"Mom, I'm fine," I say for what feels like the hundredth time, my phone pressed tightly to my ear as I drag my suitcase behind me. It bumps along the sidewalk, wheels clattering against every crack and crevice. "No, I didn't forget my toothbrush. Yes, I double-checked." Always so persistent. I'm not a child anymore. You'd think she'd realize that by now. I've been out of highschool for a year. A YEAR. But nope. It's like I've just started walking to this woman.

I can almost hear her pacing on the other end of the line, her usual nervous energy crackling through the phone. "Well, are you sure you're heading in the right direction? Did you ask anyone for help? Maybe you should ask someone, Tori, what if-"

I groan inwardly. Already stressed, and her insightful inputs aren't helping the matter. I'm honestly surprised she didn't come for the drive with me and let me do it on my own. Granted, I haven't had my license for that long, and the freeway was jammed, but I got here in relatively one piece.

"Mom!" I interrupt, trying to hide the frustration in my voice. "I've got the campus map right here." I shake the poor thing in my hand to emphasize my point, getting an odd look from a passerby. "I can find my dorm. I'm not in the wilderness or something." I glance down at the crumpled map, trying to make sense of the color-coded buildings and arrows. Everything looked the same as my eyes scanned around me; red brick, big windows, students rushing by with more confidence than I feel right now. Foliage upon foliage, bright green trees, open lawns.

"Okay, well, you know how your sense of direction is-" she starts, but I tune out, rolling my eyes as I keep scanning the buildings.

Of course, my mom is still micromanaging me from miles away. I take a deep breath, telling myself she means well. She's just being, well, her, which means overprotective, a little overbearing, and way too invested in making sure I don't fall apart the second I'm on my own. It's not like I haven't handled things on my own before, but this is different. College is different, but I can handle it. I'm not some lost broken little bird that needs its mommy to guide it.

"Mom," I cut in again, "I've got this. Seriously. I'll call you once I'm all settled, okay?"

There's a pause on the other end. "Fine," she finally says, clearly not convinced but too tired to keep pushing. "But call me the minute you get to your room. I mean it. I love you, sweetie."

"Love you too," I say, grateful the conversation is finally wrapping up. I hang up and slip the phone into my pocket, letting out a long sigh.

I pause in front of a building that looks... almost right. The sign says Baker Hall in fading gold letters, but of course, it doesn't match up with anything on my map. I shift my bag to my other hand and look around, trying to act like I'm not completely lost in the middle of my first day.

"Great start, Tori," I mutter to myself, tugging my suitcase along again. If I don't find this stupid dorm soon, I'm going to be late for orientation. Maybe I should've asked for directions after all.

I keep walking, eyes darting from my map to the endless maze of buildings around me. Every corner of this place looks like it was pulled straight out of a glossy brochure with its perfectly manicured lawns, and towering trees with just enough golden leaves falling to look picturesque. Along with groups of students who already seem to know exactly where they're going, not looking nervous at all.

Lucky them.

I pass by a group lounging on a grassy quad, all sprawled out like they've got nowhere else to be. One girl in particular, a pretty redhead with an accumulation of patchwork tattoos glances up at me and waves, friendly, but I look away before I can wave back. I don't want to seem even more lost than I already feel. Besides, I'm sure she'll forget about me the second I disappear behind the next building.

Okay, Tori. Focus. I squint at the map again, trying to figure out how I could've possibly missed my dorm.

Ugh. This is insane. I swear I've been here before. I'm getting all twisted.

Freaking chiz.

"Seriously?" I mutter under my breath, spinning in a slow circle. I'm starting to regret not coming for a campus tour when I had the chance. Maybe my mom was right. Maybe I should've just asked someone for directions the second I stepped onto campus. There were people there, ready to help, but nope, the brave part of me wanted to just go for it.

I can feel my heart racing a little, the anxiety creeping in. It's my first day, and I'm already late. That's a great way to start college. Perfect. I can hear Jade's voice in my head already, mocking me. "Tori Vega lost on her very first day of adulthood. Shocking."

