The campus of Harvard Medical School is bustling, but Olivia feels a tinge of nervousness. As she pulls up to her new dorm, her heart pounds with a mixture of excitement and fear. She takes a deep breath and starts unpacking, trying to shake off the anxiety that always creeps in during social situations.
Hours pass, and Olivia hears the door creak open. She turns to see a tall, athletic girl enter the room, dragging a suitcase behind her. Her hair is messy, and the exhaustion is clear on her face. Olivia’s heart races. She’s never been good at introductions, but this is her roommate, and she wants to make a good first impression.
Olivia (softly, stuttering): "H-hi, I-I’m O-Oli-Olivia. Wh-what’s your n-n-name?"
The girl barely glances in Olivia’s direction, brushing past her with a mumbled response. It’s clear she’s jet-lagged and in no mood to talk. The coldness of the encounter stings, and Olivia retreats to her side of the room, trying to hold back her tears.
She takes out her AirPods and puts on Olivia Rodrigo’s "Guts Spilled," letting the music drown her emotions. As the lyrics fill her ears, she starts unpacking her things, trying to focus on anything but the gnawing feeling of rejection.
Meanwhile, Ariadne falls into her bed, asleep within minutes, not bothering to engage further. Her aloofness hangs heavy in the air, amplifying Olivia's discomfort.
Later, around 8 PM, Olivia’s stomach growls. She considers going out to grab something to eat but wonders if she should invite her roommate. For a while, she paces the room, unsure of what to do. Finally, she decides to approach Ariadne, her nerves making her hands shake.
She gently nudges Ariadne, who stirs and groans.
Ariadne (groggy, annoyed): "What?"
Olivia (scared, voice trembling): "I-I was j-just wondering if you w-want anything to eat?"
Ariadne (snapping): "No!"
Olivia: "O-okay…"
Embarrassed and hurt, Olivia slips out of the room, leaving her aloof roommate behind. She finds a nearby restaurant, eats alone, and tries to calm herself down. After dinner, she returns to the dorm, exhausted and emotionally drained.
Olivia lies down in her bed, staring at the ceiling, wondering if coming to Harvard was the right choice. She writes in her journal before finally drifting off to sleep, with the tension between her and Ariadne lingering in the darkness.
YOU ARE READING
Unraveled Minds
Mystery / ThrillerAt Harvard Medical School, Olivia, a shy but brilliant psychology student from the Smoky Mountains, crosses paths with Ariadne, a neuroscience prodigy with a dark past. As Olivia navigates her social anxiety and adjusts to the intense academic life...
