Chapter 2
342 Words
Roommates
Ethan dragged his suitcase up the stairs, muttering curses under his breath as the wheels bumped against every step. When he finally reached the third floor, sweaty and out of breath, he checked the door numbers.
“6B-307…” he whispered, stopping at a door with a small silver plaque. This was it.
Taking a deep breath, he pushed inside.
The room was already half-occupied — neatly stacked books on one desk, a leather jacket thrown over the chair, and a faint scent of cologne hanging in the air.
And on the bed by the window, leaning back with his headphones in, was Adrian.
Ethan froze. “…You’ve got to be kidding me.”
Adrian pulled off his headphones, smirk tugging at his lips. “Well, well. Look who fate threw at me.”
Ethan blinked, flustered. “You—You live here?”
“Room 307. Same as you.” Adrian spread his arms wide as if welcoming him home. “Guess I’m your roommate.”
Ethan groaned inwardly. He wasn’t sure if this was good luck or a curse.
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The next few hours were filled with awkward unpacking. Adrian sprawled on his bed, watching Ethan arrange his books with too much precision.
“You’re way too neat,” Adrian commented.
“And you’re way too messy,” Ethan shot back without looking up.
Adrian laughed. “This is going to be fun.”
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That evening, while Ethan tried to finish a placement essay, Adrian leaned over his desk, far too close.
“You always chew your pen when you think?” Adrian asked.
Ethan jumped, nearly dropping the pen. “Don’t sneak up on me like that.”
Adrian smirked but said nothing. Instead, his gaze lingered a moment too long. Ethan didn’t notice — he was too busy trying to focus.
But outside their window, in the shadows near the campus garden, someone was watching. A figure with a hood pulled low over their face. Their gaze was fixed not on Ethan — but on Adrian.
- Writer
