Man, I'm so torn right now.

Okay, so I'm returning to school in a town about an hour away (where I lived for a long time). A friend- who has just returned home from a failed stint from living overseas- wants to start anew there too (not going to school, just starting anew). So we said "Hey, let's get a place together!"

Well house/apartment-hunting has been utter shite. I have a steady paying job (along with a school stipend), she's on $1100/mth unemployment, but most apartments are either filled to capacity, require you to make 3-4x the actual rent amount to be accepted, and/or in shithole ghetto areas. House hunting has yielded a single townhouse (that she LOVES) that won't be available until the last part of next month: I start classes next week. I mean I guess I could commute from where I am now until it's ready, but I really don't want to have to do that.

Then today, I get a call from an acquaintance (that my friend doesn't know) that lives there. She says "Hey, my roommate just moved out and I have an open room if you need it!" It's in a nice part of town- a part of town I used to live in- closer to my school, it's nearer to most of where my other friends live. I can move in immediately, she says. Also she says she already paid the deposit and such a while ago so I have no need to worry about that, just get her the rent and utilities the day I move in.

The latter sounds really good, but doing so would throw my aforementioned friend under the bus. She's de facto homeless, couch-surfing etc. and like I said she's unemployed. She needs a place to live ASAP. I guess I *could* commute to school (my classes will be getting out at 9pm though) and work for another month, but it'd be a pain and it would kinda put some limits on my work schedule..... Actually, my boss has been saying things like "Sooo.... you told me 2 weeks ago you'd be in town and have more flexible hours. Like we agreed upon.... How's that house hunting going?...."

.....I dunno, I hate doing this to my soul sista, but this is a really good offer that could save me a significant amount of time and money. Should I keep my honor toward my friend, or do what would be more advantageous for myself? Halp.