What Felt Like Fate

Chapter 1 - Victoria

I was staring at the email I had gotten for almost half an hour. I thought I was absolutely crazy. My parents thought I was crazy, too. One moment, i was locked up in my room, the second, i was running down to the bakery they owned below our apartment and practically yelling my head off.

The shock from earlier still lingered–I just won a scholarship to the best university in the state!

Michelangelo Von-Grant University is an elite private college that only accepts students with an extremely high GPA. Thanks to my Asian genes and my mothers constant nagging to study, I managed to snag a spot at the prestigious school. Michelangelo Von-Grant is located in Washington, DC. It's hidden, so know one in the area knows there is a university nearby. Even 30 minutes later, I couldn't keep the smile off my face.

"You look happy," said Beatrice, my best friend of eight years. Beatrice went to Georgetown University, so we barely had time to see each other anymore.

"Of course I am! I mean, it's a huge university!" I gushed, my cheeks aching from smiling. Beatrice looked genuinely happy for me, and that made me smile harder.

"Woah there, Vic. Too much smiling and your face will fall apart."

"Well, you get it. You were also excited when you got accepted."

Beatrice smiled briefly and looked around my cramped room, a wistful look in her eyes. "It's so sad that you have to leave this place. We made so many memories here."

I squeezed her hand and smiled gently at her, "I know, Bea. But I promise that when I come back here we'll hang out everyday."

Beatrice grinned, her bubbly personality returning once again, "Awesome. I'll hold you to it. Now, do you want me to help you pack? The term starts soon..."

I also grinned, feeling like we were 12 again. "Definitely. Socks in that box, and makeup goes in that fragile box–no! The other one!" I laughed, savoring every moment I had left with Beatrice, considering the fact I was leaving her here and moving 6 hours away. It felt good, even though I might never see her for a very long time.

I got out of the car and stared up at the great white building of Michelangelo Von-Grant University a few weeks later. I gape at it, my eyes shining with anticipation. I quickly realized that students were staring, so I closed my mouth and looked at my shoes. Then I realized the students were also the children of freaking celebrities! Oh, my god, I needed to stop staring at everybody. It was already awkward enough that my parents were basically yelling their goodbyes.

"Jagi!" My mother called in Korean, "behave yourself! Gongyeong-e ppajiji maseyo!"

Don't get into trouble. Like I ever do. I played the role of the perfect child since I learned how to walk.

I waved as they drove off, leaving me standing at the entrance of the school. I turned and nearly bumped into a girl of my height. She had strawberry blonde hair and hazel eyes. She smiled at me, holding out her hand for me to shake.

"Hi! I'm Celia. What's your name?" The girl emitted such an enormous amount of energy that I couldn't resist giving her a grudging smile in return. "My name is Victoria. Nice to meet you." I shook her hand, and she beamed at me.

"Welcome to Michelangelo! I think you received an email of who your roommate is? It's me!" she bursted with energy and didn't give me a chance to reply.

"Oh," I said, as she dragged me inside, "that's great!"

Celia then spotted a brunette at the end of the hall and told me to wait for her right there. I obliged, only because I probably would get lost in a huge building. I looked around and I noticed a sign saying 'Great Library, 5th floor.' I was appalled. There were five floors? Oh. my. Gosh.