Chapter 18

Hanna Hamilton entered her room, letting out a loud yawn as she lifted her feet slightly off the ground and plopped onto her bed.

Her bed was positioned about five feet away from Mia's, with separate bedside tables pushing them towards opposite ends of the room. Hanna's bed was angled to the right, while Mia's was positioned across from it.

Mia lay on her back, attempting to cure her boredom by placing a magazine over her face. She shifted the magazine to the side and anxiously glanced in Hanna's direction, as Hanna's manner of falling onto the bed seemed unusual.

Hanna, with a mischievous twinkle in her eye, skillfully opened one of her eyelids and playfully screamed, "Wooo!"

Mia was startled and caught off guard once again by one of Hanna's pranks. Her mind momentarily left her soul as she reacted to the sudden scare. Hanna burst into laughter at Mia's reaction.

Hanna stood up from her bed and stretched her body before moving closer to Mia. "Haha, sorry about that. I could sense your boredom as soon as I entered," she said, a smile on her face. Mia chuckled, still unable to believe what just happened. "You silly girl, I have my eyes on you. You'll definitely experience your own pranks soon enough."

Hanna laughed again, her hands covering her mouth, at Mia's response.

"Now, you have told me, I will be careful."

Frustrated, Mia attempted to slap Hanna's thighs to make her stop the crazy laughter. Unfortunately, Mia missed as Hanna's reflexes were quicker.

Finally, Hanna managed to control her laughter. "Well, what are you still doing here? Aren't you going out today? I would be even more startled than you were just Frnow," she giggled.

It was Friday, a typical day for Mia and her friends. On most Fridays and weekends, they would always find somewhere to go or have a date.

Unfortunately, Mia wasn't feeling great about her friendship with Arya. Initially, Mia tried to act as if there was no problem and pretend that it didn't hurt her. Being a perceptive friend, Hanna saw through Mia's facade and kindly encouraged her to open up.

Mia appeared downcast as Hanna sat beside her, and she spoke honestly. "Hanna, I feel so alone. Arya used to call me all the time, but ever since she saw me with you, she just stopped and started avoiding me."

Hanna felt a sense of empathy for Mia, as she had never experienced such a deep friendship before, except for her bond with Mathew Dawson. She couldn't imagine how Mia must be feeling right now, losing a friend in such a way.

The room was filled with a heavy silence, mirroring the stillness of the night, as Hanna sat numbly. She could sense Mia's quiet and labored breathing.

"What about Nana?" Hanna asked reluctantly, wanting to know about their other friend. Mia remained motionless, refusing to speak this time.

Hanna was surprised by the lack of response. "Nana doesn't come around either. Could it be because of Arya? She's the type to do something like that..."

Upon hearing Hanna's observation, Mia immediately agreed, lifting her head from its depressed position to speak. "Yes, Arya probably influenced Nana as well. This has happened before," Mia said, lowering her head back down to her thighs. Hanna tried to console her.

Mia was always the fun-loving type who disliked anything that dampened her spirits, especially when it came to conflicts. She couldn't hold grudges, and Hanna felt lucky to have such a nice roommate.

Hanna couldn't help but feel displeased at the thought of Nana being manipulated and behaving unfairly. She remembered playing with Nana when they were kids, with Nana showing her some respect due to the age difference, while Hanna remained lovable.

Hanna continued comforting her roommate, even as her mind raced to find a way to uplift Mia's mood.

After a few minutes, Hanna suggested that they go out and have some fun, anywhere Mia wanted to go. Mia lifted her head in astonishment, as Hanna had never done something like this before.

"Are you serious?" Mia asked with disbelief.

Hanna nodded, smiling, aware that it was the only way to cheer Mia up. She said, "We can go outside and get some fresh air."

Mia gasped in disbelief. "You mean anywhere, even if it's something/somewhere crazy? Because I really feel like doing something wild right now."

Hanna forced a smile, although the mention of something "crazy" didn't quite sit well with her. Nevertheless, she acted normal, reassuring Mia that she could handle it.

In no time, Hanna was already dressed and ready, while Mia remained indecisive about her outfit. Hanna wasn't one to fuss over such things, but she still looked beautiful and effortlessly natural, despite the noticeable difference between her and other privileged girls who focused on luxury.

Hanna let out a grateful sigh as Mia finally made up her mind and put on an outfit. "Now we can go," Hanna said, taking the lead towards the door.

Mia was filled with joy, like an excited toddler. She glanced at Hanna and felt unsatisfied with her attire. Hanna had a slightly more professional look in her outfit. Mia hesitated and stepped back towards her wardrobe.

Hanna turned around, puzzled, and asked, "What now, Mia?"

"I don't know where we're going, but you already look fine," she added.

While Mia is seriously busy rummaging through her wardrobe to find a suitable dress.

After some searching, Mia found a pink gown and held it out to Hanna. "Here, wear this one."

Hanna scoffed in surprise and disagreement.

However, Mia persisted with pleading and fake sad facial expressions until she convinced Hanna to wear the pink gown.

"You're such a persuasive teddy bear!" Mia exclaimed, satisfied as Hanna stepped out in the pink gown.

Although it made Hanna slightly uncomfortable, as it was shorter than knee-length, Mia couldn't help but shower her with praise and adoration until Hanna's smile finally broke through.

Just as both of them were about to head out with smiles on their faces, Arya Maywell abruptly burst through the slightly ajar door, coming in like a tigress, exuding an intense and unsettling presence.

Following closely behind was Nana Smith, who entered quietly.

A wave of tension swept through the room, freezing everything in its tracks.

Mia's laughter came to an abrupt halt, leaving her dumbfounded. She struggled to find the right words to say to Arya in that frigid moment, her mind racing with thoughts of what was about to unfold.

Arya Maywell's expression turned hostile as she took in the atmosphere in the room. The free-spirited and harmonious ambiance was something she hadn't expected to encounter.