Lina hauled the last box up the stairwell. Arms burned raw. Westbridge dorms reeked old pizza and fresh paint. Clung to skin no matter windows cracked. Floor four. Room 412. Door ajar. Music thumped low inside. Electronic beat glitchy edge. Pulse skipped.
She nudged open with hip. Room half chaos. Half empty. One side claimed. Posters circuit boards. Glowing cityscapes taped crooked. Laptop hummed desk. Code scrolled like rain on window. Other side bare. Mattress stared accusation.
Girl spun from window. Headphones neck. LED sneakers flashed blue under fluorescent. Sora Kang. Housing sheet name. Sharp cheekbones. Hair electric violet tips. Eyes flicked Lina like scanning bugs.
"You the roommate." Sora killed music thumb on phone.
Lina nodded. Dropped box. Thud echoed. "Lina Vale. Urban design major. Hope not allergic charcoal dust."
Sora grinned. Teeth white. "Comp-sci DJ minor. Allergic silence." Kicked stray cord. Sneakers pulsed green. Decided vibe alone.
Lina's sketchbook slipped arm. Pages fanned floor. One drawing up. Half-finished skyline. Towers leaned drunk wind. Sora crouched. Picked careful. Fingers brushed edges.
"This yours." Tilted it. Studied lines. "Vanta east bridge. Nailed fog rolling."
Heat neck. No one saw unfinished. "Yeah. Messing around."
Sora handed back. Fingers grazed. Static snapped sharp. Lina jerked. "Ow."
"Carpet bitch," Sora said. Rubbed own hand. Eyes lingered curious. Sneakers soft yellow.
Unpacked fits starts. Lina bottom bunk. Sora top. Liked height. Ceiling fan clipped hair sat fast. Boxes opened secrets. Lina pencils rolled. Sora chargers tangle. Mini fridge hummed louder music.
Evening. Room less war zone. Lina cross-legged bed. Shaded new page. Dorm window frame. City lights blinked outside. Sora sprawled floor. Laptop stomach. Typed furious.
"What's code for." Lina no look up.
"Protest server. Anonymous drops campus bullshit." Sora no elaborate. Sneakers glowed red second. Back blue.
Lina pencil paused. Protest. Westbridge glossy brochures endowment. Let go. Focused window sill curve.
Night crept. Hallway shouts. Freshmen hauled futons. Someone blasted pop clashed Sora glitch. Lina phone buzzed. Mira emojis string. Demanded roomie pics.
Sora stood. Stretched. "Ramen run. Caf closed. Got good stuff."
Lina hesitated. Stomach growled traitor. "Sure."
Microwaved packets communal kitchen hall. Steam fogged window. Sora stirred chopsticks. Added chili oil. Lina eyes watered smell.
"So foster kid." Sora sudden. Hacked file.
Lina choked noodle. "How."
"Housing app. Flags shit." Sora shrugged. Voice softened. "Me too kinda. Parents bailed twelve. Code family."
Lina stared bowl. Broth swirled dark. "Yeah. Bounced. Drawing grounded."
Sora nodded. Sneakers pulsed purple. Horny. No. Light tricks.
Back room. Ate beds. Legs dangled. Chalk line idea half-joke. Sora grabbed piece Lina art kit. Drew middle floor.
"Territory," declared. "Cross peril."
Lina laughed. Sound surprised. While since.
Lights out midnight official. Neither sleep. Sora laptop screen glowed ceiling. Code reflected stars. Lina sketched phone light. Captured Sora hair one eye.
Blackout hit sudden. Floor plunged dark. Emergency lights red. Bloody bath.
"Shit," Sora muttered. Sat up. Top bunk creaked.
Lina heart hammered. Heights bunk dizzy. Dark clawed deeper. Group homes memories. Lights out anything.
"You okay." Sora voice above. Closer. Leaned edge. Face inverted. LED shoes dangled lanterns.
"Yeah. Hate surprises."
Sora dropped. Landed light. Sneakers lit space soft green. "Here." Flicked LED strip under bunk. City skyline silhouette faint glow.
Lina exhaled. "Thanks."
Sat floor. Backs Lina bed. Chalk line divided. Knees almost touched.
"Tell skyline," Sora quiet.
Lina talked. Words spilled. Towers touched clouds left ground people. Bridges connected nothing. Sora listened. Nodded. Questions cut bone.
Hours blurred. Power hummed back. Didn't move. Sora hand found Lina dark. Accidental. Fingers intertwined code lock.
Static softer. No shock.
Lina sketchbook open between. New page. Sora profile. Sneakers glowing.
Outside Vanta hummed. Neon bled night. Inside 412. Sparked.
But chalk line held. For now.
Sora pulled first. Climbed up. "Night roommate."
"Night."
Lina lay awake. Heart raced circuits unknown. LED strip flickered. Steady.
Tomorrow classes. Orientation. Tonight room smaller. Charged.
Tore sketchbook corner. Partial Sora drawing. Tucked pillow. First many.
City blacked brief. Red emergency glow. Lina swore Sora watched above.
Sneakers purple.