A desk as a blank space

The harsh sounds of roaring thunder permitted the landscape from Maribel's window. It was a noise she was slowly getting used to, given the new location she decided on. After graduating from college, she had to move out of her old dorm room that was part of her home for 4 and a half years and had to find a new place, quickly. 

The degree she picked ended up with her feeling useless, given the current state of the job market. She wanted to make something of herself. While she can't be one of the great writers of decades past, like Henry David Thoreau, and seclude herself in a cabin, living off the land for two years (She, having immersed herself fully in trying to cultivate an image for herself as an author), she could try to have a desk area for herself while attempting to find what she wanted to do with the rest of her life. 

Ellis took one looked at her empty room and looked back at Maribel. "What are you trying to do here?"

Maribel raised an eyebrow. "Trying to write."

"By trying to make this brick house into a writing studio." They gestured at the brick wall that covered one-fourths of Maribel's wall. "You have a computer, and a table, that should be it for you."

"Well, it's not," Maribel whined, pulling at her roommate's arm gently. "I need to get into the right headspace to get this, right?"

Ellis huffed, pushing themselves against the wall. "I will go with you to the store to find a desk. I would like to be repaid for my time afterward." Maribel gave Ellis a harsh stare, waiting for his proposal. "You will clear house when my group comes over this week."

Maribel sniffed at the thought. She had only met Ellis while she was being interviewed for the apartment. A friend that hooked her up with the opportunity. They have not known each other long for her to make sweeping judgments about Ellis's friends. Yet. "How long are they staying for? For a campaign or two?"

Ellis rolled his eyes. "My DnD group is holding off meetings for a while if you must know. It's like an informal movie discussion club dinner we usually do." Ellis held out their hand. "Deal?"

Maribel took his hand. "Deal."

Within the hour, Maribel and Ellis got out of the van, Maribel looking up at the store, beaming. "...come on, it's fun shopping for something good!"

"Clothes, I get. Food, sure, we need to live. Desks, I mean, what universe do you hail from?"

"The best one." Maribel dryly stated, swishing her skirt in time with her statement. "Come on them, partner!" 

"Ahh, geez!" Ellis walked behind his embarrassing roommate, heading into the store. 

After a long conversation with customer service about which floor they had to go to in order to find the home office floor, they were on their way up the elevator. Maribel was randomly dancing back and forth, singing lyrics from songs that were surely from the Top 40. Ellis kept a polite smile on his face. There was something about her that made her less annoying than the other roommates they had the pleasure of sharing a space with. And, when they were done, they were going to have what they wanted. A nice indoor intimate get-together, with friends.

Maribel's eyes were beaming when she saw all of those desks. Small ones, big ones. One of these had to be what she needed. 

After 10 minutes in one line, she moved on to the next one. And the next one. And so on, until all the desks were seen, and even sat down on. 

Ellis huffed, asking a question they should have asked when they had gotten there. "What are you looking for?"

Maribel looked from the desk chair, from the last one they had looked at. "A desk."

Ellis pointed a finger at her. "No, I don't think that's it. You want a magic bean."

Maribel blinked. "I'm sorry?"

"Think about it, we've been here for over an hour, and yet nothing has popped out at you like the desk, none of these! And why is that?"

"I'm looking for a colorful desk, something that stands out that anything you would see in a college dorm. Remember when they had those ugly ones that they got rid of after people had complained?" Ellis nodded. "I want to make something that is mine, that no one can take from me," Maribel said.

Ellis looked thoughtful. "Then pick a white desk."

The colors that the department store offered were black, brown, and white. "White is the most boring color ever!"

Ellis met her eye level. "Simple. Because it may be the most boring color since clear, it's also a blank space to make something. To be creative."

Maribel scoffed. "Sounds..." She stopped herself. What was she doing? Blank space, like her laptop. She had dabbled in her writing before when classes were not going all hard at her. When she over thought about the idea, she wouldn't have bothered at all. Sitting in the park, in the local cafe that was nearby, that was all it took. She looked back up at her roommate. She smiled. "Great! Let's do it!"

-----

Sounds of people laughing about an obscure joke about the different shades of red could impact how it could change the meaning of a painting floated to her ears. Ellis and Maribel talked about the deal when they came back. That whole afternoon floated by fast, given they had to set up the desk, and the chair. They had a decent conversation about something that wasn't just about the apartment or college.

Maribel left her door slightly ajar, just enough that she couldn't just eavesdrop in on their conversation. The way that the apartment was situated, her door was about 20 feet away from the living room, separated by the hallway. 

Her page blank. Like her table. Well, it was, until Ellis decided to paint the corner of it, a smiley blue star. 

She sighed. And started to write.