Morning crashed like matrix glitch. Lina woke to Sora alarm hum. Warped synth melody climbed octaves. Clawed her sleep. Sun sliced blinds. Striped chalk line gold bars. Groaned. Rolled over. Face smashed pillow. Faint chili oil scent last night.
Top bunk. Sora voice floated husky sleep. "Rise shine dreamer. Orientation nine."
Lina peeked. Sora hung halfway edge. Hair violet mess. One LED sneaker dangled pendulum. Pulsed lazy blue. Synced headphones beat. "Always wake like club drop."
"Only cute ones." Sora winked. Vanished up. Bunk creaked. Swung down cat-quiet. Oversized sweats swallowed frame. Hinted lean muscle. Hacking marathons. Lina mind uninvited images.
Sat up. Rubbed eyes. Room daylight different. Sora side tech fortress. Stacked monitors. Keyboard keys worn. Sticky notes digital graffiti. Lina half bare bones. Sketchbook desk. Pencils mug "Foster the Future" forgotten camp.
Moved careful. Magnets test polarity. Lina grabbed clothes box. Jeans. Faded band tee Mira thrifted. Sora peeled sweats fluid. Back turned. Not hiding. Lina gaze snagged tattoo shoulder blades. Ghost pixelated. Neon outline glowed light.
"Nice ink," Lina said. Voice cracked.
Sora glanced shoulder. Smirked. "NeonGhost. Handle." Tugged black cargos. Sneakers slipped last. Flashed green. "You got any."
"Tattoos. Nah. Needles scared." Lina busied socks. Cheeks warm.
Bathroom hall war zone. Showers ran. Someone blasted reggaeton. Steam thick fog. Took turns sinks. Shoulders brushed. Sora toothbrush electric. Buzz bee. Lina manual plain blue.
"Share paste." Sora squeezed dollop Lina brush. No wait.
Mint exploded tongue. Eyes met mirror. Sora dark lined smudged eyeliner. Lina looked away first. Spat foam.
Back room. Chalk line mocked. Boxes littered floor. Territories undefined.
"Gotta negotiate," Sora said. Kicked stray charger across line. Skidded Lina side.
Lina picked. Coiled cord. "Treaty time."
Sora grinned. Grabbed chalk Lina desk. Knelt. Added rules blocky letters line.
1. NO CROSSING WITHOUT PERMISSION
2. MUSIC VOLUME < 70DB AFTER MIDNIGHT
3. FRIDGE HALVES – LABEL YOUR SHIT
4. BUNK LADDER NEUTRAL ZONE
Lina crouched opposite. Added flourish.
5. SKETCHBOOK PAGES STAY PRIVATE
6. NO HACKING ROOMMATE PHONE (SORa)
7. RAMEN NIGHTS COMMUNAL
Sora read. Laughed low. "Think I'd hack you."
"You're coder." Lina shrugged. Stomach flipped. Idea thrilled more scared.
Shook over line. Hands clasped. Sora palm calloused. Keyboard warrior. Touch lingered beat long. Static hummed skin. No shock. Warmth.
Orientation auditorium blur. Dean droned community standards. Free condoms bowls candy. Lina sketched ceiling beams. Ignored speech. Sora beside. Thumbs flew phone. Sneakers tucked seat pulsed typed.
Mira texted nonstop. *roomie hot. send pic. wingwoman standby.*
Lina snuck glance Sora. Profile sharp. Lips moved silent lyrics she heard. Snapped quick photo chalk line room. Sent. *treaty signed. she's intense.*
Lunch caf. Trays clattered. Lines snaked. Loaded up. Lina salad mystery meat. Sora noodles energy drinks. Table window quad overlook.
"So urban design," Sora said. Twirled chopsticks. "Fix Vanta ugly ass."
Lina poked food. "Dream big. Start dorms no despair smell."
Sora foot nudged hers table. Accidental. Sneaker lit yellow brief. "Code app. Rate smells. Crowdfund fresheners."
Lina smiled real. "Partner."
"Deal." Sora eyes crinkled.
Afternoon classes split. Lina intro studio. Sora algorithms. Studio drafting tables profs coffee breath. Assignment sketch personal space. Drew room 412. Chalk line bold. Sora silhouette faint top bunk.
Evening purple crept. Lina returned first. Dumped bag. Room empty without glitch beats. Flopped bed. Flipped sketchbook. Partial Sora last night stared. Eyes knowing.
Door burst. Sora stormed. Sneakers red angry. Slammed laptop. Paced line.
"Bad class." Lina sat up.
"Prof dinosaur. Ethical hacking oxymoron." Sora kicked desk chair. Spun. "Assigned secure systems. Define secure who."
Lina watched move. Energy coiled. Violet tips whipped. "Show me."
Sora paused. Breath evened. "Yeah. Okay." Grabbed second laptop under bed. Sleek stickers every inch. Booted. Screen filled code.
"NeonGhost server," explained. Fingers danced. "Anonymous drops. Campus admins delete tuition hikes. Mirror. Profs harass. Proof lives."
Lina leaned. Close smell ozone citrus. Screen reflected Sora eyes green lines.
"Dangerous," Lina whispered.
"Necessary." Sora voice dropped. Arms brushed. Heat built.
Chalk line loomed feet. Sora sneaker inched over. Toe crossed.
"Permission." Mock serious.
Lina heart thudded. "Granted."
Sora stepped full Lina territory. Knelt bed. "Your turn. Show skyline."
Lina flipped sketchbook. Sora traced lines finger. No touch paper. "This tower leaning. Purpose."
"Wind load. Or metaphor." Lina swallowed. "Things seem stable aren't."
Sora gaze flicked. "Like us."
Air thickened. Outside campus lights flickered. Neon bled blinds.
Sora stood abrupt. "Ramen."
Tension snapped. Echoed. Microwaved silence. Steam rose unspoken.
Eating floor. Backs beds. Knees inches. Line divided trays.
"Tell foster story," Sora sudden.
Lina chopsticks paused. "Bad one."
"Any."
Lina talked. Group home fridge locks. Kid stole pencils. Sora listened. Sneakers shifted blue purple yellow.
"Your turn."
Sora shrugged. "Parents left note. Code own future. Doing since."
Night deepened. Climbed bunks. Lights out. Sleep dodged.
Below. Lina whispered. "Sora."
"Yeah."
"Line stupid."
Creak. Sora peered over. "Treaty amendment."
"Neutral zone expands. To here." Lina patted mattress edge.
Sora dropped. Curled beside. Not touching. Close. Heat radiated.
Talked hours. City dreams. Code poetry. Fears falling heights Lina crashes Sora.
Fingers found dark. Intertwined slow. No static. Pulse.
Sora sneaker kicked off glowed faint purple under bed.
Dawn crept. Sora climbed silent.
Chalk line smudged feet crossed.
Lina tore sketch page. Leaning tower. Slipped Sora pillow. Amendment accepted.
But blow hovered unlanded. Tension coiled tighter.