Bound by Stars (GirlxGirl)

Chapter 2: New Faces

I woke up to the sound of rustling and the faint creak of the door. Groggy and disoriented, I fumbled for my phone and turned on the flashlight, casting a beam of light across the room. My heart skipped a beat as I saw a figure moving near the other bed.

"Who are you?" I demanded, my voice still thick with sleep.

The figure froze, then turned to face me. "Oh, sorry! I didn't mean to wake you. I'm Natalie. Natalie Castillo. Your roommate."

I relaxed a little and sat up, trying to get a better look at her. Natalie had medium-length, curly dark brown hair that she had tied up in a messy bun. Her hazel eyes sparkled with mischief, even in the dim light, and she had a solid, athletic build.

"I'm Aurora," I said, lowering the phone but keeping the light on. "Nice to meet you, I guess."

"Likewise," Natalie said with a grin. "Sorry for the late entrance. I got lost on campus and ended up meeting and talking to a bunch of people. This place is huge."

"No worries," I said, finally putting my phone down. "Just wasn't expecting anyone this late."

"Yeah, I didn't mean to be out so long," she admitted. "But everyone here is so friendly, and one conversation led to another."

We both fell silent for a moment, and I realized I should probably say something to break the ice. "So, where are you from?"

"Chicago," she replied, kicking off her shoes and flopping onto her bed. "You?"

"Not too far from here," I said. "It's my first time living away from home, though."

"Same here," Natalie said. "Though with three younger siblings, I've been looking forward to a little peace and quiet."

I laughed. "I can relate. I've got a younger sister who's quite the handful."

Natalie's eyes lit up. "Really? Sounds like we both had our hands full back home."

"Definitely," I said. "What do your parents do?"

"They run a small restaurant. It's always busy, so I've had my fair share of helping out," she said. "What about yours?"

"My mom's a corporate lawyer, and my dad's an artist," I said. "They're... going through a divorce right now."

"Oh, I'm sorry to hear that," Natalie said, her expression softening. "That must be tough."

"Yeah, it's been a bit of a mess," I admitted, feeling a bit of the tension ease as we talked. "But enough about that. What are you into?"

"Sports, mostly. I play soccer and basketball, and I'm in a few school clubs. How about you?"

"I'm into photography and hiking," I said. "I love capturing nature and exploring new places."

Natalie smiled. "Maybe we can go hiking together sometime. I've always wanted to get into it."

"Yeah, that'd be great," I said, feeling a genuine connection forming.

"Here, let's exchange numbers," Natalie suggested, pulling out her phone. "In case we get lost or need to find each other."

"Good idea," I said, handing her my phone. We quickly exchanged contacts, and it felt reassuring to have already made a friend.

Feeling more at ease, I decided to start unpacking. I pulled out my uniform and held it up, grimacing slightly. "This will be my first time wearing a uniform. Not sure how I feel about it."

Natalie glanced at her own uniform hanging in the closet. "Yeah, it's definitely a change. But at least we can add our own touch to it."

We both got ready for the day, and I couldn't help but notice the contrast in our styles. I opted for the standard skirt, button-up shirt, tie, and polished shoes. Natalie, on the other hand, wore shorts with her long-sleeve button-up, leaving her hair in a bun and placing her headphones around her neck.