Chapter 2: A Broken Nail

“Mom?”

She got no response.

“Mom?”

Still no response.

“Mom?” She called again, softly.

Across from Melanie, her mother barely looked up from her phone call.

“Tell Mr. Thompson to send those documents immediately. I need them now,” she snapped, her voice sharp, laced with a thick French accent.

Business again. Always business, Melanie thought, sighing.

Today was supposed to matter. She felt silly for expecting more. But she had hoped for it. Just this once.

She was leaving home, going off to college for the first time. She didn't know what to expect. She didn't even know the rules. She had never even been away from home this long.

She was scared, nervous, and unsure of herself. More than anything, she had wanted her mom to hold her and tell her it would all be okay. To say she believed in her. That she'd miss her.

But of course, that was asking for too much.

Somehow her mother sounded more concerned about business meetings than saying goodbye.

“Mom?”

Her mother barely spared her a glance. She gave Melanie a side-eye, mouthed a quick “Bye,” and immediately went back to her phone conversation.

“Bye… mom,” Melanie whispered, her voice soft and unsure. She sat there for a second, waiting, hoping for something. A hug or a kiss. Or probably a squeeze on the hand. But nothing came.

Her chest tightened.

She had seen how other mothers acted, teary-eyed, hugging their daughters tightly, fussing over every little thing.

But her own mom couldn't even pause to say goodbye properly. Not even today.

She wasn't going to let her mother ruin her mood today, Melanie told herself. Today was special to her, even if her mother didn't seem to notice. She was finally going to college.

Without another word, she glanced at her mother one last time then quietly got down from the car.

Once the car had driven off, Melanie took a deep breath. Clutching her suitcases in a vice-like grip, she stared in awe at the magnificent school standing before her.

Crestmoor Academy stood tall and proud against the evening sky, its stone walls glowing beneath the last rays of sunlight.

This was a fresh start. A new chapter. That was the idea, anyway.

Melanie had waited years for this moment. She had dreamed about it. Prayed eagerly for it. And now that it was finally here?

She felt so excited and anxious.

Melanie smiled at herself as she gently tucked a strand of her hair behind her ear before stepping in.

The academy grounds stretched wide, paved with cobblestones that gleamed under the soft evening light. Neatly trimmed hedges bordered the walkways, and tall, trees swayed gently in the wind. A large stone fountain stood at the centre.

Students dressed in fashionable outfits moved in every direction, wheeling sleek suitcases and chatting excitedly.

Melanie was so captivated by the school that she didn't notice when her foot caught on a rock. Before she could process what was happening, she stumbled forward with a soft yelp and crashed into someone.

A piercing scream exploded in her ear.

“Get off me, you fucking balloon!”

Melanie gasped and scrambled to her feet, mortified. She adjusted her glasses and froze, her eyes widening in horror.

“I-I-I'm so sorry!” she stammered, locking eyes with the furious girl she'd just crashed into.

A blonde girl sat on the floor, clutching a broken acrylic nail.

“You broke my nail, you bitch!” the girl shrieked.

Melanie stared at her. For a second, her brain struggled to catch up with what had just happened.

“Can't you see, you motherfucker?! THIS,” the girl lifted it higher, “was a custom gel set. Limited edition. Baby pink from Milan!”

Melanie's brows furrowed at the insult.

Another girl quickly rushed forward.

“Oh my gosh, Chloe, are you okay? Did it bruise your hand?” she shot a horrified look at Melanie. “What have you done? Weren't you looking where you were going? You broke her nail!”

Melanie flushed crimson. “I’m sorry. I tripped, I didn't mean—”

“Girl, what did you trip on? Your appetite?” the third girl interjected sharply, snickering.

“She said snack attack and went down like Jell-O!” the fourth girl laughed, holding her stomach. “I think I heard the floor crack!”

Chloe sniffed, still nursing her nail. “It’s okay girls. Not everyone can be light on their feet. Some of us walk. Others… quake.”

The girls erupted into a fit of laughter.

Melanie's ears burned. Her suitcase had toppled during the fall and lay open beside her, one of her bras embarrassingly peeking out. She bent to quickly shove the bra in and zip her suitcase, wishing it could swallow her whole instead.

