The morning was still early. The sun had just started rising and the faint smell of rain still lingered from the downpour the previous night. It was the perfect morning for a Cappuccino with cream and two sugar, brewed by Tea Cafe just down the street, also Kadesha's favourite cafe.
She walked in, ignoring the confused looks that followed. Let them stare. It was already a routine. She walked up to the counter and asked for her usual. The attendant was fast, brewing the perfect order and giving her.
The taste was nothing short of heavenly. It hit the right places on her tongue. She paid and left a generous tip before turning and bumping into someone. Luckily, the
coffee didn't spill.
"Watch it!" The other person snapped and pushed Kadesha with force before smoothening down her designer.
Kadesha scoffed and swallowed her apology fast before assessing the girl standing before her.
Makeup – probably had about ten layers of foundation, five layers of red lipstick, eyes lined till it literally became part of her face
Clothes – designers, from head to toe. Expensive ones.
Identity – honestly she didn't give a f-uck.
"Are you blind? I know you don't know designers even if it was printed right in front of you. But do you not recognise class?" The girl went on and Kadesha raised a brow.
"You walked into me."
"You're really rude, you know?" She said and calmly brought out a lanyard.
"I know you've never seen it before. I am related to Morren RL, okay? I'm about to go and coach Desha herself. So if you'll excuse me." The girl said with a smug face and Kadesha stepped aside before her manicured hand could swat her away.
It really is a beautiful morning.
She smirked as she stepped out. She sipped her coffee and brought out her phone.
"The dancer, blacklist her." She simply said before hanging up and stepping into a waiting blue Benz.
★
Kingston West High
Students moved in cliques across the massive yard. Different cars drove in and out of the parking lot while some students were flooding out of the dorm gates into the school compound. Everyone dressed corporately. Of course they did; it was a Monday. The school has codes for each day.
Kadesha's car rolled into the premises, parking neatly in the dorm parking lot where other cars were lined up with different students and porters checking into the dorm and passing through checks.
Everyone had their ID on, and we're dragging bags through the gate. The dorm mistresses were checking them in and searching their bags. It was a quick process.
Kadesha got out of the car and adjusted the glasses perched on her nose. For fashion, of course. She made her way to the booth of the car where her driver had already brought out a large box, a medium one and the smallest one along with a medium sized suitcase. Kadesha swung her backpack over her shoulder and grabbed two boxes, dragging them towards the gate before anyone else came.
"ID?" The lady asked, bringing out a card scanner.
"I'm not a returning student." Kadesha explained.
"Oh. Well, log into your student portal. Let me see your room allocation." The last said and waited for Kadesha to operate her phone before showing her the room allocation. She squinted her eyes, trying to read what was there.
"Oh, sorry ma'am." Kadesha chuckled and increased the font and brightness.
"Ah, that's better. Kadesha Morren. Block 28, room 16. You have two other roommates." The lady said and brought out a key card from a pack. She slid it in a device, typed some things and gave her the key card.
"This is yours personally. You'll pay if it gets lost, okay?" Kadesha nodded once and collected the card before wheeling her boxes into the checkpoint and put them on a conveyor. The porters helped her load the others along with it. She stepped into the dorm and was mesmerized.
Cherry blossom trees lined the sidewalks, lamp posts and stone benches, statues that also formed shades, a literal shopping mall that divided the male and female dormitories along with a brass gate that opened into the female dormitory and a copper one that opened to the male dormitory.
Wow! I wasn't expecting this really.
She shook the thought aside and picked up her bags and took them in. The blocks were literally two storey buildings. Not cramped buildings but spacious and exquisite, painted in bright cream colours and even a gate.
She had no idea how to locate her block. She looked at each block, trying to look for hers, but it was a literal puzzle. She eventually saw another girl. Pink crop top and white cotton shorts, pink headphones and height that would immediately put her in a basketball court.
"Hey." Kadesha said casually, stepping in front of the girl. She stopped and removed her headphones. "Sorry to bother you, but I'm actually new here and I have no idea where my block is." She explained.
"Oh. Can I see your key card?" The girl offered. Kadesha brought out the card from her pants pocket. The girl's eyes lit up immediately.
"No way! Block 28, room 16? We're roommates!" She squealed and grabbed Kadesha's suitcase and large box.
"Come on. I'm Skye Jason." She introduced, dragging the box as she and Kadesha walked in.
"Kadesha." Kadesha responded cooly.
"Kadesha. Are you masc?" She suddenly asked. "Or is this just a cool aesthetic?"
"Well, I am. And yes, it is." Kadesha said, answering both questions.
"Ugh. Not another one." Skye groaned and Kadesha laughed. "You and Choco will get along pretty well. She's really fun to be with, and fun to rule up." Skye teased and Kadesha laughed.
