We Were Young

Chapter 5: A Midnight Awakening

By the time Serena returned to the student council’s publicity office, the first evening class was already halfway over. Her fellow council members were crouched on the floor, wrestling with the giant poster that would eventually hang in the university’s main building. Watching their earnest efforts, Serena resisted the urge to say, “Your Majesty approves, but I have more pressing matters,” and quietly took a seat nearby.

Settling down, she pulled her knees close and watched them struggle with the poster, taking on the odd job of washing brushes, changing water, and cleaning up paint trays.

“Serena, I’m so envious of you! You don’t have to kneel here forever because of your POP poster font skills. You picked it up so quickly and perfectly,” one of the members sighed.

“Perfect? Hardly,” Serena said, absently stirring paint with a wide brush. “For those first two days, I took class notes in POP font. No way was I not going to get good fast.”

“What?” the other member gasped. “But this is college—people still take class notes?”

“Yep, and we even have to line up to recite in front of the teacher. Scared yet?”

“…”

By the time they finally wrapped up, it was nearly 10:30, with only half an hour left before curfew. The senior members looked disappointed at the lack of progress, but they had no choice but to call it a night.

Serena, usually pragmatic and cautious, decided that venturing off-campus to her grandmother’s house wasn’t worth the risk at this hour. The university was located far from the city center, and the idea of leaving the school grounds in the dark seemed like an invitation to trouble. Defeated, she trudged back to the dorms with the others.

As she huffed her way up the stairs, she took out her phone and sent a message to her friend and self-proclaimed gamer girl, Talia.

[Miss Serena: I just spent the entire evening kneeling for the student council, drawing a poster for a welcoming event.

And this is just the start! Next, we have the Top Ten Singers contest, a food festival, a campus arts showcase, career fairs… I swear, I’ll be kneeling in perpetuity. The room I was going to fix up at my grandmother’s will probably end up haunted at this rate.]

[Salty Talia: And you’re sharing this with a high schooler studying for exams at this hour because…?]

[Miss Serena: Just keeping it real. College isn’t that different from high school. All that “freedom in college” stuff? Total lies.]

[Salty Talia: …So what’s your plan?]

[Miss Serena: First step, buy a car and drive myself everywhere.]

[Salty Talia: Ah, a Maserati no less? I’ll take a hundred selfies on the hood. My moment of glory.]

[Miss Serena: Dream bigger! Don’t settle for your bestie’s car; aim for your future man to buy you one.]

[Salty Talia: If my future man buys me a Maserati, I’ll bow to you three times every New Year. And if I’m too old to bend, my son will continue the tradition.]

[Miss Serena: …]

[Salty Talia: By the way, here’s a math problem—random selection of 16 components, monitoring process compliance on a production line. You’re up for it, right?]

[Miss Serena: I just spent hours on my knees drawing posters, and you want me to solve a math problem?! Look up the answer yourself.]

[Salty Talia: The answer says, “Solution omitted.” This is your penance for disturbing a high schooler at midnight.]

Serena sighed, but she knew there was no escaping Talia’s request. By the time she reached the fifth-floor dormitory, she had sent back the answer to Talia’s question and was mentally drained. As she stepped into her room, however, a new disturbance awaited.

The first thing she noticed upon entering was that someone was sitting in her chair. Upon closer inspection, she saw that it was her roommate, Lila, who was casually using her brand-new Chanel lipstick—one she had barely unboxed.

Now, not only was it unboxed, but its previously pristine surface had made multiple rounds on Lila’s lips.

Serena stared, speechless.

“Oh, Serena, you’re back?” one of the other roommates called out. “Weren’t you going to stay at your grandmother’s?”

“Student council kept me busy. Just got done,” Serena replied, her tone a touch darker than usual. The room fell silent as her roommates sensed the tension in the air.

With a deep breath, Serena took a few steps forward, her fingers tapping the desk. “Lila,” she asked calmly, “why are you using my things?”

Lila didn’t flinch, maintaining her calm demeanor. “Oh, that. I have an interview tomorrow for an esports hosting gig, but my own red lipstick ran out. The other shades are too orange, so I figured I’d try yours.”

“You ran out,” Serena replied, snatching the lipstick and tossing it straight into the trash without a second thought, “but you didn’t ask me first?”

The way she threw it in the trash without hesitation was evidently too much for Lila, who turned beet red.

“What’s your problem, Serena? I only borrowed it for a bit. It’s just lipstick—not like I stole it.”

Serena’s eyebrow arched. “Buy your own, then.”

Lila’s tone grew louder, her voice reverberating down the hall. “My monthly allowance is only $500! If I buy a $50 lipstick, I’d be broke for the rest of the month. Not everyone’s a spoiled rich girl whose parents throw money around!”

Serena held back a laugh. Her voice was low and measured, yet loud enough for the entire floor to hear. “Oh, so you’re justified in using my things, then?”

Lila’s face turned redder. “Just because you have money doesn’t mean you get to act superior. You think you’re something special because your parents give you everything? Try earning it yourself for once!”

The hint of laughter disappeared from Serena’s face. She leaned forward slightly, her voice cold. “I didn’t choose to be born rich, but I did get here by running as fast as I could. There are all kinds of ways to work hard, you know. Just because you’re on a different path doesn’t mean yours is better.”

The tension in the room was thick, but Serena was satisfied. She sank into her chair, determined not to let the conversation drag on any further.

Lila, however, seemed undeterred, launching into a passionate speech as Serena calmly began removing her makeup. “You don’t understand how important tomorrow’s interview is for me! I’ve been playing League of Legends for six months now, and I know that my future lies in the esports industry. The tournament in two days is a stepping stone for me to make connections, to get my foot in the door.”

Serena nodded politely, though she barely understood a word Lila was saying. A life goal in gaming? You’re kidding.

With each makeup wipe, she hummed occasionally to show she was listening, waiting for Lila’s voice to die down. But when Serena didn’t react, Lila grew even more frustrated.

“You’ll never understand, Serena. People like you are born with everything. Your family’s money paved your path. What do you know about ambition or goals?”

Serena tossed the makeup pad in the trash, her face expressionless as she looked at Lila. “Are you finished?”

Lila’s jaw clenched. “You have no idea what it means to dream. Or to work for something that isn’t handed to you.”

Serena simply shrugged, reaching for her phone. She read the message from earlier—a student council senior had suggested she try out as a host for a League of Legends city qualifier at an internet café next week. It seemed, just by luck, she’d stumbled upon the exact same opportunity that meant so much to Lila.

“League of Legends at Beiyu Café, right?” she asked, her tone casual.

Lila looked confused and wary. “What… why do you care?”

With a quick reply of “Sure, sounds fun!” to the student council message, Serena stood up, patted Lila’s shoulder, and smirked. “You’re right, Lila. Maybe I do need more direction. I’ll start by seeing what your life goals look like.”

That night, as Serena lay in bed, she couldn’t shake off the echoes of her encounter with Lila. She half-drifted between sleep and wakefulness, mulling over the absurdity of it all. Just as she began to doze off, a faint rustling noise jolted her awake.

From somewhere below, she could hear faint scratching sounds, like a mouse rummaging through a garbage can.

“Who’s there?” muttered her groggy roommate from the bunk above.

There was a moment of silence before a familiar voice responded softly, “It’s me.”

“Serena? What are you doing?”

Serena, trying to keep her voice calm and collected, responded, “Pee!.”