Zina closed the door behind her with a sigh, the tension from her encounter with Jade still weighing heavily on her mind. The dorm room was warmly lit, with a soft glow illuminating the cozy chaos of their shared space. Aria, already in her pajamas, was wrapped in a fluffy blanket with her hair tied up in a messy bun, casually scrolling through her phone.
Aria glanced up as Zina entered, her brows furrowing with curiosity. "You're back early. What happened?"
"Give me a sec," Zina muttered, slipping off her shoes and unbuttoning her shirt. She tossed her school clothes aside and changed into her pajamas, pulling her hair into a loose ponytail before finally flopping onto her bed, clutching a pillow in her arms. "You won't believe what just went down."
Aria set her phone aside, already intrigued. "Okay, spill. What's up?"
Zina wasted no time launching into the story, recounting her unexpected confrontation with Jade outside the library. The more she talked, the more absurd the whole situation sounded in her head. "I mean, can you believe she actually told me to stay away from her man? I didn't even know Kane was her man! Where did that even come from?"
Aria rolled her eyes, a knowing smirk playing on her lips. "Ugh, classic mean girl syndrome. She's threatened by you, Zina."
Zina chuckled, though the encounter still lingered in the back of her mind. "Yeah, but it was just so weird. Like, why does she think I'm interested in Kane? I barely know the guy, and we've had what, two conversations?"
Aria nudged her playfully, grinning. "Maybe because one of those conversations happened in the library. Which, by the way, is prime territory for a 'bonding moment.' It's like Mean Girl 101. To her, that's probably code for romance."
Zina shook her head, laughing. "It's not like that! I'm just… curious about him, you know? He's kind of hard to read."
Aria raised an eyebrow, her grin widening. "Curious, huh? That sounds like the beginning of something more."
Zina met Aria's teasing gaze, but her expression remained sincere. "No, seriously. I mean it. There's something about him that feels guarded, like he's always got this wall up. I guess I just want to understand why, that's all."
Aria eyed her for a long moment, searching for any hint of a secret crush. "Hmm, okay, okay. If you say so. Just making sure you're not hiding some deep, secret feelings for Mr. Mysterious."
Zina tossed her pillow at Aria, laughing. "No way! But, speaking of secret crushes… I've noticed someone in this room might be interested in a certain someone too."
Aria's eyes widened as she sat up straighter. "Me? Oh, no, no, no. Who could you possibly be talking about?"
Zina leaned in, her eyes gleaming with mischief. "You know exactly who I'm talking about, Aria. Don't think I haven't noticed the way you look at Alex."
Aria's face flushed, and she quickly turned away, pretending to be distracted by something on her bedside table. "What? No! Alex is… he's just annoying. And he's a total player. Why would I be interested in him?"
Zina burst out laughing, her laughter filling the room. "Oh my gosh, Aria, you're blushing! You so like him! You can't deny it."
Aria grabbed the nearest pillow and playfully whacked Zina with it, clearly flustered. "I do not! He's infuriating! I'd never fall for a guy like him."
Zina grinned, holding up her pillow in defense. "Uh-huh, sure. You keep telling yourself that."
They broke into a full-on pillow fight, their laughter echoing through the small room as they playfully batted at each other. The tension from the day quickly melted away, replaced by the familiar warmth of their friendship. Eventually, they both collapsed onto their beds, out of breath but still grinning like idiots.
As their laughter subsided, Aria's tone shifted, growing more serious. "But seriously, Zina, don't let Jade get to you. She's just messing with your head because she's insecure. She knows you're a threat, and that's why she's lashing out. You're better than that."
Zina smiled, feeling the weight of her earlier worries start to fade. "Thanks, Aria. I guess I needed to hear that. I just hate dealing with girls like her, you know? Why can't people just mind their own business?"
Aria nodded, her face softening into a knowing smile. "People like Jade thrive on control. It's not about Kane; it's about keeping her status intact. Don't let her control your narrative."
Zina sighed, sinking deeper into her pillow. "You're right. I'm not going to let her get in my head. Kane is just… well, I don't know what he is yet. But I'm not going to let her dictate how I feel about anything."
Aria grinned, satisfied. "Good. And for the record, I *definitely* do not like Alex. He's just ugh."
Zina's smirk returned, her voice teasing again. "If you say so. But I'll be keeping an eye on you two. There's something there, I just know it."
Aria rolled her eyes, though the faint blush still lingered on her cheeks. "Whatever, Zina. Now, can we please get some sleep? It's Sunday tomorrow, and I plan on sleeping in."
"Same," Zina agreed, pulling her covers up and settling into bed. "Goodnight, Aria."
"Goodnight, Zina," Aria murmured, a smile still on her lips as she drifted off.