It was a crisp autumn afternoon in Bloomington, the kind that made walking across campus a little more bearable for Kiara Carrera and Veronica Lodge. Today, they were headed to Wells Quadrangle—a beautiful, historic dorm on the other side of campus. Joining them were Topper Thornton and Gabriel, who seemed a little more energetic than usual.
"Are we really meeting her?" Veronica asked, adjusting her oversized sunglasses and casting a curious glance at Gabriel.
"Yep," Gabriel replied with a grin. "Emily. She's my girlfriend. You'll love her."
Veronica smirked. "She better live up to the hype, Gabriel."
Kiara chuckled, bumping Veronica lightly with her shoulder. "Come on, V. Give her a chance. You know Gabriel doesn't date boring people."
Topper, walking next to Gabriel, chimed in with a smile. "Emily's cool. And Wells Quadrangle? That place is way nicer than McNutt. No offense."
Kiara rolled her eyes playfully. "None taken. It's not hard to beat McNutt. But what's Emily like? We've heard about her, but now we're finally getting to meet her."
Gabriel's eyes lit up as they crossed through the gates of Wells Quadrangle. "She's amazing. She's from Chicago but was working in Paris for this marketing firm, Savoir. Now she's back here finishing her business degree. You'll see."
The four friends entered Wells, which felt much more refined than McNutt. The tall windows, classic architecture, and peaceful atmosphere were a far cry from the chaotic dorm life they were used to. Veronica immediately noticed the contrast.
"I could get used to this," Veronica muttered, taking in the surroundings. "Much more sophisticated than what we have to deal with."
Kiara laughed. "Leave it to you to judge a dorm like it's a five-star hotel."
They finally reached Emily Cooper's room. Gabriel knocked lightly, and a moment later, the door opened, revealing Emily. She was dressed in a stylish but casual outfit—polished enough to be noticed, but not so flashy that it screamed for attention. Her eyes lit up when she saw Gabriel.
"Hey, you!" Emily said, pulling Gabriel in for a quick kiss before turning to the others. "You must be Kiara, Veronica, and Topper. I've heard so much about you."
Kiara grinned. "All good things, I hope."
Emily laughed. "Of course. Come on in."
The group stepped into Emily's room, which was charming and well-decorated, much like the person who lived there. As they settled into her space, Veronica's sharp eyes darted around the room, immediately drawn to the tasteful Parisian touches—photos, a small Eiffel Tower figurine, and a few French magazines scattered on the desk.
"So, Emily," Veronica started, taking a seat on the edge of Emily's bed, "Gabriel says you used to work for some marketing firm in Paris?"
Emily nodded, sitting down next to Gabriel. "Yeah, I worked for Savoir. It was intense, but I loved it. The whole Paris experience was... life-changing."
Veronica raised an eyebrow, intrigued. "Savoir, huh? Didn't they send you all over Europe?"
Emily smiled. "Yeah, I got to travel a lot. And my boss, Sylvie, well... she was something else."
At the mention of Sylvie, Veronica's expression changed, her smirk fading into a knowing frown. "Wait, Sylvie? As in Sylvie Grateau?"
Emily blinked, surprised. "Yeah, that's her. Why?"
Veronica leaned back, crossing her arms. "She's my business professor at Kelley. And let me tell you, she's downright mean."
Emily's eyes widened in disbelief. "Sylvie? A professor? Oh my god, I didn't know she was teaching here! But yeah, she can be... tough. She was my boss at Savoir, and she didn't hold back with her opinions. How's she been as a professor?"
Veronica sighed. "Brutal. She doesn't mince words. She ripped apart my presentation in front of the entire class last week. Said it 'lacked vision.'"
Kiara chuckled, raising an eyebrow. "I'm not sure anyone's ever told you that you lack vision, V."
Veronica shot her a look. "Well, now someone has. She's not easy to impress, I'll tell you that."
Emily laughed softly. "That sounds like Sylvie. She's always been tough on people she sees potential in. If she's that hard on you, it means she thinks you're worth it."
Veronica's expression softened a bit. "I guess I can live with that... barely."
As the conversation continued, there was a knock on the door. Emily stood up and opened it to reveal a stylish young woman with a confident swagger and infectious energy.
"Mindy!" Emily exclaimed, hugging the newcomer.
Mindy Chen, Emily's best friend from Paris, stepped into the room, flashing a bright smile. "Emily! I missed you. You won't believe the audition I had earlier—it was wild."
Emily introduced her to the group. "Guys, this is Mindy. Mindy, this is Kiara, Veronica, Topper, and, of course, you already know Gabriel."
Mindy waved, her bubbly personality filling the room. "Nice to meet you all! Gabriel's talked about you guys. What's the gossip today?"
Veronica, leaning back, smirked. "Oh, we've got plenty of that. Especially about a certain roommate of ours."
Mindy's eyes lit up with curiosity. "Ooh, tell me everything."
Kiara sighed, leaning back against the wall. "Well, her name's Sarah, and she's been causing all kinds of drama lately. She's unpredictable, to say the least."
Emily's eyes widened. "Wait, is this the same Sarah you've mentioned before, Gabriel? The one who dated John B.?"
Gabriel nodded. "Yep. She's been... difficult."
Mindy looked intrigued. "Difficult how? Spill the tea."
Veronica rolled her eyes. "Let's just say she's been pushing everyone's buttons—especially mine. She's got this obsession with trying to make everything about her. Last night, she practically declared war over a bunk bed."
Emily let out a low whistle. "Yikes. She sounds intense."
Topper, who had been quiet up until this point, sighed. "She's always been like that. Sarah thrives on attention, and when she doesn't get it, she creates chaos."
Mindy chuckled, sitting down next to Emily. "Well, I've dealt with my fair share of drama queens. Sounds like Sarah could give some of the people I've met in Paris a run for their money."
Gabriel shook his head. "I just wish she'd chill out. It's exhausting dealing with her constant need for attention."
Kiara, always the peacekeeper, smiled softly. "We'll figure it out. Sarah's always been unpredictable, but she's not all bad. She's just... complicated."
Mindy raised an eyebrow, her interest piqued. "Complicated, huh? That's a nice way of putting it."
As the group continued to chat, sharing stories about Sarah's latest antics and gossiping about campus life, the tension from earlier faded. Emily and Mindy's energy was infectious, and soon the room was filled with laughter and banter.
Emily glanced at Veronica, a mischievous smile on her face. "So, Veronica, think you'll survive Sylvie's class?"
Veronica smirked, tossing her hair over her shoulder. "Survive? Please. I don't just survive—I thrive. Sylvie may be tough, but I'm tougher."
Mindy laughed, clearly enjoying the dynamic. "I like you, Veronica. You've got style."
Veronica grinned. "Thanks. Stick with me, and you'll see a lot more of it."
As the evening wore on, the group felt more connected than ever. Despite the looming drama with Sarah and the challenges of balancing college life, they had each other—and that was enough to get them through whatever chaos came next.
And as they sat together in Emily's cozy dorm room, gossiping and laughing like old friends, it was clear that this was just the beginning of many more adventures—and more drama—to come.
