The fluorescent lights of the cafeteria buzzed like angry wasps, casting a sterile glow over the plastic trays and chattering students. I sat across from Mia, my head resting on my hand, trying to fight off the yawn threatening to engulf me. My eyelids felt like lead weights, and I was pretty sure I looked like a zombie. Thanks to Andy and her insistence that I snore like a walrus, I was now a sleep-deprived mess.
"Lara, I notice you have dark circles under your eyes," Mia said, her voice laced with concern. "Are you having trouble sleeping?"
"Is it that obvious?" I asked, my voice a little too high-pitched as I dug through my bag for my compact mirror. A glance confirmed Mia's observation. My reflection stared back at me, a pale ghost with dark circles.
"See? I told you," Mia said, her eyes widening. "Are you having a hard time with your roommate, Lara?"
"Why would you say that?" I asked, my brow furrowing in confusion.
Mia glanced around nervously before whispering, "I heard in the dining hall that Andy is difficult to get along with. She keeps to herself, and everyone says she's the fiancée of Geo Daniels, and Andy was the only daughter of the Lauren family."
My eyes widened in surprise. "You didn't know?" Mia asked, her voice laced with disbelief.
"I didn't know about the Lauren family and my family's deal," I said to myself. "My parents mentioned that Geo has a girlfriend, but we've never seen her. They said she's too busy."
I couldn't help but roll my eyes. Andy was always glued to her books, so if she wanted to see Geo, she could easily do it. But the truth was, she wasn't interested in Geo at all. "Busy" was just a convenient excuse.
"Lara? Why are you silent?" Mia asked, her voice tinged with worry.
"Sorry, I was just thinking," I said, trying to regain my composure.
"So, tell me, Lara," Mia asked, her voice a little too loud for the crowded cafeteria. "Is Andy giving you a hard time?"
Before I could answer, a cold, familiar voice cut through the chatter. "Did I give you a hard time, Lara?"
I turned to see Andy standing behind us, her arms crossed, her expression a mask of icy indifference. Mia's face blanched, her eyes wide with fear.
"Andy, what brings you here?" I asked, trying to sound calm, but my voice trembled slightly. "I thought you were busy reading your book."
"Am I not allowed to be here?" Andy asked, her voice dripping with sarcasm.
"It's not what I mean," I said, my voice growing a little bolder.
Andy walked towards us, her cup of coffee clutched in her hand, and to my surprise, she sat down next to me, her gaze fixed on Mia.
"Answer her question, Lara," she said, her voice a low growl. "I want to know your answer too."
"Andy, it's not what you think," I said, my voice wavering.
Andy looked at Mia, a slow, predatory smile spreading across her face. "At this moment, you should be inside the classroom, attending to your class," she said, her voice dripping with venom. "But you're here, gossiping about my life. If you want to know something about me, ask me personally, and I will gladly answer all your questions."
Mia's face was pale, her eyes wide with terror. I knew she was about to burst into tears, so I turned to Andy.
"Mia didn't say anything bad about you, Andy," I said, trying to defuse the situation. "We weren't talking about you."
Andy sneered, her eyes narrowed, her expression unconvinced. "Lara, I believe what I heard," she said, her voice a cold whisper. "You were so focused on gossiping about me that you didn't even notice I was standing right there."
"Fine, we did talk about you," I said, my voice rising in frustration. "But not the way you think."
Andy's smile widened, a cruel, mocking grin. "Lara, Lara, Lara," she said, her voice a low purr. "I hope you understand what Rule Number Two means."
"Miss Andy, please don't be angry with Lara," Mia said, her voice trembling. "It's all my fault."
Andy looked at Mia, her expression unreadable. Then she stood up, her gaze fixed on Mia. "A piece of advice, Mia," she said, her voice cold and dismissive. "Study hard. Your parents paid millions for you to enter this academy. Focus on yourself, not on other people's lives."
With that, she turned and walked away, leaving Mia and me staring at each other in stunned silence.
"Lara, just tell me if you want to change rooms," Mia said, her voice barely a whisper.
I just smiled a wry, humourless smile. I couldn't blame Andy for her reaction. If I were in her shoes, I would have done the same, maybe even worse. Mia was a good person, but she had a knack for attracting trouble. Every time we were together, something bad seemed to happen. I didn't want to think bad things, but I couldn't shake the feeling that I was dragging Mia down with me or the other way around.
"It's okay, Mia," I said, trying to sound reassuring. "I'll be fine." But even as I said those words, a chill ran down my spine. I knew this was just the beginning. The game had just begun, and I had a feeling that the stakes were higher than I had ever imagined.
As I watched Andy disappear into the crowd, her back straight, her head held high, I couldn't help but feel a strange sense of admiration mixed with fear.
Back in my room, I tried to ignore the knot of tension in my stomach. Andy was standing by the window, looking out at the courtyard, her back straight, her posture radiating an air of quiet confidence. I knew she was waiting for me to say something, but I wasn't sure what to say.
"About what happened in the cafeteria, I'm sorry about it," I said, my voice sounding more apologetic than I felt.
Andy turned around; her eyes narrowed, her expression unreadable. "Lara, did you know who Mia is?" she asked, her voice a low growl.
I shook my head, my stomach churning with a mixture of apprehension and curiosity.
"Did you know that when you're not around, she talks behind your back? Is that what friends do?" she asked, her tone rising, her voice laced with a hint of accusation.
"What do you mean?" I asked, my voice trembling slightly.
"You'll find out soon, Lara," Andy said, her voice a cold whisper. "And a piece of advice: not all people who claim to be your friends are truly your friends. Some people want to get into your life because they want something from you." She paused, her eyes fixed on me, her gaze piercing.
I took a deep breath, trying to calm my racing heart. I knew that Andy was telling me the truth. Mia was kind and gentle, but there was something about her that I couldn't quite explain.
"I'm not telling you this because I want you to stay away from your so-called friend," Andy said, her voice softening slightly. "I just want you to read people's intentions towards you. You're in the real world now, Lara. People will use you if you're not being careful and wise." She turned back to the window, taking a deep breath, her shoulders slumping slightly.
I watched her back, a strange mixture of emotions swirling inside me. Andy might seem cold and distant, but she had a soft heart, and her words had hit me hard. I knew she was right. This wasn't the sheltered world of my childhood anymore. This was the real world—a world where people wore masks and played games, a world where trust was a luxury I couldn't afford.
The air in the room felt heavy, thick with unspoken words and unspoken truths. I knew that I was standing at a crossroads, a point where my life was about to take a sharp turn.
I looked at Andy once more; her back still turned towards me, and I knew that she was right. I had to learn the rules because, in this world, there were no second chances, and the consequences of losing were far greater than I could ever imagine.
