Alex stood in front of the dorm room door, his hand lingering on the handle. He stared at the faded number on the door for a moment, trying to steady his breath. His heart was pounding, and he felt that familiar tightness in his chest again. *This is fine*, he tried to tell himself, but the words didn’t feel real. 

*It’s just a roommate. Just a guy you’re going to share a room with for a few years. It’s not a big deal.*

Still, he couldn't shake the weight in his stomach, the knot that had been there ever since he’d seen Kai’s name on the dorm list.

Alex turned the handle and stepped inside.

The room was exactly like he’d expected—small, simple, with a couple of desks, two beds, a pair of closets, and a window. But it suddenly felt so much more... personal now. His heart skipped a beat when he saw the guy who was going to be his roommate. 

Kai stood by the window, adjusting the blinds, his dark hair falling into his eyes, wearing a loose hoodie and jeans. He looked... relaxed. Like he’d done this a thousand times before. Like he belonged here. 

“Hey, Alex,” Kai said, flashing a grin that was easy and unforced, the kind that made Alex feel like he was already being sized up, but in a good way. Kai stepped further into the room, swinging a couple of bags over his shoulder. “Looks like we’re stuck together for a while, huh?”

Alex felt his throat tighten, but he tried to keep it cool. “Yeah. Guess so,” he muttered. His voice sounded awkward even to him. 

Kai dropped his bags on the bed closest to the door, the one Alex hadn’t claimed yet. “Cool,” he said, glancing around. “So, how’s the place? I mean, it’s not huge, but it’s not a disaster either, right?”

“Yeah, it’s... fine,” Alex said, the words feeling like they came from somewhere far away. *It’s fine. It’s fine. Just don’t freak out.*

He took a few steps into the room, standing awkwardly by his bed. His heart still wouldn’t settle, and the silence between them felt too heavy. He couldn’t even think about unpacking yet. How do you even *start* unpacking in front of someone like Kai, who seemed so *together*? Like he had his whole life planned out and he wasn’t even worried about it?

“So,” Kai said, suddenly breaking the silence, looking at Alex with that same relaxed grin, “what’s your deal? You into anything? Or are you just one of those ‘I’m just here to pass the time’ types?”

Alex blinked, taken off guard by the question. It wasn’t an interview, but it felt like one. *What’s your deal?* Like there was supposed to be some neat answer, like Alex was supposed to have a box he could check. Sports? Music? Video games? 

“I don’t know,” Alex said, shrugging. “I mean, I’m... I guess I’m just figuring things out, you know? Like, I like psychology and stuff. That's why I'm here. But I’m still trying to figure out what I want to do with it.”

Kai nodded like it made sense. "Yeah, I feel that. I’m into a lot of things, but nothing really sticks. Psychology’s cool, though. A lot of people in my family are in that field, so it’s kind of familiar territory for me."

Alex felt a flicker of relief. *Okay, maybe we’re not that different.* 

“But hey, it’s not like we have to be obsessed with our majors or anything,” Kai continued, tossing a jacket onto the bed. “I mean, no one’s figured it out at 18. Some people take years to get their stuff together. I’m not rushing.”

Alex couldn’t help but feel like he was talking to someone who had their life way more together than he did. But Kai didn’t seem to be judging him for it. In fact, he seemed... open. Like it wasn’t a big deal.

“Yeah, you’re right,” Alex said, forcing a smile. He started unpacking his bag, anything to fill the silence and keep from overthinking every little thing.

Kai wandered over to the window and peered outside, the soft sunlight casting a warm glow across the room. “This is the part where we figure out if we can live with each other without killing each other, right?” he said, his tone light, but there was something behind it—maybe curiosity, maybe just the same awkwardness Alex was feeling.

“Yeah, I guess,” Alex said, his heart still racing. “I mean, I’m sure it’ll be fine.”

Kai turned back, raising an eyebrow. “You *sure* about that? I don’t know. The way people talk about living with roommates, you’d think it’s some kind of survival experiment.”

Alex chuckled, feeling the smallest bit of tension release. “Yeah, it kind of feels that way, doesn’t it?”

There was a pause as Kai dropped onto the bed, stretching out his legs. “Honestly, though,” he said, looking up at the ceiling, “I’m just here to have a good time. I mean, I don’t know anyone here, but I figure... whatever happens, happens. If we’re gonna be stuck together for a while, we might as well not make it weird.”

*Not make it weird*. The words settled in Alex’s brain, and something about them felt like the answer he was looking for. Maybe this wouldn’t have to be so awkward. Maybe they could actually make it work.

“I can do that,” Alex said, sitting down on his own bed, finally allowing himself to relax a little.

Kai grinned, the tension in his shoulders melting away. “Great. No weirdness. We’ll see how long that lasts.”

Alex chuckled and shook his head. For the first time today, the weight on his chest wasn’t so heavy. Kai wasn’t a stranger anymore. He was just... a guy. Someone who didn’t expect Alex to have it all together, someone who seemed like he didn’t need Alex to be anything other than himself.

“Alright, well, I’ve got some stuff to unpack,” Kai said, starting to spread out his things. “But if you want to chill or sum shit later, let me know. I’m not one of those people who locks themselves in their room and never comes out.”

Alex gave him a small smile. “Yeah, I’ll keep that in mind.”

And for the first time since they met, he felt like maybe—just maybe—things were going to be okay.