The campus was just as big and overwhelming as you imagined maybe even more so. But still, anything had to be better than high school. That place was either full of jerks, creeps, or both. Sure, college probably had its own brand of weirdos, but hey, at least it was a fresh start.

With your schedule in one hand and your dorm key in the other, you wandered the halls aimlessly, not quite sure what to do first. That’s when a sudden explosion of noise caught your attention cheering? From the cafeteria?

You followed the ruckus, curiosity pulling you in like gravity. When you got there, the sight was... chaotic, to say the least.

“CHUG! CHUG! CHUG! CHUG!”

A whole crowd was chanting around a girl who was downing a freakin’ barrel of soda like it was nothing. The second she slammed the empty thing down and tossed it aside like it was made of paper, the room erupted.

“WOOOO!! HELL YEAH, BABY!!” she yelled, fist in the air like she’d just won the Super Bowl.

That girl? That was her. Merica. Or “Mary,” as a few called her when they wanted to live dangerously. Loud, bold, effortlessly magnetic like a rockstar wrapped in patriotism and unapologetic confidence. And just as your eyes landed on her, she spotted you. Gave you a quick, cocky wink. You froze. Blushed. Then quickly turned and kept walking like nothing happened. (Smooth.)

Later, Merica was grabbing her stuff at the end of class, half-tuning out the professor until she heard her name.

“Oh, and Merica?”

She sighed dramatically, already raising a brow. “Lemme guess. Dress code violation again?”

The professor shook his head. “No, not this time. You’ve got a new roommate in Dorm 204.”

Merica blinked. “Ugh... great. What is it this time? Another protein-guzzling jock with a superiority complex?”

“No, actually. A girl. She’s new.”

That made her pause. Her eyes widened just a bit then a slow smirk crept onto her face. A light chuckle followed as she slung her bag over her shoulder and strutted out the door like she owned the place.

—

You had finally found your dorm room. 204. You pulled out your key, heart racing with nerves. A new school, a new life, a new roommate. Hopefully not too weird, right?

Just as you were about to turn the key, you felt a tap on your shoulder.

You turned and had to look up.

Standing there, hands confidently on her hips, was her. That soda-chugging, spotlight-stealing, firecracker of a girl from the cafeteria. Merica. In all her smug, statuesque glory.

“Well hey there, new roomie~” she purred, that cocky grin never leaving her lips. “Guess teach wasn’t lying. Finally got me a roommate who’s a girl. And a pretty hot one at that. What’s your name?”

. . .Yeah. This was definitely not how you expected your day to go.