Jade. Just the thought of her makes my stomach flip a little. It's been a while since we've crossed paths, but the idea of seeing her again—especially now, in this new setting—has been on my mind ever since I got accepted. I don't know what I expected, but I'm not ready for that reunion. Not yet. We all decided to take a gap year before coming here, luckily it worked out for all of us. And during that year, Jade was the only one I never kept in touch with.

I shake the thought of her away and keep moving, determined to get my bearings. I pass a few more buildings, each looking more identical to the last, and spot what looks like a student center ahead. Maybe there's a map in there or someone who can point me in the right direction.

I make my way up the stone stairs and push open the double glass doors, stepping into the cool air-conditioned space. It's buzzing with activity, Many students grabbing coffee, chatting in clusters, others studying quietly at tables. It feels like a completely different world compared to the chaos outside. It's warm and welcoming, through does little for the creeping anxiety.

I walk up to the nearest table where a guy is sitting behind a stack of orientation pamphlets, a bored look on his face. He's wearing a campus T-shirt that says Welcome Crew in bright letters. Jackpot! I approached and he's scrolling on his phone.

"Uh, hi," I say, trying to sound casual. "I think I'm a little lost. Do you know where Baker Hall is?"

He glances up from his phone and points lazily out the door I just walked through, looking annoyed I dared to interrupt him. SInce clearly being on his phone, doing, wait what is that, tinder? Clearly more important than the assigned job he's been given. "You passed it. Like, two buildings back. It's got a big sign out front."

"Oh, right. Cool. Thanks." I force a smile, feeling my face heat up.

"You new here?" he asks, clearly uninterested in the answer but filling time.

"Yeah, first day," I say, starting to back away.

He chuckles, a bitter sound. "Good luck," he mutters, already back on his phone.

I head out of the student center, feeling a little more grounded now that I at least know where I'm going. As I walk back in the direction he pointed, I can't help but let my mind wander again. I wonder if Jade's already here. I haven't heard from her since we graduated. And even though we didn't exactly leave things on bad terms, it's not like we kept in touch either. But knowing my luck, I'll run into her today. Right when I'm sweaty, late, and completely disoriented.

Perfect timing.

Finally, My dorm comes into view, and I breathe a sigh of relief. I stand outside for a second, letting the reality sink in. I'm here. At college. On my own. No mom hovering over my shoulder, no one watching my every move, no annoying Trina screaming at me to shave her legs or clip her nails. Total, and complete freedom.

If only I weren't so scared.

As I pull my suitcase up the stairs to the front door, I catch my reflection in the glass, wide-eyed, a little frazzled, but hopeful. There's something about the unknown that's equally terrifying and exciting. I don't know what's going to happen next - whether it's with classes, making friends, or seeing my friends again - but for the first time in a long time, I feel like I'm exactly where I'm supposed to be.

"Alright," I whisper to myself, pushing the door open, "let's do this."

I make my way down the narrow hallway, the faint smell of fresh paint lingering in the air. It was a bright orange color with campus safety posters every few feet, as well as art done by students and faculty. All bright, Matching in tone, looking cartoony. I nod, passing it all, barely retaining the information, instead focusing on the room numbers. 206… 208…210… Finally, I spot it: Room 212. I pause in front of the door for a second, half expecting it to burst open and reveal some overly enthusiastic RA or something. But it stays shut. I take a deep breath and turn the handle.

Inside, the room is... well, it's half a room. One side of it is a complete explosion of bright color. The bedspread is pink, purple, and glittery, with plush animals scattered all over it. The walls are lined with twinkling fairy lights, and there's a small shelf filled with what looks like every single My Little Pony ever made. I gulp and hold back a cringe.

Yup.

Alright.

I blink, letting it all sink in. My side, in contrast, is bare—just a plain bed frame, a desk, and an empty closet. My suitcase looks even sadder against the backdrop of the kaleidoscope of decorations.

Before I can take another step in, I hear the soft hum of a song, and then a familiar voice.

"Tori?" The occupant's head pops out from behind a mountain of stuffed animals, her red hair in two loose pigtails and her face lighting up in that wide-eyed way she always does. She bounces off her bed and practically leaps across the room to hug me.

It's Cat? No way!

