Two lives.

12. Edges of Comfort

May 16, 2:06 pm

I woke up, feeling my throat parched and rough. The taste of weed still lingered on my tongue, bitter and stale. "I'm brushing my teeth," I muttered, swinging my legs off the bed and grabbing the small bag on the floor that held my toothbrush and other necessities. My body felt heavy, like it was dragging itself through mud, but the idea of freshening up was enough to get me moving.

As I stepped into the hallway, laughter echoed from the lounge. I walked in the opposite direction, towards the bathroom, where I could already hear muffled voices and the low hum of running water. The bathroom door was slightly ajar, and when I pushed it open, the heat and humidity hit me first—a thick steam clouding the mirrors and making the air feel almost heavy. The bathroom smelled like a mix of floral and vanilla body sprays, unmistakably Bath & Body Works, blending with the warm, earthy scent of the steam.

The room was alive with quiet chatter and the sound of water splashing as someone finished a shower at the far end. The bathroom was a bit larger than most, with rows of stalls to the left and shower cubicles at the back, half-hidden by the steam. The sinks lined up against the opposite wall, each one with mirrors above it, now fogged over so much you could barely see your reflection.

Standing at one of the sinks was Ophelia, her hair pulled back as she leaned over the counter, casually washing her hands. She looked up as I entered and broke into a warm smile. "Oh, good morning, Sienna. How's your head feeling?" she asked, her voice soft but teasing. Her smile was somehow always comforting, like she could read the mess of thoughts swirling in my mind but didn't judge a single one.

I leaned against the sink next to hers, setting my bag down. "It's... manageable," I replied with a small smile, trying to brush off the throbbing in my head.

"Weed smells disgusting," I muttered, making a face as I sniffed the sweatshirt I'd worn last night with Ekko. The stale, earthy scent clung to it, a reminder of the night I could only half remember.

Ophelia laughed, blending eyeshadow as she looked at me through the mirror. "Yeah, I've never been a fan of the smell, either." She glanced over with a knowing smile. "But, do you think it was worth it, though?"

I paused, thinking back to those hazy moments when the world had felt so far away and light as if it had stopped spinning for just a few minutes. I couldn't help but smile. "Yeah... yeah, I think so."

Ophelia returned the smile, giving me a little nod of approval as I continued brushing my teeth, desperate to get rid of the weed taste lingering in my mouth. The bathroom door creaked open, and a girl stepped out of one of the showers at the back, her long brown hair damp and clinging to her shoulders. She wore gray sweats and a baggy T-shirt that looked like it might have belonged to an older brother.

"Oh, Sienna, this is Andi," Ophelia said, her voice brightening as she gestured toward the girl.

"Hi." I lifted a hand in a small wave, feeling awkward as I swayed from side to side, still leaning against the sink.

Andi looked over, giving a polite smile as she tossed her wet towel onto the counter and wrung out her hair. "Hey, you're the new girl, right?" Her tone was friendly, but there was a spark of curiosity in her eyes.

"Uh, yeah, I guess you could say that," I replied, glancing around the bathroom. I didn't exactly feel new anymore, but there was still so much I hadn't figured out about this place—or the people in it.

Andi chuckled softly, giving me a once-over before nodding approvingly. "Well you should thank the higher power that you got put in the West-side hall. It's the chillest hall here." She said grinning like a little kid that got in trouble over something .

Ophelia shot me a wink. "And Andi here? She's actually the chillest."

Andi rolled her eyes, nudging Ophelia playfully. "I just be keepin my head down, following the flow." she said, shrugging. Then she looked back at me. "So, how'd you end up here." She asked, leaning into the counter, interested in how I got to this point.

"Yeah how did you? I haven't heard the story yet." Ophelia said hoping onto the counter and leaning on the mirror.

"Oh, I uh." I said stuttering the topic of how I got here still hurt a little bit. "Me and my friends went to a party and uh one of my friends lit off fireworks and then it caused a fire. My parents heard about it a little bit later so they sent me here "

"Oh fuckk." Andi said, looking back at Ophelia with a little bit of a shock in her eyes. "I thought you like, got sent here cause you talked back to your parents or something." Andi said laughing.

"I really did not expect that." Ophelia said, taken aback.

"Yeah I don't think most people expect it." I said laughing.

"Damn, were our friends back home like us?" Andi asked. "I mean kinda, they like to smoke and get in trouble. Stuff like that." I responded shrugging.

"So you had smoked before?" Andi asked. I didn't know how she had known that because I hadn't seen her at the party.

"Yeah I haven't." I said blinking while looking at the floor.

 "So, how'd you end up smoking with Ekko of all people? He doesn't usually let new people in like that."

I blinked, a bit taken aback. "Oh, I don't know. Just... got him at the right time, I guess?"

Andi raised an eyebrow, looking slightly impressed. "Well, that's something. Ekko's a closed book, but he seems to like you. Just... be careful. He's got layers."

I nodded slowly, the mystery of Ekko seeming to deepen with every word I heard about him.

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After a long shower to finally wash away the lingering smell of weed, I headed down the hallway to my room. A few guys were clustered around the door across from mine, laughing and chatting loudly. I kept my gaze down, trying to squeeze past them without drawing any attention.

"Excuse me," I muttered, shifting sideways to edge through.

"Oh, my bad, Sienna," came a familiar voice from the side. I looked up, and Caylus's light brown eyes met mine, warm and friendly. He flashed a quick smile.

"All good," I replied with a small wave, feeling my own smile come through as I turned back toward my door. I dug around in my pocket for my key card, finally sliding it in to unlock my door.

"Wait, Sienna!" a voice called out just as I was about to close my door. I glanced back toward the small crowd outside.

"Are you coming to watch the basketball game later?" Caylus asked, his expression eager as he looked over at me.

I paused, momentarily caught off guard. "Uh, I didn't even know there was a game today."

"Oh well you should go." He said walking closer to my door. "It's gonna be a really good game. Lucy and a few others from our hall are gonna be there." He said smiling, eager at the thought of his friends playing at the game. 

"Yeah I'll think about it." I said before I closed my door leaving the chaos of a bunch of rowdy behind me.

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I was back in my room, the door clicking shut behind me. It was quiet—just me and my thoughts. I let out a breath, looking around the small space that had started to feel oddly familiar, almost comforting. For once, the solitude didn't feel as heavy as it used to. Being here was safe, but something inside me wanted more than this empty routine of keeping to myself.

I thought about the way Caylus had invited me to watch the game, his casual smile, the friendly look in his eyes. It was like an open door, and I had felt... almost part of something. I wanted that. I wanted to break out of this quiet, cautious shell I'd wrapped myself in. I just wasn't sure where to start or what would happen if I did.

Growing meant change, and change was unsettling. But maybe, just maybe, if I let myself step out of my comfort zone, I'd find something real—friends who stayed, who wouldn't leave me on my own. I wanted to feel part of this place, not just a stranger passing through.