"Sierra, Magda, I'm back," Michelle called out her two roommate piled out their rooms, looking fiercely angry.

"What the hell," Sierra cried. "You got married and we found out on Facebook!"

Sierra, Michelle's got he'd out roommate, was a little darker and angrier than usual. She had new red highlights to her black dye job and extra eyeliner on her face. That meant Sierra was in a mood.

"Sorry," Michelle said, trying to seem diplomatic. "Do you want to meet him? I had to make sure you guys were decent first."

"Sure," Sierra said. "Whatever..."

"I want to meet him, officially," Magda said. "Wait, are you moving out now?"

"Yes," Michelle said. "But I'll pay for this months rent, ok?"

"We get it, you're married and happy, blah, blah, blah," Sierra said bitterly.

"Don't mind her," Magda said. "Sierra and Doug broke up, again. So you picked a bad time to get married on the fly."

Doug and Sierra had been together, and then not together, and then back again since grade school. Since graduation, their breakups had become more intense and painful. Michelle thought it was just a manner of time before they were off, permanently. Magda had never had a serious boyfriend, despite her model good looks and bright attitude. Michelle had always joked that Magda was too much fabulous for one man to handle.

"I am sorry Sierra," Michelle said. "I know it sounds crazy, but I know once you get to know Bryce, you'll love him."

"All men are scum," Sierra said. "Cheating, lying, scum..."

"Don't be like that girlfriend," Magda said. "Think of this, ok. Michelle's husband probably has hot friends, and you're twelve years overdue for a rebound guy."

"I'm glad you're finding the silver lining in my life choices," Michelle joked.

"Just go get Mr. Wonderful, please?"

Michelle just nodded, and Bryce was waiting outside. As much as she enjoyed her weekend away with him, having Bryce in her real life felt good. It was as though they were adjusting, finding a new normal. Michelle was excited to show him off, even if he wasn't her forever husband. She had him in public for four years, and that was something.

"Hey beautiful," Bryce said as Michelle rounded the corner. "Can I come in now?"

"Yes, but I am warning you, Sierra is post-breakup and Magda has boundary issues."

"So I am walking to a trap? Are they going to kill me?"

"Never. My friends are a bit eccentric, but affable. My family on the other hand...they are nothing like yours. I'd sell my soul for your parents."

"Well, they're your in laws now," Bryce said. "But wait until you meet the Santiago sisters, who are going to interrogate you relentlessly."

"Let's go, Bryce," Michelle said. "I have to pack up my things."

"Yes Dear," Bryce said with a smirk.

They entered the studio, which had two bunk beds and a television on a desk. A small microwave was on a small table, and there was a large bathroom.

"You three live here?" Bryce asked, amazed at the setup and the small space.

"Michelle is barely here," Sierra said, her eyes zeroing in on Bryce. "Between her two jobs, she is practically transient. But yes, we all live here. Welcome to the casa of broke girls."

"Hello," Magda said. "So, before you say anything, I want to know if you have an brothers who speak Spanish and look just like you."

"You must be Magda," Bryce said, grinning. "And no, I have no brothers. I do have a gaggle of sisters, one who is single and into girls."

Magda just laughed at Bryce's response.

"So, what the hell were you two thinking? You got married after a week, huh? Who does that..." Sierra's voice was biting, but Michelle knew it held true concern.

"It just sort of happened," Bryce said. "Sometimes, you just know it's right."

"Wow, that sounds like the words of every person who's gotten a divorce before twenty-five," Sierra said. "Oh, we're different, we're in love. It's all bullshit, you know."

"Sierra, I appreciate your bluntness," Bryce said. "But I think now might be a good time to be happy for your friend."

"Wow, I guess someone has some brass ones," Magda laughed. "I think you're both insane but Michelle needs a little insanity. God, she's always been a daddy's girl who never took any risks. And now she has, and look, she's glowing! You two belong together."

"Thanks Mags," Michelle said. "Look guys, I really want to talk, but I have work in a couple hours, so were just here to grab my things."

"Sounds like the usual drive by Michelle visits," Sierra said. "But you can't ditch us now that you're married, ok? We need you..."

"I need you guys too," Michelle said, verging on crying.

"Hey, I just had a brilliant idea," Magda said. "Now that you guys are married, you might actually be able to pay for school. Oh my god, you can amend your FASFA forms and file as independents!"

"Hey, what do you know," Bryce said. "What a nice silver lining to our marriage."

"Yeah, how nice," Michelle said, grinning. "Maybe you can grab your laptop and fill out the paperwork at the diner. Pies on me babe..."

"Well if there is pie," Madga said. "Sierra and I will come and help him. I mean, what kind of friends would we be otherwise..."

"The kind that mooch pie off their bestie," Michelle laughed.

Bryce just watched as the three girls laughed and packed up Michelle's things. It didn't take long, since she didn't have much in the tiny space. It was hard for Bryce to reconcile how Michelle had gone from the girl living in a palace to this glorified closet, but seemed like she preferred the smaller digs. He was so lost in his thoughts he barely notice the girls were ready to leave.

