A DEAD SMILE

Collins stretched his arms above his head, his fingers grazing the rough wooden headboard as he let out a deep yawn. The dormitory was eerily quiet—too quiet. He rubbed his face, his mind still foggy from sleep, before glancing at the empty beds across the room. Shaw and Andrew were gone. Expelled.

His lips pressed into a thin line as the memories of their last night here surfaced.

It had been a chaotic scene—Grimshaw's face a storm of barely contained rage as she stood in front of the entire student body, her fingers wrapped tightly around a leather briefcase. The very same briefcase that, just hours ago, had been found wide open in Shaw's and Andrew's possession, stuffed with stolen money.

Collins had been there when the guards dragged them out. Shaw had spat on the floor, shouting that the school was a prison, while Andrew kept his head down, his face pale. They were gone by morning, leaving Collins alone in the room they once shared.

Since then, he hadn't accepted any new roommates. Not because he was particularly fond of solitude, but because... well, why should he? He had gotten used to the quiet.

Still, as he sat up in bed, his thoughts drifted. Why didn't Grimshaw expel Tasha?

It didn't make sense. Grimshaw was ruthless when it came to punishments, yet Tasha had only been sentenced to clean the entire dormitory for a month. He frowned, running a hand through his messy hair. Maybe Grimshaw had her reasons, or maybe—

A loud crash echoed from outside.

---

Tasha was already up. The wooden floor was cold beneath her feet as she quietly tiptoed across the room. Lina and Naomi were still asleep, their soft breathing the only sound in the dimly lit space. Tasha hesitated for a moment before pulling the door open.

The slight creak was all it took.

"Mmm… What are you doing?" Lina's groggy voice broke through the silence.

Tasha turned, finding both of them now staring at her with half-lidded eyes.

"You're not going to do all the washing without us," Lina mumbled, sitting up and stretching.

Tasha opened her mouth to protest, but Naomi was already yawning and rolling out of bed. "She's right. You're not suffering alone, girl."

After some back-and-forth, where Tasha tried to insist she could handle it, they finally convinced her. Together, they made their way to the dormitory hallway, armed with brooms, buckets, and an unfortunate fate.

---

Collins sat in the dining hall, absently nibbling at his bread while the rest of the students devoured their meals like wolves who hadn't eaten in days. He wasn't particularly hungry, and his eyes kept scanning the room.

Where was Tasha?

His brows knitted together. She was usually here by now.

He pushed his tray aside and stood up. It didn't take long to find her. Outside, near the dormitory entrance, she and her friends were scrubbing the floorboards. Collins slowed his steps, watching as a few students passed by, snickering at them.

Lina, never one to back down, shot back insults like arrows. "Oh, I'm sorry, did you drop your dignity somewhere? Because I don't see it."

That shut them up—at least for a moment.

Collins smirked. Typical Lina.

He strolled up to them, hands in his pockets. "Wow. Look at you three. Hardworking ladies. Such dedication. I'm impressed."

Naomi shot him a glare. "Shut up, Collins."

"Now, now, is that any way to treat a guest?" He crouched beside them, tilting his head dramatically. "You know, if you just add a little more effort, you might be able to see your reflection in the floor."

Tasha sighed, wiping sweat from her forehead. "What do you want?"

"To help, of course." Collins grabbed a nearby rag.

Lina narrowed her eyes. "Why?"

"Because I'm a good person," he said, feigning innocence.

They exchanged glances, clearly not believing him, but in the end, they let him stay. Collins made a show of scrubbing, adding in exaggerated groans of exhaustion until Naomi threw a wet rag at him.

The mockery died down quickly when the other students saw Collins cleaning with them. Some hesitated to make fun of Tasha and her friends now, while others just snarled from a distance.

Collins, as usual, found it all amusing.

Tasha wiped her forehead, leaning against the bucket as she glanced at the floor. It was spotless now, the wooden panels shining after an exhausting round of scrubbing. Lina and Naomi had already plopped down beside her, panting. Even Collins—who had spent half the time cracking jokes—was finally quiet, though he still held a rag in one hand.

