Chapter 1

          Keira alighted the shuttle bus, heaving an exhausted sigh and yawning afterward. She was drained after having to sit for over two hours, taking a pop quiz and writing an argumentative essay, and all she needed at that time was to eat something and go straight to bed, but unfortunately for her, her work for the day wasn't done. 

She had less than an hour before her evening shift began and she couldn't afford to be late for work, or else, an hour's pay would be deducted from her salary. 

No matter how small ten dollars was, she couldn't afford to lose it from her salary. Never.

Having paid the bus driver, she turned and hurried towards her dormitory building, to freshen up and change into her work outfit.

This was her second month at Camden University and her tenth week after she received the mail that changed her life forever.

Before then, she was just like most of the kids in her small neighborhood, Witherthrow, with no hope for a brighter future.

"Back so early." Elvira, one of her suitemates, pointed out to her, seated on the end of the brown sofa in the general living area, her head glued to the book she was reading. Keira could tell the girl was sarcastic, but she picked no offense.

"Yeah. Professor Higgins took way longer in his quiz and now, I've to pay the price." She replied to Elvira with haste, dashing into her room to get her stuff prepared, before going to run herself a quick shower.

"Welcome to the nightmare of Camden uni!" Elvira hollered from the living room, loud enough for her to hear.

Keira chuckled at her words while bringing out her work uniform from where she'd hung them. She laid them on her bed and snatched her towel from where she'd hung it, then hurried towards the washroom.

After her acceptance to Camden, they had to sort out her living arrangements, because she was accepted on late admission, but on full scholarship.

Most of the suites in the lady's dormitory were already filled, so she'd had to spend her first few days crashing in one of the empty rooms in the staff's lounge before a permanent resident was allocated to her.

There were already three ladies in the suites, so she'd to make it in as the fourth student there. Shakira Lambert, Kimberly Sebastian, and Elvira Gomez. All three girls were freshmen like her but had wealthy backgrounds, so they contrast greatly. The nicest of them was Elvira and Shakira was the most indifferent and meanest.

Keira was quick to take to mental note, some important details about her suitemates.

Elvira is quite nice but keeps to herself mostly. She doesn't like doing any chores and would mostly pay her way to have them done for her. She isn't outgoing unlike Shakira and Kimberly, but is relatively fun to be with and is generous too.

Kimberly is everything like Shakira, except for the fact she's a little nicer. Both girls have been friends for way longer and that was because their fathers are business acquaintances or so they say.

While for Shakira, has the typical Alpha girl attributes. She's mean and indifferent and doesn't hide the fact she doesn't fancy Keira and Elvira. She likes being the one in charge of everything and doesn't take anyone's ideology as gospel truth, not even Kimberly's.

For over a month they've been living under the same roof, Keira has tried her very best to stay off their grid, so as not to be used as their object of mockery and so far, they haven't noticed her.

She even had to get herself a part-time job at the Royale Cafe which was several blocks away, to earn for herself some more money and be away from the suite as much as she could.

Coming out of the washroom a few minutes later, Keira felt refreshed, but her hunger hadn't yet dissipated. She dried off the drops of water all over her body and went on to change into her work clothes. 

After changing, she packed her toiletries into her DIY toilet basket and ran a few strokes of brushing on her auburn brown hair, before picking up her purse and dashing out through the door.

Shakira and Kimberly were in the living room with Elvira when she came out and from their expressions, they seem to be discussing something important.

"Off to work already?" Elvira asked her, averting her gaze from Kimberly to her,

"Yeah, I'm already running late." She replied hastily, avoiding Shakira and Kimberly's gaze that'd been averted to her form.

"When are you going to be back?" Elvira inquired further, while she sauntered towards the chair she was seated on, to pi k her backpack.

"My shift ends by nine-thirty, so I should be home before ten." She relayed to her, avoiding the indifferent gazes of the other girls.

"Do you want me to get anything for you?"

"Not that, Kimberly here, is inviting us to a frat party at her friend's and I was hoping you would want to attend..."

"Uh.." She stole a glance at the girls, then averted her attention to Elvira real quick.