"Alright lover boy," Magda said. "Let's head out, because if you keep looking at Michelle like that, I'm going to be a god mother."

"Right," Bryce said. "Let's go ladies."

****

It had taken Bryce an hour and half to complete the amendments on both of their online FASFA forms. It would have taken him forty minutes if he hadn't stopped repeatedly to give Sierra advice about men.

"Bryce, if a guy cheats, does that mean he doesn't love you?"

"How many times has he cheated?"

"Seventeen."

"Yeah, dump him for good...."

That conversation happened several times in various forms before Bryce stopped listening and focused. He just shook his head when he clicked save, amazed by the changes. Michelle came over and poured him some coffee, curious as could be. If their plan failed, not only would they lose out on the chance to go to school, their entire marriage scheme would have been in vain. He glanced up at her, his eyes full.

"What is it?" Michelle said. "Give me details."

"Well, it's not good," Bryce said. "It's great. Our EFC, or expected family contribution, is zero. We both have the same number."

"Does that mean..."

"We should be able to cover our expenses with grants and government loans..."

"Those loans don't need to be cosigned?"

"Nope," Bryce said. "All we have to do is go to the financial aid office and see if we can get our paperwork processed in time for school."

"The only thing stopping us now is paperwork," Michelle said, wistfully. "Wow, Bryce, this is amazing. "

"After your shift, we're going to the Financial Aid office and then we're going to celebrate."

"Is 'celebrate' a euphemism?" Magda asked. "Because we're still eating pie here..."

"Just calm down," Michelle said. She kissed Bryce and sashayed away, his eyes following her as she went. Sierra smacked him and he shook his head.

"You two are nauseating," Sierra said with a bitterness in her voice. "But since you're married, I guess I am happy you're so obviously in love with Michelle."

Bryce just smiled but her words mulled over in his mind.

He knew he was into her, but in love? They had so much to learn about each other, how could that even be possible? Michelle flashed a smile at Bryce, her emerald eyes shining like gems. He felt a moment of brief panic when he realized just how dangerous the game they were playing was. He was falling in love with his wife, and it had started much faster than he expected it to. He could only hope they were on the same page, and her affections weren't as contrived as their arrangement.

***

Michelle found it funny that a week later, they had arrived at the same place she and Bryce had met. And as the same women, wearing a baggy pant suit and a frown, waited for them outside her office, bagel in hand.

"You two," The woman replied. "I told you...your aid is determined by the state, not me. So I am sorry I can't help you..."

"Actually, our circumstance has changed," Bryce said, holding up Michelle's hand. "I guess you're a matchmaker, because we fell in love. We eloped this weekend."

"You got to be shitting me," the woman said. "Follow me."

The couple followed her inside and the woman shook her head.

"People have done some stupid things to pay for school," the woman said. "I had a student nearly die last year trying to sell his blood on the black market."

"Who would buy that?" Michelle asked.

"I don't know, and I don't want to know," the woman said. "Now, I would like to point out that if this marriage is some sort of scheme..."

"It's just a spontaneous decision that just so happened to allow us to file as independents," Michelle said.

"You know what, I don't care," The woman said. "Since you went through so much trouble to get aid, I will help you out. Just make me a promise, ok?"

"What is it?" Bryce asked.

"Get on birth control," she said. "My son got pregnant and had to drop out. When he went back, it took him twice as long to graduate with a family to support."

Bryce perked up, realizing he'd never confirmed that Michelle was on the pill. How had he not asked that question yet? He seemed to loose rational thought around his "wife."

"Already taken care of," Michelle said. Bryce let out a sigh of relief.

"So, I will make sure we process the changes to you application. Your aid disbursement will be late, and possibly won't come this quarter."

"So what do we do," Bryce asked.

"Register for classes," She said. "Buy your books, but keep your receipts. You have two weeks after class begins to pay tuition, so hopefully I can get your aid going by then. If not, you'll have to withdraw from your classes and start in the winter."

"So we can pay for school then," Bryce said. "If not in the fall, by winter quarter."

"If your EFC was zero, which I am guessing it was, then we'll get you set up soon. But you've both filed late, and aid is first come, first serve."

"Well, thank you for helping us," Michelle said. "What was your name?"

"I'm Dawn Hill, and congrats on your marriage."

The couple stood up, leaving their email and other contact information with Dawn. As they walked out, Michelle was practically skipping.

"I can't believe it," Michelle said. "You're like my lucky star Bryce. Do you know how long it's been since something good happened to me?"

"I don't know," Bryce said. "But I think we're going to go home. I want to carry you over the threshold, and all of that cheesy romantic stuff."

"You don't have to do that," Michelle said.

"I want to," Bryce said. "And then you're going to get very comfortable in your new place, sleeping in bed right next to me."

"Whatever you say, Mr. Santiago," Michelle said in a deep voice.

"I am taking my bride home," Bryce grinned. "Even if you are technically just my "FASFA" bride, I think it's time I showed you a little bit more romance."