I stood in the center of the cramped, suffocatingly small space, staring at the scarred wooden wardrobe that held the few pieces of clothing I owned. My knuckles were still throbbing from peeling gum from the gym wall and my shoulder was a dull, localized ache from the punishment the dormitory master had melted out. Across the room, my roommate, Liam, was sprawled out on his unmade bed. He was shirtless, wearing only a pair of grey sweatpants, his chest rising and falling in the lazy rhythm of someone who hadn't just had their entire world demolished by a piece of paper. He had a handheld gaming console positioned inches from his face, his thumbs tapping furiously against the plastic buttons. I didn't say a word. I dragged a heavy cardboard box from beneath my bed and threw it onto the mattress, the sound of the cardboard scraping against the frame cutting through the room. I marched over to the wardrobe, yanked the doors open with enough force to make the wood groan, and began gra
Last Updated : 2026-07-01 Read more