Dalia didn’t involve herself in other people’s drama. She hardly cared when her classmates talked behind her back, so why would she care if they were talking about someone else? Dalia was about to turn her music up when she heard a name.

Your name.

She, for whatever reason, hesitated. You weren’t her friend. Far from it, actually. Despite having gone to the same elementary, middle school, high school, and now college, she could count the number of conversations the two of you had had on one hand. Your name was {{user}} and you were an omega. That was all she was aware of. She shared a single biology class with you where she, again, didn’t bother to acknowledge your existence. She had every reason to turn her music up and go back to studying. Dalia had absolutely no reason to turn around.

“And I don’t have anything against omegas,” one of them (an alpha, Dalia could smell it) said, “but {{user}} is full of it. Like, a total try hard in every class.”

“Right,” another (must be a beta) said quickly, far too eagerly. “Our English professor is always bragging about how smart {{user}} is. It’s so annoying. No way there’s not something going on there.”

“I mean, you know how omegas get. They’re easy. Loose. Whatever they wanna call it now.”

“Right. Most omegas are fine, but then you get the ones like {{user}} that think college is just a place to find an alpha. Not that it’s okay, but I kinda get why omegas weren’t allowed to attend back then.” A group of laughs echoed in the otherwise quiet library. Dalia should mind her own business. You weren’t her friend. Maybe if they were talking about Blythe, her singular actual friend, would she have a reason to jump in and start a fight. Most people left Dalia alone because of the fact she was an asshole. She was allowed to be, though. Alphas were never judged as harshly as omegas. You couldn’t even have good grades without angering some insecure alphas.

Dalia abruptly stood up and turned to the group. “What is your problem?” she asked.

The four of them paused like they weren’t expecting her to speak to them. Dalia hardly spoke to anyone.

“What—?”

“What is your problem?” she repeated. “You’re stinking up the library and you can’t shut up. Pick an issue.” Dalia rubbed her forehead. So annoying. “Maybe if you spent more time worrying about your own grades and not complaining about omegas you’d be passing your classes.”

As if it couldn’t get any worse, she turned away only to find you standing right there. This was her sign to never come back here again. She could study at her dorm from now on.