The Roommate
Aria's POV
By the time I made it back to my dorm, the hallways had quieted. The earlier buzz of students had thinned into murmurs and footsteps echoing faintly against marble floors. The sun was dipping low, spilling gold light through the tall windows, painting everything in that soft, fleeting calm that always came before dusk.
I pushed open the door to my room.
Someone was already inside.
A girl stood near the dresser, carefully folding a sweater. Her curly auburn hair caught the light like copper, and a soft melody hummed under her breath. When she turned, her hazel eyes bright and flecked with green lit up instantly.
"Oh! You must be Aria!" she said, smiling so warmly that it almost startled me.
I nodded, closing the door behind me. "And you're…?"
"Aubrey. Aubrey Hale." She crossed the room in a few easy steps and extended her hand. Her voice carried that effortless charm of someone who never tried too hard to be liked and somehow always was.
"Aria Bennett," I replied, shaking her hand.
"I was wondering when you'd show up," she said, perching casually on the edge of her bed. "Your things were already here when I got back I figured you moved in earlier."
"I did," I said, setting my bag down. "Just went to look around for a bit."
She nodded approvingly. "Smart. You'd better learn your way around this place fast. Ravenwood has more halls than common sense."
That drew a small laugh from me the first genuine one all day.
"So…" she continued, tucking a strand of hair behind her ear. "How's your first day so far?"
"Loud," I said honestly. "Everyone seems to know everyone."
She smiled knowingly. "They do. It's like a glittery fishbowl here everyone watching, everyone talking. But don't worry, you'll get used to it."
Something about her energy was disarming, soft in a way that didn't feel forced.
We talked for a while about classes, the teachers, how chaotic lunch had been. Aubrey had this natural rhythm when she spoke, like everything she said carried a story behind it. I could already tell she wasn't just nice she was one of those rare people who actually meant it.
Eventually, she glanced at the clock on her nightstand and let out a small gasp. "Oh! Speaking of chaos don't tell me you forgot about the party tonight."
I blinked. "Party?"
She nodded, half exasperated, half amused. "The big welcome-back party. Happens every year. You can't skip it unless you want people assuming you hate fun."
"I don't really—"
"—like parties?" she finished for me, smirking. "Yeah, yeah, everyone says that until they realize it's basically the only normal part of Ravenwood. Everyone goes, it's kind of the one night the rules loosen up a little."
I sighed softly. "You're not going to let me skip it, are you?"
"Not a chance."
I didn't know how long it took, but eventually, it was time for the party the one Aubrey wouldn't stop talking about. She had a way of convincing me without really saying much, and before I realized it, I was sitting in front of the mirror while she rummaged through my makeup bag like she'd found buried treasure.
"Okay, whoa," she said suddenly, holding up a sleek silver compact. "Is this from Maison Éclat?"
"Yeah," I said casually.
"That's not just makeup, that's a collector's item." She turned it over in her hand like it was made of diamonds. "Where'd you even get this?"
I shrugged lightly. "A gift from a friend."
Her brows rose, but she didn't press. "Well, tell your friend they have great taste."
A small smile curved my lips. "I will."
"Now sit still," she ordered, dipping a brush into the shimmer and leaning closer. "Let me show you something. This trick will change your life."
Her fingers were quick and sure as she blended a hint of color over my eyelids. Then she stepped back, inspecting her work with the critical eye of an artist. "There," she said with satisfaction. "Effortlessly stunning."
I turned to look at my reflection. The makeup was subtle but elegant a soft glow that caught the light when I moved.
Aubrey glanced at the time again and gasped. "Okay, we are officially running late. Get dressed, mystery girl."
I opened my suitcase and carefully pulled out the black dress I'd packed simple at first glance, but tailored perfectly. The satin hugged my figure without being too revealing, and a clean, narrow cut ran diagonally along one leg, just enough to make it quietly daring.
I kept the accessories minimal small golden earring, no necklace. My hair fell in loose waves around my shoulders, framing my face in an effortless kind of way. I didn't want to stand out too much. That was the point.
Aubrey whistled softly. "Wow. You said you weren't going, but you're about to steal the night."
I smirked faintly, fastening the second earring. "Let's just hope no one notices me."
She laughed. "At Ravenwood? Good luck with that."
By the time we stepped out, the music from the quad drifted through the cool night air low bass, laughter, and the sound of distant chatter under the string lights.
Aubrey looped her arm through mine, her curls bouncing as she grinned. "Ready?"
I took a breath, my lips curving just slightly. "Let's go."
Together, we headed down the hall, heels clicking softly against the marble toward the glowing courtyard and the night waiting beyond.
