Until You.

OLIVIA

Exiting the cab, I inhaled the crisp California air, absorbing the scenery unfolding before me–UCLA. This place holds my future.

"You'll be fine, Olivia. I believe in you," my dad's voice echoed.

A smile tugged on my lips as I thought about the conversation we had before I left.

My mum once told me when I was thirteen, "Be bold, Olivia. You've got the strength to conquer," and I've held on to those encouraging words even after she left. Now, those words echo as I face the uncertainty of this new chapter in my life.

Turning to Emma, her presence reassured me. We'd come a long way together, and now we're stepping onto a new chapter–college. I sighed, stealing another glance at Emma, who also appeared to be sharing a moment.

"Well, here we are, college," she remarked.

"Is it strange to admit I'm terrified about what lies ahead?" I questioned, nervously rubbing my arms.

"Honestly, I think I'm a lot more terrified than you are."

"At least Aunt Stella's here. My dad is 2782 miles away, I have no one," I exclaimed.

"You have me."

I smiled warmly at her. "You have no idea how pumped I am because of that."

Having gathered all our necessities, including the map of the school and our room numbers, we made our way to our assigned room. My dad generously secured a college-owned apartment for me, while for Emma, it wasn't a big deal as her parents are loaded.

As we reached our room, anticipation bubbled between us, fueled by chatter about what the space might look like. With eager hands, we unlocked the door and swung it open, ready to explore our new home. However, our excitement was abruptly cut short by a piercing scream that echoed down the hallway.

"Dios mío, chi diavolo sei?" (My gosh, who the hell are you?), a startled voice exclaimed. I looked up at the culprit, gaping at her appearance; she was beautiful. Starting from her naturally tanned skin to her rosy lips, button-shaped nose, and eyes that could draw any guy in. She stood around 5'6 with long, slender legs, and hands that were currently holding a baseball bat.

I had to stifle a laugh seeing the Italian girl holding a baseball bat. She looked so harmless, like she couldn't hurt a fly. The contrast between her appearance and the intimidating object in her hands was strangely amusing.

"What now?" Emma blurted, extremely confused by what she had just said.

"We're your new roommates. I'm Olivia, and this slightly confused person here is my best friend, Emma," I stated, comprehending her words clearly.

"Sei italiano? (Are you Italian?)" she inquired.

I gave her a small nod, and she made a face, visibly impressed.

"I'm Isabella," she introduced herself, and I shook her outstretched hand.

"Welcome to m–our humble abode. Feel free to wander around," Isabella warmly greeted.

Following her guidance, I stepped into the room designated for me.

Instantly, I was enveloped in a sense of comfort and warmth. A queen-sized bed dominated the left side, its inviting allure enhanced by soft, plush pillows and a cozy comforter. 

Beside it, a quaint nightstand held a delicate table lamp casting a soft, soothing glow. A curious plant perched nearby, adding a touch of whimsy to the space. On the right, two doors beckoned—one leading to a spacious walk-in closet and the other to a tidy bathroom. 

In the center of the room, a small table accompanied by a chair stood. The walls, painted a pristine white, served as the perfect backdrop for an array of framed memories waiting to be made. This room felt tailor-made for me.

Arranging my clothes neatly into the closet after unboxing them, I gave my cosmetics and jewelry a final touch. Just then, Em walked in.

"I love this place," she declared, sprawling out on my bed.

"Hey, I just made that," I retorted as she rolled her eyes.

"Your room looks exactly like mine," I hummed in agreement while staring at the photo before me.

"You miss her, don't you?"

"Every day, Em," I said, my voice trailing off as memories of my mother flooded my mind. I wished she were here, watching me unpack and offering her sage advice—the kind only a mother could give. Her absence, especially on days like today, left a void that no one else could fill. It's been five years since she was taken from me by a drunk driver, and the pain still feels fresh.

"Wherever she is now, I'm sure she's watching you with a proud smile on her face," Emma reassured, pulling me into a warm hug.

"Oh, when you're done, let's stop by at Auntie's Cafe; she's been dying to see me."

"Sure, sure," I hummed.

"Sooo, Isabella is a ray of sunshine," Emma started, and right on cue, the door suddenly burst open, and Isabella came walking in.

"Oh my God!" Em exclaimed in shock.

"Get used to it, bellissima (beautiful)," she said as she shimmied her way towards the bed, plopping herself on it.

I let out a small laugh at her antics and discreetly sighed, feeling relieved that we weren't stuck with a cranky and snobbish roommate. 

"So let's get to know ourselves," she begins. "You already know I'm Isabella; you can call me Izzy though. My last name's Russo."

"I'm Emma, Emma Smith," Em finally introduced herself.

"Oh, you finally spoke. For a moment, I thought you had a few-word syndrome, you know, a condition where you could only say few words for some amount of time," Izzy teased, laughing.

"She's just really shy around new people, right Emma?" I nudged her gently.

"Yeah," she awkwardly chuckled. "I'm just getting used to the whole vibrant personality. It's kind of overwhelming, no offense. You sound like an amazing person, and I'm sure we'd be great friends."

"Well, brace yourself," Isabella declared, "because you'll be seeing a lot more of me now that we're roommates."

"I'm Olivia Davis; you can call me Olly," I introduced, "that's what everyone calls me. I'm a business major, and so is Emma."

"Well, aren't I just lucky?" she remarked, "I'm also a business major, and so is my stupid twin brother. Luck sure wasn't on my side for that one," she added, rolling her eyes, making us laugh.

"So my Aunt has a cafe nearby, we're heading there now, want to come along?" Em suggested.

"Sure, yeah, like a date," Izzy remarked.

Em choked at Izzy's words. "What?"

"You should see your face right now," Izzy cackled. "I meant like us three drinking chocolate frappe and gossiping about college and all the sorority sisters in it," She squealed.

She sure is hyper.

I turned to look at Em, and it seemed like she was thinking the exact same thing.

"Okay, let's go then," I said, and we all stood, heading towards the door.