Now you know

"Stupid Ikea, it was just a dumb Ikea package", Mia wanted to start decorating her side of the room and completely forgot she had made an order over a week ago.

"Why hasn't she called me", she groaned frustrated.

"What is it?", Darby managed to get out.

By now Mia's anger had pushed her upstairs and away from the laundry room, she literally forgot she had load in the washer.

"It's Brie, she doesn't want to--".

"Mia, chill, do you really think she's ghosted? ", she continued, "If she has then, her loss".

"I'm just--", a knock on the door had paused Mia's explanation.

It was the tall ginger haired girl Megan again. The door was ajar so she peeked into the room to make her inquiry.

"Is this Mia Prescott's?, Oh there you are, you've got a--". Before she could finish, the door was pushed open and had her staggering because she was leaning against the door.

The audacious figure strutted into the room, leaving no room for questions.

"M&M's, what's good? ", Breanna said. Mia was in shock, how did someone who didn't as much as to call her find her room number?

"What?, Aren't you going to give me a hug, it took me two light years to find you".

Those words were surprising coming from someone she didn't hear a peep from in days, she didn't know how to respond.

"Umm…how did you find me?", she couldn't help but ask. Breanna stood silent for a while then charged towards Mia.

"I called you, severally".But how could that be, she had been on standby waiting for the call. She shook her head comically.

"You think I'm lying right?", she asked without expecting an answer. Breanna scrolled through her phone and found a number saved as "currents", she dialed it and they all watched as the phone line didn't as much as trill.

"You see", she had her hands in the air, "Why would you give me a wrong number?".

Mia was offended at the accusation and took Brie's phone just to prove her wrong but to her amazement, she was right—it was a wrong number.

,"I'm really sorry, I was in a hurry an—and.." . She was stunned, after all this time, she thought Brie ghosted.

"It's fine, M, see you at orientation". Brie strode out of the room after collecting Mia's actual number.

                                                                         ***

The next day after church, Mia picked up her new bed and a huge carpet. She wasn't really satisfied with how the other one was . Her new one had drawers, she didn't have much clothes but her closet was packed out with winter clothes. Darby already had her side of the room organized so she needed to get her's too.

Even if she had called Ikea stupid, she had them to thank for all the supplies she got. The rest of her things were being moved upstairs but she got a little uncomfortable and started moving them herself.

The entire building was full of girls and her room was down the hall, far from the elevator, so the men would pass at least six rooms on either side of the hall to get to her. The matron had warned them severally about mooching nude through the halls but they never heeded.

"You can put that down", she sighed lugging her new dresser through the halls and cussing into the air. "Why don't those girls just stay put?".

"Hey, not there", apparently Darby's isolation in the past years had shown some use . During her time alone she learnt a couple of skills, interior décor was one of them.

Her white bed matched the drawer they brought in, it was set at the foot of the bed to make room for Darby's makeup cart slash organizer. Her vines hung on one side of the wall and so did over fifty patterned collages, it was a huge kit which they put together, fast.

For the last task of the day, Mia put together her skincare and self care with a generous donation of products in her bathroom's shower caddy and Darby's makeup trolley. After everything, Darby moved her YouTube plaque, one of her priced possessions, on Mia's floating shelf.

"Are you sure you want to keep that there? ", Mia asked, totally unsure of why she chose to keep it there.

"Yeah, I'm sure", she continued, "Also, are you sure you want to keep your side of the room like this? ". Darby waved her hands in disappointment.

"Why's that? ", Mia responded in utter confusion.

"It's – well, a little too boring, even for you", Mia sighed of relief and Darby chuckled.

"I'II think of something later Darby's, for now it's cool".

                                                                         ***

"Mia, Mia, wake up, it's orientation day", Darby shook, and pushed, and turned Mia like a hotdog, but to no avail. It was orientation day, no one was allowed to miss orientation.

"Mia!", she continued screaming. Poor thing was worn out from all the cleaning the night before that she really didn't want to get up, but she could actually get in trouble for not attending orientation.

"Mi—a", a knock on the door stopped Darby from completing. It was Jenna, from block D.

"What do you want?", Darby said curtly.

"You're not even going to invite me in?", Darby rolled her eyes as she left the door which she clung onto tight. She made way for Jenna to come through. She was already in her uniform but didn't have her shoes on, just socks.

"Why on Earth is she still sleeping, does she not know attendance is worth five points, and if you don't attend you had five points deducted? ", Jenna said sincerely concerned.

Only few people knew what it took to succeed in this place and Jenna was one of them . Her mum was on the admissions board but that didn't stop her from putting the same effort everyone else did, or even more.

"I know that, but I don't think she does", Darby said with even more concern.

"Get me some ice", she said as she climbed into Mia's bed. Darby didn't have any intention of moving.

"I'm really serious, get it, do you really want her to fail out? ". Darby hurriedly got a pack of ice out of the fridge and handed them to Jenna. She counted three under her voice and dumped the pack of ice on Mia's head, and just like that she was awake.