"Hi! I didn't know you were gonna be my roommate! Isn't this amazing?! Oh my gosh, I'm so excited! We're gonna have so much fun!" She pulls back just enough to look at me, her smile as bright as the fairy lights around her bed, sparkling. "Do you love the room? I decorated it! Well, my side, but I can totally help with yours if you want!" No. No, and no. No thanks. I'd rather not have my bed look like my little pony or troll spewed chunks over it.

I blink again, a little overwhelmed by the whirlwind that is Cat Valentine. "Oh, wow, Cat. This looks... incredible." I laugh, trying to keep up with her energy. "You really went all out."

"I know, right?!" She claps her hands together and spins around, showing off her handiwork. "I just love our new room. It's so cozy already, and we can totally have movie nights, and I brought popcorn! But not the kind that gives you a tummy ache, 'cause that would be so bad before class, right? And—"

She stops suddenly, eyes widening. "Wait! You haven't seen the bathroom yet, have you? You have to see the bathroom, Tori! Come on!" She grabs my hand before I can respond and drags me through the door into the small adjoining suite bathroom.

It's just as I expected—more Cat. Pink towels, strawberry-scented hand soap, a fuzzy bath mat that reads Hello Sunshine. It's like stepping into a candy store. I take it all in, half-amused and half-overwhelmed. Definitely not to my taste, but since she went to the trouble of doing it all I forced a smile.

"You like it?" she asks, looking up at me, her eyes full of hope.

"Yeah, Cat. It's... great," I say, despite myself. "You really made it feel like home."

Cat beams. "I'm so glad you're my roommate, Tori. I was so nervous I'd get someone who wouldn't like me or my stuffed animals or something. But you're you, so it's perfect!" She flops back onto her bed, sinking into the sea of plush toys as if this was all totally meant to be.

I roll my suitcase over to my side of the room and sit down on the bare mattress, glancing around. Despite the chaos that is Cat's side of the room, I feel a strange sense of relief. Maybe I won't be completely alone here after all. I'd rather have had my own space, but this? I can deal with. I mean, it's Cat. It'll be fine, right?

"So," I start, leaning back on my hands, "what's our first move? Should we check out the dining hall or something? Maybe explore a bit before orientation?"

Cat bounces up again, nodding enthusiastically. "Yes! We should totally do that! But first." she pauses dramatically, then lowers her voice to a whisper, like she's about to tell me a huge secret. "Guess who else is living in this dorm building?"

I raise an eyebrow, unsure where this is going. "Uhm, who?"

She grins, her eyes sparkling mischievously as she starts rocking back and forth on the heels of her pink shoes. "Jade."

Oh.

My stomach does a little flip.

Of course. I should've known.

"Oh, wow," I say, trying to keep my voice steady. "Really? She's here?"

"Uh-huh!" Cat nods eagerly. "Isn't it crazy?! She's like, right down the hall! Isn't that so fun? We can all hang out just like old times!"

Ha! Old times. The words hang in the air for a second too long. Yeah, Jade and I had our moments back in high school, but "fun" isn't exactly the word I'd use for most of them. Still, something inside me buzzes at the thought of seeing her again, even if I'm not entirely sure why.

"Yeah," I say, forcing a smile. "Fun."

I sit on the edge of my bed, staring at my suitcase. Part of me wants to just collapse and not think about anything, but Cat's buzzing energy is contagious. Plus, if I don't unpack at least a little now, I'll be living out of this suitcase for weeks.

"Alright," I mutter to myself, zipping open the bag. I start pulling out clothes and tossing them onto the bed, trying to make some sense of it all. Cat watches me from her bed, still bouncing slightly, her feet kicking in the air.

"You want help? I'm really good at organizing," she chirps.

"Nah, I've got it," I say with a smile, appreciating the offer but knowing I need to do something on my own before this day sweeps me away. "But thanks, Cat."

She nods, flipping onto her back, humming a tune that I'm pretty sure she just made up on the spot, while wiggling her arms to whatever is going on over there. I work in silence for a few minutes, folding and hanging clothes, shoving a few things into the dresser. It feels weirdly comforting, like I'm taking control of something small in the middle of this whirlwind. I manage to put away about half my stuff before I finally stand back, feeling a little more settled.

"Okay," I say, zipping my suitcase closed again and kicking it under the bed, "let's go check out campus."

