Alex was so grateful that she was rooming with Hope, Ali and Allie. Over the three years since they were freshmen, Alex had grown closer to Hope, the girl she could call her best friend, and Ali and Allie, who were close seconds. She didn't know what she would do if she had to room with Carli, who while her friend, was often cool and inclosed, and it seemed as if only Hope could bring out the good in her.

She also didn't know what she would do if she were rooming with Kelley. Alex had come to terms over the summers since freshman year that Kelley was actually in love with Allie. The freckled girl was so gullible that even a wink would change her feelings. Both Hope and Allie had warned her to be careful.

So Alex had moved on, instead investing her time in homework, soccer practice and her family. She had decided that she wasn't even close to ready for a new relationship, even three years later.

Alex had also forgiven Kelley and had asked that their friendship was restored. Of course, there were still occasional jealous glances from Alex, from Kelley when she saw Alex spending so much time with Hope and from Allie, when she saw Alex's hurt eyes stare at Kelley.

In their apartment, the four girls had trouble deciding who would claim the two bedrooms. The place was a good size, had four queen beds, one bathroom, a tiny kitchen and an equally small living space with a TV and a sofa. Hope was sharing with Allie Long, and Alex was sharing with Ali Krieger, they had decided, the pairs they thought would fight the least.

Each bed area had been decorated with posters, books, soccer cleats and magazines, all things that showed the girls' personalities individually. Textbooks were sprawled out on all tables available, the seniors already enveloped in their schoolwork only a week into classes.

Ali, the most responsible out of the four, had created a schedule with who would do the laundry, wash the dishes (they had no dishwasher), and who would vacuum the rugs. The chores rotated weekly.

This week, it was Alex's job to do the laundry, a job that was not particularly enjoyable, hence the fact that she would have to touch her friends' dirty underwear. Once the clothes had been loaded into the machine in the common room, the rest wasn't as bad. Just turn on the washer and put in the soap.

The forward watched Allie with a curled lip, cursing under her breath as she threw her friend's bra into the washing machine.

The blonde gleefully placed each porcelain plate in the drying rack as a tune was softly hummed under her breath.

Through Alex's resentful stare, Allie made temporary eye contact and threw her a crisp nod. She raised an eyebrow at the pair of underpants balanced in Alex's tan hand, who shook her head, her eyes rolling back in her head at her friend's dirty assumptions.

-

Mallory did not expect to already have four friends, only a few days into school. Of course, there was Rae, Mal's roommate, the bubbly butterfly who wouldn't stop smiling.

Mal had met a junior named Steph, who had been introduced to her through Allie and Carli. She was Carli's roommate. Steph's hot blonde girlfriend, Kristie, was just as nice, just without the gallon of goofiness Steph carried on her shoulder's, something the freshman found oddly attractive. Just thinking about the brunette quickened Mal's heartbeat and left her feeling breathless, feelings that left her baffled and conflicted.

Steph and Kristie's best friend was named Lindsey Horan, a Colorado girl just like the freshman. Lindsey was a sophomore with surfer blonde hair with brown roots, squinted green eyes and a wide smile. Just like Mal's roommate, Rae, the freshman saw Lindsey as a positive butterfly.

-

Carli woke up covered in sweat. She was panting, had pissed the bed and was soaked to the bone. Letting out a groan, Carli called, "Hope?!" loudly, sighing when no reply came. She had forgotten that summer was over and the two were no longer sharing a room in Hope's Seattle home.

"I'm not Hope, honey," Steph chuckled from the bed over.

Carli opened her heavy eyelids, rolling over in bed to face the junior. Just a moment later, her mind caught up with her and she sat straight up in panic. "Where's Hope?! Is she okay?!"

The brunette's eyes widened. "Carli, what's going on? Your girlfriend is fine, I promise. She's probably just at class. Check your phone, I'm sure she texted you."

The midfielder turned on her iPhone in a hurry, her fingers twitching as she scanned the good morning messages that Hope had sent. Carli let out a breath she didn't know she was holding and collapsed on the bed in relief.

"Carli, what's up?" Steph asked, her eyebrows still narrowed in confusion at the woman's unusual persona.

Carli simply moaned into her pillow. "Where's Hope?"

"I just told you, Carli. Hope's at class."

"Steph, I need Hope."

Steph's gaze rested on Carli's twisted, sweaty and slightly miserable figure, her lips pressed together in a slight grimace. Steph scratched the base of her neck with a curse, until she finally gave in, putting her shoes on and slipping her phone in her pocket. "I'll be back in a little with your girlfriend. Hang tight, Carli."

Carli watched her roommate leave and closed her eyes, drifting off into a distant sleep until the door bursted open like a cannon. Carli bolted upright and was smothered in a hug by a familiar shape.

"Princess, what's wrong?" Hope asked, rubbing her girlfriend's back to comfort her. Carli didn't respond, burying her face in Hope's brown tee shirt as silent tears ran down her face.

When the goalkeeper realized that Carli wasn't going to answer, she just hugged her tighter and kissed the woman's head softly.

"Carls," Hope whispered into Carli's ear. "I love you. You're okay."

Carli's racing pulse slowed and the negative feeling was replaced with a safe wholeness.