My roommate was the absolute epitome of a "damsel in distress." She'd yelp like a kitten if startled or bumped, drank exclusively from a baby cup, and insisted her boyfriend spoon-feed her every meal. In my previous life, my inherent kindness made me her prime target. She latched onto me, bleeding me dry. On the Summer Solstice Festival, the illegal electric scooter battery she kept in our dorm exploded. She locked the door behind her, fleeing for her life, leaving me trapped, burned alive, charred into a mummy. Later, she monetized my agony, live-streaming my grotesque suffering for ten thousand dollars a day. My parents, hounded by online mobs and debt collectors, were driven to suicide. I withered away in a hospital bed, consumed by hatred, until my last breath. Then, I opened my eyes again. I was back, one month before it all happened. The moment she started her theatrics again, I gripped her throat, my voice a low snarl: "I'll make you regret every breath you take." 1 My eyes snapped open. A phantom agony, the ghost of fire, still prickled my skin. Instinctively, I touched my arm, expecting to find scorched, blistered flesh. Instead, my touch met smooth, unblemished skin. I sat up. The room was bright, no longer the charred, smoke-choked hellscape of my memories. "Does my little darling need a shot, huh?" a man's teasing voice drifted into the room, and my heart seized. "Hmph, I'm just a wittle baby~ I don't understand that, silly!" a sickeningly sweet giggle echoed. Serena Hayes, perched on her bed, was cooing into a video call with her boyfriend, Leo Maxwell, the speaker blaring at maximum volume. The saccharine sounds of their playful banter flooded my ears, relentlessly. "Are guys' dorms like this too?" Serena tilted her head cutely, beaming at the camera. "Wonder what my roommate’s doing? I'll show you—" With that, she swung her phone, aiming the camera directly at me, sitting on my bed. "She's just sitting there," Serena whispered, stifling a laugh, her voice airy and theatrical. "Oh dear, she's not wearing clothes. How naughty!" A suggestive chuckle rumbled from the man on the screen. I was in my underwear, caught off guard, exposed to a stranger. A wave of fury surged through me. In my last life, these "accidents" had happened countless times. She’d spilled water on my bed, "accidentally" dropped my laptop, always batting her eyelashes and playing dumb to escape consequences. I'd treated her like a younger sister, showering her with patience and care. In return, I'd ended up with eighty percent burns, confined to an ICU, clinging to a life of agony. My parents, victims of relentless online bullying, were driven to jump to their deaths by debt collectors. A hot wave of rage consumed me. "Serena Hayes," I snapped, my voice sharp, "did I forget to chew you out today?" "I didn't know you weren't dressed," Serena chirped, her face a mask of innocence, the camera still aimed at me. "Elara has such big boobs, unlike me, I'm just a little baby." Leo's voice from the phone: "Even if my baby's a runway, Daddy still loves it." I knew she was unhinged, but not this unhinged. "My mistake. I forgot you weren't human." I quickly pulled on a jacket, then clamped my hand over her camera lens. "Point that camera at me again, and I'll smash this phone right into your face." "Meow!" Serena flinched, shrinking back, which made Leo croon, "What's your roommate's problem? She scared my little kitty!" "Why are you suddenly like this? I'm just a silly little dummy!" she whined into the camera, feigning sobs. "Silly little dummies can't have bad intentions, can they? And he's my boyfriend. What's wrong with showing him?" My teeth ground. The anger I'd bottled up hadn't even had a chance to erupt when Leo's voice chimed in from the other end. "Don't be sad, baby. Who knows if your roommate did it on purpose?" Serena's eyes widened. She stared at me, a defensive glint in her gaze. "Elara, you wouldn't intentionally wear just underwear when I'm video calling my boyfriend, would you?" My teeth gnashed audibly. "Are you serious? Is your head just for decoration?" Small brain, big confusion. Are you okay? Are you two okay? Watching the two of them descend deeper into absurdity, I took a deep breath. "Serena Hayes, is your brain just a hollow echo chamber? Did you hide when humans evolved, or what?" "This is my dorm too. I'll wear whatever I want in my own space. And sorry, but I don't recycle trash here. You two are a match made in hell: one an idiot, the other a monster. I wish you a hundred years of misery together. And can you please keep it down in the dorm? Stop barking all the time." Reborn, inhabiting a body unmarred by fire, my tongue felt sharp, honed to a deadly edge. The pent-up resentment began to dissipate with each vicious word. Truly, it’s better to burn out others than to burn out yourself. "Judging by your logic, your common sense took a detour, didn't it? And seriously, put on some headphones. If you can't, get out. Nobody wants to listen to you and your boyfriend's disgusting little acts." Insulting once was sweet. Insulting repeatedly was pure bliss. The moment the words left my mouth, the dorm fell into an eerie silence. Even the boisterous sounds from the guys' dorm on the video call went quiet. I couldn't care less about their reactions. I finished getting dressed and walked straight out the door. I was moving out of this lunatic asylum. "Still quite the little firecracker." A scoff drifted from behind me. Serena, having recovered her composure, joined in the laughter. "Girls with good figures have capital. What's wrong with showing it to men?" A cold smile touched my lips. I mentally calculated the timeline. Her belly would soon be "poked" by her dear boyfriend. 