The Roommate
Aria's POV
By the time I made it back to my dorm, the hallways had quieted. The earlier buzz of students had thinned into murmurs and footsteps echoing faintly against marble floors. The sun was dipping low, spilling gold light through the tall windows, painting everything in that soft, fleeting calm that always came before dusk.
I pushed open the door to my room.
Someone was already inside.
A girl stood near the dresser, carefully folding a sweater. Her curly auburn hair caught the light like copper, and a soft melody hummed under her breath. When she turned, her hazel eyes bright and flecked with green lit up instantly.
"Oh! You must be Aria!" she said, smiling so warmly that it almost startled me.
I nodded, closing the door behind me. "And you're…?"
"Aubrey. Aubrey Hale." She crossed the room in a few easy steps and extended her hand. Her voice carried that effortless charm of someone who never tried too hard to be liked and somehow always was.
"Aria Bennett," I replied, shaking her hand.
"I was wondering when you'd show up," she said, perching casually on the edge of her bed. "Your things were already here when I got back I figured you moved in earlier."
"I did," I said, setting my bag down. "Just went to look around for a bit."
She nodded approvingly. "Smart. You'd better learn your way around this place fast. Ravenwood has more halls than common sense."
That drew a small laugh from me the first genuine one all day.
"So…" she continued, tucking a strand of hair behind her ear. "How's your first day so far?"
"Loud," I said honestly. "Everyone seems to know everyone."
She smiled knowingly. "They do. It's like a glittery fishbowl here everyone watching, everyone talking. But don't worry, you'll get used to it."
Something about her energy was disarming, soft in a way that didn't feel forced.
We talked for a while about classes, the teachers, how chaotic lunch had been. Aubrey had this natural rhythm when she spoke, like everything she said carried a story behind it. I could already tell she wasn't just nice she was one of those rare people who actually meant it.
Eventually, she glanced at the clock on her nightstand and let out a small gasp. "Oh! Speaking of chaos don't tell me you forgot about the party tonight."
I blinked. "Party?"
She nodded, half exasperated, half amused. "The big welcome-back party. Happens every year. You can't skip it unless you want people assuming you hate fun."
"I don't really—"
"—like parties?" she finished for me, smirking. "Yeah, yeah, everyone says that until they realize it's basically the only normal part of Ravenwood. Everyone goes, it's kind of the one night the rules loosen up a little."
I sighed softly. "You're not going to let me skip it, are you?"
"Not a chance."
I didn't know how long it took, but eventually, it was time for the party the one Aubrey wouldn't stop talking about. She had a way of convincing me without really saying much, and before I realized it, I was sitting in front of the mirror while she rummaged through my makeup bag like she'd found buried treasure.
"Okay, whoa," she said suddenly, holding up a sleek silver compact. "Is this from Maison Éclat?"
"Yeah," I said casually.
"That's not just makeup, that's a collector's item." She turned it over in her hand like it was made of diamonds. "Where'd you even get this?"
I shrugged lightly. "A gift from a friend."
Her brows rose, but she didn't press. "Well, tell your friend they have great taste."
A small smile curved my lips. "I will."
"Now sit still," she ordered, dipping a brush into the shimmer and leaning closer. "Let me show you something. This trick will change your life."
Her fingers were quick and sure as she blended a hint of color over my eyelids. Then she stepped back, inspecting her work with the critical eye of an artist. "There," she said with satisfaction. "Effortlessly stunning."
I turned to look at my reflection. The makeup was subtle but elegant a soft glow that caught the light when I moved.
Aubrey glanced at the time again and gasped. "Okay, we are officially running late. Get dressed, mystery girl."
I opened my suitcase and carefully pulled out the black dress I'd packed simple at first glance, but tailored perfectly. The satin hugged my figure without being too revealing, and a clean, narrow cut ran diagonally along one leg, just enough to make it quietly daring.
I kept the accessories minimal small golden earring, no necklace. My hair fell in loose waves around my shoulders, framing my face in an effortless kind of way. I didn't want to stand out too much. That was the point.
Aubrey whistled softly. "Wow. You said you weren't going, but you're about to steal the night."
I smirked faintly, fastening the second earring. "Let's just hope no one notices me."
She laughed. "At Ravenwood? Good luck with that."
By the time we stepped out, the music from the quad drifted through the cool night air low bass, laughter, and the sound of distant chatter under the string lights.
Aubrey looped her arm through mine, her curls bouncing as she grinned. "Ready?"
I took a breath, my lips curving just slightly. "Let's go."
Together, we headed down the hall, heels clicking softly against the marble toward the glowing courtyard and the night waiting beyond.