CHAPTER THREE — The Roommate Problem
983 Words
The boys’ hostel was nothing like she imagined.
The building was loud, wild and too alive.
Boys ran through the hallway like they were raised by wolves. Doors slammed, someone shouted about stolen socks, someone else argued over a broken speaker.
Elior stopped in front of the door with her room number.
Room 214.
Her new… living space.
She took a breath, wiped her palms against her trousers, and pushed the door open.
The first thing she saw was chaos.
There were clothes on the floor, a messy bed, and a basketball rolling around.
And there in the middle of the room, stood a tall figure standing with his back to her, pulling off his shirt like he owned the entire world.
“Um… hello?” Elior said carefully.
The boy turned.
Her heart dropped to her stomach.
Cassian Vale.
Of all the people in this academy…
Of all the rooms…
He was her roommate?
Cassian’s eyes narrowed the moment he saw her. His expression fell from confused to irritated in two seconds.
“No,” he said flatly. “Absolutely not.”
Elior blinked. “Sorry… what?”
“You. Here?” He shook his head like the universe was playing a joke on him. “This is a mistake.”
He walked past her toward the hallway.
“Hey wait!” Elior grabbed her bag and hurried after him. “Where are you going?”
“To fix this.”
He marched straight to the hostel matron’s office. Elior followed, trying not to look like a scared rabbit.
Cassian knocked once and pushed the door open.
“We have a problem,” he said.
The matron looked up, unimpressed. “Cassian Vale. What is it this time?”
“My room assignment,” he said. “You put someone in my room.”
“That’s right,” she replied. “The academy requires double rooms this year. No exceptions.”
Cassian’s jaw flexed. “But him?”
Elior tried not to flinch at the word him.
She had to keep her voice steady.
“If it’s a problem,” she said softly, “I can request a different room”
“No,” the matron cut in. “We’re full. You two will manage.”
Cassian stared at her like she had just announced the end of the world.
“Manage?” he repeated.
“Yes, Cassian,” she sighed, “manage. Now leave my office.”
He didn’t move.
Elior could feel the tension rolling off him like heat.
“Cassian,” the matron said again. “Out.”
He finally left, but he didn’t look any calmer. Elior followed him back through the hallway, her heartbeat punching inside her ribs.
When they reached the room, Cassian stopped at the door and turned sharply toward her.
“Listen,” he said. “I don’t know what your deal is. I don’t know why you feel… strange. But don’t get comfortable.”
Elior swallowed. “I’m not trying to bother you. I just need a place to sleep.”
“Then sleep quietly,” he snapped.
She opened her mouth to respond, but he walked inside first and threw himself onto his bed.
Elior sat on her own bed, unsure what to do with her hands, her bag, her entire life.
She had survived years of hiding, yet one annoyed boy was making her nervous.
Minutes passed,
Cassian didn’t look at her again.
He didn’t talk.
He didn’t move.
Until someone banged on their door.
Cassian stood immediately, irritated. “What now?”
He opened the door and a group of rowdy boys burst inside laughing and shouting.
“Cass! We’re going to the south yard, training match!”
“Bring the new kid!”
“Let’s see if he can even throw a punch!”
Elior’s stomach dropped.
Cassian raised an eyebrow at her. “You fight?”
She shook her head quickly. “N-No.”
The room fell silent for a second.
Then one boy laughed loudly. “He’s scared. Look at him. Class A got a weakling!”
Cassian’s jaw tightened.
He wasn’t defending her.
He was annoyed like he didn’t want some weak person associated with him.
One of the boys grabbed Elior’s wrist playfully.
“Come on, new guy. Let’s test you.”
Elior pulled back. “No, it’s okay”
But the boy tugged harder, joking around the way boys did… except Elior wasn’t a boy. She couldn’t let them drag her out. She couldn’t risk being touched too closely. She couldn’t risk anything exposing her secret.
“Let go,” she whispered.
The boy laughed and tugged again.
Elior panicked.
Before she could think, her hand moved on its own, grabbing the boy’s arm and twisting it sharply in a way she didn’t know she knew.
The boy gasped.
Everyone froze.
Cassian’s head snapped toward her.
“What was that?” one boy whispered.
Elior’s heart dropped.
She didn’t know what that was.
Her family never trained her to fight. They only taught her to run.
So how did she do that?
Cassian stepped closer, his eyes locked on hers like he had just witnessed a ghost wearing a human face.
“You,” he said quietly. “Are lying about something.”
Elior’s throat closed.
The boys looked between them, confused but excited.
Cassian didn’t blink.
He leaned closer, his voice went low and sounded almost like a whisper:
“No normal person moves like that.”
Elior stepped back, pulse shaking.
Cassian watched her, eyes narrowing like everything inside him was screaming one truth.
“You’re hiding something,” he said.
“And I’m going to find out what.”
Before Elior could answer,
Cassian grabbed her wrist.
“You,” he said, his eyes burning. “Come with me. Now.”
Elior’s breath caught.
Because this time…
He wasn’t asking.
- Writer
