CHAPTER 3: WELCOME GREETINGS
1280 Words
Arianna's cheeks flushed red. She was supposed to push him away, but it felt like she was being controlled. Taking a deep breath, she finally managed to push him back. "Stay away from me, you pervert," she hissed as she climbed down from the counter. As she walked out of the kitchen, she paused and faced him. "Pretend you don’t know me at school. I don’t want a wild college life like you, who goes around sleeping with every girl. I want a private school experience," she warned.
He smirked and stepped closer, stopping just a few inches away. "Fine. Since my little rebel has spoken, what do I get in return?" he pouted, catching her off guard.
"You get nothing! Just stay away from me at school," she rolled her eyes and left the kitchen immediately.
He smiled as he watched her retreating figure. "You won’t be able to resist for long, Rebel. Just wait and see how I tease you until you admit you still love me," he smirked.
NEXT DAY, 4 PM
A black Land Rover pulled up in front of the hostel, and Caroline was the first to step out, followed by Ruby.
Arianna emerged from the other side, smiling as she took in the wide, beautiful.
Her registration was done by her mother, so this was her first time here...
"It's even better than what I saw in the pictures. I love it!" she said, biting her bottom lip.
The driver took her large bag out of the trunk. She had planned to arrive earlier to settle in easily, intending to stay at school and return home whenever she wanted.
"You should go now, Mom. I can find my room easily. It's in Block E, Room 35. The housing officer will help me; I’ll call you," she said.
"You always say that," Caroline replied, holding her face gently.
"I mean it this time, so you won’t be late for work," Arianna insisted.
Caroline gave her a soft kiss on the forehead.
"I'll miss you, big sis. But promise me you'll still have time for me," Ruby pouted sadly.
"Of course, 100%. Anything for my little sister," they hugged each other tightly.
"I'll be the one to call you, and don’t forget what I told you, you're free to do what you like be careful while making decisions".Caroline whispered softly, and Arianna embraced her tightly.
"Sure, I love you," she said.
"I love you too," Caroline replied, breaking the hug as they got into the car that would take them away.
Arianna glanced back at the hostel, a smile spreading across her face.
"New life, new school," she thought.
"Ari Ari!!!" A loud voice called out from behind, and she turned to see Dorothy rushing towards her from a sleek black car.
"Dorothy!" Arianna exclaimed, opening her arms wide for a hug.
Making friends has always been a challenge for her, but she felt an instant connection with this girl. Dorothy's energy was infectious.
"Meet my uncle Raymond. He started staying with us last week because my mum was too busy to come with me," Dorothy introduced as the man stepped out of the car.
"How are you, young lady?" he asked with a warm smile.
"I'm good, thanks for bringing this chatterbox," Arianna replied, and he chuckled while unloading Dorothy's three large bags.
"You don’t need to worry; I’ll help her with one of mine, and she can handle the other two," Arianna offered.
"Well then, stay a good girl, Dorothy," Raymond said with a nod.
"Of course, Uncle! I’ll call you once I settle in," she promised.
He waved goodbye as he drove off, and the two girls began hauling the bags together.
"I can’t wait to see what my room will look like!" Dorothy exclaimed excitedly.
"I wish we were in the same room," Arianna said quietly.
"What’s your room number?" Dorothy asked.
"Block E, room 35," Arianna replied.
"No way! Same!" Dorothy jumped in excitement.
"Really?" Arianna asked, surprised, and Dorothy winked at her.
"Yes!" Arianna shouted, and they embraced once more.
They quickly made their way to the housing office, where a man handed them their keys and a map.
They exchanged secret smiles before dragging their bags all the way to Block E.
Meanwhile, Jace stood on the rooftop of his hostel, looking down at the girls.
He was smoking, as usual, with one of his b***h Sza beside him.
"Who are they?" she asked, curiosity evident in her voice.
Jace didn’t respond; he simply turned and walked away.
Sza glanced back at the girls, a frown forming on her.
☆
Fortunately for the girls, it wasn't a busy time in the corridors, so there weren't many students around. Most were still on campus for evening classes.
Finding room 35 was a breeze, and they took a moment to gather themselves before opening the door. Their eyes widened at the spaciousness inside.
The room had four corners, each with a bed, a charming wardrobe, and a rack. In the center, there was a reading table for four, and a bookshelf stood next to the door.
"Wow!" they exclaimed in unison.
They were so caught up in the room's charm that they didn't notice the other two girls already there until one of them stood up with an annoyed hiss.
"I can't stand having so many roommates! Why would that clueless housing officer do this?" she grumbled, storming out. As she passed by, the girls exchanged wide-eyed glances and held their breath until she was gone. They exhaled in relief, and the second girl spoke up.
"Nice scent, right? That's Nessa Black, our wealthy roommate who's got a bit of a body odor issue. She's rude and short tempered, so just avoid her and don't touch her stuff," she said with a smile.
"By the way, I'm Veronica Edward," she introduced herself. She seemed like the sweetest girl ever, helping the newcomers organize their things. Within an hour, everything was in place.
"I'm so glad you both are here; I was about to lose it with Nessa," Veronica admitted.
"Is she really that bad?" Arianna asked.
"You'll see for yourself by tomorrow morning," Veronica replied. "Would you mind if I showed you both around the hostel?"
"I need to shower first; I’m all sweaty. I’ll catch up with you outside," Arianna said.
"Okay!" Veronica said, grabbing Dorothy and pulling her out of the room.
Arianna quickly changed, wrapping a towel around her curvy figure before grabbing her toiletries bag.
She hurried into the bathroom for a warm shower, but just three minutes in, things took a turn. After her bath, she wrapped herself in a towel and walked back into the room. To her surprise, there was someone else inside when she entered.
He was sitting at the reading table, his back turned to her.
From the familiar tattoos on his arms and the minty scent lingering in the air, she had a hunch about who it might be, but she dismissed the thought.
It couldn't be him.
How did he get in here?
"Who are you?" she asked in a low but firm voice, but he didn't respond.
"Who are..."
She hadn't finished her question when he turned to face her, and her eyes widened in shock, freezing her in place.
Her guess was correct! It was him—Jace!
His jaw moved slowly as they locked eyes, and a mischievous smile crept onto his lips as he leaned back in the chair.
"Jace?" Arianna stammered, taken aback. He glanced over her wet, bare legs before returning his gaze to her face, smirking ominously.
"Welcome to f***o Hostel, Little Rebel."
- Writer
