The Return to School from the Now-Finished Holidays

Rhea unpacked her designer suitcase in her new dormitory, her side of the dormitory was a pretty pastel dream. It was adorned with posters of her school cheerleader team (her being the centre of it), called the K.K. The soft hues of lavender and mint green dominated the decor, from her fluffy throw pillows to the delicate fairy lights draped across her bedposts.

She then began to carefully arrange her collection of scented candles on the bedside table.

Just then, a girl walked in and entered the room with a cheerful smile. She was so..ew.

She had scraggly brown hair, silver braces that shone to brightly, her face was blotchy. It seemed like she had no effort to even cover those rancid pimples with some concealer or foundation. Her glasses had a thick black border and it was placed on the end of her nose.

Rhea knew who it was.

Kiara McCarthy.

The school nerd.

She was hated amongst nearly everyone, she was a tech whiz. She loved technology, science, maths, English and all of those boring subjects. Rhea never saw her playing any games, the only entertainment she ever carried out was reading books and laughing at words on paper.

"Oh uh-..I think you've got the wrong room.." Rhea said rudely to her, and got up from kneeling beside the bedside table.

"S-sorry, I don't actually.."Kiara showed a pair of golden keys, etched in one of the keys was the number of the dormitory, which unfortunately was Rhea's...

Rhea didn't respond, looked down and just narrowed her eyes.

Kiara hesitated at the doorway, clutching her suitcase nervously. The room was already occupied by hostility and Kiara knew of Rhea's sharp tongue and disdain for anyone she deemed unworthy of her attention. Rhea was now lounged on her bed, scrolling through her phone with a bored expression.

Rhea glanced up, her eyes narrowing more as she assessed her further. "Oh, great you still haven't moved an inch.." she muttered under her breath, barely bothering to hide her annoyance.

"Sorry if i'm in your way," Kiara apologised meekly, inching further into the room. She went to the half-side of her room which was like a heaven for geeks. It had a desktop computer with a wallpaper of some scientist called Dr. Eletra Kazi, and her bedroom had a matching bed set with the words "Just Geeky!".

Rhea rolled her eyes, making no effort to be welcoming. "Make sure to stay out of my stuff and don't make a mess, because I swear I'll get pissed if even your little pinky toe TOUCHES my side of the dormitory!" she retorted dismissively, returning her attention to her phone.

Kiara nodded silently, her cheeks burning with embarrassment. She busied herself with unpacking, arranging her belongings with meticulous care.

As the days passed, their interactions remained minimal and strained. Rhea's friends, equally as dismissive of Kiara as she was, often visited, filling the room with loud chatter and laughter that made Kiara feel even more out of place. She spent most of her time buried in her books or exploring campus alone, trying to find solace.

One evening, after a particularly exhausting day of trying to blend in, Kiara returned to find Rhea's friends sprawled across the room, her belongings scattered haphazardly. She hesitated at the door, unsure of whether to confront them or retreat quietly to avoid conflict.

Rhea noticed her hesitation and shot her a withering glare. "Can't you see we're busy? Go study somewhere else," she snapped, her tone dripping with disdain.

Kiara bit her lip.

She felt like an intruder in her own living space, unwelcome and insignificant compared to Rhea and her entourage.

Without a word, she gathered her books and fled to the library, seeking refuge among the rows of dusty shelves.

As time passed, Rhea continued to revel in her popularity, her life a whirlwind of parties, social media drama, and endless selfies. She paid little attention to Kiara, dismissing her as a mere background character in her glamorous college narrative.

One night, it was 12:03 AM, and the moon poured into the dimly lit room.

Kiara was busy tidying all the mess that Rhea's friends had made of her side of the room yesterday, she had tears as some of her work was vandalised with insults:

"Your a worthless geek, go back to your nerdy public school"

"I hope you one day change those ugly glasses, I swear they look horrible"

"We all hate you ❤️ "

She threw the papers into the recycling bin, Rhea glanced at her and smiled sardonically, she noticed Kiara's tears streaming from the 3/4 view of her face and her heart was untouched.