Page 1 of And They Were Roommates

Chapter 1THIS SIDE OF PARADISE

TUESDAY, SEPTEMBER 3

“Aroommate?” My heart races as I glance back at the waiting line full of frowns and tapping feet. I’m taking too long. Day one, and the spotlight is already on me. The exact situation I need to avoid as long as I’m at Valentine Academy for Boys.

My accidental nervous outburst forces my fourth-year orientation leader to finally glance up from his clipboard. He rules above me from a cocktail table at the back ballroom wall. Of course this academy hosts orientation in a literal ballroom. His plastic smile and dress shirt are properly buttoned to the neck, and his name tag claims he’s called Maverick.

“Room 503,” Maverick says, leaning forward to hand me a key. I instinctively take a step back to maintain the space between us. “You’ve been assigned to a double room. You’re in Philautia Residence Hall. My floor.”

I push my glasses farther up my nose to inspect the key, which is the size of my fist and made out of brass. “Your floor?”

“Yes, I’m your residential retainer.”

“Sorry, my what?”

“Residential retainer,” Maverick repeats. No explanation. Second years should know this by now. An RA, maybe, but for fancy schools?

“I apologize for the inconvenience,” I try to say calmly, settingthe key back on the table, “but I believe I paid the extra fee to reserve a single room.”

It’s a fact. On top of studying nonstop for Valentine’s entrance exams and crafting a perfect portfolio for their Excellence Scholarship application, my summer break consisted of tutoring nearly every elementary schooler in Queens to afford the extra fee for this room. Hard to forget that.

From his cocktail table throne, Maverick scans the parents and students waiting behind us. “It’d be best to discuss this with your caregivers.”

Today would be easier if Mom were here. It’s not like I chose to be alone after my four-hour train ride to middle-of-nowhere upstate New York—Au Sable Forks, population 55. But some parents can’t miss work if they want to pay rent, Maverick.

“She didn’t come with me,” I say.

“Remind me of your name again?”

“Charlie.”

“Last?”

“Von Hevringprinz.”

“Quite a long one you got.”

Never heard that one before,Maverick. “Mhm.”

“If you had paid for a single, then that would be marked here.” He holds up his clipboard and points at my name. “I, too, apologize for the inconvenience.”

Second yearanddoubleare marked on the spreadsheet.

Then there’s been a huge mistake. “Would you mind double-checking with the office?”

Maverick rapidly rips a sticky note off a nearby stack like I struck a nerve by questioning his authority as a measly underclassman. “I’ll note it. Large requests like these can only beapproved by the principal. What was the reason you listed for requesting a single?”

“Um. Personal reasons.”

His impenetrable smile falls a centimeter. He’s heard that excuse a hundred times, but I’m not about to tell him or anyone else here the real reason. “Since all other rooms have been reserved, you’ll need to stay with your assigned roommate in the meantime.”

“How long will it take?”

Instead of answering, Maverick pulls a wicker basket of phones out from under the table and slaps it down in front of me. “All electronics, please.”

Delilah warned me about the phone ransack. I just didn’t realize it would be so soon. I hesitantly drop in my phone. “I don’t get this back until winter break?”

“If there’s an emergency, the office will happily accommodate you.”

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