Part 1 - A New Beginning
Yale. The name alone makes people think of ivy-covered buildings, scholars in pressed suits, and success. And here I am, standing in the middle of it all, feeling... nothing.
I smooth out a nonexistent wrinkle in my blouse and glance at the campus map on my phone for the fifth time. The towering stone buildings around me are imposing, but not intimidating. I’ve always admired places that demand respect without even trying. They remind me of my father’s office—elegant but cold. Maybe that’s why I don’t feel anything standing here. Or maybe it’s because I’ve trained myself not to.
“For God’s sake, Dova Will you stop overthinking everything and just go,” Elena teases. Elena is my sister and a housewife with one little son, and sometimes I can’t help but wonder if that’s a path I might consider. The idea of being a housewife with a degree is both amusing and perplexing.
I shake the thought away and nudge her with my shoulder. “Shut up. Let me take it in first.” I sense her roll her eyes, but she doesn’t comment again.
I drag my suitcase behind me while Elena carries one of my boxes as we weave through the crowds of students, all of them buzzing with excitement. I don’t need excitement. I need control. And a quiet space.
I catch a glimpse of a few students struggling with boxes and bags, their faces red with exertion. Freshmen. I know the look. Even the upperclassmen, the ones who should look like they belong, still have that anxious glint in their eyes. I’ve never understood that. You either belong or you don’t. Faking it doesn’t make it real.
When we finally reach my dorm room, the door creaks open, revealing a chaotic scene inside. Two pairs of male eyes turn to face us, and both of them clearly don’t belong here. I halt, setting my suitcase down, while my sister looks just as stunned.
“Excuse me?” I attempt to get their attention, my brows knit in confusion. The two young men flash polite smiles, but it can’t mask the awkwardness of the moment.
“Are you, uh, supposed to be in here?” I ask, my words tinged with disbelief. The smiles begin to fade.
“Dova!” Elena hisses softly, her eyes wide.
“Sorry, I wasn’t trying to be rude,” I add. “But this is supposed to be my room.”
One of the guys chuckles to lighten the mood. “No worries. We’re just waiting for my little sister. She’s starting here this year,” the blonde one explains, his Irish accent charming yet bewildering.
I nod, rolling my suitcase towards my closet. “Where do you want this?” Elena asks, gesturing to her box.
“Just put it on the desk, please.”
I turn around to face the guys yet again. The blonde one seems cheerful, smiling as he talks with his friend, I guess. The black haired one. I’m guessing he’s somewhere from the South of Asia by the look of his features. Pretty hot features, I might say.
“Right, so we’re going to grab some more boxes. Feel free to... not touch any of my stuff”, I announce as I start to head out the door.
As we head back down the hall, Elena bursts into laughter. “You are so rude!”
“I’m not rude! I just set the boundaries.” I raise my eyebrows at her. She knows my intentions.
Upon our return, the room is empty again, except for some boxes and a suitcase dominating the other side. My jaw drops at the sight of a bright pink suitcase decked out in Hello Kitty stickers. “What the...” I mumble, turning to my sister in disbelief.
Her brow furrows, and then she spots it, too. “Is that a suitcase or a portal to childhood? I’d prefer not to share space with a toddler,” I voice my concern, but then just shake it off.
“You know what? It doesn’t matter. As long as we get along, I can deal with her interests.”
Elena snickers. “You’ll fit right in here.” I shoot her a glare as we continue to unpack the rest of my belongings.
Just a few minutes later a whirlwind bursts into the room—my new roommate, followed closely by two energetic puppies carrying more of her stuff. “Oh my god! Hi! You’re here!” she exclaims, her dark blonde hair bobbing as she bounces on her heels. She’s got the whole youthful charm down pat, and despite her short skirt and cropped top, she radiates a fresh vibe.
“Yeah... hi” I respond with some excitement mustered up, extending my hand. “My name is Dova.”
“Nice to meet you! I’m Ebby. With an E,” she says, her smile bright.
I glance over at the men from earlier, who are gathering their things to leave. “They’re just about done here,” she suddenly changes her tone, waving them off.
“Ebby! Oh, dear! We were hoping you’d still be here!” A breathless woman rushes into the room, clearly panting from her run in these halls. Her accent is even stronger than her kids’—definitely a family trait.
“Mother...” Ebby groans, but I can’t help but grin to myself as the blonde man shoots her a teasing smile.
