Chapter 46

Chapter 46

         

Lana had just turned the corner when she saw a stranger leave her dorm room. A guy she had never seen before. Tall, dark hair, a confident stride—definitely not someone from their usual circle. She watched as he casually walked down the hall, disappearing around the corner.

Her lips curled slightly, both in amusement and irritation. So this was the guy Ryan saw Jessie with. The reason Ryan had spent half the night crashing out 

Lana wanted to say something to Jessie about it, but then again, what was the point? She wasn’t going to stir up unnecessary drama. If Jessie wanted to sneak around with someone else while Ryan was busy convincing himself she was the love of his life, that was her business. Maybe now, at least, Ryan would finally stop obsessing over her.

She shook her head and pushed open the door to the dorm.

Jessie was sitting cross-legged on her bed, scrolling through her phone, but she looked up the moment Lana walked in. Her face lit up as she saw her 

“Hey, Lana! I haven’t seen you all day,” Jessie said, setting her phone aside.

“Yeah, that’s because I’ve been away all day,” Lana replied, dropping her bag onto her bed.

Jessie stretched her arms over her head. “Busy day?”

Lana shrugged, trying to keep her voice neutral. “Something like that.” just occupied with classes and decided to hang around,would be boring coming here 

Jessie sat up a little straighter, “You okay? You seem… I don’t know, different.”

Lana gave a small laugh, shaking her head. “I’m fine. Just tired.”

  Oh you can't believe how great I feel , Lana said to herself 

Jessie watched her for a moment before nodding. “Yeah, I get that. Long day for me too.”

Lana smirked. “Oh yeah? Busy with what?”

Jessie hesitated for a second, then waved her hand dismissively. “Just class, hanging out, the usual.”

Lana raised an eyebrow but didn’t press. “Right. The usual.”

Jessie gave her a curious look. “Are you sure you’re good? You seem… off.”

Lana took a deep breath. She was tempted—so tempted—to bring up what she saw, to ask Jessie if she had even the slightest idea of the mess she had left behind. But why bother? She was glad it happened. If anything, she was glad it was something she could stop worrying about. At least now, he could move on.

Instead, she forced a small smile. “I’m good. Just thinking about some stuff.”

Jessie nodded, satisfied with that answer. “Okay, well, if you ever need to talk, I’m here.”

Lana let out a small chuckle. “That’s funny, actually.”

Jessie looked confused. “What’s funny?”

Lana shook her head. “Nothing. Just… people are unpredictable, that’s all.”

Jessie adjusted in her bed again, confused but not pushing further. “Uh, okay? That was deep and kind of random, but I’ll take it.”

Lana let out a breath. This was pointless. She had no interest in playing games or pretending to care. Ryan would deal with his heartbreak, and Jessie would do whatever she wanted. It wasn’t her problem.

But still, as she sat down on her bed, she couldn’t help but feel the irony of it all. Ryan had spent days agonizing over Jessie, convincing himself she was something special—only to walk in on her making out with another guy

   It was hard to watch, and the fact that Jessie didn’t even seem moved by it made it worse. Lana felt a deep, secondhand embarrassment for Ryan. He had built up so many expectations, only to be left disappointed. Jessie, on the other hand, was still fiddling with her phone, laughing softly at whatever was on her screen. 

Lana sighed, rolling her eyes. She didn’t need to ask who she was texting—it was obviously the guy who had just left their dorm. It wasn't her business anymore, she told herself. Ryan would eventually get over it. With that final thought, she turned away, pulling her blanket over her head in an attempt to fall asleep.

Morning arrived quicker than expected. Sophia and her roommates all seemed to wake up at the same time, as if they had set alarms in their heads. It was mostly due to Sophia's waking up early rubbing off on them. The sound of stretching, yawning, and the groaning of Mia who was not ready to face the day filled the dorm room.

Sophia sat up, rubbing the sleep from her eyes. It had been three weeks since she started at this school, but it already felt like she had been there for months. Things were going smoothly in almost every aspect—except financially. She was still waiting for a message from Pappies confirming when she could start her job. Until then, she was surviving on what little was left of her savings. Luckily, her roommates were understanding and supportive. 

Mia, still half-asleep, got off the bed and stretched. "Ugh, why do classes start so early? I swear they’re out to get us."

Olivia, who was tying her hair up into a messy bun, smirked. "Maybe because it’s called school, Mia. You know, that place where people go to learn?"

Mia shot her a playful glare. "Very funny, I had no idea at all."

Sophia chuckled as she climbed out of bed. "So, what’s the plan for today? Besides classes, of course."

"Well," Olivia said, grabbing her phone and checking her messages. "I have lunch plans with Jake."

Mia wiggled her eyebrows. "Ohhh, lunch plans. Sounds serious. What’s next? Matching outfits? Couple’s socials ?" This relationship is really working for the both of you 

Olivia rolled her eyes, laughing. "You’re impossible."

Sophia smirked. "Hey, you brought this on yourself the moment you started dating the campus heartthrob."

"We are not dating. Yet." Olivia emphasized the last word. "We’re just... hanging out."

"Mhm, sure," Mia teased. "Anyway, Sophia, what about you? Any updates from Pappies yet?"

Sophia sighed, grabbing her phone and checking for any new messages. "Nope. Nothing yet. I really need that job to start soon. My savings are disappearing faster than my motivation for early classes."

"Don’t stress too much," Olivia reassured her. "You know we got your back if you need anything."

Sophia smiled. "I know, and I appreciate it. But I’d rather not be a burden. I’ll figure something out soon."

Mia, now slightly more awake, threw her arm around Sophia’s shoulder. "Girl, you’re not a burden. We’re roommates. That practically makes us sisters. And sisters help each other out."

Sophia laughed, feeling a bit lighter. "Thanks, Mia. You’re actually sweet when you’re not being a menace."

"Hey!" Mia gasped, pretending to be offended."I am always sweet."that is for a fact 

Olivia and Sophia exchanged a knowing look before bursting into laughter. 

The morning continued with their usual routine—showering, getting dressed, and grabbing a quick breakfast before heading to class. But despite the playful banter and laughter, Sophia couldn’t shake off the little worry she had at the back of her mind. She needed that job soon.

For now, though, she had

her roommates. And that made everything feel just a little bit easier.