The dorm room hadn't fully recovered from the internet yet, It still felt like a place where something had happened—like the walls themselves had watched it unfold and were still trying to process it.
Phones buzzed endlessly on the table.
Notifications. Mentions. Tags. News alerts.
Lydia had refused to stop checking.
Corelia, on the other hand, looked like she was enjoying every second of it. She sat calmly by the small table, legs crossed neatly, sipping tea she had quietly made for herself without asking anyone if they wanted any.
And Mishell— She sat on the edge of her bed. Still and unaffected like none of it touched her, the world outside wasn't screaming her name.
Lydia was pacing again.
Back and forth.
Back and forth.
She'd been doing that since they walked in. "This is escalating," she said.
Mishell glanced at her lazily. "What?"
"Your public rejection to Jax's proposal."
Corelia lifted her gaze slightly from her cup. "It only happened a few minutes ago… how is it already everywhere?"
Lydia stopped pacing and stared at her.
"Hello?" she said. "She rejected a celebrity. What exactly were you expecting? Silence? Peace? Normalcy?"
Mishell sighed, already tired of the conversation. "Corelia, what's next for our mission?"
Lydia's jaw dropped.
She pointed at both of them.
"You cannot ignore me. This is serious."
"So is our mission," Mishell replied, her tone sharper this time. "The fate of our people depends on it. So forgive me if I can't go on a stupid date with a guy I know nothing about.
There was a slight edge in her voice now.
Controlled but present.
Lydia raised both hands.
"Okay—chill out, Cinderella. I wasn't trying to get on your nerves."
Mishell looked at her slowly.
"Really?"
Lydia hesitated.
"…Okay maybe a little." Then she added quickly, "But even if you were going to reject him, you should've done it privately—not in front of his fans, fishgirl."
Mishell blinked once.
"Fish… girl?" she repeated slowly, like she wasn't sure she heard right. Then she laughed softly not amused or fully. Just enough to be dangerous.
"You've been getting bold lately," she said, standing up.
She started walking toward Lydia, Slow and deliberate.
"Turning you into one for a few hours wouldn't be a bad idea."
Lydia didn't move. She folded her arms, trying to stand her ground.
"Your threats don't scare me. Not like it's actually going to happen."
Mishell stopped right in front of her.
Her eyes flickered and a faint glow ran across them barely visible but enough.
"I don't bluff."
There was something about her smile, It was soft, beautiful and completely unsafe.
"Okay… okay—both of you," Corelia's voice cut in calmly. "Take a deep breath. And tea. Like me." She lifted her cup slightly.
"It shouldn't be that hard."
Both of them turned to look at her sharp.
Corelia blinked still smiling.
"Why are you both staring at me like that?"
Lydia dragged a hand down her face.
"You are unbelievable. You're still calm in this situation?"
Corelia shrugged lightly.
"As long as it's not Araxie, everything going on here barely concerns me."
She took another sip. "Also… the tea helps."
Mishell stared at her for a second. Then walked over to the table, poured herself a cup ans took a sip. Then nodded.
"…It really does."
She sat beside Corelia like nothing had just happened.
"ARRGGHHHH!" Lydia screamed, throwing her hands in the air. "You two are impossible!"
Corelia glanced at her.
"You're overreacting."
Lydia froze and slowly turned.
"Over… reacting?" she repeated. "Do you..."
The doorbell rang, they all paused.
"You have a guest," Lydia said slowly.
"Don't answer it," Mishell replied without looking up.
The bell rang again.
"It's still ringing."
"Forget it."
"Wait—what if it's Jax?" Lydia said, eyes lighting up. "Or he sent someone?"
Mishell didn't even look at her.
"Lydia..."
"I'm going to check."
Before anyone could stop her—She opened the door.
SPLAT.
"…What." Lydia stood frozen.
Raw eggs dripping slowly down her face down her hair then her clothes. Her dignity rolled down along with the eggs.
Across the hallway stood a group of girls, laughing with their phones out.
"Oh my God, we got her!"
"That's her, right?!"
"Wait—no—"
Lydia blinked slowly then wiped egg from her cheek.
"You people are very stupid, I will make sure you regret thisssss.....". She screamed.
The girls paused.
"…That's not Mishell."
One of them squinted.
"…Wait."
Another leaned forward.
"…Oh."
Realization hits them hard.
"…RUN."
They scattered. Lydia stood there still covered in eggs, furious and boiling. She slowly turned her head back toward the room.
"Told ya not to get the door". Mishell said smiling.
" Oh so you can see the future now?"
Lydia said sarcastically.
"Nope but I'm more observant than you, I could hear their noises from in here plotting". Mishell replied, still looking unbothered.
