Shepard dragged her bags of belongings into what she considered one of the most pretentious rooms she had ever stood in. The walls had some fancy stencil that you could only get at a college where most of it was designed in stone and even had a gargoyle at one point. The cafeteria hadn't seemed so bad, although everything had been made of oak which gave it a rather dark feeling, and it could have fit four of her childhood homes but she couldn't imagine ever feeling at home in a place this...ostentatious.
She hadn't even really been set on going to college if it hadn't been for her scholarship. She was going to be studying literature and history and hoped to make it as a journalist one day, covering wars and getting to the heart of human interest pieces. The lives and stories of other people fascinated her. Buildings designed to make one feel smug and superior did not. She counted three doors in her dorm and saw her name on the middle one so went through it. It was tiny, which Shepard didn't mind; she didn't need much space. There was just enough room for her bed, a wardrobe, some drawers, a TV and a desk.
She dumped her bags gracefully on the floor- she'd sort through that crap later. When she stepped back into the living/kitchen area she was met by two women she could only assume were her room mates.
"Oh good, Miranda. A freshman. Finally."
The girl who greeted her sounded anything but friendly. She wore a lot of makeup, had very dark skin and was quite short- and her tone had been dripping with relish at the prospect of having somebody younger (presumably to try to boss around).
"Leave it out, Maya" The girl called Miranda snapped, in a bored sort of way.
"Hi, nice to meet you. I'm Shepard." She offered more to Miranda who seemed friendlier but that had clearly been a mistaken impulse.
"Shepard?" Miranda repeated, with an eyebrow raised and leaning back and crossing her arms.
"Your mother must have been high on drugs when she popped you out then." Maya commented drily and Shepard scowled.
"Has your mother been high ever since she popped you out then?" Shepard asked in a sickly sweet voice and Miranda smirked.
"Whatever." Maya snapped. "Don't touch my stuff or you're dead."
Maya threw Shepard a disgusted look before leaving the dorm all together. Shepard looked nervously around, Miranda hadn't been much more inviting than Maya.
Miranda seemed infinitely tall but that could have just been the boots, she had luscious black hair, pale skin and steely blue eyes. Her accent sounded like she had originally come from Sydney too, Shepard guessed.
"Don't touch my things either." Miranda said after a moment but Shepard was sure that despite her cool demeanour there was a hint of a smile behind those eyes.
"What year are you?" Shepard asked.
"Third of four." Miranda answered. "Hoping to be a virologist before probably doing another degree."
"Great, I love over-achievers in life. Makes me feel so good about myself." Shepard smiled.
"Because I exist to make you happy." Miranda replied sardonically. "Orientation will be starting soon for first years- they'll be at the cafeteria. Watch out for Maya, she's mostly mouth but she's devious."
"Are you two friends?" Shepard asked curiously.
"I'm not here to make friends, Shepard. Stay focussed on why you're here." Miranda replied, cutting Shepard dead before she could ask any further questions.
"We don't have to hate each other if we're going to live together." Shepard said fairly.
"I know why I'm here; to get a good educate and the best future possible. I'm not interested in any distractions." Miranda replied.
There was a knock at the open door and a guy with dark skin and goatee came into the room. He smiled and Miranda, walked towards her and gave her a quick kiss at which Shepard looked away awkwardly.
"New roommate?" He asked Miranda.
"Yeah," Miranda shrugged, uninterested. "Shepard."
"Hey, Shepard. I'm Jacob." He offered out a hand which Shepard shook.
"You're the friendliest person I've met yet." She said with a playful look at Miranda who turned her back on her, walked to the kitchen and began making a cup of tea.
"Yeah, this place can be intense." Jacob joked. "It's mostly just bullshit though so don't take anybody too seriously."
"Oh, I never do." She joked. "Anyway, I've got to head off for orientation. It was nice to meet you...both"
"See you, Shepard and if you ever need a hand just ask." Jacob offered kindly, and Shepard did not miss the exasperated look Miranda shot him.
"That's very kind, Jacob. I appreciate it." She smiled, as she left the room and made her way back down those halls with their ridiculous stencil designs.
