I follow Spencer up a creaky spiral staircase, my heavy suitcases dragging behind me and prompting a barrage of bad language to spill from my mouth.
Spencer doesn't utter a word during our climb, nor does she offer to help me with my bags, and it's only when we finally reach the top that she turns around and fixes me with a firm, blue-eyed stare.
"You'll get a sanction for swearing you know."
"Only if you tell." I challenge, locking eyes with her for the first time.
"It's my duty to inform them." Spencer answers simply, though I notice her top teeth pinching her lower lip briefly afterwards. "But it is your first day and I guess you haven't read the handbook yet, have you?"
"Don't plan to either." I confess with a grin; she returns a disapproving scowl. "So where's my room?"
"The end of the corridor, 14C."
I don't want to waste time on further un-pleasantries, I mean the girl's clearly been brainwashed and the sooner I'm in the safety of my own room the better.
"Well thanks for showing me." I mutter insincerely, my suitcases trailing like dead weights as I struggle past her along the surprisingly lengthy hallway.
"Wait, you'll need this!" Spencer exclaims, catching up to me all too quickly and dangling a key in my face. "You can keep this one, I've got my own."
"You've got a key to my room?" I repeat in disbelief. "That's kind of creepy, Spencer."
She flushes and shakes her head.
"We have to share, everyone does. But at least there's just the two of us." She frowns a little. "Last year I was in a room with three other girls, it was awful."
"Well sharing isn't one of my strong points." I respond flatly, finally taking the key from her grasp. "It better be big."
