This was Sébastien's first time so far away from home, and it almost felt unreal. The buzz of the new college, the unfamiliar faces, and the looming uncertainty—it was all a little overwhelming. His last college had shut down suddenly, and the reason behind it still felt like some strange, distant memory he wasn't quite ready to face. But here he was, starting fresh. A new place. A new life.
That included dorms. A concept that felt like something out of a movie. He'd never really thought about it much, never pictured himself in one of those cramped rooms, living alongside a complete stranger. And yet, here he was, standing in front of his assigned dorm, trying to figure out what to do with himself. He had no clue what to pack, so instead, he'd thrown almost everything from his room into bags and boxes, hoping he wouldn't need anything back home. It was chaos, to say the least.
Sébastien knocked on the door, waiting for a response, but it never came. Seems like his roommate wasn't here yet—a relief, really. It meant he could settle in without the awkward first introductions.
He pushed the door open, stepping into the room. It wasn't as small as he'd imagined, though it still felt a little too cramped for his liking. The walls were a dull gray, the space divided by two beds, a small desk, and a window that looked out at the campus. It wasn't much, but it would have to do.
Being the first one here was a blessing in disguise. He had the room to himself, for now. He stood in the middle of the space, looking around before his eyes fell on the two beds. One was near the window, the other tucked against the wall. Without thinking twice, Sébastien walked over to the one by the window. The bed that looked the most comfortable, the one with a view. He tossed his bag on it, claiming his territory as if he'd been here for years.
Since unpacking wasn't exactly high on his list of priorities, Sébastien decided to explore the campus instead. The big green space behind the school had caught his attention earlier, and he figured now was as good a time as any to check it out.
Navigating the halls was a challenge, to say the least. Sébastien had never been great with directions, and the layout of the building wasn't helping. The corridors all looked the same—endless stretches of beige walls, scattered bulletin boards, and identical doors that made it impossible to tell one wing from another. He turned a corner, hesitated, then turned another, only to realize he had no idea whether he was getting closer to the exit or wandering deeper into the maze.
Annoyance prickled at him. He wasn't used to feeling this lost. Back home, he knew every street, every shortcut. Here, everything was new, unfamiliar, and slightly disorienting. His confidence wavered as he passed by students who walked with purpose, chatting easily like they'd been here for years. Meanwhile, he felt like a confused freshman, even though he was far from it.
After what felt like forever, he finally spotted a set of glass doors ahead. A glimpse of sunlight spilled through them, and relief flooded his chest. He pushed through, stepping outside, ready to clear his head.
And then he froze.
The space behind the school was massive, buzzing with life. Wide stretches of green grass sprawled across the area, dotted with groups of students lounging under the sun, some deep in conversation, others laughing loudly over something on their phones. A few were sprawled out on blankets, textbooks open but largely ignored. Closer to the shade of a few large trees, others sat cross-legged, their attention focused on sketchbooks, notebooks, or simply on the music playing through their headphones.
Sébastien exhaled slowly, taking it all in. It felt like the heart of the campus, a place where people naturally gravitated to between classes. The kind of spot that, eventually, he might get used to. But right now? He wasn't sure where to go, or if he even wanted to stay. He'd been hoping for some quiet, a place to breathe, but instead, he'd walked straight into what felt like the social hub of the school.
Before he could decide whether to turn back, movement caught his eye. A group of girls near one of the benches had turned in his direction. Their whispers were subtle, but the way their gazes flickered toward him made it clear he'd been noticed.
He wasn't exactly surprised. He knew he was good-looking—not in a cocky way, just in the way you know when something is true. Even men hit on him sometimes, though he never quite knew how to respond. He'd gotten used to the attention, but that didn't mean he always enjoyed it.
So when the girls exchanged glances and then suddenly made a beeline for him, Sébastien barely had time to brace himself.
The first girl to approach was a tall blonde, practically bouncing on her feet as she took him in like he was some kind of rare species. "A new face?" she asked, her voice chipper and full of curiosity.
Sébastien blinked. He opened his mouth, then closed it. Was that a question or…? Before he could decide how to answer, the girl gasped dramatically, pointing at him as if she'd just made some groundbreaking discovery.
"Yes! Definitely a new face!" she announced, as if confirming it for herself.
Sébastien shifted uncomfortably, glancing around as if hoping someone else might suddenly appear and absorb the attention. No such luck. He let out a stiff chuckle, unsure what to do with his hands. Were they supposed to just… stand here? Did he wave? No, that'd be weird.
The girl wasn't waiting for a response, anyway. She thrust her hand out, beaming. "I'm Grace! Sophomore, English Literature major!" she said in one breath, barely stopping for air. "You looked a bit lost, so we figured we'd come over and say hi!"
We?
Sébastien's eyes flickered to the two other girls standing beside her, both nodding enthusiastically. One, a brunette with bright eyes, quickly chimed in, "I'm Emma!"
The other girl, slightly shorter and more reserved, gave him a polite smile. "Chloe."
Sébastien swallowed, nodding as he awkwardly shifted his weight from one foot to the other. His brain was short-circuiting. Too many people. Too many eyes. Did his face feel hot? It definitely felt hot.
Grace, clearly the fearless leader of the group, was still grinning up at him. "Name, year, major?" she asked eagerly before suddenly throwing her hands up. "Oh! I'm so sorry! I can be a bit pushy sometimes," she added with a nervous giggle, tucking a loose strand of hair behind her ear.
Sébastien hesitated for a beat too long, his mind going completely blank. "Uh."
Fantastic start.
"Name's… Sébastien," he finally managed, though it came out sounding more like a question than a statement. "I'm a sophomore. Sports major—uh, swimming, specifically."
A beat of silence stretched between them. He felt the warmth crawling up his neck. Why did that sound so weird? It wasn't weird. People majored in sports all the time. Right?
The girls continued to stare at him, and Sébastien—now hyper-aware of every movement he made—shifted again, reaching up to rub the back of his neck. His palm felt clammy. Great. Now he was the awkward sweaty guy.
"And, uh… yeah. I am… quite lost," he added, attempting a small, sheepish grin, but it mostly felt like an uncomfortable grimace.
The girls giggled, their faces lighting up with amusement. Grace looked absolutely thrilled, as if she'd just won some kind of game. "Well, now that we've got your name, we'll make sure you don't stay lost for long!" she said with a playful wink.
Sébastien had no idea how to respond to that, so he just let out another short, awkward laugh and vaguely nodded, his brain desperately searching for an escape plan. When he felt it.
A presence.
The kind that made the hairs on the back of his neck stand on end.
Then, a deep voice cut through the air like a blade.
"Why do you always pick on weirdos?"