CHAPTER 180: A NEW ROOMMATE

Andria’s POV

She eyed me suspiciously. "You look like you wrestled with a storm and then danced with a ghost."

"Close enough," I muttered, and she let out a slight chuckle.

I dropped my jacket onto the chair.

Mel followed me toward my room, still talking. "Did you at least manage to talk things out with Becca?"

I froze mid-step. "No," I said, slowly turning to face her. "Not yet."

"Well..." Mel’s tone changed, lighter now, almost mischievous. "That might be about to change."

I turned to her. "What do you mean?"

She smiled, tucking a strand of hair behind her ear. "We have a new apartment mate. Guess who."

I sighed, already too tired for games. "Mel, it’s nearly three in the morning. I’m not guessing anything."

Her grin widened. "Becca."

That made me pause. "What? How?"

She nodded. "The allocation officer came by earlier. Since Larissa’s been... well, sent to the underworld, and Becca’s apartment is under renovation, they decided to move her here. Temporarily, they said. But I have a feeling it might be permanent."

I blinked, still processing that. "You are joking."

My heart hammered against my chest, not knowing how to face Becca now that she has become my new apartment mate.

Mel raised her mug. "Do I look like I’m joking? They are even turning her old apartment into a beautiful one. I just hope ours will be revisited soon. I’m tired of being in this apartment while Liara and the rest of the royalties live in paradise."

I let out a breath, part sigh, part laugh. "Of course, maybe someday they would."

But even as I said that, I doubted it.

As we returned to the living room, Becca was sitting on the couch, her legs crossed, her hair pulled into a messy bun. She had come out of her room, probably because she heard someone come in.

"Hey," I said quietly.

She didn’t answer. She just turned slightly, her back facing me, her posture stiff.

Mel glanced between us like a referee sensing an oncoming fight, but I ignored her and stepped closer.

"Becca," I said, softer this time. "I know you are angry. You have every right to be. But please, just hear me out."

Her silence stretched long enough that I almost thought she wouldn’t respond. Then, slowly, she turned her head, her eyes cold, but hurt.

"Why should I?" she asked. "You missed my performance, Aria. You promised you would be there. You didn’t even bother texting; that’s not how friends do. I stood there waiting for you on the stage like a fool."

I swallowed, the guilt stinging sharper than any wound. "I know. And I’m sorry. I never intended to miss it. Something urgent came up... and I got caught up in it."

"Caught up?" she repeated, her tone sharp. "You mean with Aven?"

I had to pause a little; her tempo was rising. "No, Becca, it wasn’t like that."

"Then what was it like?" she pressed, standing now. "Because from where I was standing, you disappeared the minute Aven showed up at the entrance of the hall, and then I was left to perform in front of the whole school alone, of course, except for Mel and Michaela’s intervention. You weren’t even there to clap for me."

Her voice cracked on the last word. That broke me.

"I didn’t choose to stay away," I said quietly. "Things got heated...complicated. I was trying to complete what I had started, and it got really messy, Becca.

I know that doesn’t make it right, but I missed your performance, and I’m sorry. I will do anything to make it up to you."

Becca crossed her arms, her gaze sceptical. "Anything?"

"Yes," I said, meeting her eyes.

She studied me for a long moment, then a small, wry smile touched her lips. "Then let’s make a deal."

I frowned slightly. "A deal?"

"If our groups face each other at the finals of the Sports Festival," she said, her tone measured but hopeful, "you will let my group win."

I blinked, surprised. "Becca, that’s..."

"I really need it, Aria," she interrupted, her voice softening. "My wolf ranking has been dropping; it’s low, you know that, and everything in this academy affects rankings. Topping this one gives me a chance at raising my rank. You’ve been topping the rankings all semester. One loss won’t hurt you. But it could save me."

She wasn’t wrong, but making this decision was tough.

I hesitated, my instincts screaming that it was a bad idea. But when I looked at her, my friend and now my roommate, I had already promised to make it up to her, to grant her a wish, and this was her wish. I can’t go back on my word.

I exhaled slowly.

"Fine," I said. "If we both make it to the finals, your group wins."

Her eyes widened, softening with disbelief before a bright smile broke through. "You mean it?"

"I mean it."

Becca let out a shaky laugh and pulled me into a hug before I could react. "Thank you. I... I missed you, Aria."

"I missed you too," I said, hugging her back. The tension that had been coiling in my chest since last night finally loosened.

From the corner of the room, Mel smiled and set her mug down. "Finally. I was starting to think I would have to cast a friendship spell myself."

We all laughed, soft, tired, but genuine.

And in this moment, the apartment felt warm again.

Becca reached for the remote. "Movie? I found a horror one that Mel refused to finish."

"I screamed once," Mel protested.

"Six times," Becca corrected.

I chuckled, curling up on the couch beside them as the opening credits flickered across the screen. The night outside was dark, but here, it felt very lively, especially amongst the ones I trusted.

Halfway through the movie, Becca turned to me, her tone light but curious.

"I heard something," she said. "That the Alpha successors are fighting each other because of you, Aria."

She paused, her eyes glinting in the blue light of the TV.

"How true is that?"