"Pardon me since I wasn't born with powers". Lydia said announingly, walking towards the bathroom.
As Mishell handled everything so well, It was the exact opposite for Jax. Getting back to home was way worse than what the Internet had to say. Foxy and Jeremy won't stop laughing, they made him seat in between the sofa only to be surrounded. Good thing he now had his hoodie on and pulled it lower over his face. He was completely silent.
Jeremy was bent over, one hand gripping his stomach, the other holding his phone like it was the most important evidence he had ever possessed.
"Play it again," Foxy said, already laughing before the video even restarted.
"It's been played again," Vic muttered under his breath—but he didn't stop them.
Jeremy tapped the screen anyway and the clip restarted.
Shaky camera, the screaming crowd. Jax stepping forward like a man about to change his own destiny but then—
"...No."
"Pause it—pause it right there," Foxy said.
Jeremy froze the frame.
Mishell mid-turn already walking away unbothered by the whole situation like the entire moment didn't even belong to her.
Jeremy dropped against the couch.
"THE WAY SHE SAID IT—"
Foxy wheezed. "No hesitation. No blinking. No mercy."
"Just plain NO". Jeremy said laughing.
Foxy leaned forward from the chair
"So…" he said. "How does it feel?"
Jeremy snorted.
"Yeah, tell us. First public rejection. Historic moment."
Jax didn't respond.
Jeremy kept going.
"Like… she didn't even hesitate."
Foxy added,
"She said no like she was declining extra sauce."
Jeremy laughed. "No emotions, no regret Just—no."
Foxy pointed at the screen, laughing harder. "She didn't even stay to feel bad."
Jeremy nodded. "She rejected you and exited like it was a normal Tuesday."
Vic finally let out a quiet laugh.
"That's because for her… it probably was."
Foxy leaned forward. "No, but seriously—this is history. Do you understand? This has never happened before."
Vic added calmly, "Not to you."
Jeremy grinned. "You've been humbled."
Jax pulled his hoodie down further.
"I'm never asking her out again."
Jeremy burst out laughing.
Foxy clapped once. "He's serious."
Jeremy pointed at the paused screen.
"You showed up with roses."
"That was before."
"Before what?"
"Before she embarrassed me in front of the entire world."
Foxy smirked. "You weren't embarrassed."
Jax frowned. "I was."
"No," Vic said quietly. "You were surprised."
That made Jax pause just for a second.
From the other side, Mr. Lee sat still watching them torture him..
"I am totally done with her". Jax said.
"No, you're not." Mr Lee responded.
Jax looked up.
"Yes, I am."
"No, you're not," Mr. Lee repeated calmly.
"You will find a way to take her out."
"I just tried."
"And failed."
"Thank you for that."
Mr. Lee adjusted his glasses.
"Our fans want it. The public wants it,the story is trending."
Jax leaned back.
"I don't care, they can take her out."
Jeremy turned around.
"You cared enough to show up with roses."
Foxy nodded. "Big bouquet too. That wasn't cheap."
Jax glared at them.
"I said I'm not asking her again."
Mr. Lee smiled slightly.
"You don't have to ask."
Jax frowned. "What does that mean?"
Mr. Lee looked ahead.
"It means you'll try differently."
Jeremy whispered,
"Oh he's going to suffer."
Foxy nodded.
"I'm enjoying this already."
Jax groaned, speaking with all seriousness this time. " I don't care what the public says I am not going back there".
The guys won't stop laughing, they went online to rewatch the clip over and over again. Each time becomes more funny..
Back at the ladies dorm, Lydia was still In Corelia and Mishell's room. She had barely cleaned up and still looked offended deeply, emotionally and spiritually. Mishell and Corelia opposite each other, talking about the next step for their mission and all of a sudden the air felt tensed like time Itself had paused.
Corelia's hand paused mid-air, the teacup in her hand stilled. Mishell's eyes narrowed slightly, she felt it too, It didn't feel dangerous but rather familiar and a calling. A soft glow formed mid air between them like water reflecting light where there was no water.
"Are you guys seeing this?" Lydia panicked Instantly, making sure she wasn't the only one going crazy.
It shimmered, gliterred and rippled. Then formed a symbol.
One they both recognized instantly.
Corelia stood slowly.
"Oh no...."
"What's that?... Why something floating mid-air?". Lydia asked.
Mishell's expression darkened.
"That's weird"
The symbol pulsed, then shifted into words not spoken but felt. Only two of them could hear It inside them.
"Return Immediately."
Lydia looked between them.
"Okay… I don't like that."
Corelia's voice was quieter now.
Tense. "We're being called back."
Mishell stared at the fading glow.
"…Why now?"
"Called back....to where?" Lydia asked looking more confused.
"Home...We are being called back home". Corelia answered.