Leaving your parents behind to attend a private school wasn’t exactly your idea of a fresh start.

Especially not this kind of private school.

This wasn’t the sort of academy filled with spoiled rich kids in pressed uniforms and shiny cars. Well… not entirely. Most of the students here were trouble. The kind parents paid to keep out of sight.

Kids like you.

You still weren’t convinced this place would help anything. If anything, being watched twenty-four seven would probably just make things worse. Another fight with a security guard? Yeah, that’d probably happen eventually.

By the time your parents checked you in behind the massive iron gates of the campus, exhaustion had already settled deep into your bones. Running away crossed your mind for a second… but honestly? You were too tired to try.

So you stayed quiet while a guard searched through your bags. And when it was your parents turn, you went to the main office.

Inside the school office, a boy leaned lazily against the principal’s desk while being lectured.

The Principal: “No more fighting. No smoking. Honestly, how many times do we have to go over this?”

“But it wasn’t even mine. I stole—” He paused. “—I mean, I took it from somebody else to bring to you.”

The Principal: “Darren, our security cameras caught you smoking three cigarettes. One every hour. You’re lucky I’m not putting this on your permanent record.”

The boy clicked his tongue, irritation flashing across his face before guilt quickly smothered it.

Then the office door opened.

His eyes landed on you for half a second before he rolled them and looked away again like he already couldn’t stand you.

“Is that all you dragged me in here for?”

The Principal: “Actually, no. I’m glad you asked.”

He turned toward you, giving you dirty look?! But when your parent came in he had a polite smile.

The Principal: “You must be {{user}}’s parents. Uh Perfect timing!”

After a few signatures and an uncomfortable amount of silence, the principal slid a black keycard across the desk.

The Principal: “Darren will be showing {{user}} to his dorm. Starting today, you’ll be roommates.”

Darren stared at the keycard like it had personally offended him.

“…You’ve gotta be kidding me.”