For some reason, other than the girl's superior attitudes, there was something odd about them she hasn't been able to place a finger on and until she ascertained what that was, she wasn't going to be caught walking under their radar.

Plus, she knew already they'd invited only Elvira and she was just being nice, asking her to join them.

"Nah...I'll pass." She replied courteously, witnessing Elvira's face switch from an expectant expression to a crestfallen one in a matter of seconds.

Shakira turned to Kimberly, an unimpressed and disdainful look on her face,

"I'll be inside my room, in case Dre comes looking for me."

"Okay." Kimberly mouthed and Shakira sighed lazily, sauntering towards the door of her bedroom, which was the first door in the corridor. 

The sound of her pointy heels clicking against the tiled floor was the only sound heard in the room and it was followed by the sound of the shutting door.

Keira heaved a deep sigh of relief from within herself after the door closed behind Shakira and averted her attention to Elvira,

"Sorry, but I can't make it. I'll see you when you get back. Bye!" Carefully avoiding Kimberly's gaze on her, she bade Elvira goodbye and hurried off immediately, not waiting for a reply from her.

When she arrived at the stairs, she slowed down her pace and began to step down carefully.

She'd about twenty minutes left to resume her shift and it'll take her no more than twelve to fifteen minutes at most, to get to the cafeteria on foot.

She can decide to get off work early to join them for whatever party they were attending, after all, it was only going to cost her a few hour's pays, but she was never going to.

What's she going to do at the party anyways? 

It's not like she was a party freak like them or she was going to meet anyone special. Just some bunch of wild students who dance to loud music, drink alcohol, and smoke pot.

That isn't the world she belongs to and most likely, would never belong to that world. She was going to focus on her studies and her job because she might never get these opportunities again if she's to gamble with them now.

   Just as she walked out of the exit hallway, into the street pavement, a car zoomed into the lot from nowhere, almost splashing the dirty water all over her, if not for her quick impulse to move away.

"Oh, my God!" She wailed in exasperation, staring at the dent spot caused by the dirty water on the sleeve of her shirt.

She couldn't go back to change it. She does not have that much time, nor can she wear it like that, because the stain was quite obvious and her boss won't hesitate to chastise her for defaulting their dress code.

Keira was still staring at the stains, befuddled on what to do, when she heard the car door slam shut down and a burst of loud laughter followed. She averted her attention from her shirt to the owner of the voice.

Two guys were standing beside the black car and the one who'd alighted the passenger's side was laughing boisterously at what the other was saying.

How could they drive so carelessly and pretend like they didn't notice they've done something wrong?

Their ignorance aggravated her anger, she lost her sense of reasoning and marched toward them.

"Hey, you!" She hollered at the both of them and they turned to her, all calm and shushed. However, the discerning gazes on their faces said it all, but Keira wasn't at all fazed. 

Just because they're rich, doesn't mean they should go about splashing dirty water on others and acting like they haven't done anything wrong.

"You splashed water on me with your reckless driving and I demand an apology." She said to them, not battling her words, despite their cold and demeaning gazes.

An apology won't fix her stained cloth, but it'll go a long way to fix her bruised ego.

The first guy snorted with derision, looking at her with contempt.

"You demand an apology?" The second mimicked and Keira nodded, ignoring his mockery,

"Obviously."

"So what if don't?" The second guy asked derisorily, looking over her head because of their height differences.

"You gonna do what exactly, Shorty? Beat me up or call the cops on me?"

"Don't you dare call me that, you snobby brat!" She warned the guy angrily, whilst the first guy glared impassively at her like she was some errant child.

"You gonna apologize or what?" She queried them.

"...." The second guy opened his mouth to say something, but the first guy beat him to it, turning to Keira with a disdainful expression.

"No, and I want you to do your worst."

"Andre.." The second guy tried to stop him, noticing he was walking towards Keira, but he halted him by raising his hand.

"You gonna call the cops on us? You gonna sue me for driving my car how I deem fit?" He questioned, invading her space with each step he took toward her.

Fury pumped into her blood like adrenaline and before she could stop herself, her palm had already glued to Andre's face, causing a loud sound.