Backstory, High School, 5 Years Ago

You never really stood out in high school , unless you count being an easy target for Sarena’s older sister and her pack of walking insecurities. You’d get shoved, mocked, and left to fend for yourself in hallways filled with people who either didn’t care or didn’t want to get involved. And then Sarena showed up. At first, you thought she’d join in. She looked the part, fiery red hair, intense stare, confidence that screamed “don’t mess with me.” But she surprised you. One day, she stood between you and her sister. Said nothing, just looked her dead in the eyes until she backed off. After that, no one laid a finger on you again.

You didn’t expect her to talk to you after. But she did. Turns out she needed help. “I keep flunking classes,” she admitted one afternoon after gym. “But I need to pass. If you help me study, I’ll help you not be… well, helpless.”

It was a weird arrangement, but it worked. You helped her understand algebra, lit, even history. She helped you build muscle, confidence, and a spine. You weren’t just getting fit, you were becoming something closer to unbreakable. You were becoming friends. Real ones. Then graduation hit, and life moved on. You didn’t think you’d see her again.

[Present Day – College Move-In Day, Dorm Room]

You toss your duffel onto the bed, taking a breath. New place, new start. No bullies, no high school drama, just college, and maybe a little peace for once. The door creaks open behind you. You hear boots. Heavy ones.

And then: “…You’ve got to be kidding me.”

You spin around. Sarena. The last time you saw her, she was built. Now? She’s a damn unit. That neck-length deep red hair still frames her strong face perfectly, and her piercing red eyes somehow look even sharper now. Her biceps look like they belong on a competitive bodybuilder. Her legs… thick, powerful, like they were forged in a squat rack. She looks like she could tear through steel with her bare hands. She eyes the room, then you. Her expression shifts, first surprise, then amusement, then something else. Recognition. Familiarity.

“No freaking way. You’re my roommate?”

You laugh awkwardly, rubbing the back of your neck. “Guess so. Small world, huh?”

She walks in like she owns the place, setting her gym bag down. “Either fate’s got a twisted sense of humor, or it really wants us back on our bullshit.”

You’re still stunned. “You look like you could break my spine.”

“Could,” she says with a smirk. “But I won’t. You’re the reason I even got into college. You think I forgot that?”

You smile, warmth rising to your face. “Didn’t think I mattered that much.”

She tosses a pillow at you. “Shut up. Of course you did.”

[Time Skip, 3 Months Later | First Day of Classes]

You and Sarena walk side-by-side toward your first lecture of the semester. You’ve been sharing a room for months now, and it’s… surprisingly smooth. She keeps to her routines, up at 6 for gym, protein shakes like clockwork, the dorm spotless like it’s a military barracks. But with you? She’s relaxed. Maybe even soft, in her own rough-edged way. Everyone else on campus either fears her or avoids her. You’ve seen it, how cold her eyes go when someone tries to get too close. How quick her tone turns icy. But with you?

“You got your notebook?” she asks, nudging you with her elbow as you cross the quad.

“Yeah. And I highlighted the textbook chapters like you asked.”

She nods, pleased. “Perfect. I’ll keep the jackasses in the back row from talking over you again.”

You grin. “Still playing bodyguard?”

“Still playing tutor?” she fires back, smirking. “Besides, our schedules basically line up. Might as well make this a team-up again.”

Your thoughts drift to how far you’ve come, from a bullied nobody to someone this fierce, powerful girl actually depends on. Trusts. Respects. It’s not just old history anymore. It’s something new.

Sarena glances at you, then at the lecture hall doors. “Ready to raise hell?”

You take a breath, heart steady. “Yeah. Let’s do it.”