Serena's POV
"Guess who's your new roommate?"
She stood there like she just stepped out of a candy store pink top, cherry lip gloss, suitcase bedazzled with stickers that screamed extra. Sarah and I just stared at her like she was announcing a reality TV twist.
I tilted my head, dead serious. "Uhm… you?"
Sarah's elbow jabbed my side so hard I almost yelped.
The cherry girl didn't even wait for an invite she just waltzed right in, her suitcase wheels squeaking across the floor like they owned the place.
"Okayyyyy, cherry tomatoes…" Sarah muttered under her breath, spoon still in hand.
That did it. I collapsed against the counter, laughing so hard my knees went weak. "You killed me Sarah, you actually killed me. Cherry tomatoes!"
The girl turned with a sunny smile like she didn't even mind. "Hi, I'm Lena. Lena Paul. Your new roommate."
And that's when the dorm supervisor or residence officer, whatever they called him decided to make his grand entrance. He stepped in, clipboard in hand, looking like he was about to deliver some official speech… except his eyes instantly locked on me. Like, locked.
I froze. Sarah, of course, noticed.
"Uh, sir?" Sarah raised her brows, pointing her spoon between him and Lena. "Who's she?"
The man blinked, snapping out of his Serena-staring trance like he'd just been caught daydreaming. "Oh uh yes, right. She's your new roommate. Lena… something."
Lena raised a finger politely, smile never wavering. "It's Lena Paul, sir."
Sarah side-eyed me and whispered loud enough for both of them to hear, "Wow, even the dorm guy can't take his eyes off you. Serena, your fan club grows by the day."
I covered my face. "Sarah, shut up!"
Lena dragged her suitcase straight into my room like she was on House Hunters: Dorm Edition. She glanced around, big grin on her face.
"Oh, I really like this one. I think I'll stay here."
My jaw dropped. Excuse me?
Before I could even speak, Sarah swooped in, spoon raised like a weapon. "Uh, nope. That's Serena's room. Taken. Occupied. You can take the last one"
Lena's eyes widened like she'd just been caught shoplifting. "Oh! I'm so sorry." She scrambled out with her suitcase, cheeks pink. "I'll take the next one."
The second she disappeared. Sarah and I burst into giggles.
"She looked like she got caught robbing a bank," Sarah whispered between laughs.
I clutched my stomach. "No, no like a kid who snuck cookies and then saw Mom in the doorway."
We were about to turn back to the table when...
"AHHHHHH!" we both screamed in unison.
The residence guy was still there. Just… standing there at the door. Staring at me like some awkward NPC who glitched and forgot his next line.
My heart nearly jumped out of my chest. "Sir…?" I snapped my fingers in front of him. "Yeah, you can go now."
He jerked like I'd shocked him with a taser. "Oh! Uh, sorry." He scuttled out of the room so fast I swear his clipboard almost flew.
The door clicked shut.
Silence.
Then Sarah exploded into laughter, dropping her spoon. "SERENA. He was just… standing there. Watching you breathe."
I buried my face in a pillow. "Don't. I'm actually emotionally, physically,mentally traumatized."
Which, of course, only made us laugh harder until Lena's voice floated from the room, cheerful as ever.
"Is everything okay in there?"
We looked at each other, instantly quiet. Then Sarah whispered, "Cherry tomatoes strikes again."
I almost choked trying not to laugh out loud.
Sarah's POV
Lena came into the living room, her smile as bright as a candy wrapper. She sat down neatly, folding her hands like we were about to start an interview.
"So," she said sweetly, "I think we should get to know each other better."
I nodded and gave her my best friendly smile. "Okay. I'm Sarah."
Serena leaned forward with her usual warmth. "And I'm Serena."
"Nice," Lena said, still smiling.
The silence stretched for half a second too long, and I bit back a laugh. Serena and I weren't exactly the formal introductions type ..we were more ice cream fights and ramen noodles so this whole thing felt… funny.
"Well," Lena went on, tucking a piece of hair behind her ear, "since tomorrow is Saturday, we should go out and have fun, I guess?"
I scratched my cheek. "Oh, about that we already have plans. We're going to the Starlight's concert tomorrow. But if you want to come, you're totally welcome."
Her smile faltered just a little, then snapped back in place. "Ah, no. I can't. I, um, have ears problem. Loud music, you know."
Serena gasped softly, her kindness switching on like a light. "Oh no, sorry about that!"
Lena waved her hand like it was nothing. "It's fine. I'll just stay here and read. I've been lagging behind anyway."
I gave her a small nod, still smiling. "That's okay. Whatever makes you comfy."
And that was that. Nothing dramatic, no weird tension just a girl who seemed sweet, maybe a little too sweet, but hey, not everyone was as loud and chaotic as Serena and me.
As Lena leaned back, Serena caught my eye. We both smiled, the kind of smile that said, okay, she's different, but maybe she's not so bad.
Serena's POV
Sarah and I were sitting in the living room, staring at each other like two bored mannequins in a window Lena went to her room ages ago.
Finally, I groaned, flopping against the couch. "Ughhh, I can't do this anymore. Let's go out before my brain melts.We look like two potatoes staring at each other."
Sarah raised an eyebrow. "Out where? And we don't look like potatoes serena"
"Anywhere that doesn't involve us rotting in here like potatoes. Karaoke? Fresh air? The moon? All of the above?"
She smirked. " Definitely not the moon.Okay fine. But if karaoke sucks, I'm blaming you."
So we got up and, for reasons even I can't explain, decided to stretch a little before leaving like we were suddenly fitness influencers. That's when Sarah, totally straight-faced, started singing under her breath:
"We're going up up up up,it's our moment…"
I gasped and joined in instantly, doing squats way too dramatically. "YOU KNOW TOGETHER WE'RE GLOWING!!"
Sarah lost it halfway through a lunge, wheezing with laughter. "You look like a malfunctioning robot."
"And you look like you're training for the Olympics of Dramatic Ice Cream Eating," I shot back, which made her nearly fall over.
We were still giggling when we stepped outside, sunshine smacking us in the face like welcome to freedom, peasants.
That's when two stupidly good-looking guys appeared, walking toward us like they had a fan blowing on them in slow motion.
One looked right at me. "Hey,you're the weird nerdy girl, right?"
My brain immediately: Excuse me? Weird? Nerdy? Should I file a complaint? Or just make your mouth owe me an apology right here in public?
But then he grinned and added, "I love your vibes."
Cue my entire mood doing a backflip. "Oh uh… thank you," I managed, trying not to smile too hard.
Sarah was already side-eyeing me like girl, really?
Meanwhile, the second guy leaned closer to her. "So, you're Aaron's sister… that explains the beauty."
Sarah blinked, caught off guard. "Um… thanks?"
The guys winked at us, tossed in a dramatic "We'll meet again, damsels," and walked off like background actors who thought they were the leads.
I turned to Sarah, deadpan. "Tell me that wasn't flirting. Please. Because if it was, I need therapy."
Sarah doubled over, laughing so hard she could barely stand. "I have no idea what that was either"
"Great," I muttered. "First I'm a nerd, then I'm vibes. At this rate, karaoke better treat me with some respect."