The aroma of burnt popcorn hung heavy in the air of their cramped dorm room, a testament to another failed attempt at movie night. Amber, sprawled on the beanbag chair, coughed dramatically, waving a hand in front of her face.

This was their dynamic. A constant volley of playful insults and teasing, a language they both understood and, in a strange way, cherished. To an outsider, it might seem like they were perpetually on the verge of a fight. But beneath the surface lay a comfortable familiarity, a bond forged in the trenches of late-night study sessions, shared anxieties about exams, and a mutual love for bad reality TV.

They had been roommates since the very beginning of freshman year, thrown together by a random housing assignment. Immediately there was comfort. With their easygoing nature and infectious enthusiasm, they were like sunshine personified. Amber, on the other hand, was a storm cloud wrapped in a leather jacket, sarcastic and fiercely independent. Yet, somehow, opposites attracted, and they had become inseparable.

What they didn't know, what no one knew, was that Amber's biting humor was a carefully constructed defense mechanism. The barb was a shield and she used them frequently. Especially around them. The truth was, Amber was drawn to them like a moth to a flame. Their kindness, their genuine concern, their unwavering optimism. She loved their smile. She loved the way their brow furrowed when they were concentrating. She loved the way they always managed to make her laugh, even when she didn't want to.

But the memories were too vivid, the scars too deep. Back in high school, Amber had fallen hard, had opened herself up completely to someone, only to have her heart ripped out and stomped on. The experience had left Amber with a deep-seated fear of vulnerability, a conviction that love was a dangerous game that she could not afford to play. So, she did the only thing she knew how to do: she built walls. Thick, impenetrable walls that kept everyone at arm's length. And in their case, she kept them firmly in the friend zone, along with everyone else.

"So," Amber said, breaking her train of thought, "are we going to actually watch a movie tonight, or are we just going to sit here and insult each other?" Amber shrugged, trying to appear nonchalant.