I stood there for a few more seconds, staring at the spot where the mystery guy had just walked off.
Seriously? No name? No "see you around"? Just a smile and gone?
I didn't like that.
Spies don't forget people. We remember. We notice and we figure stuffs out.
And hot, helpful, face mask-wearing guys who carried both your suitcases like they were pillows? Was definitely unforgettable.
He was a mystery now.
And I didn't like mysteries I couldn't solve.
Challenge accepted.
With one final look down the hallway, I grabbed my suitcases and dragged them inside the dorm building.
My dorm room was on the third floor. The hallway was kinda plain white walls, posters with cheesy quotes like "Make today amazing" and "Study hard, party harder." Very college-core.
When I pushed the door open, I was hit with pink. Pink was everywhere. Throw pillows, fairy lights, and bright colors on the walls.
Three girls were inside already.
All of them turned when I walked in, like I was the missing piece of a girl band.
"Oh my gosh, are you our fourth roommate?" one of them asked, jumping off her bed.
"Uhh… yeah," I said, kind of awkward. "I'm Samantha."
"I knew it!" the excited girl squealed. "I'm Lani!"
Lani had pink braids tied up in two buns, long lashes, and tiny heart stickers under her eyes. She looked like barbie herself. Her nails were bright purple and she moved a lot when she talked.
"This is Gabi," she said, pointing to a girl sitting cross-legged on the bed with a sketchbook in her lap. She had black straight hair down to her waist and wore an oversized hoodie with the hood half-up.
Gabi looked up and gave me a small smile. "Hey. I like your boots."
"Thanks," I smiled.
"And I'm Reece," the third girl said. She was tall, had short, blonde hair with curls, and wore a tank top and jeans. She had gold hoops earring on and eyeliner that was flawless.
"We've been waiting on our fourth roommate," Reece said. "I call the bed by the window, sorry-not-sorry."
"No problem," I said, laughing a little. "I'll take whichever."
"You're gonna love it here," Lani said. "I mean, the classes suck. But the parties? The parties are to die for."
Gabi nodded. "Just don't eat the tacos in the cafeteria. They'll destroy you."
"Wanna come check the place out?" Reece asked, already grabbing her phone and keys. "We were going to do a mini tour anyway."
"Sure," I said, leaving my bags by the bed.
We headed downstairs and outside, Reece walking like she owned the campus. Gabi had earphones in but still walked with us, and Lani kept pointing at random buildings like a tour guide.
"That's the library. They say the third floor's haunted but honestly it's just bad Wi-Fi," Lani said.
"Over there's the art center. And that ugly building? Econ."
We stopped by the cafeteria to peek inside. It was kind of basic, filled with long tables, buzzing lights, and the smell of leftover pizza and taco.
Then, as we walked past the lawn, we saw it.
A group of girls were practically clinging to this one guy. He was sitting on a bench, legs stretched out like he had all the time in the world, wearing a dark red jacket.
His smile was lazy but confident. Like he already knew everyone was looking at him and he liked it.
"That's Ryles Vanelli," Reece said, rolling her eyes.
I blinked. Another Vanelli?
He looked nothing like Cassien, the motorcycle menace from earlier. Where Cassien was sharp and intense, this one looked smooth and relaxed.
"That's another one?" I asked casually.
"Yep," Lani jumped in. "He's the 'dreamy' one, apparently. Football captain, killer smile, rich boy vibes. Girls throw themselves at him."
"I don't get it," I muttered. "He's cute, I guess. But not that cute."
Gabi laughed quietly. "You're gonna make enemies with that attitude."
"I'm not here for boys," I said, but that was a lie and we all knew it.
Just then, Ryles glanced in our direction.
Only for a second.
But in that second, his eyes locked with mine.
And he smiled and winked at me. Like he already knew something about me that I didn't.
I blinked.
"Okay, weird," I whispered.
"What?" Lani asked.
"Nothing," I said quickly.
But it didn't feel like nothing.
It felt like the start of something. Something that might mess up everything.