The morning was still early. The sun had just started rising and the faint smell of rain still lingered from the downpour the previous night. The early morning sun cast soft rays on the surroundings despite the chill the breeze still brought. An ironical contradiction which made it a perfect morning for a cup of hot chocolate. Only boring people did coffee. Why would a person wake up and decide to take coffee? It seemed something a book character should do, not a real person. At least that was Kadesha's view of things. She was a chocolate girlie.
With her head held high and hands slipped into her pants pocket, she strode confidently into her favourite café. The stares were piercing; judging. Let them stare. It was already a routine. She even heard a lady whisper to another girl, probably her daughter, saying she should not change who she was.
Just a baggy cargo pants and jersey and perfect locked twists styles by herself made her different? She laughed and walked up to the counter.
"Good morning. What would you like to order?" The attendant asked, wearing the most judgemental eyes and the most unrealistic smile in the world.
"I'll handle it. Hey Kay." A male attendant said and gave Kadesha a fist bump while sliding a cup of hot chocolate over to her. She sipped it and her lips curled into a natural smile.
Perfect
She paid and left a tip before leaving. She practically skipped along as she walked out, clutching the cup like it was some prized toy. To her, anything that held her hot chocolate was. She saw a girl coming and stepped aside, only for this girl to brush her shoulders against hers intentionally.
"The hell?! Are you blind?" The girl asked in rage.
"I did step aside. Maybe try not to use too much mascara to block your eye sight." Kadesha shot back calmly. She hated rude teenage brats, and this girl screamed bratty.
"Who the hell do you think you are to talk about my makeup? I know you don't have the money to--" Kadesha walked away before she could finish her sentence. The girl went beet red with frustration which immediately changed to outright shock when she saw Kadesha slipping into a waiting Mercedes.
"Is anything the problem?" The driver asked seeing her dissatisfied expression. Kadesha gave a faint smile and dismissed it with a classic hand wave.
The car started pulling out of the parking lot and eventually onto the highway. Kadesha sipped her beverage and let out a satisfied sigh. She brought out her phone and dialed a number.
"The dancer, blacklist her." She simply said before hanging up and tossing her phone down. Screen time could wait, she had to savour her drink first.
★
Kingston West High
It was resumption day. The school dormitory was a literal beehive. Cars were lined up in the parking lot, different students dragging suitcases and bags to the gate to get checked in, parents and guardians making payment, some giving small pep talks to their kids. A typical busy resumption day.
Kadesha looked out the window, resting her head against the tinted glass as she looked at the massive female hostel gate where different returning students were lined up and being checked in. The process took about three minutes; line up, present your card, get checked in, take your bags in and you're good to go. The line was not stagnant either. It was moving very fast and there were about 7 lines.
Kadesha got out of the car and adjusted the glasses perched on her nose. For fashion, of course. She made her way to the boot of the car where her driver had already brought out a large box, a medium one and the smallest one along with a medium sized suitcase. Kadesha swung her backpack over her shoulder and grabbed two boxes, dragging them towards the gate.
"ID?" A lady asked her when it got to her turn.
"I'm not a returning student." Kadesha explained and submitted her student slip. The lady collected the slip and looked her name up on the school's system.
"Kadesha Morren. Block 28, room 16. You have two other roommates." The lady said and brought out a key card from a pack. She slid it in a device, typed some things and gave her the key card.
"This is yours personally. You'll pay if it gets lost, okay?" Kadesha nodded once and collected the card before wheeling her boxes into the checkpoint and put them on a conveyor.
The iron gates loomed high above her, tall and black, their polished bars glinting under the afternoon sun. When they slowly swung open, she stepped inside cautiously, expecting the usual sight of a single hostel building.
Instead, she stopped in her tracks.
The place was enormous.
Several hostel blocks stood across the compound, each rising three storeys high like miniature apartment buildings. They were arranged neatly, separated by paved sidewalks that stretched between them in straight lines.
Tall trees lined the walkways, their leaves casting cool shadows on the ground. A smooth road curved through the compound, clearly meant for official vehicles, and elegant lamp posts stood at intervals along the paths as if the place were its own little neighborhood. Beneath the trees were wooden benches where a few girls sat talking and laughing, completely at ease.
Wow! I wasn't expecting this really.
She had no idea how to locate her block. She looked at each block, trying to look for hers, but it was a literal puzzle. She eventually saw another girl. Pink crop top and white cotton shorts, pink headphones and height that would immediately put her in a basketball court.
