The Wrong Crowd [Wattys 2020]

Chapter 28

Ore stretched on her bed lazily as a loud yawn escaped her lips. She rubbed her eyes briefly with the back of her hand before adjusting to an upright position, her back leaning on the wall.

Mercy was sitting on her own compressed foam in a jean short and white singlet. Her full concentration seemed to be immersed in a fashion magazine that was perched close to the bridge of her nose. Ore's gaze strayed from Mercy's corner to her new roommate whose name she couldn't recall.

The bedspread was well laid and the ends were tucked in making for a comfortable sleep. Ore began to wonder where her roommate must have wandered off to so early in the morning. The sky was a tinge of blue through the backdrop window and the leaves fluttered wildly in the chilly breeze.

Ore wrapped her blanket tighter about her body and was about drifting off to sleep once more when she heard a loud slam. She jerked, her senses extremely awake. The magazine Mercy was engrossed in had been tossed carelessly on the floor and she was pacing the entire length of the room with a pensive breath.

Ore furrowed her brows as Mercy stopped midway to glare at her. Her natural hair was tousled from her constant turning here and there and her nostrils were getting rounder with each inhale and exhale.

"We need to talk," Mercy stated cautiously perching at the edge of the empty bed opposite Ore.

Ore pulled the fluffy cover away from her body, she suddenly felt a cold chill spreading from her back down to her sensitive toes.

"What's going on?" she asked taking in the wooden door that was ajar. "Did I do something to you this time?"

Ore kneaded her fingers tersely in her lap as she recalled the events of last night. She was sure Philip had relayed the whole story to his churchy sister and now she wanted to enquire whether what happened was true or not.

"Did you follow a friend to a party last night?" Mercy asked confirming Ore's suspicions. Mercy ran a hand through her hair as a figure passed by her line of sight.

"Yes and so?" Ore countered bracing herself for more queries.

"Ooh God," Mercy shivered and blew out a frustrated breath. "Do you know you could have been raped or worse still attacked?"

Ore shuddered at the mention of the word 'rape' and she brought her knees close to her chest, wrapping her arms around them. Her head was propped on her elbows, conflicting emotions raging in her heart.

"But nothing like that happened so you didn't have to worry yourself!" Ore's tone was sharp and made something inside Mercy snap.

"Really?" Mercy seethed. "I know what has been going on Ore, I am not blind and certainly not deaf. You have been hanging around people that are no good for you, you've got your tities out, panties in a twist but your crush still doesn't notice you. Can't you stop already?"

Ore huffed in disbelief at Mercy's harsh words. She let her arms fall limply by her side as she unfolded her laps.

"Don't you dare talk about Dami or me that way!" Ore hissed through clenched teeth. "And don't pretend like you care how the hell I live my life."

Mercy's shoulder slumped and she threw her hand helplessly in the air.

"So, would you be ready to face the consequences of your actions when the tables turn eventually?"

Ore peered at her through fluttering eyelids, "what the hell do you mean by that?"

The room was awkwardly silent for a minute, only the sound of the birds chirping and the rustling of a few hostellers here and there filled the space between them.