†
Block 28, room 16
The door opened into a room that looked more like an undercharged hotel room. It was way to big for a dorm room for three people. It looked like the kind of space that should be used for six people instead. There were three large beg dominating each corner of the room. Each bed came with a double wardrobe and dressing mirror with cabinets, a shelf and reading table. It was literally an entire space that was more than enough for each person.
Skye's side was painted white with pink aesthetic Pinterest frames and cool stickers. Her bed was literally a poster bed dressed in hello kitty sheets and teddy bears too. There were few picture frames on her dressing mirror along with some creams and make up items.
The other person's side was bathed in soft blue hues like the ocean, stickers of different shapes and colours of deep sea creatures designed the walls and the curtain made the side of the room look so cool. The bed was also covered with blue and white sheets and her shelf was already full of books, mostly novels and her dressing mirror had skincare products on it. The last corner was bare, white, a mattress on the bed, vacant shelf and dressing mirror. Like blank canvas waiting for an artist to make it's move.
"We are allowed to redecorate. You can paint yourself or pay the painters. And later, we can all finally agree on a room decor. All dorm students resuming today were given today off school." Skye explained as Kadesha dropped her bags near her side of the room. "Let's get you settled in. I'll get cleaning materials from the storage room. Hold on." She said and dashed out of the room before Kadesha could tell her not to bother.
The words died on her lips as the door clicked shut. Kadesha smiled to herself and shook her head. She bent down and unzipped the smallest box, bringing out her toiletries and other things. She stepped into the bathroom and stopped short.
Was this even a students dorm or a freaking en suite?
The bathroom was large, cream coloured walls and marble tiles, a shower cubicle with a shower curtain blocking it, a heater and three basins, an auto flusher toilet, a cabinet for each of them to keep their toiletries and a cabinet, fary lights and a POP ceiling.
"Kadesha." Kadesha snapped out of her daydream with the sound of the door closing shut.
"I'm in the bathroom. I'll be out soon." She answered and quickly arranged her toiletries in the empty cabinet and came out. She saw Skye and another girl; long braided black hair with silver hoops in it, a camouflage jacket shirt that hung loosely and baggy cargo pants, this earthy caramel skin that glistened with sweat.
"Hey. Skye said we had a new roommate. I'm Amelia." The girl introduced with a friendly smile.
"Call her Choco." Skye added and Amelia rolled her eyes.
"Call me whatever you want." She said and slipped into the bathroom. "I need a long shower."
"You said you'd help her settle in." Skye whinned.
"I didn't. I said I'd show her around and we will go for shopping." Amelia said and shut Skye up by closing the bathroom door firmly. Skye muttered something about Choco being impossible that made Kadesha laugh.
"Yes, let's start." Skye said and dropped the cleaning materials. She filled a basin with water and the started cleaning all the surfaces and the wall, dusting cobwebs and arranging items. They swept and cleaned and sprayed air freshener.
"I'll go put these back." Skye said and picked up the cleaning materials before leaving the room. Amelia came out of the bathroom dressed comfortably in a sports bra and shorts.
"Let me help." She offered and started helping Kadesha arranged her items on the dressing mirror while Kadesha arranged her clothes into the wardrobe.
"Yeah, you will need your ID to actually use that mall and it also gives you dorm discounts. We pay less than day students." Amelia said as she finished arranging her things.
"Thank you. Thank you for your help too." Kadesha said and Amelia smiled before going to her bed. Kadesha arranged her boxes in a corner and stepped into the bathroom to have a shower
★
Kingston West Mall
"What exactly are we shopping for?" Kadesha asked as the three girls stepped into the mall which was surprisingly busy for a school day. They had just helped her to collect her student ID and wanted her to come for shopping.
"Well, room decor items. Maybe a LED projector. They are so cool." Skye bubbled. Amelia rolled her eyes.
"Or stickers. We could also get fake vines or fake grass. Or snacks and not just decor items." Amelia added, looking over at Skye who scoffed.
"Let's check out the decor aisle first." Kadesha offered and Skye flashed Amelia a triumphant smile.
"Yes. Come with me." Skye said and dragged Kadesha along with her while Amelia trailed behind them. The moment passed in a blur of smiles and constant banter between Amelia and Skye which Kadesha found extremely funny.
†
"You insolent child! I'm older than you." Skye napped playfully at Amelia who shrugged.
"Then actually your age longy." She teased and Kadesha laughed.
"You're both impossible. Can we just go back to the room please?" She said and wiped an imaginary tear from her eyes.
"No way! You haven't even seen the dorm yet. I'll show you all my favourite spots. And at night, we could try the popular food spots." Skye giggled and ran ahead. Kadesha and Amelia looked at each other and laughed before quickening their pace to meet Skye who was sprinting forward.