Mia

Chapter 2: Mia

I woke up the next morning feeling the weight of the prank from the day before still heavy on my shoulders. The cold water had soaked through my skin, leaving behind an uncomfortable chill that lingered even after I'd gotten a warm shower. It wasn't just the water that had left me feeling cold; it was the way everyone had laughed. I had tried to ignore it, but the whispers, the stares, and the way Gabriel’s smirk had never left my mind made it hard to shake off.

I didn’t want to be here anymore. Kingston University was supposed to be a fresh start, but it felt more like a never-ending cycle of humiliation. My phone buzzed on the desk beside my bed, and I picked it up without thinking. A message from my best friend, Lily, popped up.

*"How’s day two at Kingston? Any cute guys yet?"*

I couldn’t help but smile at her message, even though I knew she was joking. Lily had always been the optimistic one, the one who saw the good in every situation. I, on the other hand, could only see the bad, especially after yesterday.

"Just trying to survive," I typed back, *"Wish me luck."

The reply was quick. *"You’ve got this! Don’t let anyone mess with you. Remember, you’re tougher than you think."*

I stared at the message for a moment, letting it sink in. I didn’t feel tough. I didn’t feel like I belonged anywhere here, especially after yesterday’s fiasco. But maybe she was right. I had to at least try to act like I wasn’t bothered by Gabriel and his friends. They didn’t deserve to see me broken.

I forced myself to get out of bed and face the day. I knew I couldn’t hide away forever, no matter how badly I wanted to. The campus felt like a maze, and every hallway I walked down felt like it was full of eyes watching me, judging me. I tried to hold my head high as I walked through the courtyard, though the feeling of being watched never left me.

As I made my way to the next class, I noticed Gabriel and his friends hanging out near the entrance of the building. He was laughing with his usual group, surrounded by people who hung on to his every word. They had all probably forgotten about me by now, right? They probably didn’t care. I wished I could tell myself that.

"Look who’s back," a voice sneered from behind me, and I immediately recognized it as one of Gabriel’s friends. "You clean up nice," he added with a laugh.

I didn’t turn around, didn’t acknowledge him. I couldn’t. If I did, I’d just give them the satisfaction of seeing me struggle. So, I kept walking, ignoring the snickers that followed me down the hall. I refused to let them have control over me.

The class was long, and my mind kept drifting. I couldn’t concentrate on the lecture. Every time the professor spoke, my thoughts would drift back to the water, to the laughter, to the way I had felt in that moment.

"You alright?" a voice whispered from the desk beside me, and I looked up to see a girl with short, dark hair and big, curious eyes. She looked familiar, but I couldn’t place her.

"Yeah," I mumbled, forcing a smile. "Just tired, I guess."

She didn’t seem convinced, but she didn’t press me. "I’m Mia, by the way. You’re Elena, right?"

I nodded. "Yeah, nice to meet you."

"First year, huh?" Mia asked, her voice friendly, but there was something cautious in it, as if she was testing me.

I nodded again, feeling the weight of the day pressing down on me. "Yeah. It’s... a lot."

She smiled, though it wasn’t a bright, cheerful smile. It was understanding, like she knew exactly what I meant. "I get it. Kingston can be overwhelming. But it gets easier once you know the ropes. Trust me."

I wanted to believe her, but I wasn’t sure I could. How could it get easier when every corner I turned, there were people like Gabriel making sure I never felt comfortable? But I smiled back, grateful that someone had at least tried to be kind.

"I’m sure it will," I said, though I wasn’t sure at all.

After class, Mia walked with me toward the student center. "You want to grab lunch?" she asked casually. "I know a spot with the best sandwiches. My treat."

I hesitated for a moment, thinking about the loneliness that had been eating at me ever since I got here. "Sure. Why not?" I said, the words coming out before I could overthink them.

We made our way to the small café on campus. It wasn’t anything fancy, but it was quiet and away from the chaos of the main building. The two of us found a corner table and sat down, talking about the classes we were taking and the professors we’d met. Mia was easy to talk to, and it was nice to have someone who didn’t seem like they were trying to figure out how to humiliate me.

"Do you know Gabriel and his crew?" she asked suddenly, her tone carefully neutral.

I froze, and my heart sank. I couldn’t even bring myself to look her in the eye. "Yeah, I’ve run into them," I said, keeping my voice calm.

Mia’s eyes softened. "Don’t let them get to you," she said, almost too quickly. "They’re just... trying to make everyone else feel small. You’re better than that."

I wasn’t sure if I believed her, but it felt nice to hear someone say it out loud. "It’s hard, though," I admitted. "I feel like everyone’s watching me. Like I can’t do anything right here."

Mia nodded, taking a sip of her drink. "It’s like that for a lot of people. But the thing is, they don’t get to decide who you are. You do."

I didn’t respond immediately. I wasn’t sure how to. Mia’s words were comforting, but they didn’t change the fact that I was still just the new girl, the one who had been humiliated on her first day.

We finished lunch, and I walked back to my dorm, the weight of the conversation still lingering. Maybe Mia was right. Maybe I didn’t have to let Gabriel and his friends get under my skin. But it was easier said than done.

As I reached my dorm room, I stopped in the doorway, my eyes falling on the small note I had left on my desk the day before. It was from Lily. The one I hadn’t had time to read.

“You’re stronger than you think. Don’t let them break you.”

I took a deep breath and placed the note in my bag. Lily’s words were still in my mind, the reassurance I needed when everything felt impossible. Maybe I wasn’t as alone as I thought. And maybe, just maybe, I could make it through this.

But it wouldn’t be easy.