"Hey." Kadesha said casually, stepping in front of the girl. She stopped and removed her headphones. "Sorry to bother you, but I'm actually new here and I have no idea where my block is." She explained.
"Oh. Can I see your key card?" The girl offered. Kadesha brought out the card from her pants pocket. The girl's eyes lit up immediately.
"No way! Block 28, room 16? We're roommates!" She squealed and grabbed Kadesha's suitcase and large box.
"Come on. I'm Skye Jason." She introduced, dragging the box as she and Kadesha walked in.
"Kadesha." Kadesha responded cooly.
"Kadesha. Are you masc?" She suddenly asked. "Or is this just a cool aesthetic?"
"Well, I am. And yes, it is." Kadesha said, answering both questions.
"Ugh. Not another one." Skye groaned and Kadesha laughed. "You and Choco will get along pretty well. She's really fun to be with, and fun to rile up." Skye teased and Kadesha laughed.
Have an amazing and funny roommate; check.
†
Block 28, room 16
The door opened into a room that looked more like an undercharged hotel suite than a dormitory. It was far too spacious for just three people—easily large enough for six.
Three large beds occupied separate corners of the room, each one arranged as though it belonged to its own private section. Beside every bed stood a tall double wardrobe, complete with a full-length dressing mirror and cabinets beneath it. A small shelf and a neat reading table completed each space, giving every occupant what felt like her own miniature bedroom within the larger room.
Each side of the room had its own wide window, letting in generous light and offering an impressive view of the hostel grounds. The windows also allowed a steady breeze to pass through, keeping the room cool and well ventilated.
Above them, a carefully finished POP ceiling held soft LED lights that cast a warm, gentle glow across the room. Beneath their feet, polished marble tiles stretched across the floor, partly covered by plush rugs that made the space feel even more comfortable.
For a dormitory meant for students, it felt far more like a luxury suite than a hostel room.
Skye's side was painted white with pink aesthetic Pinterest frames and cool stickers. Her bed was literally a poster bed dressed in hello kitty sheets and teddy bears too. There were few picture frames on her dressing mirror along with some creams and make up items.
The other person's side was bathed in soft blue hues like the ocean, stickers of different shapes and colours of deep sea creatures designed the walls and the curtain made the side of the room look so cool. The bed was also covered with blue and white sheets and her shelf was already full of books, mostly novels and her dressing mirror had skincare products on it. The last corner was bare, white, a mattress on the bed, vacant shelf and dressing mirror. Like blank canvas waiting for an artist to make it's move.
"We are allowed to redecorate. You can paint yourself or pay the painters. And later, we can all finally agree on a room decor." Skye explained as Kadesha dropped her bags near her side of the room. "Let's get you settled in. I'll get cleaning materials from the storage room. Hold on." She said and dashed out of the room before Kadesha could tell her not to bother.
The words died on her lips as the door clicked shut. Kadesha smiled to herself and shook her head. She bent down and unzipped the smallest box, bringing out her toiletries and other things. She stepped into the bathroom and stopped short.
Was this even a students dorm or a freaking en suite?
The bathroom was just as impressive as the room itself. Its cream-colored walls and polished marble tiles gave it a clean, elegant look that felt more like a hotel bathroom than one shared by students.
A spacious shower cubicle stood at one end, partially hidden behind a soft shower curtain. Nearby, a water heater was mounted neatly against the wall. Three basins were set into a long counter, each with its own mirror and cabinet for storing toiletries, making sure every occupant had her own space.
The toilet, fitted with an automatic flusher, sat discreetly in its own section. Above them, a smooth POP ceiling held delicate fairy lights that cast a soft glow across the bathroom, making the entire space feel surprisingly warm and luxurious for a hostel.
"Kadesha." Kadesha snapped out of her daydream with the sound of the door closing shut.
"I'm in the bathroom. I'll be out soon." She answered and quickly arranged her toiletries in the empty cabinet and came out. She saw Skye and another girl; long braided black hair with silver hoops in it, a camouflage jacket shirt that hung loosely and baggy cargo pants, this earthy caramel skin that glistened with sweat.
"Hey. Skye said we had a new roommate. I'm Amelia." The girl introduced with a friendly smile.
"Call her Choco." Skye added and Amelia rolled her eyes.
"Call me whatever you want." She said and slipped into the bathroom. "I need a long shower."
"You said you'd help her settle in." Skye whinned.
"I didn't. I said I'd show her around and we will go for shopping." Amelia said and shut Skye up by closing the bathroom door firmly. Skye muttered something about Choco being impossible that made Kadesha laugh.
