Chapter 9: The Roommate Draw
I stepped forward, my fingers trembling slightly as they hovered over the black tablets inside the container. Each one was smooth and identical, giving no hint of what number lay beneath. A deep breath steadied me before I reached in and plucked one out.
Seven.
I clenched my fist around it as I stepped back. Around me, the other Ferals did the same, their eyes darting anxiously between one another.
On the boys’ side, Callum had already drawn his number. His expression remained unreadable, but I could see the tension in his shoulders as he glanced around, waiting to see who he’d be paired with.
Silas, our dorm master, barely gave us a moment before his sharp voice cut through the room.
"If you’ve drawn your number, find your match. Your roommate will be the one holding the same number as you. Move."
Murmurs filled the air as we hesitantly began searching for our pairings. My eyes scanned the room, my pulse quickening. Who had drawn seven?
A soft sound behind me made me turn.
A girl stood there, her fingers curled around her own black tablet. She was petite, with wide brown eyes that flickered with uncertainty. Her dark curls framed her round face, and she looked even more nervous than I felt.
She hesitated before holding up her tablet.
Seven.
Relief flooded me. At least she didn’t look openly hostile.