't touch the cashmere," she said giggling.
Chyna placed her Louis Vuitton handbag and matching backpack in the empty desk chair and sauntered towards the bay windows, which Lexi repeatedly claimed was the only redeeming feature about her bedroom. Lexi watched her for a few minutes recognizing the wheels turning in her mind. Something was going on up there, and Lexi had a feeling it wasn't going to be in her favor. Chyna constantly got this look on her face that said she was about to propose a crazy scheme. Normally, Lexi went along with her, but seeing that look on her friend while in her room made Lexi a bit anxious. She knew that Chyna would speak up again when she was done assessing the situation.
Whirling on her kitten heels, Chyna faced Lexi with a beautiful smile tacked onto her face. "Can I redo your room? You know I just met this amazing new designer. I'm pretty sure he would be able to fix this um…problem."
Lexi rolled her eyes dramatically. "My room is fine the way it is."
"Well of course, dear," she said linking their arms and nuzzling close to her friend, "but I could make it gorgeous. You would absolutely love Frederick too. He's a mastermind. He did the renovations in my guest bedroom recently and they're stunning…"
"Chyna…"
"He could really do a number on this place," she continued oblivious to Lexi calling her name.
"Chyna chill out," she said shaking her out of her reverie. "How about we just have a good time?" Lexi suggested.
"Oh, but Alexa, I'm telling you. The man is a decorating genius."
"I'm sure he is sweetie, but this is a college dorm room. It's supposed to look like this."
"I'll get to you eventually," she warned her poking her playfully in the ribs.
"Yeah yeah," she said waving her off.
"So…" Chyna drawled, "what do girls do on slumber parties?"
Lexi's jaw dropped open slightly. "Haven't you ever been on one?"
"Well yeah I have, but those were different. Usually we just took over the house of whoever's parents were out of town that weekend. We'd either have a huge party and get hammered or it'd just be us girls and we'd still get hammered. You know how I like my alcohol," Chyna said with a wink.
"I'll admit alcohol is involved," Lexi told her diving into the freezer of her mini fridge. She pulled out a tray of what looked like frozen gummi bears. Chyna's eyebrows shot up at the treat. "For those of us who had to sneak alcohol past our parents, we made these."
"You made gummi bears?" she asked incredulously looking at the tray with humor in her eyes.