Lana dropped her suitcase with a relieved sigh, taking in her new dorm room. It was small but cozy—two twin beds, two desks, and a shared closet. A window overlooked the city skyline, the towering buildings making her small-town upbringing feel worlds away.
As she unzipped her bag, the door swung open.
A girl stepped in, balancing a laptop bag on one shoulder and dragging a rolling suitcase behind her. She had short, dark frizzy hair, thick-rimmed glasses, and a NASA hoodie that looked well-worn. Her sharp eyes flickered to Lana.
"You must be my roommate," she said, setting her bag down with a thud.
Lana smiled. "Lana Carter."
The girl nodded. "Carlyle Morrison. Science major. I don't snore, and I call dibs on the desk by the window."
Lana laughed at the abrupt introduction. "Good to know."
Carlyle tossed her hoodie onto her bed and started unpacking. "So, what's your deal? What are you studying?"
"Business," Lana replied, stuffing her clothes into the dresser. "Same as my friend Mason. He helped me get settled today."
Carlyle raised an eyebrow. "Mason? That your boyfriend?"
Lana snorted. "No. More like my annoying brother I never had."
Carlyle smirked. "Uh-huh, sure."
Rolling her eyes, Lana decided to change the subject. "What about you? Science major—what's your focus?"
"Technology and quantum mechanics," Carlyle said casually. "I'm interested in theoretical time travel."
Lana paused mid-fold. "Like, actual time travel?"
Carlyle shrugged. "Not in a sci-fi way. More like—understanding how time works. How it bends, distorts. Whether it's possible to manipulate it within the laws of physics."
Lana blinked. "That's… kind of cool."
Carlyle smirked. "Glad you think so. Most people just call me a nerd."
Lana grinned. "Well, you are a nerd. But it's still cool."
Carlyle chuckled. "I'll take it."
They unpacked in comfortable silence, the first hints of friendship settling between them.
Finally, Carlyle stretched and checked her phone. "So, you going to any Welcome Week events? There's a club fair, campus tours, a bunch of 'mandatory fun' stuff."
"Yeah, I should," Lana said. "Might as well meet some people before classes start."
"Fair warning," Carlyle said, flopping onto her bed, "Welcome Week is also where you meet the worst people."
Lana raised an eyebrow. "Like who?"
"You know—the 'it-girls' who think they own the place. Their muscle-head boyfriends. The people who act like they're in a TV drama."
Lana chuckled. "Sounds like high school all over again."
Carlyle sighed dramatically. "Sadly, bullies don't disappear after graduation."
Lana leaned back against her pillows, staring at the ceiling.
Guess I'll find out soon enough.
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