admins gave us the option to be randomly assigned roommates or choose them ourselves. Because Toni and I were already getting along, we decided to be paired.
It didn’t take long to get settled. With how far we’d come, none of us traveled with a ton of our belongings. Only the basics. Anything else we needed, the Council would provide.
Toni stashed her things in the dresser beside the bathroom, and I chose the chest of drawers beneath the window. For the most part, I just shoved my clothes inside, only being careful with one item—a small, brown leather satchel I tucked beneath a bundle of t-shirts.
“There,” Toni announced with a grin. “I think we’re all good. And thanks for letting me have the bed on the right. Back home, I shared a room with my sister, and that was always my side. I’m a creature of habit, I guess.”
“It’s fine. I can crash wherever,” I assured her.
She plopped down on her mattress, testing its bounciness a few times. “So, they giving you any perks while you’re here?”
At first, I didn’t understand the question. It seemed I’d somehow forgotten the title that went before my name. Silly me actually thought I was normal for a moment.
“Oh, um … not that I know of. Pretty sure I’ll be treated like everyone else.”
Please, God, let that be true.
Toni shrugged. “Too bad. Something like a fifteen-minute grace period to get to lectures, alternate meal options, or even a pass to skip the Pinning Ritual at the end of the first term would’ve been sweet.” She laughed, tossing half her braids behind her shoulder.
Ugh … I’d forgotten about that. Apparently, when the academy took in a new batch of students, the staff and islanders took the time to formally acknowledge us. The idea of attending went against my vow to stay out of the spotlight.
I took a seat on my bed. “Actually, I’d rather they don’t make a fuss over me with special privileges and whatnot,” I shared. “It’s kind of exhausting being the center of attention all the time.”
“Ha!” Toni yelled. “Are you kidding me? I’d give my left butt cheek to be royalty.”
She stood, snatching the small blanket folded at the foot of her bed, draping it around her shoulders like a kingly robe. Caught off guard, I burst out laughing.
I hopped down and did a shallow curtsey before her when I decided to play along. “Well, you’re welcome to borrow my title anytime, Your Highness,” I said before straightening my posture again.
If she only knew what it was really like being me.
“Attention first-year students,” a woman said over a loudspeaker near our door.
Startled, Toni dropped the blanket from around her shoulders.
“Please make your way to the atrium of the main building. There, you and your group members will be paired with your mentors and given a brief overview of what the next few days will entail. Inside the welcome packets you were given upon registering, you should have received a sheet which states your group number, as well as the names of your mentors. Thank you, and again, please move expeditiously toward the atrium of the main building.”
The speaker went silent, and Toni and I both raced toward the folders we casually dropped onto the desk when we walked in. I flipped through mine as we stood side-by-side.
“Found it,” she announced, scanning the sheet. “I’m in group seventeen, and my mentors’ names are Ruth and Josh. How about you?”
She seemed just as hopeful as I did that we would miraculously be put together.
“Looks like I’m in group seven. Assigned to Ori, Rayen, Kai, and Paulo.”
“Dang, girl! Four? Must be a big group.”
I read their names again, wondering what they’d be like. “Yeah, must be.”
Toni slipped into her shoes. “Well, let’s go get this over with, shall we?”
I couldn’t have said it better myself.
***
Crowds weren’t my thing. In fact, I avoided them whenever possible. Unfortunately, this wasn’t one of those avoidable situations.
Toni breathed deep, glancing up to read the mounted signs that had been scattered all over the atrium, each with a number printed to rally us into proper groups. I hoped that since I’d been assigned to group seven, it would’ve been right near the door, but for some dumb reason they weren’t in order. Instead, Toni and I found ourselves trekking all the way to the back of the building.
“Oh! There’s you,” she called out, pointing.
My eyes went in that direction, but, from the looks of things, only four others had managed