Roommates

The echoes of her parents' 'Love you! Good luck!' still rang in Maya Parker's ears as she walked, a blue suitcase trailing behind her. The sprawling college campus, a sea of unfamiliar faces and imposing buildings, spread out before her. Four years, she thought, this would be home for the next four years.

Her first mission: find the office, sign in, and get her dorm room key. A group of chattering students, oblivious to her presence, led the way. Maya, a silent shadow, followed, a map of the campus she’d barely glanced at clutched in her hand. The office was small, bustling. Her turn came.

“Good morning, sweetheart,” the middle-aged lady at the desk chirped, eyes scanning a computer screen. “Here for your dorm?”

“Yes,” Maya replied, a nervous flutter in her stomach. A moment later, the lady’s brows furrowed. “Here it says you won’t have a girl as a roommate.”

Maya’s breath hitched. “Excuse me?”

“Well, you’re going to have a boy. Don’t worry, things like this happen. It’s a switch, sweetheart.” The lady shrugged, handing over a key. “Room 217, Apt 2.”

Boy? A boy? For four years? Maya stared at the key, her mind racing. What if he was a drug dealer? A total nerd? Or worse?