Chapter 3: A ''Warm'' Welcome

    Seraphina''s Pov@@@@

    Mrs. Hawthorne led me down another long corridor, and I followed behind her quietly, making a mental note of the hallways just so I wouldn''t get lost when next I had to find my way around.

    Finally, we stopped in front of a door that looked just like all the other doors we walked past, and Mrs. Hawthorne turned to me, her expression as unreadable as ever.

    "This is your dormitory," she announced. "Your uniform and other clothes have been provided on your bed, but you''ll need to arrange your wardrobe yourself."

    I opened my mouth to respond, maybe to ask a question, but she cut me off with a curt, "Good luck," before turning on her heel and walking away without another word.

    I watched her retreating form, wishing I could call her back and beg her to help me get the door. But she was gone before I knew it, and I forcefully turned my attention back to the door.

    My hands immediately started to shake, and I found myself fidgeting with the strap of my bag, twisting and untwisting it nervously. I could already hear voices from inside the room, and the sound only made me even more anxious.

    How in the world am I supposed to walk in there and introduce myself when the mere thought of having to speak to anyone already filled me with dread?

    I had never been good with introductions, and in my old school, I did everything I could to avoid them. But here, I knew I couldn''t hide. These were going to be my roommates, the people I would have to live with day in and day out, so introducing myself was mandatory.

    I took a deep breath and then another, trying to calm my rising panic. After calming myself a bit more, I counted to three in my head, telling myself that I just needed to open the door and that it wasn''t as terrifying as it seemed.

    But my body didn''t seem to agree, and my hand hovered over the door handle, frozen in place as my mind raced with worst-case scenarios.

    What if they didn''t like me? What if I made a fool of myself? What if they were mean, just like most of the girls at my old school? The thought of being ostracized again, of being the odd one out, and getting ignored and belittled made my chest tighten with fear.

    I took another shaky breath, my heart pounding in my chest. I couldn''t stand out here forever, so I forced myself to grip the handle, my knuckles white from the effort. My fingers trembled as I turned it, the door creaking as it opened.

    The minute I stepped inside, the room fell into silence, and all eyes turned in my direction immediately. But my breath caught in my throat as I took in the scene in front of me.

    I saw a flicker of something in their eyes—surprise, maybe?—but it was quickly replaced by the same skeptical look they had given me before.

    It was clear they hadn''t expected that, and even though Aldoria wasn''t as large or influential as Elmeria, my father''s position was nothing to scoff at. I wasn''t used to playing this game of social ranking, but I knew enough to understand that if they saw me as a nobody, I''d be treated like one.

    Ashleigh didn''t say anything for a moment, and I could feel her trying to gauge whether I was worth acknowledging or dismissing.

    Finally, she shrugged, as if my explanation wasn''t enough to change her opinion but not enough to ignore either.

    "Well, welcome to our dorm room, Seraphina," she said, her voice taking on a slightly more cordial tone. "It''s usually a four-person room, but occasionally we have... visitors," she announced, looking towards the other girls who were clearly in their own world. "You''re not allowed to talk about that, though. Sleepovers aren''t exactly allowed in the dormitory."

    Visitors? Sleepovers? My confusion must have shown on my face because Ashleigh shot me a look that made it clear she wasn''t joking.

    "Anything you see in here stays in here," she continued, her voice turning cold again. "And I mean anything. You don''t blab to anyone about what goes on in this room."

    I swallowed hard, trying to wrap my head around what she was implying. I had no idea what she could be talking about, but the way she spoke sent a chill down my spine.

    What on earth could be happening in this room that was so secret?

    Before I could respond, Jolene, who had been watching me coldly the entire time, spoke up. "Did you hear her?" she hissed loudly.

    I flinched at the suddenness of her words, my nerves getting the best of me. "Y-yes," I stammered, nodding quickly. "I understand."

    For a moment, neither of them spoke, and my heart raced as I stood there, feeling like I was being tested, though I wasn''t sure what the test was.

    Ashleigh and Jolene exchanged another glance, and I could tell they were sizing me up, deciding whether I was trustworthy or just another weak link.

    "Good," Ashleigh said finally. She gave me a small, almost predatory smile, as if she was satisfied with my answer—for now.

    "Just remember that, and you''ll survive here," she added, and I nodded again, too scared and confused to do anything else.