Close The Door

Chapter 2- Center of it All

After a long drive, we've finally made it. Seeing the entrance in person leaves Chloe and I stunned. It was not only prettier in person but a lot more grand, as if it's some sort of gateway to another world. Multiple colors of flowers adorn the arch, with precise spacing that allows each individual flower to have room to showcase its beauty. Walking past the arch introduces us to a beautiful campus, with a blend of modern and old-fashioned buildings and various tree species from every region. This is the university to be at.

"I can't believe we're actually here, Goh!" Chloe shouts with excitement. I smile, acknowledging her. She looks around in awe as she sees the lively campus filled with students doing various activities. A specific person that catches my eye seems like they're acting. She has the longest hair I've ever seen, even longer than Chloe's. It's bright pink and reaches to about her waist and has this curl to it. I wish I could be that confident in my appearance, but I know how hard it must be to maintain dyed hair. I'm fine with my red highlights though, they're subtle and yet still allow me some form of self-expression. It isn't long before Chloe and I reach the Student Center. Upon entering, we bask in the intricacies in the building's interior design. Elegant decor makes the main lobby feel welcoming. It feels almost... rich. I mean, I wouldn't expect the most prestigious place to look run down.

"I wonder who my roommate will be," Chloe wonders. I gulp, completely forgetting about that. Since Chloe and I haven't filled out the roommate application in time, mostly cause of me not remembering in time, we were put into roommate placement, which basically means that if there is another person without a roommate, the both of us will end up sharing a dorm that the school chooses. "I just hope that mine isn't too crazy. The last thing I want is to look after someone else," I say. Chloe laughs, and places her hand on my shoulder. "I'm sure it won't be that bad," she says in hopes of relaxing me. I just hope she's right.

—

We finally got our class schedules and our room keys and head back to the truck to get our things. Thankfully, we were loaned small carts to make traveling with our belongings a lot more forgiving. Chloe and I walk together for a while, before we split up halfway, since her room was on the other side of campus. I look back at her with a worried look on my face, but I take a deep breath and turn around and-

"Oh shit, are you okay man?" I heard someone asking me. Due to my carelessness, I accidentally bump into someone, knocking myself and a small box back which breaks open, spilling half the contents onto the ground. Once I get a clear look at the man, I not only see his hand reach out to me, but he looks guilty. I grab his hand to hoist myself up, and pick up the box. He rushes over to help me, picking up one of the picture frames that fell. He stares at the cracked frame, and I feel a slight blush crawling across my face. I'm at a loss of words; I don't know what to do. "I'm so sorry man, I didn't mean to break any of your things. I promise I'll get you a new one to make up for it. What's your name?" He asks. I don't know what is happening anymore. I'm too distracted to even wonder what the picture was, but either way I'm fully embarrassed.

"I'm Goh... from Vermilion City," I answer. His face beams up. "Woah, Vermilion City? No way, I'm from Pallet Town, and my name is Ash," he says in a surprised tone. 'So he's from Kanto,' I think to myself. I have never seen him before. "No need to worry about the frame, Ash, honest," I tell him, but he shakes his head, insisting on making it up to me. "Well, if that's what you are okay with then. I will make it up to you somehow. I gotta go though, it was nice meeting you," he exclaims as he runs in the opposite direction again. After he's out of sight, I sigh. 'What just happened?'

I arrive to my assigned room on the sixteenth floor, thinking about who my roommate could be. 'It can't be Ash, can it? I didn't see him carrying things, so his stuff could already be put away. Or maybe he was going to get them,' my mind races. Why do I even care? My room is locked anyway, so I have to unlock it. After opening the door, I see complete emptiness. No one is here besides me. I sigh, relieved or worried, I couldn't really tell. I inspect the room, seeing two beds, desks with chairs, and a dresser towards the door, in a symmetrical manner. To the left of the entrance is what looks like a small kitchen area, but no sign of a bathroom. I assume that they're shared by everyone on this floor.