Inspiration for Narrative - The Roommate

Sara Matthews is starting her freshman year of college. She meets Tracy, Stephen, her love interest, and Rebecca, her roommate. Initially, the girls begin to bond and Rebecca learns that Sara had an older sister, Emily, who died when Sara was 9. She has Emily's name tattooed on her body. She also has an ex-boyfriend, Jason, who keeps calling her to reconcile. As time goes on, Rebecca's obsession with Sara grows and she tries to drive away anyone who could come between them.

Rebecca attacks Tracy in the shower and threatens to kill her unless she stays away from Sara. Tracy, fearing for her life, moves to another dorm. Sara's friend Irene invites her to move in and when she tells Rebecca, Rebecca takes Sara's pet kitten, Cuddles, and puts him in the washer, effectively killing him (offscreen). Rebecca lies to her and tells her that the kitten ran away. When Sara's philandering fashion design professor  kisses her, Rebecca seduces him, while recording their dialogue on a tape recorder to make it look like he was assaulting her. Later Rebecca claims to have been attacked in order to gain the sympathy of Sara, in reality the wounds are self inflicted. Sara, feeling bad, decides to spend Thanksgiving with Rebecca and her family.

During her stay, Sara overhears a conversation between Rebecca and her father, hinting Rebecca has had trouble making friends in the past. Rebecca's mother mentions Rebecca is supposed to be taking medication. Sara and Stephen later find a full bottle of Zyprexa pills. They find out it is used to treat schizophrenia and bipolar disorder. Irene, an old family friend of Sara's and who is also a lesbian, goes to a club and sees Rebecca and they kiss in the club's bathroom and, not knowing that she is Sara's roommate they go to Irene's place. The following morning Sara goes to Irene's place but she does not answer.

Rebecca gets Sara's sister's name tattooed in the same place on her body as Sara. Sara, shocked and upset, packs all her things, except her sister's necklace, which she can't find and moves in. Later, Stephen and Sara find Rebecca's sketchbook filled with sketches of Sara's images. Jason arrives at Sara's dorm and slips a note under her door, saying he wants to see her. Rebecca reads the note, posed as Sara with her sister's necklace, the tattoo, and her newly-dyed hair and goes to Jason's hotel room. She stabs him in his bed with Sara's art knife.

Sara gets a text from Irene, saying she needs her right away. Sara informs Stephen she will be at Irene's place. When she gets there, she finds Irene held hostage by Rebecca with a pistol. Rebecca reveals that she was responsible for what happened to Tracy, Cuddles, the professor and Jason and that she did it all to win Sara's friendship. When Sara apologizes, Rebecca forgives her but wants to kill Irene. Stephen arrives just in time to help stop Rebecca from pulling the trigger on Irene.

In the ongoing struggle, Stephen is knocked unconscious and Sara is left dangling out of the window. Although Rebecca pulls Sara back to safety, Sara reaches for the pistol to shoot Rebecca; however, the cartridge is empty. Enraged, Rebecca attacks Sara and attempts to strangle her. Sara stabs Rebecca in the back with a boxcutter whispering "You were never my friend." Sara moves back into her dorm and moves the extra bed out of her room, proclaiming that she does not want a roommate for a while.