It Started with an Air Conditioner, It Ended in Blood

Sydney's POV

The moment I stepped back into the dorm, it felt like walking into a freezer. I rubbed the goosebumps on my arms and quietly adjusted the thermostat back to 26°C.

A few seconds later, Abigail Holden clicked her tongue in annoyance. "Who told you to turn it up? It was perfect just now!"

I frowned and replied, "Sixteen degrees is way too cold. You all have blankets, so I figured it wouldn’t hurt to raise it a little."

Camille Noble peeked her head out from under her covers and timidly said, "We just didn’t want you to get too hot, that's all."

As she spoke, she even faked a little sneeze.

Abigail shot me an angry glare. "Why are you snapping at Camille? If it weren’t for you, we wouldn’t even be using the AC!"

Right then, Mirabelle Gildon forwarded me a bill. "The electricity came to a hundred and forty this month. You can cover it."

I stared at my phone in disbelief. "A hundred and forty? That’s insane!"

Abigail scoffed, "Well, the AC’s been running non-stop. What did you expect? If you can't afford it, maybe don’t use it so much."

Camille chimed in, siding with her, "Exactly. It’s expensive, you know? I don’t even use the AC when I’m home."

Mirabelle shrugged and gave me a look like I was an idiot. "You were the one who insisted we use it. That means the extra cost is on you."

I clenched my teeth, feeling the frustration boil in my chest. "But it’s been insanely hot lately. I turned it on for all of us. You guys benefited too!"

Camille let out a cold snort and rolled her eyes. "You’ve got some nerve. You’re the one who wanted it. Honestly, we were freezing in here!"

Abigail folded her arms and added, "We had to wrap ourselves in thick blankets just to survive, while you lay back enjoying the cold air. And now you want us to pay for it? Seriously? Sydney, you’re out of line."

I let out a breathless, bitter laugh. Sure, I was the one who asked to use the AC in the first place, but every time I came back to the dorm, the cold air hit me in the face like a slap. The other three were bundled up in their blankets, while the AC blared at a ridiculous 16°C.

It was obvious who was actually enjoying the temperature.

"What, trying to dodge the bill now? You should’ve just said you were broke. If we knew you couldn’t pay, we wouldn’t have used the AC in the first place," Mirabelle said, eyeing me up and down with disdain. "Pathetic."

Camille smirked. "She’s not broke. I saw her with a new bag just the other day."

Before I could react, she grabbed my purse and started digging through it. I lunged forward to stop her, but Abigail blocked me with an outstretched arm.

Soon, everything inside the bag spilled onto the floor with a loud clatter—some of the bottles shattered on impact.

It wasn’t a huge loss financially, but I still frowned deeply.

Camille picked up a few lipsticks. "These aren’t bad. Too bad you already used them. Otherwise, they might’ve been worth a few bucks."

She handed one to Mirabelle and another to Abigail, then hugged my designer bag to her chest. "Not like you’ve got any money anyway. This bag’s probably fake. I’ll give you seven for it. Send the remaining 133 to Mirabelle on Venmo."

"That’s robbery!" I growled, my fists clenched.

I tried to snatch my things back, but Abigail twisted my arms behind my back.

"If you hadn’t insisted on using the AC, we wouldn’t even have this electricity bill. If you don’t pay it, who will?" she snapped and shoved me hard.

My stomach slammed into the corner of the desk. Pain shot through me like a knife.

Yet, Mirabelle ignored it all. Instead, she grabbed my phone, unlocked it, and opened my Venmo.

"What’s the password?" she demanded.

I glared at her, furious. "This is illegal!"

But Abigail just smacked me across the head so hard that my vision blurred. "Shut up! What’s the password?"