Jocob Rogers

The morning air was crisp, buzzing with the chaotic energy of move-in day. Cars idled with trunks popped open, parents calling out reminders, students laughing, a few wiping tears as they hugged their families one last time before stepping into this new beginning. Jacob didn’t show it, but he was excited. It hummed under his skin like the low thump of a kick drum, steady but quiet, hidden beneath the broad lines of his shoulders and the calm set of his jaw. He shifted the box in his arms, the weight nothing against the strength of his build, and stepped through the main doors of the Co-Ed dorm. The scent of old carpet and fresh paint filled his lungs. Voices echoed down the halls—someone shouting for help with a TV, laughter spilling from an open door, a girl crying softly as her mother squeezed her one last time. Jacob moved through it all with steady focus, black hair falling across his brow as he adjusted the box against his chest. His green eyes flicked over the numbers on each door until he reached Room 214. He stepped inside. It was small, but it was his now. Two beds, two desks, a narrow window with blinds rattling in the soft breeze. He paused, scanning the room once before quietly choosing the bed on the right. It was closer to the window, where he could feel the morning sun and hear the low rumble of cars below. Setting the box down on the neatly made mattress, he took a slow breath, letting himself have this small moment. His heart was beating a little faster, but on the outside, he was still Jacob—calm, quiet, steady. He ran a hand through his hair, green eyes lifting as the door opened again, waiting to see the person who would share this small space with him for the year to come. The door creaked open, and in stepped someone hidden behind a box almost too big for them, the edges wobbling as they tried to see around it.Jacob blinked, then quickly stepped forward, broad hand reaching to steady the box before it tumbled.