An Unusual Invitation
1120 Words
I was still unpacking my books when the sound of footsteps echoed down the hallway.
I paused, hands still buried in my bag, listening. My room was quiet otherwise—just the soft ticking of the wall clock and the faint hum of the radiator—but outside, voices drifted closer.
High-pitched. Sharp.
“Oh my god. This place is disgusting. Like, I knew the West Dorm was where they dumped all the scholarship kids, but this? This is just... ew.”
I winced, quietly closing my book and tiptoeing toward the door. I didn’t know why. Instinct, maybe. Like when you hear wolves howling and suddenly remember you’re made of meat.
Another voice answered her—this one lower, flatter, like she couldn’t be bothered to care. “Where’s the girl again?”
“I saw her walk in here. Room A3. This is it.”
I bit my lip and stepped back from the door, heart suddenly thudding too fast. They were here for me?
The first girl giggled. “Ugh, what if she smells like that hallway?”
They knocked on the first door. A second passed.
A confused male voice said, “Uh... hello?”
“Oops. Sorry. Not looking for you,” came the too-sweet reply, followed by muffled laughter.
Another door. Another poor soul opened up and got hit with the same dismissive, “Nope. Wrong person.”
I held my breath as the footsteps stopped right outside mine.
Three knocks.
Not too soft. Not aggressive. But definitely not friendly either.
I opened the door slowly.
Standing there were two girls who looked like they’d dropped straight out of a student fashion ad and into my nightmare.
The one in front wore all pink—pink cardigan, pink skirt, even pink lip gloss that sparkled when she smiled. Her blonde hair was curled into perfect waves, and she had the kind of bubbly energy that felt almost... cartoonish. But sweet. Weirdly sweet.
The girl beside her was a different story.
She wore black from head to toe—tight black crop top, sleek black jeans, and black heeled boots that clacked ominously with every step. Her makeup was sharp, her eyeliner winged so perfectly it could probably cut glass, and her lips were painted blood red. She didn’t smile. She didn’t even look at me. Her gaze flicked over my face, then past me, like I was a lamp or maybe a mildly interesting stain.
“That’s her!” the pink girl chirped, bouncing slightly on her toes. “I told you! Look how cute she is!”
I blinked at them, confused, cold air from the hallway brushing my legs.
“…What is it you want?” I blinked, trying to process everything. The girl in pink—way too cheerful, her eyes sparkling like she was just waiting for me to say something cute—looked over at her friend in black, as if silently asking for approval.
The girl in black didn’t even flinch. She just stared ahead, her arms crossed, exuding the kind of indifference that made her seem like she was somewhere else entirely.
The pink girl sighed dramatically, as if the silence were unbearable. Then, she grinned at me and flipped her hair. "I’m Brittany," she said in a tone that sounded like it belonged to someone in a teen movie, her voice as bubbly as her whole vibe. "And this is my friend, Kelsey," she added, pointing to the girl in black with a vague gesture. "She’s just... you know, Kelsey."
Kelsey didn't even acknowledge her name being spoken. She just kept staring off into space, like whatever Brittany said barely registered.
Brittany continued, oblivious to her friend's aloofness. "We, uh, want you to join us in our dorm!" Her words rushed out like she was giving an exciting announcement, her eyes lighting up with a level of enthusiasm that made me feel even more out of place.
I could feel my cheeks flush in confusion. “Wait… what? You want me to—what?”
Brittany’s eyes went wide, and she seemed almost affronted that I hadn’t instantly understood. "Oh my god! Okay, okay, so, like, here’s the deal, right?" She bounced on her heels, then lowered her voice dramatically, leaning in as though she were revealing some grand secret. “There’s this girl that’s gonna be joining us today, and, like, I totally cannot deal with her. She’s, like, my enemy or whatever. Totally obnoxious. Sooo not my vibe.”
I didn’t know what to say. Enemies? What did that have to do with me?
Brittany kept talking, not giving me the chance to respond. "So, I complained to the school and told them, and they were like, if they could get someone else to replace her in a few hours, I’m good." She shrugged, but there was something almost proud in the way she said it.
"They told me, mustn’t be a fellow rich student, though. Like, you know, one of us? That’d be—ugh, no. they wanted, like, someone poor. You know? To make it, like, better, more interesting."
I felt my heart drop a little. Poor. She meant me, didn’t she?
"But... I’m not poor," I murmured, trying to keep the sting out of my voice.
Brittany didn’t notice. Or maybe she didn’t care. She kept talking, her tone chipper as ever. “But, like, don’t worry! I’m sure you’re, like, totally fine with it! I mean, this place is super awesome, right? That’s why I love this university, you know? They’re, like, really big on charity.”
I didn’t know how to feel about the word ‘charity.’ Was it meant to be a compliment? A charity case? A thank-you note for being in her good graces? My stomach twisted a little.
“Oh,” Brittany added, her expression softening as if she were trying to comfort me. “I didn’t mean it, like, that way, you know? I was just trying to explain! But seriously, I saw you walking around campus, and, like, you just screamed ‘potential,’ you know?” She waved a hand like she were dismissing the awkwardness. “There’s so much room for improvement. I mean, I get it, you’ve got a vibe, but I’m sure we can make it... better? Like, totally refine it, if you know what I mean?"
I blinked at her, unsure if I should be flattered or insulted. The way she spoke was so casual, like everything was a project to her, something she could fix or polish up to her standards.
Brittany paused for a second, her lips twitching as if she realized what she’d said wasn’t exactly... great?
- Writer
