**Story: College Girl Friendship**

                               

 When Maya first stepped onto Crestwood University's sprawling campus, the September air felt too heavy for her lungs. The brick buildings, the bustling students, the club tables, and the piles of flyers—everything held the confidence she so desperately needed. She double-checked her dorm assignment, her hands sweating on the paper: **Oak Hall, Room 317**

Dragging two suitcases behind her, she opened the door to her new home. Inside, someone was already kneeling on the bed by the window, struggling with a stubborn strand of fairy lights.

"Hi!" the girl said with a bright smile. "You must be Maya. I'm Lila."

Lila was the kind of girl who could make you feel like you'd known her for years with just one line. Her enthusiasm filled the room as she lit the citrus candles afterward. Maya smiled slightly. "Hey. Nice to meet you."

From that moment on, something changed in Maya's world.

Over the next few weeks, Maya discovered that Lila lived life like it was a continuous adventure. She would wake up early to go on sunrise walks, laugh uproariously at the campus squirrels, leave encouraging notes on strangers' doors, and insist on trying every possible waffle topping combination in the dining hall. Maya, who was more quiet and cautious, expected them to clash like mismatched socks.

But somehow, they didn't. They fit.

One cool October afternoon, as they shared a bowl of caramel popcorn in the campus green area, Lila asked, "Maya, what do you like? Like, what do you... what do you cook?"

Maya paused. No one had ever asked her that question so directly. "I like writing," she said softly. "Stories, essays... whatever comes to mind."

Lila's eyes lit up. "Why didn't I know that? Maya, this is amazing! You're joining the writing club with me tonight."

"What? You don't like writing."

"Yeah," Lila said without a trace of shame. "But I love *you*, so we're going."

Maya blinked at her. It was the first time someone her age had said something like that—lovingly, effortlessly, genuinely. She felt seen in a way she didn't fully understand yet.

---

As fall turned into winter, Maya and Lila fell into a rhythm.

They spent evenings studying together, swapping snacks, or arguing over which movie to watch. Lila introduced Maya to peppermint cocoa with extra whipped cream. Maya introduced Lila to the soothing magic of late-night journaling. They created a small world inside Room 317—a world where insecurities could be spoken out loud without fear.

But everything wasn't perfect.

In February, after a difficult statistics midterm, Maya discovered that Lila had accidentally forgotten to submit a major assignment for a different class. Lila, usually carefree, panicked.

"What if I fail?" she said, pacing the room. "My parents are already stressed, and this is just—Maya, I can't mess up like this."

Maya stood up and took Lila's hand. "Hey. Look at me."

Lila fell silent.

We'll fix it. You're not alone."

Together, they emailed the professor, organized the assignment, and finished it until about 3 a.m. When Lila finally pressed the submit button, she collapsed exhausted onto Maya's shoulder.

"You're my miracle, you know that?" she said softly.

Until that moment, Maya hadn't realized how much she cared for Lila—how deeply their friendship had become a part of her life.

--

Spring arrived with warm breezes, blooming dogwood trees, and an announcement: Lila had been accepted to a coveted summer internship in Chicago. She waved the email excitedly, but Maya felt a pang in her chest.

"That's wonderful," Maya said, feigning joy.

Lila's smile faded. "You don't seem excited."

"I am," Maya insisted, but her voice betrayed her.

Later that night, Lila found her sitting alone in the campus quad, her notebook open but her pen missing. was. Without moving.

"Maya," Lila said softly, sitting down next to her. "Talk to me."

"This is stupid," Maya said softly. "I just... I'm afraid I'll lose you."

A look crossed Lila's face that Maya had rarely seen. "You can never lose me. A few months apart won't change anything. You're my best friend."

"Promise?" Maya asked in a trembling voice.

"I swear on all the waffles I've eaten."

They burst out laughing, and the tightness in Maya's chest eased a little.

---

The semester ended with finals, a goodbye party, and hurried packing. When Lila's taxi arrived, she hugged Maya so tightly that Maya had to laugh to hide the stinging behind her eyes.

"Call me," Lila said. "Rose, if you want."

"Okay."

"And write something amazing this summer."

"Only if you read it."

They parted ways, but their fingers remained there.

As the taxi drove away, Maya felt exactly what she feared—distance, change, vulnerability to new things.