THE GIRL FROM ROOM TEN

The letter had been sitting on the table for three days. Eloisa Smith had read it so many times that she already knew every sentence by heart. Still, she couldn't bring herself to put it away. She sat on the edge of the thin mattress in Room Ten, holding the letter carefully between her fingers. Morning sunlight entered through the small window, revealing the dust floating in the warm air. Outside, the building was already awake. Someone was arguing over the bathroom. A child was crying. Water rushed through old pipes. A radio played somewhere down the hallway. It was an ordinary morning in the building where ten families lived together. Ten small rooms. One narrow hallway. One public bathroom. That was their world. Ellie looked down at the letter again. **Dear Ms. Eloisa Smith,** She had been accepted into college. For years, she had dreamed about that moment. She imagined herself walking through the university gates with books in her arms. She imagined attending lectures, making friends, studying late at night, and eventually earning a degree that would give her family a better life. But dreams require money. And her family barely had enough for food. Ellie folded the letter. Her father, Edward, was seventy years old. Her mother, Margaret, was sixty-eight. Both had worked hard throughout their lives, but age had caught up with them. Her father could no longer work long hours. Her mother's knees often hurt after standing for too long. Their tiny rented room contained almost everything they owned. A small table. An old electric fan. A few plastic drawers. A mattress. A small cooking stove. There was no private bathroom. There wasn't even enough space for three people to walk around comfortably. Ellie heard her father cough. She immediately turned. Edward was sitting against the wall. "You've been awake for a while," he said. Ellie smiled. "Good morning, Papa." His eyes moved toward the letter. "Is that your college acceptance letter?" She nodded. "Yes." "Let me see." Ellie hesitated before handing it to him. Edward adjusted his glasses and began reading. His face slowly brightened. "You got accepted." Ellie smiled. "I did." "I'm proud of you." Her heart warmed. Then Edward reached the section showing the enrollment fees. His smile disappeared. He stared at the paper. "How much?" Ellie lowered her eyes. "I calculated everything." "How much?" She told him. Edward became silent. Ellie already knew. They couldn't afford it. Their rent was due soon. Her father's medicine needed to be bought. Their groceries were running low. Even transportation money had to be carefully counted. College wasn't simply difficult. It was impossible. Margaret stirred on the other side of the room. "What happened?" Ellie turned toward her. "Nothing, Mama." Margaret sat up. "Is that the college letter?" Ellie nodded. Her mother smiled proudly. "You were accepted?" "Yes." Margaret reached for her hand. "I'm so happy for you." Ellie squeezed her mother's fingers. Then Margaret noticed Edward's expression. Her smile faded. "How much do they need?" Ellie told her. Margaret looked down. No one spoke for several seconds. Finally, Ellie broke the silence. "I'll find a job." Edward immediately looked at her. "No." "Papa—" "No." "I'm eighteen." "I know." "I'm old enough to work." "You're supposed to go to college." Ellie looked around their tiny room. "With what money?" Edward looked away. The question hurt both of them. Ellie immediately regretted saying it. She moved closer. "I'm not blaming you." Edward sighed. "I should be able to provide for you." "You already did." "Not enough." Ellie took his hand. "You gave me a childhood." Edward looked at her. "You and Mama raised me." Her voice softened. "That's more important than tuition." Margaret wiped away a tear. Ellie smiled. "I'll find work." Edward shook his head. "You shouldn't have to sacrifice your future." Ellie looked at the acceptance letter. "Maybe this isn't the end." She folded it carefully. "Maybe I'll come back to it someday." --- By eight that morning, Ellie was already outside. She wore her cleanest blouse, a simple skirt, and the only pair of shoes she owned that still looked presentable. Her résumé was inside a plastic folder. She had no experience. No connections. No one is waiting to give her a job. But she had determination. Her first stop was a restaurant. The manager looked at her résumé. "Have you worked