Chapter 3
That night, Melissa didn't come back.
The next morning, when she came back, she had a sparkling diamond necklace around her neck and a brand-new designer watch on her wrist.
Our two other roommates swarmed her, their squeals of envy filling the room.
"Oh my god, Melissa, is that the 'Tears of the Stars'? I've only ever seen it in magazines!" one said.
"And that watch is gorgeous. It must have cost a fortune," the other said.
Melissa was totally eating up all the attention, pretending to be modest as she tucked her hair behind her ear. "Oh, it's nothing special," she said, but the smug look in her eyes was impossible to miss.
She walked over to me and set a beautifully wrapped box on my desk.
"Here, this is for you," she said, her tone casual.
I opened it and saw a brand-new lipstick—the kind that went for over 150 dollars.
"Owen got me a whole set, but this shade doesn't work on me. Thought you might as well have it," she said, her tone dripping with condescension.
I closed the box and slid it back to her.
"I didn't do anything to earn this. You should keep it," I replied, my voice steady.
Melissa's face fell instantly. She clearly felt I was snubbing her.
"Sabrina, what's that supposed to mean? Are you looking down on me or something?" she snapped.
"No," I replied calmly, meeting her eyes. "I just don't take things I haven't earned."
The air in the room went still.
One of our roommates quickly jumped in to smooth things over. "Come on, Sabrina, don't be like that. Melissa's just trying to be nice."
Melissa snorted, snatching the lipstick back. "Some people just can't accept a kindness. I guess when you're used to having nothing, you don't recognize a gift."
I ignored her, put on my headphones, and got back to my coursework.
From that day on, Melissa hardly ever came back to the dorm.
She broke up with James.
*****
I bumped into James downstairs. His eyes were bloodshot, and he looked completely worn out.
He stopped me, his voice rough and shaky. "Sabrina, just tell me—did Melissa... did she really leave me for that rich guy with the fancy car?"
So he finally found out.
I looked at him and felt nothing at all.
In my previous life, my heart broke for him. I was furious at her for throwing away his kind of love.
But now, all of this felt irrelevant to me.
"Yes." My tone was flat as I answered him.
James swayed on his feet, like all the strength had just been sucked out of him.
He slumped against the wall, raking his hands through his hair, looking utterly broken. "Why? I gave her everything. Why would she do this?"
I replied coolly, "Maybe you were giving her the wrong things."
With that, I brushed past him and went straight upstairs.
I didn't feel sorry for him. I knew, before long, he'd meet someone who truly loved him, and they'd build a happy life together.
Melissa had just thrown away the only solid ground she'd ever stand on.
During the final days of college, Melissa was living the high life.
Owen never made their relationship official, but he showered her with gifts and cash.
Designer bags, luxury outfits, even rides on private jets—she was living a kind of luxury she'd never imagined, strutting around like she owned the campus.
She started looking down on the rest of us, the "ordinary people" still stressing over our thesis and job hunting.
One day in the cafeteria, she spotted me and acted all surprised. "Oh, Sabrina, you're still eating here? Let me take you to a Michelin restaurant. The steak there costs more than what you spend in a whole month."
All the students nearby glanced over, their expressions a mix of curiosity and amusement.
I set down my fork, wiped my mouth, and looked at her. "No, thank you. I'm comfortable here."
She laughed brightly, shaking her head. "Of course you are. Someone like you probably doesn't even know which fork to use."
Her comment got a few people snickering under their breath.
I didn't get angry. I just felt a pang of pity for her.
She thought that having all these luxuries meant she'd finally made it to the top.
She was too busy counting gifts to see the bill coming.
*****
On graduation day, Owen rolled up in a blazing red Ferrari, making a scene in front of the entire school and giving her a grand "surprise."
Melissa, wearing her cap and gown and holding a huge bouquet of Blue Enchantress roses, looked dizzy with happiness.
She became the campus legend that year—a real-life Cinderella story everyone couldn't stop talking about.
Lots of people envied her—even my old roommates.
Everyone said Melissa was born under a lucky star.
Me? I just smiled and kept my thoughts to myself.
After graduation, I stayed in the city. I got an entry-level job at a decent design firm.
Melissa moved straight into Owen's luxury penthouse downtown. She'd finally gotten her dream life—like a songbird in a gilded cage.
Every now and then, she'd text me, always bragging about her latest limited-edition bag or the private island she just vacationed on.
Her texts always had that condescending, high-and-mighty tone, as if she wanted to rub in just how worlds apart our lives had become.
I almost never replied.
I was busy. Building skills. Building a career. Building a future I could actually stand on.
I knew her golden days were numbered.