“Shush now! We need one last photo, don’t we?” Her mom pulls out a camera, a huge grin on her face. “Zayn, darling, would you be a dear?”
Zayn, the quiet dark-haired friend, takes the camera, directing everyone into position while I sit on the bed with Elena. The annoyance on Ebby’s face is palpable, but her practiced smile is almost impressive as she shows off the small gemstone on her front teeth.
After much heartfelt whining and a few more minutes of goodbye tears, her parents finally depart, leaving the two puppies behind. “You know, you can leave too,” Ebby crosses her arms, exhaustion etched on her face—probably from her mother’s overbearing affection.
“What? I can’t say goodbye to my little sister properly? You’re starting college,” the blonde one protests, earning a chuckle from the dark-haired one beside him.
“Yeah, ’cause you’ll be so far away,” Zayn adds, shooting a playful glare at his friend and I instantly notice his strong English accent.
The blonde turns his attention to me and Elena. I raise an eyebrow, realizing I’m mimicking Ebby’s stance—arms crossed, judgment clear on my face.
“Well,” he says, his smile brightening. “It was nice to meet you. I guess we’ll see you both around.”
Ebby rolls her eyes. “Fuck off now, will ya?”
They wave and head out the door, leaving it ajar behind them.
“Alright, I’m off now. Bye,” Elena announces, disappearing almost instantly.
I lay back onto my new bed, taking in the room—a blank slate with white walls, spacious beds, and ample storage.
“She didn’t even hug you,” Ebby states.
“Oh, yeah.” I shrug, shoving the thoughts away. “She lives only about 25 minutes away.”
“Oh,” she replies, understanding dawning on her face.
I put on my headphones, sipping water as I start unpacking my clothes, distracted by the getting to know my new space.
After an hour and a half of organizing, my side of the room looks tidy and inviting. I glance over at Ebby, who is arranging her colorful Sanrio collection. She pulls out a Kuromi plushie and fluffs its ears, which seems unexpected for someone with such a distinct vibe—a girl clad in dark clothes and a clearly different aesthetic.
I remove the headphones, letting them hang around my neck. “What’s up with the Sanrio stuff?” I ask bluntly, cutting straight to the chase since I don’t believe in sugarcoating things.
She looks at me, a flicker of nervousness in her eyes. “Oh, that’s just something I’m into. I like Kuromi the most,” she explains softly.
“Hm,” I hum. “That’s... cool”, I say and receive a half-hearted smile from my roommate. Sanrio... I guess there’s worse interests.
As the sun dips below the horizon, my stomach growls. “Wanna grab dinner?” I ask as I put away the last of my things.
“Sure! Let me just change first.” Ebby quickly wraps up her task and walks over to her closet.
I swap my silk blouse and pants for a long black dress and throw on a cropped cardigan.
After a touch of makeup and curling my hair, I glance over at Ebby. She’s chosen a black mini dress, complemented by silver jewelry. It’s a shame, though. Gold jewelry would accentuate her tanned skin way better.
“I love your necklace!” she says, eyeing it with admiration. “I’m allergic to gold, so I stick to silver or platinum.”
Well, I guess my thought has been answered already.
“Oh, thanks. I already wondered why a tan girl like you wouldn’t wear gold jewelry,” I reply as I adjust a few strands of my hair.
“You noticed?” Her eyes widen.
“Yeah,” I admit, turning back to my mirror for one last look.
“Oh. Okay,” she says as she turns to grab her bag so we can go.
We decide on a local Italian restaurant known for its pizza—a good choice for our first meal as roommates.
Upon arriving, I spot several faces from campus, mingling together and sharing laughter. We enter and I am met with the familiar hostess, Lily. She’s currently putting a group of students on the waitlist. They step aside and I approach her, handing her my cardigan.
“Hello and welcome. Let me show you to your table”, she turns around and starts walking to a booth in the back, handing us each a menu. “Someone will be right with you.”
“Thank you, Lily”, I politely smile up at her.
“Do you know her?” Ebby asks, glancing at me with curiosity.
“No. I know the owner,” I say, taking a sip of my water.
She bursts out laughing, her smile illuminating the table. I can’t help but wonder how long it will take for this easy camaraderie to wear thin. As the bustling atmosphere envelops us, I remind myself that college is a place for new beginnings—not just for friendships, but for the control I so desperately seek.
