CHAPTER 2: Annoying Roommate

Dragging her suitcase up the stairs felt like dragging a bag of bricks. Alicia’s back ached, her arms burned, and her patience was thinning by the second. When she finally reached Room 210 again, typed in the passcode and then she shoved the door open with her hip, bracing herself.

There he was.

Her Annoying Roommate.

Sprawled across the bed like he owned the world, phone in hand, his expression the perfect mix of boredom and irritation.

“You again,” he muttered without looking up.

Alicia shoved her suitcase forward with a loud thud. “Don’t sound so disappointed. Newsflash: I’m not leaving.”

His eyes flicked up, sharp and dark. “What do you mean you’re not leaving?” He asked with his cold blue eyes piercing into hers

“I mean the porter downstairs...”

Her words faltered as she remembered the porter's expression: flat, uninterested, those dull eyes that had looked right through her as he spoke. The man had given her nothing but monotone answers, like he could not care less if she was drowning in confusion.

Her supposed roommate, however, didn’t look the least bit surprised. “The porter told you that?”

Alicia narrowed her eyes. “Yeah. He said no more rooms.”

His lips curved faintly. Instead, he picked up his phone, dialing with practiced ease. His tone shifted the moment the call connected, smooth and confident.

“Good evening, Warden. This is Raymond. There’s been a mistake. Someone else has been placed in here with me.”

Alicia froze. The warden? Her stomach lurched. She had asked to see her, but the porter hadn’t budged. And here was her roommate whose name she just got to know is Raymond, speaking directly to the warden as if it were the simplest thing in the world.

“…No other rooms?” His voice sharpened. “At all?”

Alicia held her breath, listening to the faint murmur from the other side of the call.

“…I see. So, this was because you weren’t expecting another student this session. And there’s absolutely nothing that can be done?” His jaw tightened, eyes flicking to her briefly with something cold and cutting.

Another pause. His mouth pressed into a thin line. “Fine. I’ll deal with it and some adjustments need to be made for the room to be suitable for two.”

He ended the call and tossed the phone on the bed.

“Well?” Alicia asked, crossing her arms waiting for him to talk.

'It isn't like I wanted to resume two weeks late' she said in her head.

Raymond’s gaze was sharp enough to pin her in place. “She said you’re staying. There are no more rooms.”

Alicia’s jaw fell. “So it’s true. Wait, you spoke to the warden? The warden? The same one I wasn’t even allowed to see?”

His smirk was razor-sharp. “Looks like I have better connections.”

Her hands curled into fists. “Unbelievable. You put me through all that humiliation downstairs when you could’ve cleared it up in two minutes?”

“Why not?” He leaned back against the headboard, infuriatingly calm. “Knowing you were stomping around like a confused duck was the highlight of my day.”

Heat flared in her cheeks. “You are the most arrogant...”

“Careful,” he drawled, eyes glinting. “You’ll run out of insults before the week is over.”

Her blood boiled. A spark of fire lit in her chest, and before she knew it, she was stomping to her suitcase. She shoved it into the corner of the room with a loud scrape, then crouched and yanked it open with a dramatic rip.

Raymond didn’t even flinch. “Here we go.” He muttered to himself, this is one of the reasons he doesn't like roommates.

She rifled through, pulling out her pyjamas and toiletries, clattering bottles on the desk just to make noise. The suitcase lid slammed shut with a bang.

“Subtle,” Raymond muttered, not even looking away from his phone.

“The more you complain, the louder I’ll be,” she shot back.

He groaned, covering his face with one hand. “Lord give me strength.”

With a victorious huff, Alicia gathered her things and turned toward the bathroom, only for her phone to buzz loudly in her hand. She froze. Mom.

Her lips softened into a smile. Without thinking, she perched at the foot of Raymond’s bed.

Raymond’s head snapped up instantly. “Excuse me? Did you just sit...on my bed?”

“It’s the edge,” Alicia said airily, already swiping the screen. “Don’t be dramatic.”

“Get off,” he said flatly.

She grinned, dragging it out just to annoy him. “Or what? You’ll cry?”

Before he could fire back, her mother’s warm voice flowed through the speaker. “Alicia? Sweetheart, are you settling in okay?”

Her heart softened instantly. “Hi, Mum. Yeah, I’m fine. Just… still unpacking.”

“Is the room nice? Do you feel comfortable? Are the people kind to you?” her mother pressed, worry threading every syllable.

Alicia’s throat tightened. Her eyes flicked to Raymond, lounging with that maddeningly cold expression. “It’s… different,” she said lightly. “But don’t worry about me, Mum. I’m okay.”

“Different how? Is it too small? Are you eating? Did you find the cafeteria?”

Alicia smiled despite herself. “Mum, I’ve been here for two hours. I’ll survive. The cafeteria smells great, and the room’s… fine.”

