“This is your room?” Alicia stands in the doorway to my uni room, arms folded, one eyebrow quirked.

“Um, yes?” I give her a quizzical look. “Is…there a problem?” I ask as I put down a box filled with books.

“No…well apart from the fact that it’s like twice the size of mine!!! That’s not fair; I’ve been a student here longer than you” she glares at the floor. And they call me the family baby.

“Suck it up, sis” I giggle as I flip my braid over my shoulder, sorting through everything I brought with me to my new room.

“I’m a lesbian, Ash” her eyebrow lifts to new heights. I stand there, flabbergasted at her. “You…why…why did you have to make it sexual, sis!”

I feel my face reddening as I glare what hopefully are daggers at her. Judging by the smirk on her face, I assume my daggers appear as sharp as spoons.

“Hey I’m not Annia. However, if I see an opportunity to embarrass my pure little Ash, I will take said opportunity.” I roll my eyes at her. Stupid idiot sister, let me unpack in peace.

My door opens and my parents shuffle into the room, bringing the rest of my stuff in with them. “Thanks” I say with a smile as my dad hands me the last box.

“Sweetie I’m sorry Annia couldn’t be here today; she’s busy at work” my mum strokes my hair, twirling a strand round her finger.

“It’s fine” my smile turns to a grimace as I face Alicia “she’s more than enough”. Alicia huffs in response, a slight grin tugging at the corners of her mouth.

We stand and hug our goodbyes as I finish unpacking. With our parents gone, I’m one chat away from being all alone in my new home.

“Hey in all seriousness though, you call me for anything, ok? Doesn’t matter how small, doesn’t have to do with the whole amnesia thing either.” Alicia holds me tightly in a bear hug.

“I’m always here for you”. We stop hugging, and a smirk creeps onto her face “and if you wanna talk about your new roommate who may-or-may-not be hot, we’ll see, I’m always up for some boy-talk”

I laugh and slap her playfully on the arm “you so want to be involved in my possible future love-life, huh.”

She grimaces and looks down “yeah well after Byron…” I look up suddenly. “Who?” No one has ever mentioned a Byron before. Alicia shakes her head and looks at me.

“Nah it’s nothing, I’ll see you soon Ash. Love you” I quirk my eyebrow at her but let it go “yeah, see you soon. I love you too, sis.”

And suddenly, I’m all alone in a place called ‘home’.

—————

My room finally feels like my own when the front door bangs open. I sit up from my bed with a start, wondering which family member forgot something.

I peek my head out my door, calling to whomever it is “hey what did you forget, I can bring it to you?”

My family doesn’t answer back.

“Hey, I guess you’re my roommate?” A tall guy with dyed blue hair stares back at me. I can’t help but blush a tiny bit. I better tell both my sisters: my roommate is pretty hot.

I focus my breathing to still my anxious heart, and step out into the hall. “Hi, I’m Asher. Nice to meet you” I smile and extend my hand, which he takes and shakes.

He has a good handshake, I think absentmindedly. “I’m Laurence. A pleasure to meet you” he smiles at me, and wow he has good teeth. And a mole next to the left side of his mouth, and under his left eye.

It crinkles as he smiles. Cute.

I can tell already, this guy is popular. He’s a real charmer.

“So I’m guessing that room’s yours, considering you poked your head out of it” he laughs slightly, running a hand through his curly blue locks. Hair the same colour as your eyes, huh.

I swallow and turn to my room “yep this one’s mine; I hope you don’t mind” I swivel back to him. Am I staring at him too much? I can’t tell, he just has this…eye-catching appearance.

“Not at all, I’ll take this one then” he walks past me, bumping my arm slightly. He’s hard not to look at.

He must be, what, 6 foot? With bright blue curls and eyes, and then that skin - a rich, olive brown. He’s definitely my type, I can tell that much.

Was this always my type though? I can’t even remember my own damn type.

I tug at my braid in frustration at my own brain, then let out a little sigh as I walk towards Laurence’s room.

Impressed at my own courage to talk to another human being, I manage to get out the words “Need any help unpacking?”