Ally collapsed onto her dorm bed, letting out a dramatic groan. Mary bounced onto the other bed with the energy of a caffeine-fueled squirrel.
"This dorm is ours now," Mary announced, flopping back on the mattress. "Our kingdom of chaos and chocolate!"
Ally blinked at her. "Our kingdom? We're first-year students. We don't even have a proper plan for surviving classes yet."
Mary waved her hand dismissively. "Details, details. Chaos is the plan. Trust me."
Ally groaned again, flopping onto her own bed. "I feel like my life has turned into a sitcom I didn't audition for."
Settling In and Campus Observations
As they unpacked, Ally peeked out the window at the campus below. Students were everywhere — some sprinting to class, some sitting in groups, laughing loudly, and a few dropping textbooks with a flourish like it was intentional.
And then she saw him.
Drake.
He was walking across the courtyard, backpack slung casually over one shoulder, looking effortlessly intimidating as always. Ally immediately sat up straighter, a mixture of frustration and curiosity rising in her chest.
Why does he have to look like he belongs in a magazine just by walking to class? she muttered.
Mary, following her gaze, smirked. "Oh, that's the silent storm. Your mysterious headache. Don't tell me you're already thinking about him."
Ally groaned. "No, I'm not. Stop it."
Mary only laughed, clearly enjoying Ally's discomfort.
The next morning, Ally and Mary tried to navigate their way to the cafeteria for breakfast. Ally was busy scrolling her phone for class schedules when she tripped over someone's backpack.
"Whoa!" Ally yelped, arms flailing.
Josh caught her mid-fall, steadying her with a smirk. "Careful there. The floor isn't going anywhere… but apparently, you are."
Ally flushed bright red. "I-I'm fine, thanks."
Josh raised an eyebrow. "Sure you are. First-year clumsiness, huh?"
Ally grumbled under her breath, "I'll show you clumsy later…"
Mary nudged her. "Relax, he's just… Josh."
Ally shot her a look. Yeah, Josh — perfect, charming, infuriating Josh.
Meanwhile, Alex walked past, carrying a stack of books, noticing Josh leaning casually against a wall with Ally still recovering. Their eyes met — tension immediately crackling.
"Need a hand?" Alex asked Ally politely.
"I'm good," she muttered, brushing herself off.
Josh smirked at Alex. "Wow… always trying to rescue someone, huh?"
Alex scowled. "Not interested in playing your games."
Josh's grin widened. Challenge accepted.
Drake's Observation
Across the courtyard, Drake noticed the commotion. Ally had tripped, Josh had smirked, Alex had scowled — and somewhere in all that chaos, Ally's bright, fiery personality stood out.
He didn't approach, of course. That wasn't his style. But he watched her, folding his arms, silently noting how she carried herself — stubborn, sarcastic, fiery. Annoying, he thought. But… interesting.
Back in the dorm, Mary had already claimed the top bunk with dramatic flair.
"You see this?" she said, pointing to her bed. "My kingdom. Your kingdom is the bottom — you'll survive."
Ally muttered, "I'm not sure sleeping on the bottom bunk counts as surviving."
Mary grinned. "Everything counts as surviving if you do it with style. And snacks."
Ally rolled her eyes but secretly smiled. Mary's energy was infectious — she could make even the most chaotic day feel manageable.
That evening, Ally and Mary settled in the lounge with a few other first-year students. Josh sauntered in, looking effortlessly perfect, as usual. Alex was already there, reading quietly in a corner.
Josh noticed Alex, and their eyes met. Ally watched as the tension between them crackled like electricity.
"You know," Josh said, loud enough for Alex to hear, "first week isn't bad… if you know how to handle it."
Alex didn't look up. "Try again."
Josh leaned back in his chair, smirking. "Oh, I will. Trust me."
Ally whispered to Mary, "Are they seriously going to start a war this early?"
Mary grinned. "You have no idea."
Hints of Attraction
Even though Ally was trying to ignore Drake, she noticed him watching the lounge from a distance. He didn't speak, didn't approach — but the fact that he was observing her made her feel… unsettlingly aware of his presence.
Meanwhile, Josh and Alex's rivalry had another layer. Ally noticed subtle looks — brief glances, small smirks, hints of something unspoken between the two. Tension, attraction, competitiveness — it was complicated, messy, and impossible to ignore.
Ally muttered under her breath, "Why is everyone here so complicated?"
Mary laughed. "Welcome to college, Ally. Buckle up — this is just the beginning."