Jennifer Knight and Emma Davis are new graduates of Boreal Summit University, on their own in Aperture City.
Normally, the idea of Jennifer and Emma sharing an apartment would be so far-fetched it would be almost unbelievable. Thanks to Daisy, however, it was a much different story. They both needed help paying the rent and needed a roommate. Daisy convinced Jennifer that Emma had changed and would make a decent roommate. Jennifer was dubious.
“I like things clean,” Jennifer said, looking Emma over. “I work evenings.”
“Me, too,” Emma replied. “And I work during the day, so you’ll have plenty of time to yourself.”
“Try to keep the men to a minimum.”
“Only if you promise the same for the girls!”
The arrangement worked out and the two managed to find a nice routine. They were complete opposites, but they didn’t have to be best friends to be roommates. The apartment was plenty big enough for them to have their space when necessary and the companionship was nice. It was preferable to being all alone.
It was only a matter of time before Francis stopped by. He and Emma hadn’t really talked much since the whole blow-up with Rosa and then Shelly’s party. It was mostly Emma keeping her distance. Francis had enough of the gameplaying and decided to just ‘stop by’.
“Nice and I hear your roommate likes girls,” Francis commented, looking around.
She rolled her eyes, “she’s not the kind of lesbian you’d like, Francis.”
“She wears plaid?”
“Why are you here?”
He moved closer, his hand gently touching her face, “you can’t avoid me forever, you know.”
“I wasn’t avoiding you,” Emma replied, finding it hard to keep her resolve. “I just… I’ve messed up enough. I didn’t want to hurt Rosa anymore.”
“I’ve spoken to Rosa, we’re friends. That’s all it is.”
“And that makes us what?”
He shrugged, “why does it have to make us anything? Why can’t we just be two people who enjoy each others company?”
His logic was questionable, but Emma couldn’t deny that she did enjoy his company… quite a bit, in fact. As long as she didn’t try to imagine the future, she was always happy to be with Francis. Maybe her mind got a little fuzzy and she confused the things he said for commitments, but it didn’t matter, did it? She was still young, she had plenty of time.
Jennifer arrived home late that evening to find Francis there. She was surprised, to say the least. He walked out of the bathroom like he owned the place, Emma nowhere to be found. She was a bit startled when she came out a few seconds later, seeing Jennifer and feeling suddenly embarassed.
“Sorry to interrupt,” Jennifer said, trying not to sound awkward. “I came home early, wasn’t feeling well.”
Jennifer made it to the counter before she collapsed without another word. Emma was so shocked she could barely move, it was Francis that called emergency services. They arrived and took Jennifer out on a stretcher. Emma made a sound of pure horror as they pulled out the defibrillator–her heart had stopped beating.
Unfortunately, Jennifer didn’t make it. The doctors were stumped and her family would have to wait for the complete coroner’s report to find out the true reason of death.
Emma returned to the apartment with Francis. It had all happened Friday evening and now it was early Saturday morning. Francis didn’t have classes until late Monday, so he stayed with Emma. She was a bit of a wreck, having seen someone die right in front of her.
He studied while she slept. It was a long weekend. Anytime he left the room, she’d wake up or start freaking out. By Sunday night and after a visit from her parents, she seemed to be doing better. Francis left her in their care while he went back to University.
It took Emma some time, but she recovered. She came home from work one day to find Daisy waiting. She’d nearly forgotten that Jennifer and Daisy had some sort of weird friends, but maybe more thing going on. She hugged her friend tightly, trying to comfort her. Daisy didn’t look distressed so much as lost.
“Do you want to come in?”
“Thanks,” Daisy said, breathing slowly. “It was a long drive.”
“How are you doing?” Emma asked tenatively.
“I’m okay, I just… it’s hard to believe, you know? I don’t think I do, yet. I won’t, not until I’m there and I… well, I see her go in the ground. I just feel so terrible.”
“Why? You didn’t do it, Daisy. We have no idea what did.”
Daisy frowned, “I feel like maybe I should have come around earlier, you know? Now I’m just lost. I don’t know what to do. I guess I just need some time…”
Daisy left a few hours later after looking around at the apartment. Emma settled in for the evening. She began making herself some dinner when she heard the door open and close. She knew she locked it, so she wasn’t surprised when she looked up and saw Gordon. He always had a way with locked doors.
“It’s so weird, mom and dad are gray and here you are… not. What do you want?”
“I heard about your roommate,” Gordon said walking towards her. “Life is unfortunate with its coincidence. Are you all right?”
“I will be.”
He blocked her from the stove, “you’re still angry.”
“Not angry, just annoyed. What do you want? Are you going to lecture me again?” Emma sighed, pushing past him and placing the pot on the stove. “I’m a big girl, I’ve learned my lesson.”
“That remains to be seen. I know Claude’s slipped you money.”
She sat down with a sigh, “only a little, only because I really needed it. It was that or live on the streets.”
“He doesn’t know that I know, I only thought you should. You should know it’s impossible to get anything past me, Emma.”
“Consider me warned.”
“Which is why I am going to say this–Francis O`Hanlon… do you really think that’s wise?”
She made a face, “now you’re going to tell me who to date?”
“That’s not what I’m saying at all,” Gordon said quickly, looking exasperated. “Michael worked with Viola. She’s a basket case. Francis is very similar to his father. Do you really want to end up like Viola? I hear she’s in therapy, that she’s taking some sort of pills… quite the future you’re staring down. If this is a play for money, you might want to find someone else.”
Over the next few days, Gordon’s words continually ran through Emma’s head. Everyone knew Viola’s tragic story. She certainly didn’t want to end up like that. She liked Francis, she liked him a lot and not just because he was rich. She genuinely cared about it. Unfortunately, he really didn’t seem to feel the same way, seeing her more as a friend and a casual ‘fun buddy’.
Her boss came home with her, they were supposed to work on a speech for one of the congressmen going before the public tomorrow. She’d seen him several times around the office, they’d spoken a few times, but she’d always been so consumed by Francis she hadn’t done anything more than talk to him.
That changed very quickly. Emma knew it was a bad idea to just… sleep with someone you barely know, but she wasn’t exactly thinking straight. She was still reeling from what she’d witnessed and her own insecurities involving Francis. To say the workplace was going to be a bit awkward would be an understatement. Sleeping with a random person, not so wise, but your boss? Dangerous.
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Note from Mao: OMG JENNIFER! I have no idea what happened. I was so shocked, my husband heard me and was like, “what’s wrong?!” and then rolled his eyes when I told him, lol. All I can guess is that she was sick and I didn’t know. Poor Jennifer. This is why I don’t need ROS… my freakin’ sims kill themselves!
I tried to have Emma plead for her life, but they were barely friends, so she picked the wrong hand.
As for Emma jumping her coworker, she did that on her own! No sooner did they walk into the apartment… BAM! Couch action, OMG. And then she was hitting on her other coworker, too. This whole situation has her on the fritz. I can’t wait to see Francis’ reaction, LOL! Emma is the only person he’s gotten busy with. He’s not 100% Patrick. I’m also amused that they have three bolts.