Crossing hearts

Chapter 3

Lily walked through the grand entrance of Ridgeview Academy, her suitcase dragging behind her as her mom drove away, leaving her to face this new chapter on her own. The sprawling campus seemed endless, with its towering buildings and ornate architecture, far bigger than anything she had imagined. Every step she took felt surreal, like she was walking through a dream — or a nightmare. The cold wind that had followed her from home still whipped at her cheeks, as if reminding her of the comfort she had just left behind.

Her hands gripped the handle of her suitcase tighter as she scanned the hallways, trying to find her dorm room. The halls were massive, stretching on with rows of rooms that seemed to go on forever. Ridgeview was impressive, but it was also intimidating. Each door looked the same, and after what felt like an eternity, she finally found hers — Dorm Room 208.

Taking a deep breath, Lily pushed open the door to her new life. Inside, she saw two girls already unpacking their things. They both looked up as she entered.

"Hey! You must be our third roommate," one of them said with a warm smile. She had short, chestnut hair and sparkling green eyes. "I'm Molly."

The other girl, a bit taller with dark curly hair, waved from the other side of the room. "And I'm Harper," she added with a friendly grin.

Lily exhaled, feeling the tiniest bit of tension slip away. "Hi, I'm Lily," she said, trying to match their enthusiasm. "Nice to meet you both."

Molly and Harper seemed like nice people, and that put her at ease. The initial awkwardness faded as they exchanged pleasantries. They chatted about where they were from, how overwhelming the campus was, and how strange it felt to suddenly be in such a new place.

Lily unpacked her things, glancing around the room, which was surprisingly cozy despite its simplicity. There were three beds, desks, and a large window overlooking the campus grounds. As she folded her clothes, she thought to herself, *This is going to be my home for the next few years.* The thought was both thrilling and terrifying.

After a while, Lily pulled out her phone and hesitated for a second before video calling Collins. His face appeared on the screen, and she felt an immediate wave of comfort. "Hey!" she said, her voice brighter than she felt.

"Hey, Lils! Wow, is that your dorm room?" Collins asked, his face lighting up as she panned the camera to show him the room.

"Yeah, can you believe it? It's actually pretty nice," she said, trying to sound more excited than nervous.

"It's beautiful, just like you," he said, causing her to blush. "I miss you already."

"I miss you too," she replied softly, biting her lip. The weight of his words hung between them, the reality of their separation sinking in. But before things got too emotional, they ended the call with a quick goodbye, promising to talk soon.

Lily put her phone down just as Molly and Harper exchanged knowing looks. "Was that your boyfriend?" Molly asked with a teasing smile.

Lily nodded, her face still flushed. "Yeah, that's Collins."

"Wow, he's cute," Harper said, nudging her playfully.

Lily laughed, trying to shake off the bittersweet feeling in her chest. "I know, right?"

Molly clapped her hands together, breaking the moment. "Alright, enough of that. We should go grab something to eat. Ridgeview's cafeteria is supposed to be amazing, and I'm starving."

The three of them made their way down to the cafeteria, which wasn't too crowded yet since many students were still arriving. Despite the small crowd, it was bustling with energy. Seniors and upperclassmen were hugging and greeting each other like long-lost family, some even kissing right in the middle of the room.

Lily cringed internally at the public displays of affection. She and Collins had never been that way, and frankly, the thought of doing that in front of so many people made her uncomfortable. It was strange to be surrounded by so much... intimacy. But she shrugged it off and followed her roommates to the food line.

After ordering their food, they found a spot near the large windows and sat down. The conversation flowed easily as they talked about where they were from, what they were hoping to achieve at Ridgeview, and the excitement of being somewhere so new.

For the first time since arriving, Lily felt a flicker of hope. Molly and Harper seemed like good people, and maybe, just maybe, she could actually enjoy her time here. At least, that's what she told herself as they laughed and chatted late into the evening.

But deep down, something nagged at her. She knew that everything was about to change. Whether she was ready or not, Ridgeview was going to be the place where everything happened — and she had no idea just how much her life would shift in the coming days.