Just as they were about to call it a day, the sound of approaching heels clicked against the dormitory floor.

"Oh, look at this," a sickeningly sweet voice cooed.

Tasha tensed.

Celeste.

She strolled in with her minions flanking her, their eyes gleaming with mischief. In her hand, she held a small pouch—one that she casually upturned, letting a handful of crumpled papers and crumbs scatter across the freshly cleaned floor.

The room went silent.

Lina was the first to react. She shot up like a firework, fists clenched. "Are you out of your damn mind?!"

Naomi followed suit, her expression mirroring Lina's fury. "What the hell is wrong with you?!"

Celeste gasped, placing a hand over her chest in mock horror. "Oh dear, was this floor clean? I had no idea." She tilted her head, her lips curling into a smirk. "I was too distracted by the fact that you three are here… with him."

Her gaze landed on Collins, eyes glinting with amusement.

Collins, who had been watching the scene unfold with mild interest, finally stood up, dusting off his hands. He tilted his head, a slow grin forming. "Ah, Celeste. The queen of cheap perfumes and bad decisions. What a pleasure."

Celeste's smirk faltered. "Excuse me?"

Collins pretended to think. "Or should I say, the girl who spends more time in front of a mirror than in class? Honestly, I'm shocked. I didn't know you knew how to find the dormitory without a GPS."

The girls behind Celeste stifled giggles, but quickly masked them when she shot them a glare.

Recovering, she crossed her arms, flicking her perfectly curled hair over her shoulder. "You must be desperate for attention, Bushboy, if you're down here scrubbing floors with them." She wrinkled her nose at Tasha, Lina, and Naomi.

Collins raised an eyebrow. "Says the girl who just walked all the way here just to talk to me. Admit it, Celeste—you miss me, don't you?"

Celeste's face twisted. "As if."

Collins tsked, shaking his head. "Poor Alexander. I'd hate for him to find out that his girlfriend is out here thirsting for my attention." He turned to Tasha with mock seriousness. "Should I write him a letter? Maybe something heartfelt—'Dear Alexander, your girl can't stop thinking about me. Please send help.'"

Lina burst out laughing, and even Naomi smirked. Celeste, on the other hand, looked like she wanted to claw his face off.

"You think you're funny, don't you?" she snapped.

"Oh, I know I am." Collins grinned, taking a step closer. "But you know what's not funny? The fact that you walked in here looking like a badly decorated wedding cake."

Celeste's minions gasped.

Collins glanced at them next. "And you three? My deepest condolences. It must be exhausting keeping up with her delusions."

The girls gawked at him, speechless.

But he wasn't done. He let his eyes drift lazily over Celeste before sighing dramatically. "Also, sweetheart… if you're going to come here just to cause trouble, at least try to dress the part. That outfit is a crime. I'd report it, but I think the police have better things to do."

Celeste clenched her fists. "You—"

"And speaking of crimes, let's talk about Alexander." Collins smirked, shifting his weight onto one foot. "Tell me, does he still cry when he loses at basketball, or has he finally grown up?"

Lina and Naomi snorted.

Celeste's face turned an alarming shade of red. "You're so full of yourself, Collins."

"I try," he said, flashing a charming smile.

Celeste huffed, turning on her heel. "You'll regret this."

Collins waved. "I already regret wasting my breath on you."

With that, Celeste stormed out, her minions trailing behind her like lost puppies.

As soon as they were gone, Naomi whistled. "Damn. You really hit a nerve."

Collins shrugged, grabbing his rag again. "Eh, she had it coming."

Tasha, who had been quiet the whole time, finally exhaled. "She's not going to let this go."

Collins grinned. "I sure hope not. This is the most fun I've had all day."

At the far end of the hallway,a figure stood bathed in light, their face was hidden, but the smile is unmistakable