Chapter 2.
1234 Words
THE GOLDEN GIRLS’ SUITE
The suite smelled of vanilla perfume, expensive hairspray, and emotional damage.
Mitchell’s emotional damage, to be specific.
“Babe… you’re obsessed,” Katherine announced, arms folded as she slowly walked toward the bed like a judge preparing a sentence. “Take this to the next level, Mitchell. Stop acting so chill.”
Mitchell didn’t respond. She was too busy scrolling through her phone, looking at the newest picture Brian posted on his story—shirtless, jaw sharp enough to cut glass, eyes challenging anyone to breathe too loudly.
Katherine stopped beside her and pointed dramatically at the wall.
“Your room, my darling has officially turned into Brian’s personal art gallery.”
She laughed loudly. “Posters, printed pictures, screenshots… girl, you're gone.”
Mitchell still didn’t look up, but her cheeks turned pink.
“Mind your business,” she mumbled.
That was when the door flung open so hard it swung back.
“FOXES!!” Caroline screamed.
Katherine flinched. “Jesus! why are you yelling?”
Caroline twirled into the room with her flare gown swirling behind her, her makeup glowing, her cat-eye liner sharp and deadly. She looked like she belonged in a luxury perfume ad with a caption that said: CHAOS QUEEN.
“My Louis is sooo handsome,” she whined dramatically, almost moaning.
“Oh my God… the cherry lips… the abs… the V-line… everything about him is perfect!”
She shoved her phone in Katherine’s face.
Katherine pushed it away. “I didn’t ask.”
Caroline ignored her and rolled onto the bed beside Mitchell, still drooling over her lockscreen—Louis shirtless, smirking, and sinful-looking in a way that should be illegal.
Mitchell turned slightly.
“Girl… stop putting your phone in my eyeball.”
“You don’t understand,” Caroline said breathlessly. “Louis isn’t just fine… he’s art.”
“You both have gone insane,” Katherine declared, placing her hands on her hips. “One of you is crazy about Brian, the other is losing her mind over Louis. What exactly have these boys done to you?”
Mitchell looked up for the first time.
“You’re the one definitely not fine. Don’t talk nonsense about Brian.”
“And don’t talk s**t about Louis,” Caroline instantly added. “Goddamn… he’s too sexy.”
Katherine threw her hands in the air. “I give up. Completely.”
Mitchell zoomed into Brian’s picture again.
Caroline zoomed into Louis’ jawline.
Katherine just watched both of them with the exhausted energy of a mother with two misbehaving toddlers.
“I’m going downstairs,” Katherine said, already walking away. “I need something from the kitchen. I’m hungry and I can’t deal with this madness.”
She slammed the door behind her.
Caroline blinked. “She’s upset.”
Mitchell shrugged. “She’ll survive.”
Caroline rolled onto her back. “You think Katherine secretly likes Isaac?”
Mitchell’s eyes widened. “Oh my God. Don’t start.”
Caroline smirked. “I’m just saying…”
Mitchell threw a pillow at her. “Get out.”
.......
ADELINE’S HOME
Grandma Nella’s soft humming echoed faintly through the hallway as Kate pushed open the door with the passcode she’d memorized years ago.
“Kate, how have you been?” Grandma Nella asked with a warm smile the moment Kate entered. She was sitting on her rocking chair, knitting something tiny and pink.
“I’m fine, Mama,” Kate said, dropping her bag. “Addie is in? Tomorrow’s the scholarship exam—we want to stay up reading before the scheduled time.”
Grandma Nella’s smile brightened with pride.
“You girls are doing well. Go in and start quickly so you’ll finish quickly.”
“Alright, Mama.” Kate kissed her cheek gently. “Don’t stay up too late.”
Grandma Nella waved her off. “I should say that to you.”
Kate laughed and slipped into Adeline’s room.
......
ADELINE’S ROOM
Adeline was sprawled on her bed like a corpse that had given up on life.
Her laptop was beside her, open to a page full of formulas or something equally nightmarish. Her hair was in a messy bun, her glasses tilted, and her notes were scattered everywhere.
Kate paused at the door.
“Uh… are you alive?”
Adeline groaned. “Barely.”
Kate dropped her bag. “The exam is in less than twenty-four hours and this is your energy?”
Adeline buried her face into a pillow.
“I’m exhausted, Kate. Grandma had me sweeping everywhere. Twice.”
Kate sat beside her. “You’ll be fine, babe. We’ll go through everything again. You know you understand things better when you’re under pressure.”
“That is not comforting.”
Kate patted her back. “It wasn’t meant to be.”
Adeline sat up slowly, rubbing her eyes. She looked beautiful in that natural, soft way she never acknowledged herself—glowing skin, pretty lashes, gentle features. But tonight, she looked drained.
Kate opened her laptop.
“Let’s divide the topics.”
Adeline sighed. “Let’s start before I faint.”
Kate smiled. “There’s my girl.”
......
STUDY MODE ACTIVATED
For the next hour, their room became a battlefield of books, highlighters, formulas, cries for help, and motivational insults.
“Addie, that’s wrong.”
“I know it’s wrong, Kate. I can feel it being wrong.”
“Then fix it.”
“Let me breathe first.”
Five minutes later...Where's Alex
That one,you know he loved being alone.
He's doing his thing inside" Adeline replied
“Addie, what are you doing?”
“Thinking about my life choices.”
Kate threw a pen at her. “Focus!”
Adeline caught it. “Violence is not the answer...”
“But it works.”
Their laughter echoed through the room.
Soon, they were solving questions faster.
Correcting each other.
Studying seriously.
And dreaming quietly about university life.
Kate paused halfway through a paragraph.
“Do you think we’ll really get into Westbridge?”
Adeline smiled softly. “We’ve worked so hard. We will.”
“You sound confident.”
“I have to be.”
Kate nodded. “Then we will.”
Adeline felt warmth in her chest.
They had been friends since they could barely walk.
They had shared secrets, birthdays, tears, promises.
And now they were working toward the same future.
Together.
Kate stretched. “I swear, once we enter Westbridge, I’m getting a new wardrobe.”
Adeline raised a brow. “Why?”
“So I can look hot.”
“You’re already hot.”
Kate grinned. “I know.”
They burst into laughter again.
.....
Kate yawned. “Want noodles?”
“Yes,” Adeline said immediately. “My spirit needs food to remember anything.”
Kate shook her head. “You’re ridiculous.”
She stood and headed toward the kitchen.
Adeline leaned back for a moment, staring up at the ceiling.
Tomorrow’s exam would decide everything.
Their admission.
Their future.
The next chapter of their lives.
She inhaled deeply.
She wanted it.
She needed it.
And she would get it.
.........
Across the city, The Golden Crew were living in luxury, partying and relaxing, not knowing that the girl studying barefoot on her bed, eating late-night noodles with her best friend…
…would soon shake their perfect world.
And nothing would ever be the same again.
- Writer
