It was the first night of Tina’s sophomore year, and everything about the dorm felt new again. Not brand-new, like when she first moved in as a freshman, but like someone had taken her old life, shaken it a bit, and opened it back up with brighter colors. The hallways smelled like cheap air freshener and excitement. Somewhere down the corridor, someone already had music going—bass so steady it made the floor vibrate under her feet.
Her new roommates, Jenna and Stacy, had spent the entire afternoon hauling in decorations from a giant pile of boxes. String lights, posters, a fuzzy rug, a small plastic crate filled with random snacks. They had been talking about their “welcome back party” like it was the opening night of some big show, and honestly, Tina was beginning to believe them.
She s