before?" "No, sir." "Sorry. We're looking for someone experienced." Ellie nodded. "Thank you." The second place was a clothing store. They needed someone older. The third was a grocery. They weren't hiring. The fourth wanted someone with customer service experience. Again, she was rejected. By noon, her feet already hurt. She sat on a bench outside a small shopping centre and drank water from the bottle she had brought from home. Across the street, several university students walked together. They were laughing. One complained about an exam. Another carried a stack of textbooks. Ellie watched them quietly. She wondered what it would feel like to worry about homework instead of rent. She looked down at her hands. Then she remembered her parents. She stood. There was still tomorrow. --- By sunset, Ellie had been rejected more times than she could count. She returned to Room Ten, exhausted. Her mother was preparing dinner. Rice. Eggs. Vegetables. Simple food. But it smelled wonderful. "You didn't find anything?" Margaret asked. "Not today." "Tomorrow?" Ellie smiled. "Tomorrow." Her mother placed food on the table. "Eat." "I already ate." Margaret raised an eyebrow. Ellie sighed. "Okay. I didn't." Her mother smiled. "I knew it." Ellie sat down. For a few minutes, the world felt normal. After dinner, she helped her father with his medicine. Then she washed the dishes. Later, she picked up her towel and toiletries. "I'll take a shower." Her mother nodded. "Don't stay too long. Someone might be waiting." "I know." Ellie stepped into the hallway. The shared bathroom was at the far end. Tonight, it was empty. She entered and locked the door. For several minutes, she stood beneath the cold shower with her eyes closed. She tried not to think. Not about college. Not about money. Not about work. But her thoughts refused to leave her alone. She turned off the water. Then she heard footsteps outside. Someone tried the door. Ellie froze. "Occupied!" The handle immediately stopped. "Sorry." The man's voice was unfamiliar. Ellie frowned. She had never heard him before. A few seconds later, the footsteps disappeared. She finished bathing and stepped outside after making sure the hallway was empty. She didn't know who the stranger was. She didn't know that someone new had moved into the building. And she certainly didn't know that he would soon become part of her life. --- The next morning, Ellie woke early again. She looked at the college acceptance letter one more time. Then she placed it inside a small box beneath her clothes. She wasn't throwing it away. Not yet. Maybe someday. She dressed quickly and stepped into the hallway. A few boxes were stacked near Room Six. A new tenant. Ellie had never seen him before. She didn't pay much attention. She had more important things to worry about. She walked toward the bathroom. The door opened at almost the exact moment she reached it. She nearly collided with someone. "Oh!" She stepped backwards. The man caught the door before it hit her. "Sorry." Ellie looked up. For the first time, she saw him. He was tall, quiet, and unfamiliar. He looked around her age, perhaps slightly older. He carried himself differently from most people in the building. "You're new," Ellie said. The man smiled. "Yeah." "Room Six?" He nodded. "Lucas." "I'm Ellie." "Eloisa?" She blinked. "Yes." "The landlord mentioned you." "Oh." Lucas stepped aside. "You were going to use the bathroom?" "Yes." "Go ahead." "Thanks." Ellie entered. Before closing the door, she glanced back at him. Lucas was already walking toward his room. She shut the door. She didn't think much about the encounter. He was simply the new tenant. Nothing more. For Lucas, however, the encounter stayed in his mind a little longer than expected. He couldn't explain why. Maybe it was her tired expression. Maybe it was the way she smiled despite clearly having a difficult morning. Or maybe it was simply curiosity. Neither of them knew it yet, but their lives had just crossed. A girl from Room Ten. A mysterious new tenant from Room Six. Two strangers living under the same old roof. And neither could have imagined how much their lives would eventually change because of that simple encounter. For now, Ellie had only one goal. Find work. Take care of her parents. And somehow, keep the dream inside that little box from dying completely. Because sometimes, a dream doesn't disappear. Sometimes, it simply waits..................