𝕲𝖔𝖊𝖙𝖎𝖈[𝕬 𝕿𝖔𝖒 𝖗𝖎𝖉𝖉𝖑𝖊 𝕾𝖙𝖔𝖗𝖞]

She is the Villain

Within seconds, the girls miraculously formed a perfectly straight queue. Leo, playing the role of the strict monitor, gave one last warning, and the corridor fell into an eerie silence.

Leo wiped an imaginary bead of sweat from her forehead, her eyes darting from one troublemaker to another. People often assumed that boys were the difficult ones to handle, but oh, how wrong they were. Girls were the true masters of chaos. Their gossip was like a never-ending whirlwind, swirling around endlessly.

Leo's eyes fell on the teachers who lazily stood at the end of the line. She couldn't help but hide her face from them, rolling her eyes in exasperation. Seriously, weren't they supposed to handle this? Instead, they conveniently made her the boss, giving themselves a few extra hours of beauty sleep.

"Alright, girls. Walk in silence and remember to maintain a ladylike demeanour! Leo, are you even paying attention?" Miss Aleena screeched in her irritatingly high-pitched voice.

"Yes, miss," Leo replied, attempting to mimic a deep voice for added effect.

She despised Miss Aleena with a fiery passion. The woman had a knack for being caring and sweet when she needed something, only to turn into a raging storm once her demands were met. But Leo wasn't one to be a teacher's pet, and Miss Aleena knew it all too well. That's why she cunningly appointed Leo as the dorm in charge, publicly announcing it to everyone, just to make sure Leo couldn't refuse.

What a beach. 

On reaching their table, Leo shot a menacing glare at the suspicious yellow blob on her plate, which was supposedly meant to pass as food. Meanwhile, the other girls obediently bowed their heads, saying their prayers like devoted disciples. As for Leo, she silently cursed the sorry excuse for a meal before reluctantly joining in the ritual.

She plopped down on the hard, unforgiving bench, scooping up a sad portion of rice and a blob of gravy that looked more like a failed art project than actual food. She filled her glass to the brim with water, readying herself for the food battle.

With a brave face and a grumbling stomach, she shovelled a spoonful of the repulsive mixture into her mouth, desperately chugging water to wash away the taste. It was a daily struggle, a battle against hostel food.

"You're gonna give yourself a tummyache, Leo! Just eat it properly," Noi Noi whispered in her ear, her voice laced with worry.

Leo shrugged her expression a mix of resignation and rebellion. With one final gulp of water, she defeated the last bite.

"You should eat more, Leo. Forget about your figure for once."

"It's none of your beeswax," she quipped, dismissing the whole thing with a flick of her spoon.

Yes, she had quite the knack for being rude. It was a miracle how Noi Noi managed to tolerate her for two whole years. Leo had developed a knack for driving people away with her sharp insults and ominous warnings. Perhaps that was the reason why everyone kept their distance.

She had once overheard someone say that you're the hero of your own story. Absolute nonsense, she thought. Leo saw herself more as the villain, and she wore that title with a certain sense of pride. She hadn't always been this way. Time had a way of moulding and shaping her into the person she had become.

After what felt like an eternity, the girls finally finished their feast. In reality, they intentionally took their time to savour every bite, all while secretly hoping for a glimpse of the senior boys' faces. The same old faces they saw day in and day out at school.

"I can't believe it. Now we have to endure the delightful aroma of pee and sweaty socks," Leo grumbled under her breath as she climbed the stairs. 

She had always believed in the romantic descriptions from books, where boys smelled like forests, with a touch of mint and a hint of green tea. Alas, it was all just fiction.