Chapter 3

•KAIA•

"I am going to drop out of class," I declared to my roommate, Amy while walking into our shared dorm rooms.

She glanced up from the couch, her nail polish brush frozen in mid-air.

"Oh no, did one of your professors upset you again sweetie?" She teased with a pout and I playfully glared at her while dropping down in the armchair across from her.

"No. But the tutor did." She chuckled and resumed painting her toenails, which were right in front of her face.

"It was a mistake signing up for those tutoring sessions. Either that, or they seriously need to work on picking better students to tutor others. Like, people who can manage their time and don't have an attitude and they're kind to others."

Amy chuckled again, eyes still focused on her toenails.

"Sounds like someone I know." She commented and I stared confusingly at her.

"You're not thinking of me, are you?" She glanced at me and smiled.

"No, babe. Someone in the family."

"Right." I leaned my head back against the couch and stared up at the ceiling. "I'm so confused. I don't know how else to deal with that class and the only option I've got is to get tutored! I can learn the basics on my own, but apparently, that's not possible. So I have to rely on some arrogant, inconsiderate people to teach me things that they think I don't know-"

"Kaia!" Amy yelled from the couch, cutting me off mid-sentence. "Breathe, okay? You're spiraling again."

I released a frustrated groan and threw my head back against the couch.

"You know, I was looking forward to that tutoring session today. But that rude blue-eyed asshole just had to ruin everything by being a jerk!"

"Okay, what did he ever do to you? I'm dying to know now." She asked curiously while capping the nail polish and putting it away.

"There was still ten or twenty minutes left of our session and he wanted to cut it short by telling me that he needed to leave for his hockey practice. Can you believe it?"

A grin started spreading across her face as she stared at me.

"Ooh, a hockey player. Was he cute?" I quickly rolled my eyes.

"Yeah, unfortunately. He was very good looking but too bad he's got an attitude."

"You know." Amy started while glancing behind me. "This could be the very own start of an enemies-to-lovers romance. Just like how you've always talked about based on those books you read."

I immediately narrowed my eyes at her while scoffing.

"Don't start."

"Why not?" She prodded excitedly. "You just said he's cute and very rude, and, he plays hockey. Do you know how many hot hockey players we have in this school? Look it up!"

I got up from my chair and started walking towards the kitchen area to get myself a glass of water.

"Yeah well, that fantasy is currently put on hold. I'm already stressing out because of one class that I'm failing, so getting myself a boyfriend is the least of my concerns right now."

I opened the tap and filled up the glass with water and right at that moment, the image of that handsome guy from the study lounge popped into my head.

Dammit, he was really cute but why does he have to be so rude?

I had hoped we had gotten along so that maybe, just maybe, there was a chance he could like me back and we could go out or something.

But that hope immediately dissolved into dust the minute he opened his mouth and said something rude.

I read romance novels and my favorite troupe would always be enemies to lovers, so of course, a girl could dream and hope she'd get herself involved in that situation someday. But with that guy, no way in hell. Maybe the enemies-to-lovers troupe was not it for me because I always ended up hating the guys more than I had intended to.

Especially with guys like him!

It would be impossible for me to like them.

My thoughts were disrupted when my phone started ringing in my back pocket. I placed the glass on the sink and pulled my phone out, smiling at the incoming FaceTime call from Mom.

"Hi, Mom." I greeted with a wave after pressing answer.

"Hi, sweetie. How've you been?" She replied, matching my tone and smile.

I turned around and leaned against the sink while bringing the phone closer to my face.

"Settling in. What about you? How's work today?"

"Busy, as usual." She replied with a smile but I didn't miss the exhaustion in her tone.

My mother moved to America because of a job offer in Sacramento. Now she's been working as a nurse in a rich private hospital funded by some rich families to leave their old family members there to be taken care of. I moved in with her a year ago for a school scholarship that had been granted by Ivywood College and so, I moved to Los Angeles and she's still staying in Sacramento.

My father and my two younger siblings still live in Australia for the time being. They are just waiting for their green cards to be approved so we can all live together in the States as a whole family again.

"I'm currently on my lunch break right now. I'll have to head back to work in ten minutes." She said while glancing at the watch around her wrist.

"How was class today, darling?" I shrugged while the memory of the failed tutoring session this afternoon rewinded in my head.

"Yeah, class went great. Everything is good for now."

Her brows knitted together in concern as she stared at my face through her phone screen.

"How's your roommate? Is she doing okay too?"

As if summoned by the name 'roommate', Amy jumped off the couch and I watched in surprise as she jogged over to my side her face filled up the screen as she grinned at my mother.

"Hi, Mrs. Lilian. It's good to see you again! I'm doing great by the way."

Mom's face immediately lit up upon seeing her and I shook my head in amusement.

"Aww, that's great to hear darling. Anyway, I've got to get back to work now. I'll talk to you two soon. Stay safe, bye sweethearts."

"Bye." We both replied in unison and the FaceTime call ended.

I pocketed my phone and reached for my glass of water while looking at Amy.

"Got any plans tonight?"

"Why yes, I do." She answered with a coy smile on her face.

"Where to?"

She leaned against the opposite counter and bounced on the balls of her feet.

"To a bonfire party. Everyone is going to be there, and you and I are going."

I choked on my water and frowned at her.

"What do you mean 'we'?"

"We, as in me and you. Wow, now I get why they said you need that tutoring lessons."

Ignoring her offensive remark, I crossed my arms over my chest and shook my head.

"I'm not going anywhere tonight. I've got pending assignments to finish and a novel to update."

She pouted and strolled over to me and grabbed both my hands.

"C'mon, just one night Lilian. Live a little and come join the outside world for just one night. Pretty please?"

She started making puppy dog eyes at me and I rolled my eyes and looked away to the side.

"Yes, see, I can see that smile forming on your face!" She teased while poking the side of my cheek.

I couldn't help but give in to her desperate pleas and finally faced her again with a smile.

"What am I even going to wear?"

"Yay!" She squealed excitedly before dragging me towards my room.

I only agreed because part of me thinks it's not a bad idea. I mean, I've had a shitty day today and a rough week so far so maybe this party could serve as a distraction just for tonight.

I rarely go out because I've been turning down a lot of offers from Amy just so I could focus on school. So me finally agreeing to go out with her tonight, was like a big thing for her to celebrate.

Plus, I'm her roommate and her only friend which means I'm playing chaperone and a responsible escort back to the dorms tonight.

How fun.