“Do you have a roommate?” her mother asked suddenly.

Alicia’s heart stuttered. She forced cheer into her voice. “Sort of. But it’s all under control.”

Raymond scoffed under his breath, making sure she heard it.

Her mother sighed. “Alicia, if anything is uncomfortable, you’ll tell me, won’t you?”

“Yes, Mum,” Alicia said quickly. “Really, don’t worry. You have enough on your plate. I promise I’ll manage.”

There was a beat of silence, then her mother’s voice softened. “I just want you happy, sweetheart.”

“I am,” Alicia said, laughing brightly, purposefully loud. Her laugh bounced around the room, making Raymond’s temple twitch. She laughed again, just to spite him. “See? Perfectly fine.”

Her mother chuckled on the other end. “You sound happy. I’m glad. Call me anytime, okay?”

“Of course,” Alicia said softly. “I love you, Mum.”

“I love you too. Be good.”

The call ended, leaving a quiet hum in the room. Alicia smirked, dropping her phone onto the bed beside her and turning to Raymond with a sly look.

“See? Some people actually enjoy talking to me. Not everyone finds me insufferable.” Her voice dipped, silky and teasing. “In fact, some might even call me… irresistible.”

Raymond’s mouth opened, then closed again, for once struck speechless.

Alicia’s grin widened at his silence. She scooped up her pajamas and toiletries, stood, and sashayed toward the bathroom. “Don’t wait up,” she called sweetly, before shutting the door behind her.

---

The shower steamed around her, warm water soaking away the sticky sweat of travel and frustration. But it couldn’t wash away Raymond’s smirk burned into her mind.

By the time she emerged, dressed in her soft pajamas and slippers, she felt physically better... but emotionally? She was still burning.

Raymond’s eyes flicked up as she walked back in. For half a second, something unreadable flashed across his face. Then his mask of arrogance returned.

“You’re back.” His tone was flat. “Try not to take half the night next time,” he said to spite her.

“Don’t flatter yourself,” she muttered, clutching her bundle of dirty clothes. She headed straight for the laundry basket.

The moment she leaned over, Raymond’s sharp voice cut through the air.

“Don’t you dare.”

Alicia froze, blinking at him. “What?”

“That’s my basket.” He sat up, his eyes narrowing. “Drop those clothes in there and I’ll throw them out the window.”

Her mouth fell open. “Excuse me? It’s a basket, not the crown jewels.”

“It’s my basket,” he said icily. “Do you think I want your filth mixing with mine?”

Her jaw clenched. “They’re clothes. Not toxic waste.”

“Dirty clothes,” he corrected, his expression deadly serious. “And I don’t share. Get your own.”

“Oh, forgive me, Your Highness.” Alicia bowed mockingly. “I didn’t realize this dorm room came with a laundry monarchy.”

His glare deepened.

And then, because she was Alicia and she wanted to spite him with the remark he made earlier, she shoved her clothes right into the basket with a bright smile. “Oops. My hand slipped.”

Raymond shot up from the bed like a storm about to break. “Unbelievable.”

“Thanks for sharing,” she chirped sweetly, brushing past him and flopping onto the bed.

He stared at her, thunder in his eyes. “Get off.”

She hugged a pillow to her chest. “No.”

“This is my bed.”

“Correction, our bed. Unless you want to sleep on the floor.”

His eyes widened. “Me? On the floor? You’re insane. You should be the one down there.”

She gasped. “What century are you living in? Ladies first. You should be a gentleman and offer me the bed.”

Raymond laughed, but it wasn’t kind. “You? A lady? Don’t make me laugh.”

Alicia shot upright, grabbing pillows and lining them down the center of the mattress. “Fine. Then this is the border. Cross it and you die.”

He raised an eyebrow. “Do you really think a couple of pillows will stop me?”

She smirked. “Try me.”

Raymond leaned back slowly, deliberately stretching his long frame across the mattress. For one terrifying moment, she thought he’d shove the pillows aside. But instead, he rolled onto his back with a long sigh.

“You’re insufferable.”

“And you’re arrogant,” she shot back, snuggling into her side with her back to him.

The silence stretched, thick with tension.

Then Raymond’s voice slid through the dark. “Don’t kick me in your sleep. I’ll throw you off the bed if you do.”

Her fists clenched under the blanket. “I don’t kick. And if anyone’s getting thrown off, it’ll be you.”

His lips curved faintly. “We’ll see.”

Lying on his side, he listened to the wild rhythm of Alicia’s heartbeat. Sleep refused to come, the presence of this girl in his room unsettling him more than the moonlight pouring through the window.

Alicia stared at the ceiling, wide awake, her heart racing too fast for sleep. The pillow wall between them felt like a fragile truce in a war that was only just beginning.

And as she lay there, glaring at the darkness, one thing was clear:

This was war. And she was not going to lose.