Roommate

### Chapter 1: The Mix Up The crisp autumn air of Evergreen Academy bit at Victor Jules’ cheeks as he hauled his overstuffed suitcase up the stone steps of the boys’ dormitory. At 17, he was a newcomer to this prestigious boarding school, a transfer student with a chip on his shoulder and a mind sharp enough to cut glass. His dark brown hair, neatly combed but already mussed from the long train ride, framed eyes that scanned the ivy covered building with a mix of ambition and disdain. This was his fresh start away from the crumbling mess of his parents’ divorce and his father’s lost job. Here, he’d be the top student, the one everyone respected. No more being the kid pitied for his family’s fall. He adjusted his navy blazer, the school uniform still stiff and unfamiliar, and pushed open the heavy oak door. Room 12B, his assigned dorm, was on the second floor. The hallway smelled of polished wood and faint lemon cleaner, a stark contrast to the chaos he’d left behind. With a grunt, he dragged his suitcase inside, kicking the door shut behind him. The room was small but tidy two beds, a desk, a window overlooking the quad, and a single wardrobe. Perfect. He dropped his bag on the bottom bunk and immediately began unpacking, laying claim to the space with the precision of a general staking territory. His books calculus, physics, a dog eared copy of *Pride and Prejudice* were stacked neatly on the desk. His clothes were folded with military exactness. This was his domain now. Or so he thought. The door flew open with a bang, and a girl stormed in, her long dark hair whipping behind her like a battle flag. She was about his age, maybe a little shorter, dressed in the girls’ version of the uniform navy blazer, white shirt, tie slightly askew. Her brown eyes blazed with fury as she pointed a finger at him. “Who the hell are you, and what are you doing in *my* room?” Victor froze, a pair of socks dangling from his hand. He straightened, adjusting his glasses with a haughty tilt of his chin. “Your room? This is Room 12B, assigned to Victor Jules. Clearly, you’ve got the wrong place. I suggest you check your paperwork and leave.” The girl’s jaw dropped, then tightened. “Victor Jules? As in *Victoria* Jules? Because last I checked, this is the girls’ dorm, and I’m Eliza Thorne, the only one assigned here!” She marched to the desk, snatching a crumpled letter from her bag and waving it in his face. “See? Room 12B, Eliza Thorne. You’re the one who’s lost, buddy.” Victor snatched the letter, scanning it with a frown. The name was indeed Eliza Thorne, but the room number matched his own assignment. He pulled out his own paperwork, the edges worn from nervous folding on the train. There it was Room 12B, Victor Jules. But something was off. His name had been miswritten on the enrollment form, the “r” in Victor smudged to look like an “a,” turning it into “Victoria.” The school, in its bureaucratic haste, had apparently mistaken him for a girl and assigned him here. His stomach dropped. “This is a mistake,” he said, his voice tight. “They’ve mixed up my gender. I’ll get it sorted tomorrow.” Eliza crossed her arms, her expression a mix of skepticism and amusement. “Oh, sure, Vicky. You expect me to believe the school messed up that badly? Nice try, but you’re not staying here. Get out before I call the dorm supervisor.” “Vicky?” Victor’s eyes narrowed, his territorial instincts flaring. “My name is Victor, and I’m not going anywhere until this is fixed. You can call the supervisor if you want, but good luck explaining why you’re sharing a room with a boy.” He smirked, leaning against the desk with feigned nonchalance, though his heart pounded. He couldn’t afford to be expelled on his first day not with his scholarship on the line. Eliza’s face flushed, her hotheaded nature bubbling to the surface. “You arrogant jerk! This is my space, and I’m not sharing it with some smug know it all who thinks he can waltz in and take over!” She grabbed a pillow from the top bunk and hurled it at him. It hit his chest with a soft thud, but the gesture ignited a spark of defiance in Victor. He caught the next one and tossed it back, his smirk widening. “Territorial much?” he taunted. “Maybe if you weren’t so busy throwing tantrums, you’d realize we’re stuck until the administration fixes this. Unless you want us both kicked out?” Eliza opened her mouth to retort, but a knock at the door silenced her. Both froze as the dorm supervisor, a wiry woman with a clipboard and a no nonsense glare, stepped inside. “What’s all this noise?” she demanded, her eyes darting between them. “Thorne, Jules, what’s going on?” Victor stepped forward, ready to explain, but Eliza beat him to it. “There’s been a mistake! This