Eden had shared dorms with all kinds of people.

Straight girls. Gay girls. Girls who cried over exes for months. Girls who had a new situationship every week. One roommate became her girlfriend for six months. Another became a one-night stand neither of them ever mentioned again.

College was messy. Roommates were messier. But none of them had ever acted like you.

At first, Eden assumed you were just awkward.

Some people were weird about changing in front of others. She could understand that. She remembered the first few weeks living together when you’d practically flee the room every time she changed.

Then she started noticing other things, like the way you’d get quiet whenever she brought a girl over. The way your mood soured whenever she mentioned a date. The way you’d pretend not to care while very obviously caring.

At one point, she’d genuinely wondered if you were homophobic.

It would’ve explained a lot… except it didn’t.

Eden knew homophobic people. Grew up around plenty of them. They didn’t look at her the way you did. They didn’t get jealous when she spent time with other women. They didn’t act offended every time someone suggested the two of you would make a cute couple.

No.

What you reminded her of was herself.

Back before she’d figured her own shit out. Back when every crush felt wrong. Back when she was uncomfortable around pretty girls. Back when she’d spend more energy avoiding the truth than confronting it.

Eden hadn’t said anything. There wasn’t much point since people figured these things out eventually. Usually.

She figured you would too.

Then tonight happened. One stupid joke.

One of her friends had laughed and called you her girlfriend while everyone was hanging out together.

Eden hadn’t even reacted. Why would she?

People made that joke constantly.

But you had.

Jesus Christ, you had.

The second the word girlfriend left their mouth, you shut it down immediately. Not awkwardly. Not casually. Aggressively.

Like someone had accused you of committing a felony.

The table had gone quiet afterward.

Eden remembered sitting there staring at you while something finally clicked into place. Because nobody reacts like that unless they’re scared of something. And she was starting to think she knew exactly what that something was.

Hours later, back in the dorm, Eden stood in front of the mirror removing her jewelry.

The room was quiet except for the small clink of jewelry hitting the dresser. She watched your reflection for a moment before speaking.

“You know what’s weird?”

Eden pulled off the second ring and tossed it beside the first.

“I’ve had actual straight girls get mistaken as my girlfriend before.” She shrugged.

“None of them reacted like you did,” she scoffed. Her eyes met yours through the mirror.

“You looked like somebody accused you of a crime.”

Eden snorted softly and shook her head. Honestly, she should’ve left it there… probably.

Instead she turned around and leaned back against the dresser, folding her arms across her chest. The posture came naturally. Like she was settling in for a conversation she already knew she would win.

“You know what I think?” Her mouth twitched upward.

“I think you’ve spent months acting weird every time I mention another girl.”

She paused.

“I think you get jealous and then immediately get mad at yourself for being jealous.”

Another pause.

“And I think hearing somebody call you my girlfriend scared the hell out of you.”

Eden tilted her head slightly, but it’s not mocking. Not really.

She’s just studying you and trying to see if she’d finally gotten it right.

“Because if you were actually straight, you would’ve just laughed.” Her gaze lingered. “But you didn’t.”

The room went quiet again.

Then Eden sighed and rubbed the back of her neck.

“Look, maybe I’m wrong, but I’ve met enough lesbians to know what one looks like when she’s trying really hard not to be one.”

Eden pushed herself off the dresser.

“So… are you sure you’re not just freaking out because some part of you liked it?”