Cat hops off up instantly, her energy never dipping for a second. "Yes! I'll give you the best tour. I know where everything is already, so we won't get lost! Unless we accidentally end up in the science building, but that only happened once! I've been here since it was dark this monrning, it was so scary."

I chuckle and grab my bag. "Let's try to avoid that." No science building for us.

We head out, and the warm afternoon sun hits us as soon as we step onto the quad. Students mill around, laughing and chatting in groups. The nervous energy I felt earlier is still there, but now that I'm starting to get my bearings, it doesn't seem as overwhelming.

Cat bounces ahead, leading the way. "Okay, so over there is the student center! That's where they have the best frozen yogurt. And over there is where the music students hang out, and we're so gonna see Andre if we go that way!"

She's right, and barely five minutes into our walk, I hear the strum of a guitar before I see him.

There, lounging under a tree, is Andre Harris, his fingers dancing over the strings of his guitar. He's in the middle of a melody, lost in it, the way he always is when he plays. Next to him is another guy, someone I don't recognize, also with a guitar, their notes weaving together in perfect harmony. The stranger has short cut blonde hair that's buzzed aorund his ears with sparkling azure eyes.

He smiles at me as we approach, then I glance ot Andre.

Cat squeals and waves wildly, bounding over the path, across the grass to a very unexpecting Andre. "ANDRE!"

Andre glances up, and a wide grin spreads across his face when he spots us. "Tori! Little red! What's up?" He stops playing, his fingers lingering on the strings as he stands up and heads toward us. The other guy stays back, still strumming, but gives a quick wave. I blush a little. What? Okay, he's cute, don't sue me.

"Hey, Andre," I say, smiling as I walk over. It feels like forever since we've hung out.

Andre pulls me into a quick hug, then does the same with Cat. "Man, I was wondering when I'd run into you two. What do you think of the place so far?"

"It's awesome!" Cat says, bouncing on her toes before I can even open my mouth. "Tori's my roommate! Isn't that, like, the best thing ever?"

Andre raises an eyebrow, smirking and glanced between us looking amused. "Roommates, huh? This should be interesting."

"Tell me about it," I joke, giving Cat a playful nudge who is none the wiser.

Andre laughs and nods toward his friend under the tree. "This is my roommate, Quincy. We've been jamming all morning." They share a handshake, chuckling between them. "Guy's got mad skills." He turns back to me, his eyes lighting up. "Oh, and guess what? I got the full scholarship for music here! Can you believe that?" I beam at him.

"Are you serious!?" I say, my smile widening and I envelope him in another hug. "That's amazing, Andre! Congratulations!"

"Thanks, thanks." He grins, pulling away and rubbing the back of his neck like he's trying to play it cool, but I can see the pride in his eyes. "I wasn't sure I'd get it, but when the letter came, man, I was so hyped. Now I've just gotta keep it up for the next four years."

"You will," I say, giving him a nudge. "You're too good not to."

We all stand there for a moment, the breeze carrying the soft sounds of Quincy's guitar. It's peaceful, a reminder of why I'm here—this is the place where I get to grow, to push myself, to figure out who I really am. And it's good to know I've got friends like Andre and Cat around. It'll be just like highschool. I chuckle.

"So," Andre says, his grin turning mischievous, "you ready to run into Jade? Word is she's already on campus."

I freeze for a second, then force a nervous smile. "Yeah, I heard." Trying not to let my sour mood come through, but he gives me a look. I never told any of them we hadn't spoken, so I assume they think we'll all be the best of friends. Oh how wrong that conclusion is. I'll be lucky if I make it through half the day without getting scissors jammed in my sides.

Cat giggles, completely oblivious to the tension in my voice. "It's gonna be so fun! Like a big reunion! Don't you think?"

Andre gives me a look but doesn't push it. "Well, just make sure you're prepared. Jade doesn't exactly do 'fun' the same way everyone else does."

I laugh, but it feels tight in my chest. As much as I'm trying to focus on this fresh start, the idea of running into Jade lingers in the back of my mind. It's not like I can avoid her forever, but still, I'd prefer not to have that moment right now. Not when everything else feels so new.

