Shadows of Desire

Chapter 2

The incessant beeping of her alarm dragged Camille from a fitful sleep. For a moment, she lay disoriented, the unfamiliar sounds of New York traffic filtering through her dorm room window. Then reality crashed over her – she was here, at NYU, about to start her new life.

Camille stretched, her muscles protesting after a night spent tossing and turning on the too-firm mattress. Her mind drifted to the events of the previous evening – the bar, the mysterious Steve. She shook her head, pushing the memory aside. It was time to focus on the present.

As she went through her morning routine, Camille couldn't shake the feeling of anticipation mixed with trepidation. Today she'd meet her roommate, the person she'd be sharing her space with for the next year. She'd exchanged a few brief emails with Michelle Hawthorne, but knew little beyond the basics – she was a biology major from California, and this was her first time living away from home.

The sound of a key in the lock made Camille freeze, hairbrush halfway through her dark curls. The door swung open, revealing a whirlwind of blonde hair and designer luggage.

"Oh my God, you must be Camille!" The newcomer exclaimed, her voice carrying a slight Valley Girl lilt. "I'm Michelle. This is so exciting!"

Before Camille could respond, she found herself enveloped in an enthusiastic hug. Michelle pulled back, her green eyes sparkling with an infectious energy.

"I hope you don't mind, but I brought, like, a ton of stuff," Michelle said, gesturing to the small army of suitcases behind her. "Mom always says I pack like I'm never coming back."

Camille couldn't help but smile at Michelle's exuberance. "It's nice to meet you, Michelle. Do you need help bringing everything in?"

The next hour was a flurry of activity as the two girls lugged Michelle's belongings into their shared space. By the time they finished, the room looked like a hurricane had hit a Pottery Barn catalogue – Michelle's side a riot of pastels and throw pillows, while Camille's remained a study in minimalist chic.

"So," Michelle flopped onto her newly made bed, her blonde hair fanning out around her. "Tell me everything! Where are you from? What's your major? Any cute boys catch your eye yet?"

Camille hesitated, unsure how to condense her complicated background into a digestible summary. "It's... a bit complicated," she began. "I grew up between Chile and France. My mother's Chilean, my father's French. We moved around a lot."

Michelle's eyes widened. "That's so cool! I've barely left California. Well, except for coming here, obviously. And a few trips to New York to visit Mom and Steve."

"Steve?" Camille asked, her interest piqued.

"Oh, right! I forgot to mention. Steve's my mom's fiancé. He's actually a professor here at NYU. Biology department. It's kind of why I chose to come here – don't tell him that, though. He'd never let me live it down."

Camille felt her heart skip a beat. Steve. Biology professor. It couldn't be...

"Speaking of," Michelle continued, oblivious to Camille's sudden tension, "I have his class this afternoon. Introduction to Molecular Biology. I'm totally nervous. I mean, he's going to be my stepdad, but he's also, like, scary smart."

Camille's mind raced. What were the odds? Out of all the people she could have been paired with, her roommate was the soon-to-be stepdaughter of the intriguing stranger from the bar. The man who had occupied her thoughts far more than he should have after such a brief encounter.

"Earth to Camille," Michelle's voice broke through her reverie. "You okay? You looked like you saw a ghost for a second there."

Camille forced a smile. "Sorry, just... jet lag, I think. Your future stepdad sounds interesting. I'm sure you'll do great in his class."