The first thing Lena Hart learned about high school life was simple.
Nothing ever goes according to plan.
She stood in the middle of the crowded school lodge hallway with a suitcase in one hand and a backpack hanging off one shoulder.
Girls moved past her.
Doors slammed.
Music played somewhere down the corridor.
And Lena realized one very important thing.
She had nowhere to sleep.
Her assigned room wasn't ready yet. The administration had promised it would be fixed within the week.
But within the week meant nothing when it was already evening.
That was how she ended up squatting in Nora's room.
Nora was loud, funny, and unbelievably dramatic.
"You're lucky you met me," Nora said proudly while tossing a pillow onto the extra mattress on the floor. "Most girls here wouldn't share their room."
Lena smiled.
"Thank you."
"Oh please," Nora waved her off. "You'll repay me with snacks."
Lena laughed softly.
For the first time since arriving, she felt slightly relaxed.
The room itself was small but lively. Posters on the walls. Books scattered across a desk. Clothes thrown over a chair.
It looked like someone actually lived here.
Unlike the empty hallway Lena had been wandering earlier.
Suddenly Nora clapped her hands.
"Oh! Tonight is movie night."
"Movie night?"
"Yeah," Nora grinned. "My friend Ethan is bringing his laptop."
The way she said the name made Lena curious.
"Who's Ethan?"
Before Nora could answer, the door suddenly swung open.
Three girls barged inside.
And behind them…
A tall boy walked in carrying a laptop bag.
"That's Ethan," Nora whispered.
Lena looked up.
And for a moment…
Everything slowed down.
He had messy dark hair, calm eyes, and the kind of quiet confidence that didn't try to impress anyone.
He looked like someone who preferred listening over talking.
Ethan dropped the laptop on the desk.
"Are we watching the movie or just standing around?" he asked.
The girls immediately cheered.
Lena sat quietly on the edge of the bed, watching him.
He didn't notice her at first.
He was busy connecting cables and opening files.
But eventually he glanced up.
Their eyes met.
Just for a second.
Lena quickly looked away.
Her heart had started beating faster for no reason she could explain.
Nora leaned toward her again.
"Oh by the way," she whispered.
Lena looked back at the boy.
"Yes?"
Nora grinned.
"He has a girlfriend."
Something strange happened inside Lena's chest.
Not pain.
Not disappointment.
Just a quiet realization.
The kind you feel when you see something beautiful that was never meant to be yours.
Across the room Ethan pressed play.
The movie began.
Girls laughed.
Popcorn passed around.
Conversations filled the room.
But Lena noticed something else.
Every now and then…
Ethan's eyes drifted back to her.
And she wondered if he noticed it too.