"We'll see how that goes," I say, trying to keep things light.

"Yeah, we'll see," Andre says, smirking. "Anyway, I'll catch up with you guys later. I've gotta finish this jam session. But hit me up if you need anything, alright?"

"Definitely," I say, feeling lighter after seeing him.

As we wave goodbye and continue walking, Cat's chatter fills the air again, bouncing from one topic to another. But my mind is still stuck on Andre's comment. Jade's here. Somewhere on this campus, maybe just around the corner.

And I have no idea what's going to happen when we finally run into each other.

As we keep walking, Cat's voice fades into the background, replaced by the sound of my own thoughts swirling around. Seeing Andre was a nice distraction, but now that I'm thinking about Jade again, everything from the past year comes rushing back. The way we left things. The way we always seem to leave things.

Jade.

I haven't said her name out loud in months. Not since high school ended, not since everything between us fell apart. It's been a year, and I thought I'd moved on. I thought leaving behind the drama, the arguments, the constant back-and-forth tension would give me space to breathe. But hearing her name today... it's like all the air gets sucked out of me again.

We didn't leave on great terms. Then again, when did we ever? Our entire senior year was a mess of misunderstandings and half-finished conversations. We fought more than we didn't, and every time I tried to figure out where I stood with her, she'd shut me out, make some snide remark, or worse, go back to Beck like none of it even mattered. Like I didn't matter.

And maybe that's the part that still stings the most. How easy it seemed for her to pretend I was just some phase. A complication. Another piece of drama she didn't want to deal with.

I'm unsure even what it was. A momentary relapse is all the comes to mind.

But I couldn't pretend. I felt it. Feel it. That pull, that magnetism that always happens when she's around, like no matter how much we clash, there's something there that won't let either of us go. And I don't know what it is or what to call it, but it's real, and ignoring it doesn't make it disappear. It hasn't, and I haven't spoken to her in months. It's like I can sense her. She's around. God. Probably stalking me as we speak.

I tried to act like I didn't care when she and Beck got back together after graduation. It was easier to stay quiet, to let them have whatever was left of their relationship and focus on starting fresh. New school, new people, new life. That was the plan, anyway. And for a while, I really thought it was working. But now... now she's here. And I'm not ready for whatever seeing her again is going to dredge up.

I glance over at Cat, still babbling about the campus bookstore and how they have a whole shelf dedicated to unicorn notebooks. She's in her own world, completely unaware of the storm brewing inside mine. And maybe that's for the best. Cat doesn't need to know about all the complicated, messy feelings I have when it comes to Jade.

No one does and I hope no one ever finds out.

I still don't understand why she pushed me away, why things got so hard between us when we were just starting to figure out... something. What were we, anyway? Friends? Enemies? Something more? I thought there was something more, but with Jade, it was always impossible to tell. Every time we got close, she'd shut the door. More like slam it in my face. Every time I tried to break through her walls, she'd find a new way to build them back up.

And maybe I'm the idiot for trying to break them down in the first place.

I don't know if I can handle seeing her again. Especially now that we're here, in this new place where everyone's supposed to be starting fresh. How can I start fresh when she's still pulling me back into the past? I shake my head to rid the thoughts, very unsuccessfully.

"Jade," I whisper under my breath, tasting the weight of her name, like it's some kind of secret I'm not supposed to say out loud.

It's stupid. I know that. It's been long enough and I shouldn't still be hung up on her. But I am. And no amount of pretending or moving on has changed that.

Cat nudges me, pulling me out of my thoughts. "Tori, are you listening? I was saying we should totally get those unicorn notebooks. They're so cute!"

I blink, forcing a smile. "Yeah, sounds great, Cat."

She doesn't notice the shift in my mood, which is a small relief. I don't want to explain what's going on in my head. It's complicated, and I don't even have the words for it half the time. But as we keep walking, I can't shake the feeling that running into Jade isn't just inevitable.

And part of me wonders, when I finally see her again, will she even care? Or will she just look at me the same way she did when we left high school, like I was a problem she didn't want to solve anymore?

I don't know if I can handle the answer.

Reviews are appreciated! Apologies for the mistakes, English isn't my first, and I'm looking for a beta reader.