Christine woke with a dull ache behind her eyes, the faint morning light peeking through the curtains. Groaning, she sat up, her head heavy from the remnants of last night’s drinks. The first thing she noticed was the unfamiliar room. Panic shot through her as she glanced around, trying to figure out where she was.

She was in someone else’s bed, and the room wasn’t hers. The soft sheets beneath her were unfamiliar, and the arrangement of furniture didn’t match her own dorm room. Where am I? she wondered. Christine’s eyes scanned the small space, stopping on a note perched on the side table. Next to it was a glass of water, some hangover pills, and a small plate of toast and scrambled eggs. Tentatively, she reached for the note:

“Hey, Sleeping Beauty. You had a wild night, so I figured you’d need these. Take the pills, eat, and rest up. And don’t worry—you didn’t embarrass yourself… too much. ;) - Kate”

A smile tugged at Christine’s lips as she read the playful note. She didn't remember much of the night before, but at least someone had been looking out for her. She popped the hangover pills into her mouth and chased them with the water. Her stomach growled as she quickly ate the breakfast Kate had left for her. It was simple, but the warmth of the food settled her queasy stomach.

She sighed, trying to piece together the fragmented memories from the previous night. There was the bar, Alex, she dreamed of him?.... then... it all went blank. What did I say or do? she wondered, but nothing clear came to her mind. She vaguely remembered Robert and Kate, but beyond that, it was a fog.

Christine stood up slowly, feeling the pull of her sore muscles as she glanced at the clock on the bedside table. Panic gripped her once again. I’m going to be late for class! She quickly grabbed her things, threw on her shoes, and headed for the door. Her body was still sluggish, but she had to get to her room and change before running to class.

As she rushed through the hallway, a sense of dread crept up on her. She hadn't heard from Lara since last night, and knowing Lara's dramatic tendencies, Christine wasn’t looking forward to whatever confrontation awaited her. She pushed open the door to her room, expecting things to be normal—until she saw the mess inside.

The room was a disaster.

Clothes were strewn everywhere, books and makeup scattered across the floor. What the hell happened here? Christine’s heart dropped. She noticed Lara sitting on her bed, her face stormy, hands clenched tightly in her lap. Clearly, the room hadn’t turned into a war zone by accident.

Christine dropped her bag by the door, her eyes narrowing. “Lara, what the hell is this? What happened here?”

Lara glared at her, venom in her gaze. “Where were you last night? Do you have any idea how worried I was? You didn’t come back to the room—anything could have happened to you!”

Christine frowned, her headache intensifying with every word Lara spat at her. “I was fine. I stayed with a friend. What does that have to do with you trashing our room?”

Lara stood up, her movements sharp and angry. “Do you think this is some kind of joke? You just disappear without telling me, and then I have to find out from that coquette of all people that you spent the night with her? How could you do that to me?”

“Do what to you?” Christine snapped back, the frustration boiling over. “I didn’t owe you an explanation! You’re not my keeper, Lara. I went out with friends, and you—” She gestured to the wrecked room. “You have no right to destroy our room over it!”

Lara’s eyes flashed with something dark and possessive. “You don’t get it, do you? You’ve been distant. You don’t talk to me like you used to. And now, this... this stranger swoops in and takes you away for the night?”

Christine pinched the bridge of her nose, trying to stay calm. “Lara, I’m not distant. I have my own life outside of you. You can’t expect me to be around you 24/7.”

Lara’s voice lowered to a near whisper, a dangerous edge to it. “But I thought I was important to you. We’ve been through so much together. And now you’re pushing me aside for someone you barely know.”

“That’s not true,” Christine replied, trying to keep her tone even. “I care about you, Lara. But you’re being unreasonable. We can’t keep fighting like this every time I spend time with someone else.”

Before Lara could respond, a loud knock interrupted their argument. Both of them paused, glaring at the door. Lara stormed over to open it, her face dark with anger.

Standing outside was Kate, her posture casual but her expression simmering with something more.

“You??” Lara shouted, her voice rising in pitch, her body tensing.