"Yes, let's start." Skye said and dropped the cleaning materials. She filled a basin with water and the started cleaning all the surfaces and the wall, dusting cobwebs and arranging items. They swept and cleaned and sprayed air freshener.
"I'll go put these back." Skye said and picked up the cleaning materials before leaving the room. Amelia came out of the bathroom dressed comfortably in a sports bra and shorts.
"Let me help." She offered and started helping Kadesha arranged her items on the dressing mirror while Kadesha arranged her clothes into the wardrobe.
"Yeah, you will need your ID to actually use that mall and it also gives you dorm discounts. We pay less than day students." Amelia said as she finished arranging her things.
"Thank you. Thank you for your help too." Kadesha said and Amelia smiled before going to her bed. Kadesha arranged her boxes in a corner and stepped into the bathroom to have a shower.
†
By the evening time, it was just Amelia and Kadesha in the room. Amelia was on her bed, curtains drawn and reading a book, smiling subtly or suddenly frowning. She was deep into the book she was reading, even forgetting that she had a slushie long forgotten on her bedside table.
Kadesha on the other hand was watching a wrestling match live. She had her ears plugged with Bluetooth ear pods and kept grinning as her favourite wrestler kept winning.
Both people were so engrossed they didn't hear the door open or closed till the smell of food filled the air, followed by a soft fizz and pop as a can of drink was opened. They both turned to see Skye, who has gone to get food, sitting at her desk with a plate of chicken nuggets and fries with a can of malt drink.
"You really want to enjoy for today hun?" Amelia teased and Skye nodded as she threw a fry in her mouth.
"Yeah, since we have a new roommate, why don't we get to know eachother?" Skye suggested and ate a nugget. Kadesha shrugged her shoulders suggestively and Amelia sighed and reluctantly dropped the book.
"I'll go first. You already know the name and well, we are all in the same class. So here is a deeper intro. I'm Skye Jason. I have a twin in this school, Skylar. I'm an influencer and content creator while she is a streamer and influencer. I'm the only one allowed to call her Skylar. Call her Cody." Skye said with a little braggy tone and the girls laughed. "Anyways, I'm actually very fun and lively. I think pink best represents my entire character. I'm very bubbly and lively, but still get shy around new people and hate being yelled at. I'm also this person that likes communication and I will definitely apologise if I do anything wrong."
"And she has this obsession for styling people like a rainbow too." Amelia joked and Skye threw a pillow at her which almost knocked over her slushie.
"That one time I told you to wear pink on pink and you go around telling everyone that." Skye snarled while Amelia was rolling on her bed and laughing. "Don't mind her. She doesn't like pink."
"I hear you." Kadesha simply said, still laughing.
"So,my turn I guess. Amelia Manseh. Proudly black and proudly South African. I'm very wicked actually." Amelia said with such intensity that Kadesha couldn't help but actually laugh.
"You're just strict. And very callous. Watch out for her nails though." Skye said, pointing to Amelia with a fry before popping it in her mouth. Kadesha nodded, still vibrating with laughter.
"Okay, people say I'm very nice, so I'll say I'm nice to a degree, but I'm not exactly the nicest person you'll ever see. I love my space and reading time. If you need my stuff, ask. If I'm not around, don't take it unless it's absolutely important. I'm very chill too. Just thread on your lane and let me stay on mine. Then we're cool." She said and Kadesha nodded.
"So, Kadesha Morren. Not exactly the nicest but not exactly wicked either. I just hate bratty energy. Other likes and dislikes are things normal people like and dislike." Amelia giggled softly and adjusted her sitting posture before Kadesha continued. "Also, 100% tomboy. I see you don't have a problem with that. The only thing you'll have a problem with is me being messy. But when it's time to clean, I clean. That's all." She said.
"Okay, that's cool. Won't you guys eat?" Skye asked.
"How nice of you to finally notice you've been devouring fries and nuggets in front two very hungry people." Amelia said with a fake sweet smile while Kadesha laughed. She wasn't even that hungry but she wasn't about to admit that to save Amelia some aura.
"It's not my fault you guys didn't get food." Skye said defensively. Amelia slipped her slippers on.
"You will grow fat one day with this junk eating. Let's go Kadesha. I'll show you where to get food." Amelia said, already picking up her purse and phone, completely ignoring Skye's protest on never becoming fat.
Kadesha found her new roommates endearing in the morning fun way possible. She picked up her own phone and went out with Amelia.