Ariel had hoped that the inclusion of other females would help relieve some of the butterflies that were beginning to flutter in her stomach.  However, hearing that they were a couple and sexually involved made the butterflies only quicken.  She didn't consider herself homophobic, she'd known girls who'd dated and been active with other girls, and guys for that matter as well.  She'd even kissed a girl or two on a dare, but they'd been women she'd known and considered friends.  It was well known to Ariel that most guys got off on seeing two girls kiss, for some unknown reason, and that one of the first dares was usually something along those lines.  She sipped her Tequila Sunrise in hopes that it'd hide some of her increasing nervousness.<br/><br/>Ariel was eager to answer Derrick's question.  Not because she thought what she did was all that impressive, but because she needed something else to do than focus on her own thoughts.<br/><br/>"I'm a med student at the university," she said as she nodded toward the general vicinity of the local campus.  "I also work at the Abercrombie and Fitch at the local mall."<br/><br/>It wasn't the best job but the hours weren't horrible, except around the holidays, and the pay was better than average.<br/><br/>"You?"  The red-head returned the question with genuine curiosity.  She'd seen the scrubs and hoped they might have a common interest.<br/><br/>Ariel smiled at the first female roommate she'd seen.  "Not at all.  We're just getting acquanted.  I'm Ariel, by the way," she said and extended her hand towards the girl with the dyed hair.  "I really like your hair."<br/><br/>She wished she had the confidence to do something like that, not to mention the correct hair color.  She liked her own hair all right, but trying to find a color that'd complement her copper colored locks hadn't been something she'd come across.  Figuring that this would likely be her last chance to ever have a wild hair style, she hoped she could pick the other girl's brain on the subject at some point while they were living together.<br/><br/>She was happily trying to get to know the other three people in the room when the young Asian girl entered, pushed past Derrick with a barely audible "excuse me" and squealed as she ran to embrace Meagan; effectively ignoring the rest of them.  It didn't leave Ariel with the best first impression.<br/><br/>Ariel's heart sank and she felt her back go up as she got the distinct impression that the newest member of their group all ready didn't like her.  She gave Mike and Derrick an unvoiced question before shrugging and taking a rather large drink of her OJ and tequila.<br/><br/>Trying to continue the conversation from earlier, Ariel grinned at Mike.  "That's cool.  Psychology is awesome.  I considered that for a little while.  I ultimately felt that the brain was too complex for me and decided to go the other route."<br/><br/>Ariel watched Megan head back to her room, presumably, and idly wondered exactly what she was doing.<em>Was she getting something for the game?  If so what was it?</em><br/><br/>Her focus thankfully pulled from her own musings once more, Ariel grinned at Mike's question about moving into the living room.  Teasingly she replied, "well, you know the party eventually ends up in the kitchen any way.  We're just getting a head start."  With a friendly grin she made her way toward where Derrick was effectively blocking him off and smiled sweetly at him seeing if he'd move unasked and lead her into the living room.<br/><br/>She watched Megan plop down in the couch in the other room and finally let the rest of them know her name.  "Ariel," she said in as warm and friendly a tone she could muster.  She assumed that her earlier introduction had been missed while her two female housemates reunited after what she assumed had been an entire full day apart.