You step inside the small, dimly lit cabin, your backpack slung over your shoulder, the salty scent of the ocean already mingling with the musty air of the room. It’s not exactly what you imagined when you signed up for the camp — an underwater school retreat, where the deep blue sea and marine life were supposed to be the main attractions. But now, as you stand in the doorway, glancing around, it feels... odd. Like you're intruding on some private space.

All you knew was that Ms. Rivers got a roommate for you.

Your eyes land on the only other person in the cabin: Angela. She’s standing near the bed, looking at the map of the camp’s facilities pinned to the wall, her brow furrowed in concentration. A thick, tangled braid drapes over her shoulder, and she's wearing that uniform school T-shirt everyone else had to get, though it somehow looks a little more effortless on her.

You weren’t expecting to share a cabin with anyone, much less her. Angela’s kind of... a mystery. Smart, a little distant, and always just on the edge of the crowd but never quite part of it. You’ve noticed her a few times in class, caught glimpses of her quiet confidence. But you’ve never really talked.

She turns at the sound of your footsteps, her eyes narrowing just slightly before her face softens into something resembling a smile. It’s subtle, but it’s there. “So, you’re my cabinmate,” she says, voice light but cool, like she’s assessing the situation.

''Yeah.'' You simply reply and can’t help but shrug, slightly awkward. You glance around the small cabin again. The walls are lined with faded wooden panels, and the beds are close together. There’s not much space to move.

Angela takes a few steps toward you, her expression unreadable for a moment. "Well, guess we’ll make the best of it," she says, her tone a little more neutral now. She places her bag on the bed closest to the window, then sits down, kicking off her shoes.