I was lugging my bags down the narrow hallway of the flat, Billie bouncing alongside me like she owned the place, humming something that sounded suspiciously like a circus tune. I was nervous, excited, and slightly overwhelmed — I’d just moved in, and my new roommate was still a mystery. Billie, as usual, had an opinion about everything. “You can totally put the giant cactus here. It’s feng shui-approved,” she said, balancing a massive plant against my shoulder. I rolled my eyes but smiled. With Billie around, moving in never felt boring.

Down the hall, Jake and Zac were leaning casually against the railings, tossing glances at us as we approached. I didn’t hear anything they were saying — I was too focused on getting my bags through the door. Billie, however, caught on instantly. Without me noticing, she marched up to them. “Hey! She’s taken! And the guy? Total disaster. You two pervy moon-juice buckets need to back off!” She wagged her finger like a tiny, furious general, then spun on her heel and returned to helping me haul the last of my stuff.

I couldn’t help but laugh as Billie muttered something about “windowed ghosts” while arranging my room, and I realized just how much energy she brought to everything. Meanwhile, Jake and Zac exchanged a glance, slightly embarrassed, though still impressed. None of us knew the full dynamics yet — who the other roommates would be, what secrets they carried, or how tangled everything was about to get. But one thing was clear: this flat was going to be chaotic, unpredictable, and somehow, exactly what I needed.