The night was still buzzing as Kiara, Veronica, Topper, and Gabriel made their way back to the Alpha Kappa Lambda party after briefly stepping out to get some fresh air. They'd thought they were done with the madness, but there was still a feeling of unfinished business hanging over them—mostly concerning Sarah and her increasingly erratic behavior.
Veronica sighed as they reached the front of the frat house again, the bass-heavy music pulsing through the walls. "I can't believe we're walking back into this."
Kiara gave her a sympathetic smile. "Yeah, me either, but if Sarah keeps acting like that, things are just going to get worse. We need to settle this."
Topper, his jaw tight, remained silent. The sight of Sarah making out with John B. earlier had clearly gotten under his skin, but he was determined not to let it show.
Gabriel, ever the calm one, placed a reassuring hand on Topper's shoulder. "Let's just talk to her again. She might be drunk and acting out, but maybe we can get through to her."
Veronica, her eyes narrowed, wasn't so sure. "Sarah's not exactly the reasonable type when she's got her mind set on something."
They walked back inside the frat house, weaving through the crowds of students who were still partying as if the night would never end. The lights were dim, casting a surreal glow over the room, and it wasn't long before they spotted Sarah again—this time, standing near the DJ booth with John B. by her side. She looked as smug and defiant as ever, clearly enjoying the attention from the crowd.
Kiara led the group, walking straight up to Sarah. "Sarah," she said, her tone calm but firm. "We need to talk."
Sarah turned, her lips curling into a smirk when she saw them. "Oh, look who it is. Come back for round two?"
Veronica folded her arms, her gaze icy. "No. We came back to tell you to stop acting like a brat. We don't want to fight, but if you keep pushing this, it's going to get ugly."
Sarah rolled her eyes dramatically, leaning into John B. for support as if she couldn't care less. "Please, Veronica. Don't act like you're some saint. You're just mad because you can't control everything."
Gabriel, trying to keep the peace, stepped forward. "Sarah, come on. You're better than this. Let's just chill and enjoy the night without all the drama."
Sarah's expression darkened, and she shot Gabriel a withering look. "Oh, Gabriel, don't start with that 'good guy' act. You're not as perfect as you think you are. Always playing the nice guy, but deep down, you're just like the rest of us. Selfish."
Gabriel's face fell, clearly taken aback by her sudden outburst. "What? Sarah, that's not fair."
Veronica's eyes flashed, stepping closer to Sarah. "Don't try to gaslight him. We're not playing that game tonight."
But Sarah wasn't backing down. She squared her shoulders and crossed her arms, her voice dripping with disdain. "Oh, I see what's happening here. You're all ganging up on me. Fine. But I'm not scared of any of you."
Kiara, who had been trying to stay calm, finally lost her patience. "This isn't about ganging up on you, Sarah. We're just trying to get you to stop. You're acting out, and you know it."
Sarah's smirk widened. "Maybe I am. What are you going to do about it?"
At that moment, Christian, the frat's resident party leader, stumbled over, still holding a bong and looking thoroughly lit. "Hey, what's goin' on over here?" he slurred, noticing the tension between the group.
Veronica wasted no time. "Christian, you need to deal with Sarah. She's been causing problems all night, and now she's trying to pick fights with us."
Christian blinked, his glazed eyes struggling to focus on the situation. "Sarah?" He glanced at her, clearly not registering the full extent of the conflict. "Sarah's cool. Right, Sarah?"
Sarah laughed, clearly enjoying the chaos she was stirring up. "I'm more than cool. I'm the life of this party."
Kiara groaned, rubbing her temples. "Christian, please. Just get her to chill out before things get worse."
Christian swayed on his feet, then finally nodded, as if the seriousness of the situation was slowly sinking in. "Alright, alright. Sarah, maybe you need to take it down a notch. You and John B. are makin' things wild."
John B., who had been standing silently beside Sarah the whole time, finally spoke up, his voice low. "We're just having fun, man. No big deal."
Christian, his mood shifting from playful to stern, stepped closer to them. "Nah, man. This is my party. You're messin' it up for the others. Just... go cool off somewhere."
Sarah's smile faltered, clearly not expecting Christian to take the group's side. She scoffed, pulling John B. away. "Whatever. This party's lame anyway."
They stormed off, leaving the group standing there with a mix of relief and frustration.
Veronica let out a long sigh, running a hand through her hair. "Well, that was... something."
Gabriel shook his head, still in disbelief over Sarah's outburst. "I didn't expect her to go off like that."
Kiara put a hand on his arm. "Don't take it personally. Sarah's just... Sarah. She lashes out when she feels threatened."
Topper, who had been quiet during the whole exchange, finally spoke up. "Let's just get out of here. I've had enough of this party."
The group agreed, and they made their way out of the frat house and into the cool night air. The walk back to McNutt Hall was quiet, each of them lost in their thoughts after the chaotic night.
As they neared the dorm, Topper suddenly broke the silence. "So, I guess this is as good a time as any to tell you all that I also live in McNutt Hall."
Kiara stopped in her tracks, turning to him with a shocked expression. "Wait—what? You live in McNutt?"
Gabriel chuckled, clearly amused by the surprise. "Yep. Topper's my roommate."
Veronica, who had been silent for a moment, raised an eyebrow. "I had no idea. You've been keeping that a secret this whole time?"
Topper shrugged, a small smile playing on his lips. "Didn't seem relevant until now. Figured it was a good time to mention it."
Kiara laughed, shaking her head. "Topper, you've been sneaky about this. We've been hanging out all day, and you didn't say a word!"
Gabriel grinned. "Topper's good at keeping things low-key. But yeah, we're both in McNutt."
Veronica rolled her eyes but couldn't help the smile that tugged at her lips. "Well, this just got a lot more interesting. Looks like we're all practically neighbors."
As they reached the entrance to McNutt Hall, the tension from earlier seemed to dissipate, replaced by a sense of camaraderie. Despite the drama with Sarah and the chaos at the frat party, they'd stuck together—and now, it seemed like their group was closer than ever.
Kiara opened the door, holding it for the others as they filed inside. "So, what's next? More drama tomorrow?"
Veronica smirked as they walked into the dorm, her confidence fully restored. "Oh, I'm sure there'll be plenty. But whatever happens, we've got this."
Gabriel nodded in agreement, clapping Topper on the back as they headed toward their rooms. "Yeah, whatever happens, we'll handle it together."
And with that, the night came to a quiet close, but the bonds between them had grown stronger—and they knew that college, with all its drama, surprises, and unexpected friendships, was only just beginning.
