One Step Closer

I stood on the balcony after the call ended. My father was a little stunned at first, but he eventually agreed and encouraged me to study hard.

I turned and looked through the glass door. Ashley Wynn was rummaging through my drawer. We were roommates in the school dormitory, and this happened often.

With a smirk, I slid the door open and stepped into the room.

Ashley snatched her hand back at once and flashed me her sweetest, most saccharine smile. "Done talking to your dad, bestie?"

She handed me a glass of lemonade. "You look a little pale and tired, Regina. You've been working so hard lately! Have some of this. I made it myself!"

She continued with laughably fake concern. "By the way, you're going to stay at a hotel all alone, right? It sounds scary staying by yourself in an empty hotel. I've decided it can't be helped. I'll stay with you to keep you company. It'll be the perfect chance for me to tutor you in math too."

I shot her a disdainful look and pushed the lemonade away. "Save it. I prefer solitude."

Ashley froze, her smile stiffening. "Come on, bestie. You don't have to put on a brave face for me! The presidential suite is huge! Staying there alone at night has gotta be scary. You're not the type who likes that, right?"

"I said I don't need your offer. Are you slow?"

I pulled open the drawer she had been rummaging through and swept everything into my suitcase: the expensive accessories, skincare products, and the Hermes bag I had been lending her. Then I made a point of zipping it shut and locking it while she watched.

Ashley stared at the suitcase in bewilderment. She had planned to wear that necklace when she met the dreamboat from another class.

"W-What's happening, Regina?" she asked, her voice trembling as tears welled in her eyes on cue. "Did I do something to piss you off? I know my family is from the lowest rung of society, and someone born with a silver spoon like you could never understand or feel comfortable around someone like me, but... you said we're best friends, right?"

Her tearful act was enough to trigger my acid reflux. In the past, I would have felt guilty and given in. But now? It was nothing more than third-rate soap opera entertainment.

I ignored her, put on my noise-canceling headphones, and flipped through my question bank to study.

-

Ashley's chest rose and fell with shock and horror. Her knuckles had turned white from gripping her glass so tightly.

Her phone vibrated on her bed. Regina caught sight of her snatching it up in a panic.

She was receiving a flood of messages from her friend group, the Mad HATters.

[Ash, I think everyone has paid! The exam-prep break starts tomorrow, so when are we staying at the hotel again?]

[So excited! I told my mom I don't need to stay at school anymore. If I don't get to sleep in the hotel, I'll end up sleeping on the street! Haha!]

[Girl, you won't. Ashley's good at this. And her roommate is the daughter of the richest man in the country! One word from her, and we'll have a whole floor to ourselves!]

Ashley broke out in a sweat. She had collected about 900 dollars from these people and spent it on a set of designer makeup.