That weekend, Pearl found herself navigating her new shared space with Sheila and Kyle—her quirky, unpredictable roommates. They were funny. Loud. Dramatic. And exhausting.
Sheila burst into the room like a storm. "Oh my God, I'm telling you—my sugar-crush sent me a voice note saying he dreams of us sipping wine in Paris!"
Kyle didn't look up from his laptop. "And I dream of crypto finally hitting six figures. Dreams are cheap, babe."
Pearl, quietly scooping rice into plates, glanced between the two, amused. Their banter was chaos, but it filled the silence in a way she hadn't known she needed.
Then, surprisingly, Sheila's tone softened. "Pearl… thanks for not freaking out about us. I know I'm, like… a whole situation."
Pearl blinked, then smiled. "It's fine. I don't mind."
Sheila beamed and tossed Kyle a pillow. "See? She likes me."
"Tragic," Kyle muttered.
But by night, Sheila's mood turned stormy again. She flopped onto Pearl's bed dramatically, her phone in hand. "He's texting new girls now. I swear. I stalked his comments. This is why I don't trust men with perfect teeth."
Kyle snorted from the doorway. "Here we go again."
Pearl sighed. *So much for a peaceful semester.*
And Pearl thought, *Why am I here? I came for study—not this emotional circus.*
Kyle was the kind of guy who lived in digital graphs. He'd lost more than he'd won, but he still chased every coin like it was the jackpot. He barely blinked when the market crashed—he just said, "Buy the dip."
And Sheila? She was chaos in human form. Always going on about her sugar crush: how romantic he was, how perfect his hair curled behind his ear, how he called her "baby" once in a text.
It was noise. Loud, constant, and ridiculous.
Pearl stared at the both of them—the crypto addict and the hopeless romantic—and sighed.
*This place is a jungle.*
**** Next Monday
The group gathered around their usual café table—books, notices, and laughter scattered across the surface. Frederick lounged back, sipping his iced coffee, clearly in good spirits. Kelly sat next to him, legs crossed, sunglasses pulled up on her head, exuding her usual bold energy.
*Kelly:* "Seriously, Fred? You showed up with this same shirt for three days in a row. Are you recycling or just really committed to that look?"
Frederick raised both eyebrows, feigning shock. "Recycling is eco‑friendly, Kelly. But I might just be committed."
Pearl laughed softly. "Let's talk about something more serious—like how I nearly failed my lab practical today because the machine decided to go on strike."
Amanda tilted her head, listening. "What happened?"
*Pearl:* "The instructor didn't show, the backup machine was broken… I ended up improvising. Barely made it through."
Kelly clapped loudly. "Good job, nerd. See? I knew you had it in you."
Frederick nudged Kelly. "She definitely did. Now I'll recycle shirts in honour."
Emily smiled, quietly handing Pearl a snack. "Here. You deserve it after today."
Pearl accepted it gratefully. They shared a relaxed silence, the kind of friendship where words weren't always needed.
Kelly leaned toward Frederick, voice lower, playful.
*"So, rumor says you're hitting that rooftop party this weekend. I might just crash it. What do you say—wanna lose to me in a dance battle?"*
Frederick smirked without missing a beat.
*"Only if you're ready to be embarrassed. I've got moves that can cause minor earthquakes."*
Amanda rolled her eyes.
*"Please. Last time you danced, someone tripped over a speaker."*
Frederick laughed. "Bring it on, Kelly. I'll outdance you and out‑flirt you too."
Kelly smirked, flipping her hair. "Oh please. You think you're slick."
Emily leaned in toward Pearl. "We'll win this weekend—team crazy, remember?"
Pearl nodded, smiling. "Team crazy."
*Kelly:* "Frederick, do you always flirt like your GPA depends on it?"
*Frederick (grinning):* "Only with people who can take it."
*Amanda:* "You two should get a room."
*Kelly:* "Tch. I wouldn't survive in a room with this one. His ego would suffocate me."
*Frederick (winking):* "Or charm you."
The group laughs, but for a split second, there's a flicker in Kelly's eyes — amusement, maybe something else. She quickly looks away, hiding it behind a sip of her drink.
Pearl watches the two of them bicker with a curious frown. Was there something there? She couldn't tell yet, but it was definitely getting louder than their usual chaos.