So, hey diary!

Congratulate me for making it through this week. Not to mention I caused too much trouble this week. Lemme explain.

My phone buzzed on the table with a message from Olivia, my new roommate, jolting me out of my "pre-party nerves." I glanced at the screen to read her text:

“Are you ready yet?! It's Freshers' Party Night!” ^6^

I smiled. Olivia had been hyping this night for the whole, talking about everything from the DJ to the glittery decorations that she’d heard were “next level.” Meanwhile, I sat there staring at my closet, still in my pajamas, overthinking my entire outfit. And coupled with my anxiety telling me that everyone is pretty except me. -_-

I mean, what does one wear to their first college party? Especially when it’s the event of the semester, and everyone is buzzing about it like it’s some kind of rite of passage. U_U

My nerves aside, I was excited. The Freshers’ Party was more than just a party; it was a night to mark the beginning of this whole college adventure. A chance to reinvent myself, right? Not that I had any clue who the new "me" was supposed to be yet, but I figured I’d dress the part and maybe the rest would fall into place. >.<

“Okay, let’s do this!” I muttered to myself, pulling open my wardrobe and yanking out the dress I’d been saving.

It was a deep emerald green, the color Olivia had convinced me would “make my eyes pop.” The material flowed in soft waves down to just above my knees. The best part? It had these delicate spaghetti straps and an open back that felt equal parts classy and daring—a combination I wasn’t used to, but tonight was about new beginnings, right? I was excited XD

I checked the mirror again, taking a deep breath. With a little extra mascara and a dab of highlighter on my cheekbones, I actually felt...pretty. My curls fell naturally around my shoulders, and I slipped on some strappy heels that I’d been too scared to wear before. They made me feel taller and more confident. 0.0

Just then, the door to our tiny dorm creaked open, and Olivia walked in, already in full party mode.

“Oh. My. God. You look incredible!” she squealed, her eyes lighting up.

I turned to see her outfit, and I had to admit, she’d outdone herself.

Olivia was dressed in this shimmering silver mini-dress that caught the light in every angle. It clung to her in all the right places, making her look like some kind of starry goddess. Her red hair was pinned up in a messy yet effortlessly chic bun, with loose tendrils framing her face. She had gone bold with her makeup—a bright red lip and winged eyeliner sharp enough to cut glass. It could shatter anyone's eyes. UwU

“You’re going to steal the show,” I teased, giving her a playful nudge.

She twirled dramatically, the dress sparkling. “Honey, we’re both going to slay.” That was so nice of her man. :D

We linked arms and made our way out, the excitement building as we joined the throngs of other freshers heading towards the party.

The Freshers’ Party was being held in the massive campus event hall, which had been transformed into a glittering wonderland. Fairy lights draped across the ceiling, casting a warm glow over the room. There was a bar set up on one side with a table full of colorful mocktails and a DJ booth on the other, already blasting upbeat tunes. Students were milling about, dancing, laughing, and catching up like they hadn’t just met three weeks ago.

I felt a slight knot of nervousness tightening in my stomach. These kinds of social situations weren’t really my thing, and my anxiety was on its peek bruh, but Olivia’s excitement was infectious. She practically dragged me into the room, her heels clicking confidently against the floor. This girl's a charm. 0w0

As soon as we entered, heads turned. And it wasn’t just Olivia’s dress. People were smiling, waving, and introducing themselves. There was a certain thrill in the air, the feeling that tonight was the beginning of something new for all of us. :)

“Let’s grab a drink!” Olivia said, pulling me towards the bar.

As we sipped on some tropical mocktails, I noticed something—or rather, someone—standing across the room near the DJ booth. My heart skipped a beat. >w<

He was tall, with tousled dark hair that looked like he hadn’t tried too hard but still looked ridiculously good. He had a relaxed, easy-going vibe—faded jeans and a simple white button-down shirt that wasn’t quite buttoned up all the way. His sleeves were rolled up, exposing strong forearms.

But it wasn’t just his appearance that caught my attention. He seemed...different. While everyone else was jumping up and down, yelling over the music, he stood there calmly, a small smirk playing on his lips, like he was taking it all in.