Great. Absolutely fantastic.

Barely five minutes into Crestmoor Academy and she had somehow managed to become a target to this mean girls.

She pressed her lips together, trying not to look as embarrassed as she felt.

This was definitely not how she imagined her first day of college. Not even close.

The laughter didn’t stop quickly. The blonde girl—Chloe, apparently—was still inspecting her nail.

“I could’ve died, you know,” Chloe huffed as she stood up slowly, dusting off her designer skirt. “Do you know how heavy you are? You landed on me like a mattress falling from a fifth-floor window!”

“I-I’m really sorry,” Melanie said, softly. “I can help you fix it. Your nail, I mean.”

“Fix it?!” Chloe yelled, her eyes narrowing into slits as she crossed her arms over her chest. “How do you think you can fix this?”

“I’m an artist,” Melanie spoke with a sheepish smile. “So it'll be easier for me to fix it. I'm really good at painting and drawing. Think about it, um…?”

“Chloe,” she responded sharply, glaring daggers at Melanie.

“Yeah! Chloe. If I can paint a perfect sunset, I can paint a perfect nail. And trust me, mine will look better than anything your fancy salon could do.”

She beamed at them with her brightest sunshine smile. The four girls just stared at her like she'd grown a second head.

The third girl guffawed. “What are you gonna do, paint her a new nail with watercolor? Sketch her dignity back?”

Students around were starting to stare, a few even giggling at the scene. Melanie could feel herself shrinking.

Chloe stepped closer, and for a second, the laughter softened.

“You should watch where you’re going next time,” she said sweetly.

But it didn’t sound sweet. It sounded like a warning.

“Look, we don't know where you rolled in from, but next time, try watching where your planet-sized feet are going,” the second girl sneered.

“Yeah, exactly. Just stay out of our way,” said the fourth girl, flipping her hair. “Next time you trip over your own shadow, don't drag us down with you.”

The girls laughed, strutting away in perfect formation.

Melanie stood rooted to the spot, heart hammering and breath shaking.

Her hands clenched at her sides, tears threatening behind her eyes, but she blinked fast. She wouldn't cry. Not in front of them.

And definitely not over a broken nail and a broken ego.

Eyes were on Melanie as she reached for her suitcases. Some were whispering, others were giggling.

Her cheeks grew red. She ducked her head low, feeling embarrassed.

What a horrible start, she thought miserably.

Melanie pulled her suitcases close, not wanting to bump into anyone. She kept her gaze low as she walked quietly into the Crestmoor's main building. She walked down the hallway, slower this time, her eyes darting around like she was expecting another disaster to leap out at her. She couldn't shake off the encounter she'd had with those girls. It kept playing over and over in her head like a bad movie she couldn't pause, and with every replay, her jaw clenched tighter.

Those girls were rude.They acted like they were the queens of the hallway.

Her fingers wrapped tighter around her suitcase handle as their voice echoed in her mind, sharp and mocking.

“Not everyone can be light on their feet. Some of us walk. Others… quake.”

“Look, we don't know where you rolled in from, but next time, try watching where your planet-sized feet are going,”

At every line, heat rose to her face—not from embarrassment, but pure anger.

“Are they serious?” she whispered. “What even does that mean?”

She scowled at the memory. Those girls were awful, mean, and shallow. And Chloe, the nail drama queen, had acted like losing a single nail was the end of the world.

“Fuck those bitches,” Melanie swore under her breath.

She climbed the stairs, each step making her suitcases thump, until she stopped in front of a tall brown door with Admin Office etched in neat silver letters. Her pulse quickened.

She reached for the doorknob, then pulled her hand back. Her chest felt tight. She hated this feeling.

Her hand hovered there. Why was she hesitating?

Her stomach twisted again, annoyingly.

She shook her head, took another deep breath, and reached again… only to pull back once more.

Ugh. Why am I like this?!

“Done meditating?” a voice cut in, deep and sharp.

Melanie jumped so hard she nearly lost her grip on her suitcases. Spinning around, she opened her mouth to say something, but she was rendered speechless by the sight in front of her.

Oh. My. Gosh.