Tia walked slowly toward the buttery, her stomach growling. The morning's chaos had stolen her appetite, but now the hunger was clawing at her. She ordered her food to-go; the thought of retreating to the safety of the dorms was far more appealing than lingering on campus. Usually, this walk was filled with Stella's endless chatter, but today, the silence was a relief.
As she navigated the corridors, groups of girls stood around laughing and gossiping. A pang of loneliness pricked at Tia. Stella had been her entire social world—her only confidante outside of her roommate. Cutting her off meant standing truly alone, and Tia had always struggled to bridge the gap with strangers.
Suddenly, a girl sprinting down the hall collided with her. Tia hit the floor with a thud.
"Oh! I'm so sorry!" The girl gasped, quickly reaching down to help Tia up. "Are you hurt?"
Tia brushed off her clothes, offering a small, genuine smile. "No, I'm alright. Thanks for checking." She watched the girl hurry away, a small realization dawning on her: she didn't need Stella to navigate the world.
When she reached her room, she exhaled a long breath before entering. Clara hadn't returned yet. Tia dropped her bag and lunch on the bedside table and collapsed onto the mattress. She wasn't physically exhausted, but the mental tax of facing Michael and Stella had drained her batteries. Yet, for the first time in fifteen years, her heart felt light. She didn't have to worry about a cold husband or a cheating friend tonight.
"I need a shower," she muttered, her joints groaning as she stood. She stripped down, wrapping a towel tightly around her chest before heading to the communal baths. The warmth of the water felt like it was washing away years of misery. By the time she dressed in clean clothes and sat down to eat, she felt human again.
The door swung open and Clara walked in. Tia jumped up, pulling her into a sudden, tight hug. "My favorite roomie!"
"Of course I am, and I always will be!" Clara giggled, returning the squeeze. She tossed her bag onto her bed and leaned back, eyes twinkling with mischief. "So... I heard some rumors on my way back. Something about you putting Michael Blaze in his place? Isn't that your dream guy?"
Tia froze. She had spent months gushing to Clara about how "dreamy" and "composed" Michael was. She hadn't realized her small act of rebellion would become campus news so quickly.
"Ugh, don't people have anything better to do?" Tia complained, hiding her face.
"But seriously, why the sudden frostiness?" Clara asked, leaning in.
"I didn't disrespect him," Tia defended. "He expected me to vacate a seat just because he wanted it. I just stood my ground."
Clara bit her lip to keep from laughing. "Since when did you start standing up to him? You used to say you'd do anything just to make him notice you."
Tia hit her forehead with her palm. The memory of her past self's desperation made her cringe. "Well, I've changed. I'm done doing 'anything' for him."
Clara gave her a skeptical look, clearly expecting Tia to go back to her pining ways by tomorrow. "Okay, if you say so," she said, standing up.
"Where are you going?" Tia whined, pouting playfully.
"Library. I need to prep for the next lecture. Stop being a drama queen; I'll be right back!"
Once Clara left, the silence returned. Tia pulled up a movie on her phone, trying to drown out the lingering thoughts of her past life.
*****
Across town, Michael Blaze pulled his car into the driveway of the Blaze mansion. He had spent the afternoon brooding. He'd seen Tia leave campus alone, and it bothered him more than it should have. He entered the house to find his siblings, Phoebe and Jerry, glued to their phones in the living room.
"Hey guys," he muttered. They barely acknowledged him with a wave.
"Is that my son?" His mother, Karen, appeared with a bright smile, planting a kiss on his cheek. "How was school? And how is Tia?"
Michael pulled away, annoyed. "School was fine. She's fine."
Karen had a soft spot for Tia. Marcus had once mentioned the girl's massive crush on Michael, and since Tia often came over to "help" Michael with his assignments, Karen had grown fond of her.
"She's such a lovely girl," Karen teased. "Why aren't you taking her seriously yet?"
Jerry looked up from his phone, a smirk playing on his lips. "Mom, are you talking about Michael's girlfriend?"
"She isn't my girlfriend!" Michael snapped.
"But she likes you," Jerry countered, refusing to let it go.
"That doesn't mean anything. Drop it." Michael sighed and stormed up to his room.
He knew Tia liked him. He had spent years quietly exploiting that fact—letting her do his busy work while he enjoyed the perks. She usually bombarded him with texts, but as he checked his phone, he realized the screen was empty. No "Did you get home safe?" And no "Do you need help with the research paper?"
"That's weird," he whispered.
A message from Marcus popped up, reminding him of a daunting research report due soon. Michael groaned. He was bright, but he hated the grunt work of writing. Usually, he'd just wait for Tia to offer. He looked at his car keys. Maybe he could use the assignment as an excuse to see her—and get her back in line.
He dashed back downstairs.
"Where are you going now?" Karen asked as he blurred past.
"Back to campus. I need to see someone."
"Is it Tia?" Karen called out, smiling.
"Mom, she isn't the only person in the world! Stop it!" He slammed the door and drove off, leaving his mother chuckling behind him.
*****
Tia was midway through her movie when her phone vibrated. Her heart skipped a beat when she saw the caller ID: Michael Blaze. In her past life, he had never called her first during their college years. She declined it, thinking it was a fluke. It rang again immediately.
She answered, her voice cold and jagged. "What do you want?"
"I'm outside," Michael said, his voice sounding uncharacteristically uncertain. "I need to see you for a minute."
Tia hesitated. He had never made the trip to the dorms for her before. Curiosity warred with her resentment. She wanted to stay away, but she also wanted to see him squirm.
"Fine," she said, hanging up before he could respond. She stood up, straightened her clothes, and walked out to face her past.