Olivia, of course, noticed the moment I did. 0w0

“Well, well, well,” she grinned. “Looks like someone’s caught your eye.” In my mind I was like ahhhhhhhhh what the hell... she caught mr red handed and I started blushing dude!!!!!!!! Bu tI said with a clam voice,

“What? No, I was just—”

“Don’t even try to deny it. Go talk to him!” Ohhh my god, she burst my heart right then and there. I had never encountered this emotion, this was something new, I felt as if I was floating in the air. But again,

I shook my head frantically. “No way, are you insane?”

She laughed, shaking her head. “Girl, you’ve got to learn to live a little. This is your Freshers’ Party. You’re supposed to have fun.” >o<

I was about to go talk to him when someone else caught my attention. It wasn’t a guy or another student—no, this was something that made my stomach drop.

Across the room, near the dance floor, I saw her—Sasha. Sasha and her group of friends were the self-appointed “It” crowd of our college, and let’s just say we didn’t exactly see eye to eye. Sasha had made it her mission to make my life just a little bit harder since day one. I wasn’t sure why—maybe it was because Olivia and I didn’t fit her mold of what “cool” was supposed to be. But every time I saw her, I couldn’t help but feel a chill run down my spine. -_-

And tonight, she was out in full force, dressed in some ridiculously expensive-looking designer outfit that screamed power move. Her eyes locked on mine, and she gave a smile that didn’t quite reach her eyes. I don't get why she doesn't leave me alone man.

“Oh boy,” I muttered, nudging Olivia. I intended to leave the spot immediately.

She followed my gaze and sighed. “Don’t let her ruin the night. We’re here to have fun.”

I nodded, determined not to let Sasha get into my head. But...

Just as Olivia and I were about to head to the dance floor, a loud commotion came from the direction of the DJ booth. I turned just in time to see Sasha’s group of friends knock into the tall guy I’d been eyeing earlier, spilling their drinks all over his shirt. The music screeched to a halt as the guy—who now had a bright red stain down his front—looked less than impressed.

Sasha’s friends were laughing, but the guy? He was fuming. And as he stepped forward, glaring at Sasha, the room seemed to freeze. '_' I knew the situation was gonna escalate quickly so I put held Olivia's hand tightly, just in case we needed to run in case of a fight. XD

“Watch where you’re going,” Sasha snapped, her voice dripping with venom.

“You spilled the drinks, not me,” he shot back, his calm demeanor from earlier replaced by barely contained frustration.

“Oh, please,” she scoffed, flipping her hair over her shoulder. “Like I care. It’s just a shirt.”

The tension in the room skyrocketed. Olivia whispered to me, “Do you think there’s going to be a fight?”

“I don’t know, but this is not how I imagined the party going,” I replied, my heart racing.

But before anything could escalate further, the guy took a deep breath, visibly calming himself. Without saying another word, he turned and walked away, leaving Sasha standing there looking stunned, her group still laughing nervously.

“He handled that way better than I expected,” I murmured to Olivia. Hush thanks to him... that guy gave quiet a lot of green flags though, like maintaining a calm demeanor in such a situation is commendable. UwU

“Right? I thought for sure there was going to be a scene,” she replied, a little disappointed that the drama hadn’t gone further.

As the music started back up, I noticed the guy walking toward the exit, probably to go clean up. I didn’t know what possessed me, but I found myself following him.

“Where are you going?” Olivia called after me.

“I just... I need to apologize,” I replied, before disappearing into the crowd.

I caught up to him just outside the hall, where he was standing by a bench, dabbing at the stain with a napkin.

“Hey,” I called out nervously.

He looked up, his expression softening when he saw me. “Hey.” >w<

“I, um... I saw what happened back there. That was... intense.”

He laughed softly. “Yeah, well, you know how parties are. Drama seems to follow me.”

I smiled. “I’m sorry about Sasha. She’s... well, she can be difficult.”

He shrugged. “It’s not your fault.”

For a moment, we stood there in comfortable silence.

“I’m Mia, by the way,” I said, suddenly realizing I hadn’t introduced myself. 0_0

“Jake,” he replied, offering me a hand.

We shook hands, and I felt a strange warmth spread through me. This wasn’t exactly how I expected the night to go, but maybe Olivia was right. Maybe I did need to live a little.

“Want to go back in and show Sasha how it’s done on the dance floor?” I asked, surprising myself with my boldness.

Jake raised an eyebrow, a slow grin spreading across his face. “I thought you’d never ask.”

We walked back inside, and I had a feeling that the night was about to get a whole lot more interesting.