Hearts Across Halls

Chapter 3

Elara blinked her eyes open and immediately regretted not removing her makeup or brushing her teeth the night before. Her skin felt sticky, her lips dry, and her mouth tasted like regret and cheap alcohol. She groaned, rolling over and clutching her head as the dim light filtering through the blinds worsened her already pounding headache.

Water. She had forgotten to bring a glass of water to bed. Rookie mistake.

With a groggy sigh, she forced herself up, dragging on an old pair of shorts and a well-worn night t-shirt before stumbling to the bathroom. The fluorescent light was unforgiving, reflecting her smudged eyeliner and mascara.

"I look like a panda," she muttered, unable to suppress a laugh at her reflection. Turning on the tap, she reached for her cleanser, savoring the cool water on her skin as she washed away the remnants of the night.

Once her face was clean and her teeth brushed, she felt a little more human, though the lingering taste of alcohol refused to completely leave her mouth. Nothing a good breakfast won't fix, she thought, heading toward the kitchen.

As she passed by room seven, the door swung open, and she braced herself for Cyrus's usual gruffness. But instead of Cyrus, a girl with messy hair hurried out, her face half-hidden as she slipped past Elara without a word. The door clicked shut behind her.

Interesting, Elara thought, her curiosity piqued as she continued to the kitchen.

Inside, her friends were in various stages of disarray. Emmy looked like she'd been hit by a truck, her head resting on the table, while Kenzie was an enigma of energy. Fully showered, makeup flawless, she was at the stove scrambling eggs for everyone.

"Good morning!" Kenzie chirped, her tone entirely too cheerful.

"How are you so bright this morning?" Elara asked, genuinely baffled.

"Let's just say I've had a lot of practice," Kenzie replied with a wink, her hands moving deftly over the pan.

Elara slumped into a chair next to Emmy and gave her a sympathetic pat on the head. "Guess what I just saw," she began, her tone teasing.

"Luca's dick?" Dylan cut in, his voice dripping with mock drama.

"Dylan—NO!" Elara cried, her face scrunching in disgust. "Ugh, no. I saw our moody neighbor had a friend over last night." She added a wink for good measure.

"Poor girl," Emmy said, suddenly looking more alert.

"Can't have been any good. I didn't hear anything last ni—" Dylan's commentary was cut short as the kitchen door swung open.

Cyrus stepped in, the energy in the room instantly shifting. He didn't make eye contact as he crossed to the fridge, grabbed something, and left without a word.

The silence lingered until Dylan finally broke it. "You know, he's kinda scary."

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Later, as Elara prepared for the day ahead, she couldn't shake her grogginess.

"Does seriously no one have orientation at the same time as me?" she asked, looking around the room at Kenzie, Emmy, Dylan, Rachel, and Tabitha.

They all shook their heads in unison.

"I don't know why you picked the earliest time, El," Rachel said with a sympathetic smile.

The truth was, Elara had imagined university as a chance to reinvent herself into someone who had their life together. Waking up early and seizing the day had seemed like the perfect start. Reality, however, had other plans. Freshers' week had been one long string of late nights and messy mornings.