1.The New Girl In Twon

-- ♡ - Narrated by Halena - ♡ --

Starting college was supposed to be exciting. A fresh start, new friends, the whole discovering myself thing. I had envisioned it all, walking onto campus like I owned the place, making an effortless friend group, and somehow becoming the kind of person who drinks black coffee without making a face.

Reality? Not so much.

And, of course, my mother had to ruin everything.

I love my mom, I really do. But when she gets into overprotective mode, decisions are made that make me question my entire existence. Case in point: she booked me a VIP single room.

A whole room. Just for me.

Sounds great, right? Wrong.

No roommate meant no built-in college best friend. No late night gossip. No one to drag to boring lectures. Just me, alone, in a sterile, oversized room I never asked for.

I had tried to reason with her before I moved in.

> "Mom, I want a roommate."

"Nonsense," she had said, adjusting her ten gold bangles like a queen on her throne. "Why should my daughter share when she can have her own space?"

That's my mom. A rich people mindset despite us being upper-middle class at best.

So, instead of bonding over bad cafeteria food with a roommate, I found myself unpacking in a room that smelled like new furniture and loneliness.

Great start to college.

-- Lost in the Maze --

I refused to sulk. If I was going to survive this place, I needed to at least learn where things were.

The college was huge. More buildings than my brain could handle, and every hallway looked exactly the same. Within ten minutes, I was officially lost.

I stopped a random guy in a red hoodie.

> "Hey, do you know where Room 302 is?"

Instead of answering like a normal human, he shouted.....

> "OH, 302? YEAH, GO STRAIGHT, THEN LEFT, THEN RIGHT...WAIT, NO, TWO RIGHTS AND THEN....."

My brain short-circuited. "Uh... what?"

> "Maybe take the stairs?" he added unhelpfully before speed walking away like I was a tax collector.

Okay. Noted. Do not ask loud hoodie guys for directions.

After what felt like an eternity, I finally found Room 302. By the time I walked in, my enthusiasm had been drained out of my soul.

-- Big Mistake --

The classroom was massive, with enough space for everyone to avoid the front row like it was cursed.

Me, being the genius that I am, took a front-row seat.

Two minutes later, I regretted everything.

The professor walked in serious, intimidating, and 100% the type to call on people for fun.

> "Let's start with introductions."

Oh no.

I looked around, praying someone else would be the first victim. Nope. The professor's soul piercing gaze landed directly on me.

> "You. Introduce yourself."

My throat dried up. My brain? Empty.

> "I.....I'm Halena," I squeaked. "From.... um, here."

Silence.

The professor waited for more.

I had nothing. My life wasn't exciting. I couldn't just say, Hi, I'm Halena. I like food and naps.

So, in a panic, I blurted out....

> "I like mangoes."

Silence.

The professor blinked. Someone coughed.

> "...Noted."

He moved on.

I buried my face in my notebook. If I stayed perfectly still, maybe I would disappear.

-- A Table for One --

By lunchtime, I was starving and emotionally drained.

I grabbed a burger and sat at an empty table, hoping someone might join me.

No one did.

Instead, I watched as people laughed with their groups, chatting like they had known each other forever. Meanwhile, I sat alone, feeling like an NPC (Non-Non-Player Character) in someone else's story.

To make myself feel better, I bought extra chocolate. It didn't help.

Maybe I wasn't thriving, but at least I wasn't crying. That was a win.

-- The Class Rep Disaster --

A month passed. My invisibility remained intact.

Then, disaster struck.

One morning, the professor walked in, clapped his hands, and said....

> "We're electing a class representative today."

Excited murmurs filled the room.

Just kidding. Dead silence.

Nobody wanted the job. Nobody volunteered.

Then, from the back, a voice rang out....

> "I nominate Halena."

Wait. What?!

My head snapped up. Who betrayed me?!

Before I could react, the professor grinned.

> "Wonderful! Any other nominations?"

Crickets.

> "Well then. Congratulations, Halena! You're our class representative."

The class clapped not because they were happy for me, but because they were happy they weren't me.

Just like that, my invisibility was gone.

I, Halena Arlo Lopez, who had spent an entire month as a social ghost, was now responsible for an entire class.

Was this fate? Karma? Some kind of cruel joke?

I had no idea.

But one thing was certain college had officially started.

__________________

To be continued...