boy’s been assigned to my room!” The supervisor sighed, flipping through her clipboard. “Let me see… Room 12B, Eliza Thorne and Victoria Jules. Yes, that’s correct. The enrollment error’s been noted, but the system’s locked for the year due to budget cuts. No changes until next September. You’ll have to make do.” Victor’s jaw dropped. “Wait, what? I’m not Victoria I’m Victor! There’s been a clerical error!” The supervisor raised an eyebrow, unimpressed. “Paperwork says otherwise, and we don’t have the resources to reassign mid term. You’re both here now, so figure it out. Keep it quiet, or it’s expulsion for both of you.” With that, she turned and left, the door clicking shut behind her. Silence hung heavy in the room. Victor and Eliza stared at each other, the reality sinking in. A whole year. Sharing a room. With her. With him. The absurdity of it almost made Victor laugh, but Eliza’s glare stopped him cold. “This is your fault, Vicky,” she snapped, grabbing her bag and storming to the wardrobe. “You better stay on your side, or I’ll make your life a living hell.” “My fault?” Victor shot back, his territorial streak flaring. “You’re the one who threw a pillow at me! And it’s Victor, not Vicky. Get it right.” He yanked the top bunk’s blanket, claiming it with a possessive tug. “I’ll take the top. You can have the bottom. And let’s set some ground rules no snooping, no touching my stuff, and no more tantrums.” Eliza rolled her eyes, tossing her bag onto the lower bunk. “Rules? Fine. But if I catch you sneaking a peek, you’re dead. And I’m touching whatever I want this is my room too.” She pulled out a pair of earbuds and cranked up her music, the faint thump of a pop beat filling the air. Victor climbed to the top bunk, muttering under his breath about her immaturity. But as he settled in, his mind raced. A year. How was he supposed to survive this? His reputation, his scholarship, his sanity all on the line because of a stupid mistake. He glanced down at Eliza, who was furiously texting someone, her brow furrowed. She was pretty, he had to admit high cheekbones, a defiant tilt to her chin but her hotheadedness grated on him. Still, there was something warm in the way she muttered to herself, a contrast to her fiery exterior. The first day at Evergreen Academy was supposed to be his triumph, not this chaotic mess. He pulled out his journal, a habit from his old life, and began scribbling notes strategies to deal with Eliza, a plan to confront the administration, a reminder to keep his grades perfect. But as he wrote, a noise from below caught his attention. Eliza had dropped her phone, and as she bent to pick it up, her eyes landed on his journal, now slightly ajar on the edge of the bunk. “Hey, what’s that?” she asked, her tone shifting to curiosity. “Nothing!” Victor slammed it shut, his heart racing. The journal held more than school notes it contained his fears, his dreams, the raw edges of his past. If she read it, she’d have ammunition to torment him forever. Eliza smirked, climbing halfway up the bunk ladder. “Oh, come on, Vicky. What are you hiding? A love letter? A diary of your evil plans?” “Get down!” Victor snapped, clutching the journal to his chest. But before she could reach it, a sharp knock echoed through the room. Both froze, eyes wide, as the door creaked open again. It was the dorm supervisor, but this time she wasn’t alone. Behind her stood a tall, quiet boy with sandy hair and a kind smile Mark Musketeer, Victor would later learn. “Random inspection,” the supervisor announced. “Let’s see how you two are settling in.” Eliza scrambled down, her face paling. Victor shoved the journal under his pillow, his mind spinning. An inspection? Now? With their co ed secret barely an hour old? He glanced at Eliza, who looked equally panicked, and for the first time, they shared a silent, desperate understanding. They were in this together whether they liked it or not. The supervisor stepped inside, her eyes scanning the room. Mark lingered by the door, his expression unreadable. “Everything looks… orderly,” she said, her tone suspicious. “But I’ll be back. Keep it clean.” She turned to leave, but as she reached the threshold, she paused. “Oh, and Jules? Fix that name issue soon. We don’t tolerate fraud here.” The door closed, leaving Victor and Eliza in stunned silence. Fraud? The word hung in the air like a threat. Eliza sank onto her bunk, burying her face in her hands. “We’re screwed,” she muttered. Victor slid down from his bunk, his arrogance shaken. “Not yet,” he said, more to himself than to her. “We just need a plan.” But as he spoke, a shadow passed the window a figure watching from outside. His stomach twisted. Who had seen them? And what did they know?