2 Once I'd made up my mind, I quickly contacted a real estate agent to start apartment hunting. The savings from years of diligent part-time jobs, combined with my weekend tutoring income, were enough to secure a cozy one-bedroom apartment. As I returned to the dorm to pack my bags, the door suddenly swung open. Serena walked in, carrying a large battery. She immediately latched onto my arm, shaking it playfully, her voice dripping with her usual saccharine whine. "Elara, my love, can I charge this here? I don't have enough outlets over at my spot." I glanced at the already bulging battery, then smoothly pulled my arm away, my voice flat, devoid of any emotion. "No." Serena pouted, her lips forming a sad little rosebud. "Elara, sweetie~ Just for a little while, please? I really don't have enough plugs..." I took a half-step back, subtly widening the distance between us. "I'm moving out. After that, you can use the outlets however you want." I looked up, catching a flash of annoyance in her eyes before it vanished. "What's wrong with you lately? You're not acting like yourself." Her voice was laced with clear resentment. "Did someone say something bad about me?" The next second, she suddenly clasped her hands over her head and crouched on the floor, letting out an exaggerated wail. "Oh no! I made big sister Elara mad! It's all my fault!" "Having another episode?" I blinked, unsure what new charade she was pulling. "If you're sick, don't come to me. I'm not a vet." Serena's face stiffened for a moment. She poked her index fingers together, still speaking in a high-pitched, childish voice, "Did kitty make you angry?" "Talk to me once your brain juice is properly stirred." I took two steps back. "Elara Vance, you're being so petty!" a familiar male voice suddenly boomed through the dorm. "You won't even let her borrow an outlet, and you're using moving out as an excuse!" Serena held up her phone. The screen clearly showed a video call. Leo Maxwell had been listening in the entire time? A wave of nausea washed over me. I wanted to spit on both of them. Were they so cheap they couldn't afford a hotel? They had to treat a video call like a honeymoon suite. Serena seemed oblivious to my dark expression, prattling on. "Is it because of the video last time? Your figure is so good, Brody Reed even praised you! He's the captain of the school basketball team!" I listened to her self-righteous words, sinking into a strange silence. All I could think were two words: Insane! "Honey! Say something!" Leo's voice boomed from the speaker: "Elara Vance, I swear, my buddies all said you have big boobs and a tiny waist. You came out on top here…" "You two…" I took a deep breath, words of pure venom spilling from my mouth. "Are you operating with half a brain, or just a mouth full of bad food?" Serena’s face flushed crimson. She stomped her foot. "Honey, look at her! She wasn't like this before!" "I've seen people with tiny feet, but never a mind so tightly bound. Since your darling boyfriend is so considerate—" I snapped my suitcase shut with a sharp click. "Why don't you take that battery to his dorm to charge?" I grabbed my suitcase, heading for the door without looking back. "After all, he loves you so much, he'll surely be willing." "Of course, baby," Leo crooned tenderly. "This weekend, Daddy's taking you camping, just the two of us." "Okay~ Daddy, I want my baby bowl," Serena giggled, pointing at her small belly and mouth. "Baby wants her baby bowl, Daddy, baby's tummy is rumbling!" I froze, a wave of pure physical revulsion rising in my stomach. Thanks for the invite… I’m thoroughly disgusted. Sometimes, I truly felt like an alien in this mad world, simply because I was so normal. 3 After signing the lease and completing the necessary paperwork with the dorm office, I moved directly into my new apartment. This time, there would be no blood bag for Serena to drain. Could she still maintain her "dumb beauty" act? And as for that battery, Leo had already taken it back to his dorm to charge. When that ticking time bomb would finally explode was no longer my concern. When she realized I hadn't returned to the dorm for a week, Serena finally grew anxious. My phone buzzed incessantly with WeChat messages: "Elara, when are you coming back?" "Did you finish the class assignment?" "Elara... you're not mad at me, are you?" I stared at the screen, a cold smirk on my lips. Yes, in my previous life, I had been her willing doormat. If she didn't want to do an assignment, I’d pull all-nighters for her. If she caused trouble, I’d take the blame. Even when she "accidentally" live-streamed me changing, I’d just sigh, letting her charm and pretend her way out of it. But now? I typed a reply: Did you have a stomach bug these past few days and accidentally pass your brain? I already told you I moved out. Then, with a swipe of my finger, I decisively dragged her into my blacklist. The world was finally at peace. My rental was small, but I’d meticulously cleaned and brightened it. Sunlight streamed through the sheer curtains, making the air feel light and free. I thought she had finally quieted down. Until, in the dead of night, my phone's shrill ringtone suddenly ripped through the silence. I jolted awake, my heart pounding. This was a lingering effect from the accident in my previous life; whenever I was startled awake, my heart would race uncontrollably. I hadn't expected it to follow me into this life. I glanced at the phone screen. It was Serena Hayes. I endured the discomfort and blocked her number. Just as I lay back down, trying to calm my racing heart, the phone rang again, tearing through the night's stillness. This time, it was Alex Green, the class leader. I stared at the flashing screen, letting the ringtone echo through the room. But the calls kept coming, one after another, and the throbbing in my chest forced me to answer. I asked him what was so urgent. His voice immediately launched into a barrage of accusations: "Why aren't you answering your phone?" "It's twelve-thirty at night," I paused. "I'm doing what normal people do: sleeping." Alex's voice immediately escalated: "Well, you still need to answer! You're making Serena so worried! You need to apologize to her right now!" "Why should I apologize to her?" I retorted, a cold edge to my voice. But he wouldn't let up, ranting on and on. "I've never met anyone so shameless." "You're not coming home at night, and you think you're in the right?" His voice filled with righteous indignation. "Serena was worried you were being tricked by some guy, and this is the attitude you give her?" "...My chest tightened." It was Serena again. "Are you insane or just stupid? Are you so emotional you can't even think?"
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