Kate raised an eyebrow, her smirk playful. “Katina Leroy. But you can call me Kate, bro.” Her tone was deliberately casual, dismissing the tension between her and Lara.

Lara was still standing at the door, clearly not willing to let her step inside. “What do you want?” she snapped.

Kate’s grin only grew wider. “Calm down, I’m not here to cause trouble. I just want to return this handbag to my girlfriend.” She emphasized the word ‘girlfriend’ with a wink, making Lara’s face turn red with fury. Kate walked past Lara and approached Christine, handing her the purse she had left in Kate’s room.

“Here. You left this behind last night,” Kate said, her tone soft as she turned her attention to Christine.

Christine accepted the purse with a small smile, trying to ignore the growing tension in the room. “Thanks,” she said, grateful for the gesture.

Kate’s eyes flickered around the room, taking in the chaotic scene before her. The mess. The anger. The awkwardness in the air. She shot Christine a concerned look. “Is everything okay?”

Christine forced a small laugh, trying to ease the tension. “Yeah... Lara couldn’t find her favorite t-shirt.”

Lara’s eyes blazed with fury at the dismissive comment, but she said nothing, her arms crossed over her chest.

Kate nodded, clearly unconvinced. “Well, glad everything’s fine.” She then grinned mischievously, turning back to Christine. “So... about last night... shouldn't you be asking me out on a date or something?”

Christine blinked, caught off guard by the sudden shift in tone. “What?”

“Chill, babes,” Kate said with a wink. “I’m just saying, you could at least invite me to dinner or something.”

Christine’s face lit up, a smile tugging at her lips. “Sure. Why not?” She held out her phone to Kate. “Here, give me your number.”

Kate took the phone, typing her number in quickly before handing it back to Christine. She shot a mischievous glance at Lara, whose face had turned an alarming shade of red.

“Well, I’ll see you around then,” Kate said, her voice light and playful as she turned to leave. As she reached the door, she paused, casting a final look over her shoulder. “Later, babes.”

Lara was still standing there, fuming, her fists clenched at her sides. The second Kate was out of sight, she rounded on Christine.

“Are you serious?” Lara hissed, her voice low and dangerous. “You’re going to go out with her? After everything?”

Christine sighed, feeling the weight of the argument pressing down on her. “It’s just dinner, Lara. She’s been nice to me.”

“She’s playing with you!” Lara shouted, her voice rising. “She doesn’t care about you like I do! How can you not see that?”

Christine stepped back, trying to create some distance between them. “Lara, you’re blowing this out of proportion. Kate’s just a friend.”

Lara’s face twisted in anger, her voice shaking. “No, Christine. She’s not just a friend. She’s trying to take you away from me, and you’re letting her.”

Christine’s patience finally snapped. “Lara, I’m not yours to own! You can’t control who I spend time with. This isn’t healthy!”

Lara’s eyes widened in shock at Christine’s words, and for a moment, she looked hurt. But that flash of vulnerability was quickly replaced with anger once more.

“Fine,” Lara spat, her voice cold. “Go to class. Have your stupid dinner with her. But don’t come crying to me when she breaks your heart.”

Christine shook her head, exasperated. She grabbed her backpack and jacket, determined to get out of the suffocating room. “I don’t have time for this right now, Lara. I have class.”

With that, she turned and walked out of the room, leaving Lara standing there, her fists trembling with fury. Christine could feel the heat of Lara’s glare on her back, but she didn’t turn around. She was done with the arguing, the possessiveness, the suffocating jealousy.

As Christine walked to class, she couldn’t shake the weight of the morning’s argument. What had happened to Lara? When had their friendship turned into something so toxic, so consuming? The thought gnawed at her as she tried to focus on her studies, but one thing was clear—things between her and Lara were spiraling out of control.

And deep down, Christine wasn’t sure how much longer she could hold it together.

As Christine walked to class, a hollow feeling gnawed at her chest. With every step, she realized she was losing something—maybe Lara, maybe herself. And deep down, she wasn’t sure which loss hurt more.