✏️ Under One Roof

19. One Clique

"I'm Linus, by the way," the tall guy added, giving her a friendly smile. "Studying Pol Sci. Always happy to meet a fellow newbie."

"Tegan. Music theory and composition," she replied, shaking his outstretched hand. She had been expecting to tell people just that she was studying music, but something about the atmosphere here told her that these people were intellectual, and she had to make it feel like she was actually studying something and not just playing an instrument.

"Oh, cool!" A girl with a bright teal streak in her black hair and numerous ear piercings gave her a little wave. "Karina. Fine Arts, emphasis on sculpting. And yes, the hair colour is new as of last week. Still getting used to it myself, so it's like I hear any mention of the girl with the pink bob I think they're talking about me and turn around."

"I think it suits you," Tegan offered. Karina beamed.

"Thanks! Okay, you met Line-man and me, so that leaves the Wonder Twins over there - Sanjana and Declan."

The two in question, a South Asian girl with glasses and a smattering of freckles and a guy with bleached blonde hair styled in a small pompadour, were huddled over a large book and seemed engrossed in discussion. At the sound of their names, they looked up.

"Oh hey!" said the girl – Sanjana presumably. "Sorry, we're going over the problem sets for Advanced Calc. Declan and I have a bet riding on who can get the best score on the first quiz of the year."

"Which I will win, obviously," Declan said with an exaggerated hair flip. "Future award-winning mathematician right here."

"In your dreams," Sanjana retorted playfully, elbowing him in the side. "Anyway, ignore us. Just a couple of mega nerds. You said your name was Tegan?"

Tegan nodded. "Yeah, late arrival. Was supposed to be going to Anchorage until my college fund mysteriously disappeared. Totally nothing to do with my mum's new husband suddenly having a new jetski." She realised then that a little bitterness had crept into her voice, and felt that she had to say something else to nudge the tone back out of that dark space. "Majoring in music."

"Very cool," Sanjana said. "I hear it's one of the best places for artistic types. I couldn't deal with being so far from my family though. Not that I'm in any way artistic, of course. But much kudos if you got the grades for it. Welcome to the Island of Misfit Toys, where the only thing uniting us is our differences. We're all a bit odd but we're getting on like a house on fire so far."

"Chaotic, with screams and people running for safety?" Linus answered, and there was a little laugh from everyone.

"Yeah, something like that," Theo agreed. "We got the best friends here. Plus the coffee is top notch."

"And she gets us a friends and family discount," Sanjana added. "On account of one of the barista has a huge crush on her."

"She does not!" Theo protested. "Come on guys, you can't base something like that on one joke taken out of context. It's only natural to give your flatmate an occasional freebie, isn't it?"

"Yeah," Linus added. "When you go up for coffee, tell Britney that Captain Commando said you can have the special too. She'll know what you mean."

"Shush!"

Tegan looked back and forth between them, sure she was missing something in all the banter; but she was sure that if it mattered someone would tell her later. These guys had known each other for a week or two now, and had spent that time turning the in jokes up to eleven to try and build some sense of community while they were so far from all their school friends; she was confident that she would be a part of the group sooner or later.

"Suuure," Karina said with an exaggerated wink."

Theodora huffed and crossed her arms. "You all are the worst. I take it back, Tegan. Run while you still can. Save yourself."

They all laughed at that, Theo included after a moment of faux pouting. Tegan found herself grinning too. The good-natured ribbing and lively dynamic reminded her of bantering with her own friends back home. For the first time since arriving in Morganston, she felt herself start to relax.

"Well, now I definitely have to stick around," she said, pulling up a chair. "I need to meet this mysterious crush. And find out who the commando is. Strictly for research purposes in understanding group dynamics, of course."

"Totally not checking out the competition," Sanjana added, and this time it was both Theo and Tegan trying to hide their blushes.

"Guys, don't scare her away," Theo said with a mock pout. "Besides, it's all academic. I'm the straight one here. Probably." The response to that was a chorus of variations on the theme of disagreement, with everyone feeling the need to declare their own possibly-maybe-straightness as well, or questioning Theo's assertion. It was hard to make out who was saying what, but there was a lot of fun there.

"Commando-pants Theo has good taste in people," Linus said, throwing an arm around Tegan's shoulders. "I can tell this one's going to fit right in."

"Yeah, just as soon as I get a coffee," Tegan said, and headed off in the direction of the counter. As the conversation continued behind her, full of inside jokes and comfortable camaraderie, Tegan felt a warmth blossoming in her chest. Moving to a new town and starting university had seemed so daunting, especially with the added tension of adjusting to her new family situation. But here, sipping a caramel latte and watching Declan and Sanjana play fight over their textbooks while Theo and Karina rated people's outfits, she could see a place for herself.

She still had no idea if her meeting with Theo again was just a coincidence; or whether the girl was really into her. Nor was she sure which of the baristas had been alluded to by so many of the group's jibes. But she knew that she had found her people now, and that after a few days to regain her equilibrium she would be able to survive the rest of the academic year. Moistville would finally be a home.