new life, new school... not

“Kieran! Where have you been? I’ve been calling you for like 5 hours now, yet you are not answering your phone. I thought you were dead already!” Hiro hissed as soon as he saw me. He was standing in front of our dorm building with a mad face.

“Well, I am here now.” He rolled his eyes and lifted the box that was on the ground.

You see, today is our moving-in day, since next week is our first day at college. I’m so excited to meet new people although some of my friends in high school were at the same university as well. I just can’t wait to meet them. Especially him. My father dropped me off but didn’t budge to help me because he was late for his business meeting and I don’t mind since he doesn’t care about me at all.

Hiro went inside the lobby and checked his name on the bulletin board to see which room he was in. I don’t mind if he’s not rooming with me. Besides, I also wanted to meet new people. Hiro was one of my friends in high school. In fact, we have a group of friends but some of them went to college internationally. I also have another friend and he’s not just a friend, but he’s my best friend. He is coming here too, but I haven’t seen him yet. Maybe he’s still in their house.  

“Aww, man!” Hiro suddenly hissed, “We are not in the same room!” he cried, and I gave him a light chuckle as he lifted his box once again. Honestly, I don’t mind who my roommate will be. I just wanted to be friends with him. This was my first time befriending a stranger. As Hiro was still pissed off, I didn’t bother to see who it would be in tandem in my room. I want to meet him in person and not by his name. Also, my room number is on my keys, so I don’t have to look at them.

As we entered the elevator and pressed our floor number, we were quiet. I know Hiro wanted to be a roommate with me, but luck is not on his side.

“You know, we can still have lunch together and I will visit you in your room,” I said. He looked at me with hope and smiled.

“Really? Would you do that?”

I nodded and he smiled so brightly again. Hiro is your typical nerd classmate but he acts like a baby. Well, he’s a mama’s boy specifically. That’s why our friends treated him like a baby when we were in high school. Once the elevator bell called, we both hopped out of the elevator and started to find our room. It’s a good thing that we were on the same floor so that if I ever have some time to visit him, I won’t be bothered to use the elevator.

Hiro finds his dorm room and I wished him good luck, but not that long, I also found my room. It was just in front of him. Well, that was weird but in a good way. We may not be roommates, but our rooms are just facing each other.

I let Hiro enter his room first before me. He knocked at the door and a stranger opened it. His roommate then greets him and welcomes him. Judging by his looks, he’s nice.

“Hi, you must be my new roommate. My name is Finley, but you can call me Finn.” He said, extending his hand to Hiro, which he accepted.

“I’m Hiro and this is my friend Kieran. His room is in front of ours.” Hiro said. Fin’s gaze averted at me and we gave each other a small nod. Fin offered to help Hiro with his things but he declined. This dude is nice, I assume. I excuse myself since my things were heavy and I needed to unpack everything. My back hurts from my backpack and duffel bag that I am carrying.

I knocked at the door hoping that my roommate would open it, but nothing. Maybe he’s not here yet. I tried to open the doorknob but it was locked. Guess he’s not around yet.

Once I entered the room, I scanned everything and I loved it. It’s cozy and nice and fresh. It feels like I’m on vacation. I checked the mini kitchen; there was a mini pantry, sink, and a small fridge, sure that it could accommodate two people. The bathroom is great also, since there’s a shower, bathtub, and toilet.

Is this a dorm for college students or a hotel suite?

Except that there’s no room for each.

I chose my bed since my roommate hasn’t arrived yet and I started to unpack my things. I put my clothes in the closet and hang my uniform and other formal clothes. I’m so tired of just doing this. I took a glance at my watch and it was already 3 in the afternoon. Time flies so fast, yet my roommate isn’t here yet. I fished my phone from my pocket and started to text Nate because I hadn’t heard from him since this morning.

He’s still not replying. Instead, I receive a text from Hiro asking me if my roommate is nice. Well, I haven’t met him yet.

I finished everything as I organized my laptop and my notebooks on my study table and already put some of the food that I bought yesterday in the pantry and the drinks on the fridge. Just in case my roommate wants something, then there it is. I just hope that he’s not picky or maybe greedy about eating.

Now, I have the room all by myself and I can do whatever I want. Maybe I’ll just watch some N*****x shows or maybe some por—

I jumped on the small couch and started to scan the shows. There’s nothing that I like but I love re-watching some of them. It feels nostalgic.

After 30 minutes of watching, I heard the door knock. I suddenly jumped out of my bed and ran to the door. Maybe it’s my roommate? But why would he knock? Doesn’t he have keys? Or maybe he had a lot of things in his hands that he didn’t bother using the key.

I smiled so brightly when I opened the door, only to find out that it was Nate. My best friend and beside him is Hiro.

“Why are you smiling like that?” Nate is in disgust.

“He thought we were his roommates,” Hiro suddenly butted in.

I’m disappointed because I thought it was my roommate, but I’m still happy because my friends are here to accompany me.

“Anyway, we’re here because we’re going to eat. Do you want to come with us?” Nate asked, to which I nodded. Since I haven’t eaten anything yet, I will just go with them. Like the old times. I asked for a minute to grab my hoodie and my wallet from my bed and ran into them. I closed the door behind me and we both walked to the elevator.

Once we exited the dorm, Hiro wouldn’t stop talking about his roommate. He’s saying that his new roommate is so nice and caring and blah blah blah. Nate, on the other hand, kept on listening to him. What can he do? Hiro is such a baby. I don’t know which fast-food chain we’re dining at, but I know that I am just following them.

The next thing I know is that we stopped at the place where we dined when we were still in high school. It’s a small café but there are lots of choices on its menu. They have everything from breakfast to snacks to dinner, you name it.

We both entered the café and one of the owners still recognized us and smiled at us. Hiro, being the bubbly one, greeted them. Of course, the owner personally served us. I get the usual meatballs and pasta.

As we were having our dinner, we all talked about random things like our memories of when we were in high school and everything. Some of our friends are studying abroad but most of them enrolled where we are. Though I haven’t met them since graduation, I know that they’re okay. Maybe tomorrow, we will be seeing each other. None of them were replying in our group chat anyway.

“Why aren’t you replying to my text?” I asked Nate.

“I forgot to, but trust me, I read them all,” he replied. I glared at him and he apologized, “I’m sorry. I was about to but I crossed paths with Hiro. That’s why I forgot. At least, the first thing I do when I arrive, is to look for your room, right?”

Once we finished, we all went back to our dorm apartment. We were about to walk into the lobby when Hiro suddenly came to a halt. I noticed it since his talking had stopped and when I looked at him he was staring straight at the lobby with his jaw dropped.

Nate got confused and so was I. We both walked into him and Nate asked him what happened. He didn’t say a word, but he was pointing at the lobby. I averted my eyes to where he was pointing and I didn’t see anything but a crowd of people.

“What?” Nate asked.

“It’s Spencer! He’s here!” Hiro said and cheered as someone gave him candy.

Impossible.

“I saw him just now. He’s here.” Hiro smiled at Nate. Nate turned his looks at me and I just shook my head. That’s impossible. It’s not happening again. Spencer Moore is not here. He’s in London. Everybody told me he was in London. There was proof.

He’s not going to cross my path again like in high school, right?