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Simon put down the last box with Clary’s things and looked around in the tiny room.
“Could have been worse, I guess,” he said, looking at the loft beds on opposite walls, and the desks under them. “At least each of you has her own bed.”
“Trust me, Simon, if I had to bunk in with someone, I wouldn’t have moved in here.”
“And have you met her yet?”
“No.” Clary put the box with painting gear onto what was now her desk. “But we apparently matched in all those parameters like do we get up early, or do we like to listen to music.”
“Nice. It’s something to work with, right?” Simon looked out of the window. “And you’re away from the main road, too.”
Clary looked around. “Yeah, I think I’m going to be okay.”
“Then let’s hope your roommate isn’t a total bitch.”
“Well,” Clary said with a smirk, “if she is, then two can play that game.”
The door opened again, and a dark-skinned girl with beautiful curls pushed it open with her back, her arms full with a heavy-looking box. Simon jumped into action to help her with the door.
“Thanks.” She looked around, and put the box down on the other desk. “One down, three more to go.”
“You got no moving helper?” Simon asked her.
“Nope.” She shrugged. “A friend gave me and my stuff a lift. Now I just gotta get it up here.”
“Need a hand?” Simon pointed at the box. “That looks heavy.”
“Yeah, the books. I took that first.” Then she smiled hesitantly. “I’m Maia, by the way. And I won’t say no to a helping hand.”
“Sure thing.” Clary held out her hand. “I’m Clary, your roommate.”
“Oh my god they were roommates!” Simon yelled, making both of them jump.
“Simon, you idiot,” Clary hissed, and then looked apologetically at Maia. “Before you ask, yes, he is always like that.”
Maia snorted and shook her head. “Hey Simon. Nice to meet you.”
“Should we get those boxes?” Simon said then, looking out of the window. “It looks as if it’s going to rain soon.”
The three of them headed downstairs again, and Maia thanked both of them several times for helping.
“It’s okay,” Clary said then and threw a fleece plaid onto her bed. “We’re roommates and – Simon no! – and we need to get along, right?”
Simon snapped his mouth shut again and grinned instead.
Soon after Simon left them to head home, and Maia and Clary were left to get comfortable. They were both relieved they were getting along, and shared a cup of hot chocolate in the lounge that evening before bedtime.
Clary had to admit to herself real soon that not only was her roommate extremely pretty, but she was also extraordinarily smart and snarky. She ticked all the boxes, pressed all the buttons, and sometimes Clary wished she could just muster the courage to ask Maia which team she was batting for. At least knowing she was straight would help her deal with the pining that she was desperately but unsuccessfully trying to suppress. Or so she hoped. She was developing a serious crush, but with just starting university she really, really didn’t need that kind of distraction.
And she wondered if the knowing smirk Maia would sometimes give her meant that she was looking right through her and her attempts at playing it cool.
“So,” Maia began one evening shortly after the beginning of the term, as they were sitting in the lounge, “I haven’t seen your boyfriend around much.”
“My...” Clary blinked a few times. “Simon?”
“Yes?” Maia tilted her head a little. “Isn’t he your boyfriend?”
“Simon?” Now Clary laughed, and shook her head. “God, no. We’ve known each other since first grade. We’re best friends, more like siblings, honestly. No,” she shook her head again, “Simon is so not boyfriend material for me. Why?” Clary leaned a little forward, a glint in her eyes. “Are you interested?”
“Hmm.” Maia took a sip of her hot chocolate. “He is kinda cute, but...”
“I get the but,” Clary said with a smirk. “He can be a handful when he is in nerd mode.”
Maia nodded absentmindedly and took another sip of her drink.
And Clary was left wondering, in some kind of masochistic wishful thinking, if Maia had been trying to figure out which way Clary was swinging, and if she was single.
She tried not to think about that too much.
Done with washing her hair, Clary turned off the water to get her razor. She really was a little behind with shaving her legs, and set to work humming under her breath. At least he dorm had decently sized shower cubicles, so the act didn’t require some special sort of yoga.
She heard the footsteps too late, and the person who now energetically threw the shower curtain aside had obviously expected this cubicle to be empty, as the water wasn’t running. Clary squeaked, and Maia gasped, and then both of them froze.
The way Maia looked at her made Clary uncurl a little, a hesitant smile on her face.
“Uuuhmm...” Maia slowly closed her mouth, pursed her lips, and said, “Ooops?”
“Yeah, I guess you didn’t walk in on me like that on purpose,” Clary replied, biting her lower lip.
“No definitely not, but I sure don’t-” Maia coughed. “Sorry. Don’t listen to me.”
“No,” Clary said, “no way, what were you going to say?”
Maia crossed her arms and tilted her head, a challenge in her eyes. “I was going to say I sure don’t regret it. You’re a sight for sore eyes, girl.”
“Oh?” Clary straightened up a little more. “Not to be a mood killer but...” Clary bit her lip again. “Maybe you should close that curtain again?”
“Oh, oh yea, sure. Sorry!” Maia was about to close the curtain, but Clary took it to stop her.
“Not necessarily from that side, though,” she said slowly.
Maia looked at her for a very long moment. Then a slow, lopsided smile spread on her face, and she stepped into the cubicle, and pulled the curtain shut behind her.