Starting New

Chapter 3

Stevie tugs on the heavy glass door. She is surprised to see how upscale the place is, especially since it's a university residence. She overhears a passerby mention that this building was originally a hotel before the school purchased it. I guess McGill really likes to take care of their scholarship students..

The lobby is complete with small red sofas, pristine white walls that enhance the modern ascetic and a man tie frantically typing at the front desk, his silver tie swaying. Everywhere Stevie looks is buzzing with parents lugging Ikea products to the elevators and new students trying their best to look calm and relaxed despite the big move. Unlike, most of the students, Stevie is there alone. Most of her childhood memories involve her grandmother. She loves her grandmother dearly, but would often lie awake in bed wondering what her parents were doing.

Over the years, she became accustomed to this exclusion from "social norms" (making crafts for her grandmother on Mother's Day, avoiding Father's Day at all costs) she still feels a pang of uneasiness as she watches the other students with their parents.

Once she gets her room key and number, Stevie mashes herself into an elevator with students clutching their dorm room essentials. Finally, she makes it to the 21 floor and spots her room door. Two signs written in purple chalk read "Hannah" and "Stevie."

She examines the door for a moment. What if her roommate is weird? Hannah sounds like a normal name, so she must be normal, right? What if she doesn't like me?

These questions cause Stevie to freeze in front of the door, room key in hand. When she finally works up the mental clarity to scan her room card, the door swings open without her touching it.

"Hi!" says the girl who opened the door. Her tawny hair falls to her shoulders and she is smiling exuberantly.

"I guess you're Hannah," Stevie slips her room key into her pocket.

"That's me! I guess you're Stevie, " she gestures out towards the room "Come on in!"

Stevie lifts her bag and follows Hannah into their new room. It looks just like a hotel room, with two beds on either side of the room, along with two desks and a television.

The bed closest to the large windows on the end of the room is empty.

"That's your bed right over there," Hannah's British accent is more apparent now.

"Cool, thanks," Stevie places her bag on her new bed and glances out of the window.

The view is breathtaking. Tall buildings are scattered about, cars and cyclists look like plastic toys and Mount Royale looms in the distance.

"The view is spectacular isn't it?" Hannah is now next to Stevie.

"It is," Stevie adjusts her hair and turns to face Hannah leaning on the window pane.

There is a knock on the door.

Stevie still faces the window enamoured by the view and Hannah crosses the room and opens the door. A tall blonde girl stands before Hannah. She is smiling and and gives an exuberant wave.

"Hey! I are you Hannah? or Stevie?" the girls says,

"Well, I'm Hannah and that's my roommate Stevie," Hannah's says motioning to Stevie.

"So awesome to meet you guys!" The girl has let herself into the room now, "Also, I'm loving the British accent."

"Thanks," Hannah says "I can't really help it seeing as I'm British."

"That is super great! How are you guys liking Montreal? It's so amazing right?!"

"It definitely is," Stevie now sits in the window facing Hannah and their unexpected guest, "What did you say your name was again?"

"Oh silly me!" the blonde girls snorts "The name's Moonshine, I live right across the hall from you guys!"

"Cool! How are you finding your roommate?" Hannah asks.

"Oh, I don't have one. Woohoo single room!" she adjusts her Super Mario T-shirt "But, I didn't come over here to just introduce myself. I was wondering whether you guys were free tonight."

Hannah and Stevie exchange a glance.

"Well, I just got here so I may have to unpack..." Stevie begins.

"You can unpack later!" Moonshine insists "This really cool band on campus is having a show tonight, you guys should totally come!"

"What band?" Hannah asks

"They are called Beautiful Pollution and I'm friends with the band," Moonshine begins to flick through her smartphone, "Trust me it will be hella rad!"

Moonshine shows the Hannah and Stevie a photo of her with her arm around a girl with long dark hair and piercing green eyes. Stevie instantly recognizes her. Is it really her?

"That sounds like so much fun!" Hannah says "Do you wanna go?"

Stevie glances at her bag and then at the photo. Her unpacking could wait.

"Yeah, let's do it."