The Test of Time

36 ~ Month Eleven: September 2021

"This is the one." I announce, looking up at the 'nineteen' emblazoned on the wooden door. Elle grins, shifting the bag in her hands and leaning against the wall beside me, a reassuring smile on her face.

"Go on!" She hurries and I nod, taking a deep breath before pushing the door open. My eyes quickly scan the dorm room, the nerves jumping around in my stomach at what's to come. The room is half empty, bland and boring, the other half full of purple flowery decor.

"Are you my roommate?" My eyes quickly fall on the short haired brunette who has shot up from her lilac bedspread, grinning widely at me.

"Yeah!" I smile at her, lowering my box onto the empty bed before holding out my hand. "I'm Savannah."

"Love it." She grins, jumping forward and grabbing hold of my hand. "I'm Elena!"

"Nice to meet you." I smile before letting go and stepping back. "This is my sister Elle." I gesture behind me as Elle drops the bag on my bed.

"That's half of my name!" The small girl exclaims, grabbing hold of my sister's hand.

"Uh, yes... yes it is!" Elle splutters slightly and I can't help the small smile that appears on my face.

"That's pretty cool." Elena states before standing back and crossing her arms.

"This is a nice room." Elle notes, glancing round. I nod to her, taking in the larger than average bed, the clean wooden desk and the two shelves pinned to the wall above it. I take step closer to the window which sits in between the two desks, glancing outside to see a few trees rustling in the wind, a small, green park stretching out below. Not the worst view to have from your bedroom. Taking a step back I glance at Elle who is looking inside the small closet on my side of the room, her eyebrows furrowed.

"I hope you don't mind that I picked the right hand side of the room." Elena pipes up, taking a step closer to me, an apologetic look on her face. "It's my lucky side."

"Lucky side?" Elle questions, eyes wide with trepidation.

"Yeah. I'm left handed." Elena shrugs before waving at us. "Haven't you heard? You should always pick the opposite. It's lucky."

"Oh." Elle replies, her eyes still slightly wide as she takes a step back from the closet. "I'll go and get another box from the car." She smiles before leaving the room. Elena takes a step back, wringing her hands together as she sits down on her bed, biting her lip. It's that move that makes me realize she is just as nervous as me, and just as desperate to make friends. We're both new here, both in unknown territory and we're both terrified. I take a step towards her and she looks up slightly, shooting me a small smile.

"I'm right handed so... you picked well!" I smile, waving at her with my right hand and she grins once more, her brown eyes sparkling as she jumps back up from her bed.

"Can I help you unpack? I got here four days ago and I've been waiting for you ever since!"

"Why did you come so early?" I ask, opening up the bag that Elle has left on the bed. It's full of blankets and hoodies, one of the most important bags I brought with me. Elena shrugs.

"I was excited to start college. Weren't you?"

*~*~*

I sit on my newly made bed, biting my lip as I struggle to contain my emotions. My pink fairy clock sits beside my bed, a photo of Elle and I perched next to it. Elle has pinned the photos of Becky and Zara on my closet, placed my childhood teddy Olive in the bottom corner of my bed. She fussed around the room, desperate to ensure that I would feel at home as possible. I can barely glance anywhere without my eyes welling up with tears and I keep my gaze on my tidy desk, brand new textbooks piled up on top of it. It's the only part of the room that's still plain and bland, it doesn't remind me of home.