I fumbled with the key, struggling with the lock to our dorm room while Hope bounced excitedly beside me like a kid on Christmas morning.
"Almost there," I muttered, finally hearing the click of the door unlocking.
"Eeeeeeeeeep!" Hope squealed, bursting into the room like a whirlwind. She ran around touching everything, then dramatically dropped to the floor and rolled across the plush carpet.
I watched, mildly concerned. "I'm starting to think you might be clinically insane."
She popped up, her eyes wide with joy. "Isn't this amazing?!"
I glanced around the room, trying not to smile. The walls were a soft blush pink—thankfully not that blinding hot pink I couldn't stand. A peach-toned carpet covered the floor like velvet, and a tall wardrobe stood neatly against one wall. Our twin beds sat about a meter apart, flanking a small chest of drawers that divided the space perfectly. It was cozy. And somehow, it already felt like a fresh start.
"Yeah," I admitted. "It's actually really nice."
Hope pouted dramatically. "Where'd you leave all your enthusiasm?"
I chuckled and tossed my bag onto the bed on the right side of the room, closer to the bathroom. "I'm claiming this one!"
Hope laughed and moved to the other bed. She unzipped her suitcase like she was about to start unpacking, then stopped and sighed. "Screw it," she muttered, letting it flop back onto the floor. She turned toward me with a mischievous grin.
"Okay, Broba. Talk to me."
"About what?" I asked, raising an eyebrow.
"Anything! I need you to spill the tea."
I laughed. "There's not much to spill. I'm just a clumsy, peanut-allergic bookworm who still can't talk to strangers without panicking."
Her eyes lit up. "Boys?" she asked, wiggling her eyebrows dramatically.
My mind instantly flashed to the boy I'd crashed into earlier—Gabriel. The memory of his green eyes and easy smile made my face go warm.
Hope gasped like she'd found buried treasure. "Eeeeeeeep! I knew it! There's a guy! Who is he? What's his name? What does he look like?!"
She was now bouncing off the walls—literally.
I held up a hand. "Okay, okay, calm down! But you have to promise not to tell anyone."
She stopped bouncing and placed a hand over her heart. "I solemnly swear."
I smiled and patted the spot beside me. She sat, eyes gleaming, and I told her everything—how I dropped my phone, how our hands touched, how I couldn't stop staring at him.
Hope grabbed my shoulders and shook me. "You two totally have a connection!"
"hOpE, iM nOt A MaRAcA, sTop sHaKInG Me!" I said, my voice wobbling from the shaking.
She giggled and finally let go. "Sorry. I just can't believe your first meet-cute happened on day one!"
I grinned, heart still fluttering from the memory. "Enough about me. Spill your own tea—who's the special guy in your life?"
Her cheeks turned bright red. "Okay, well... there's this guy named Alec. We've been friends since tenth grade. He's super kind, supportive, sweet—and totally adorable. And guess what? He's going to Winter's, too!"
My jaw dropped. "No way! That's amazing! Your soulmate might be like... one hallway away!"
She giggled. "And get this—he texted me earlier, asking if I wanted to hang out at the first common room later. He said I could bring a friend…"
She turned to me with big, pleading puppy-dog eyes.
"Oh no," I said, backing up. "Where are you going with this?"
"Please, please, pleeeease come with me?" she begged. "This is the first time I'm seeing him in like three months, and I'm nervous!"
I sighed. "Will you buy me food afterwards?"
"Absolutely."
"Then I'm in."
Hope squealed again and tackled me in a hug. "Thank you thank you thank you! I owe you big time."
I laughed, managing to wriggle out from under her. "You're lucky I like you."
She smiled, softer now. "Honestly, I'm so glad I ended up with a roommate like you. Not just a roommate—a real friend."
I felt a swell of warmth in my chest. "No. I got the amazing roommate and best friend."
We hugged again, this time less chaotic and more real. I could already tell—we were going to make this year unforgettable.