Between Semesters

New Faces, New Secrets

The following morning, I woke to sunlight streaming through the blinds and the muffled sounds of campus life stirring outside. Whitney was already up, sipping coffee from a pink travel mug that said *"Coffee Before Class"*. She glanced at me and grinned. "How'd you sleep, roomie?"

"Better than expected," I said, stretching. “That party last night was something else.”

Whitney chuckled, but before she could respond, there was a knock at the door. She jumped up to answer, and standing there was a tall, athletic-looking girl with long braids and a confident smile.

“Hey! I’m Savannah’s roommate, Talia,” she said, offering a quick wave. “Just wanted to say hi and let you know there’s an unofficial dorm breakfast happening in the lounge.”

Whitney turned to me, excitement already shining in her eyes. “Dorm breakfast sounds perfect after a night like that.”

I agreed, and after quickly getting ready, we followed Talia downstairs. The lounge was bustling, filled with a mix of hungover freshmen nursing cups of coffee and more energetic students eagerly chatting about the previous night.

As we found a seat, Belinda with the purple hair from last night joined us. “Hey, girls!” she greeted, her voice full of energy. “Glad to see you survived your first Essex party. And... you played guitar last night, right?” she asked, looking at me.

I nodded, feeling a little self-conscious. “Yeah, I did. It was fun.”

“Fun? Girl, you were amazing!” Belinda said, her eyes widening. “You’ve got talent. There’s an open mic next week at *The Coffee Spot*. You should totally sign up.”

Before I could respond, a tall, broad-shouldered guy walked up to our table, interrupting. “Yo, Belinda, where’s Savannah?” he asked, ignoring the rest of us.

“Probably still sleeping. Why?” she shot back with a smirk.

“Never mind,” he said with a shrug, but not before catching Whitney’s eye. They exchanged a look, one of those fleeting, charged glances that makes you wonder if something’s going on beneath the surface. I filed it away for later.

As breakfast wound down, Whitney and I headed back to our room, but I couldn’t shake the feeling that something was brewing. New friendships were forming, but there were also unspoken tensions and secrets beginning to surface.

“I think Belinda and that guy have some history,” Whitney said out of nowhere, as if reading my thoughts. “Or maybe something with Savannah. There’s definitely some drama there.”

I raised an eyebrow. “College isn’t even a week in, and there’s already drama?”

Whitney laughed. “You have no idea.”

Later that evening, as we sat in the common area studying, Savannah herself strolled in, fresh-faced and looking far more put-together than someone who had hosted a party until the early hours. She plopped down next to us, a mischievous grin on her face.

“So... Belinda told me about your little jam session last night,” she said, looking at me. “We’re doing a bigger party this weekend—no small dorm stuff this time, something epic. You’re playing.”

My eyes widened. “Wait, what? I didn’t agree to that!”

“You’ll love it. Essex parties are legendary,” Savannah assured me. “Plus, the more you get involved, the faster you’ll meet people.” Her smile was both encouraging and devious.

Whitney nudged me. “She’s not wrong. And come on, you were great last night.”

I sighed, realizing I had little chance of talking my way out of this one. “Fine,” I said, a mix of nervousness and excitement brewing in my stomach. “I’ll do it.”

But as Savannah left, my nerves crept back in. There was something about the way she carried herself, like she knew more than she let on. Whitney didn’t seem to notice, lost in her phone, but I couldn’t shake the feeling that this weekend’s party wasn’t going to be as simple as Savannah made it seem.

College was proving to be full of surprises, and I had a feeling this was only the beginning.