[The same day, at 5 PM, at the girl's dorm]
The room is dimly lit, quiet except for the soft hum of the fan above. Soha sits cross-legged on her bed, nervously pulling at the threads of her blanket. Ami, lying on the opposite bed, watches her.
Soha glances over. "Ami... can I ask you something weird?"
"Sure. I'm always up for weird."
Soha chuckles softly, then grows serious. "Do you think dreams are enough to make it? Like, I love singing... but loving it doesn't mean I'm good at it."
Ami props herself up on her elbow. "Why do you think that?"
"Because I've always been told I'm just okay. Not bad. Not amazing. Just... okay. And I'm scared that I'll give everything to this and still fall flat."
"So what?" Ami says gently. "Even if you're just okay now, what matters is that you want it. You can grow, Soha. You will grow. And guess what? You already have someone who believes in you."
Soha looks up, her eyes shining. "You?"
"Duh." Ami smiles. "Besides, I've heard your voice. It's raw, it's real. Maybe it's not polished yet,but it's beautiful."
"Ami..." Soha whispers. "I've never had anyone say that to me. Not even my parents. They just... fund things. They don't really listen."
"Then let me be the first," Ami says, reaching out. "You're not alone in this."
They hold hands briefly—no grand gesture, just two girls learning to trust.
[Later on, at 10 PM]
The hallways are quiet. Ami peeks around a corner. Soha follows, tiptoeing.
"This is so illegal," Soha hisses.
"Technically it's not illegal. Just... frowned upon," Ami grins.
They reach the boys' dorm where a private drinking party is in full swing.
Inside, Dio sits with his crew:
David (laid-back, sarcastic),
Richard (quiet but observant),
Lana (bubbly and teasing), and
Risa (Cold yet gorgeous).
Dio sees Ami and lights up. "Ladies! Look who decided to break the rules. Come join us."
Soha clutches Ami's arm nervously. Ami just walks in like she owns the place.
[The Party Begins]
Drinks are flowing. Laughter echoes through the dorm. Someone suggests what all parties eventually devolve into:
"Let's play truth or dare!"
Dio groans. "God, we're not in middle school."
David shrugs. "And yet, here we are."
They all sit in a circle. A bottle spins. It lands on Lana.
"Truth," she grins.
Richard smirks. "Who's your biggest crush on campus?"
"Easy. Mr. Kim from the art department," she says without hesitation. "That man can paint me anytime."
Laughter erupts.
More spins. More dares. More shots. The bottle turns and lands on Ami.
Before Ami can even speak, Risa leans forward, eyes gleaming.
"Truth or dare, Ami?"
Ami pauses. "Truth."
"Alright then…" Risa's voice is light, casual, but her smile is too sharp.
"Are you still a virgin?"
The room freezes.
Dio mutters, "Jesus, Risa…"
But Ami doesn't flinch. She picks up her glass, gives Risa a slow once-over, and replies with a wicked little smile:
"I am. Virginity isn't weakness, you know. But asking about it to embarrass someone? That's insecurity in disguise."
A couple of people murmur "Oof," under their breath.
Risa blinks, then forces a smirk.
"Relax, it's just a game. No need to get preachy."
Before it escalates, Richard claps his hands.
"Alright, alright----truth or dare, not truth or drama."
He grins and spins the bottle again.
"Let's keep it fun, people. We're not trying to get canceled tonight."
The tension dissolves a little. Lana laughs awkwardly. David grabs more chips. The game continues.
But Dio?
He's looking at Ami with a different kind of curiosity now.
[ After awhile later]
Risa's half-asleep in a corner still holding her cup like it owes her money. Richard is humming some old cartoon theme. David has declared the floor "his new home."
Ami leans against the wall, dizzy but not totally gone.
Dio?
He's giggling to himself in the corner like he's discovered the secret to life.
"You're… my favorite pillow," he slurs, pointing at Ami.
Ami blinks slowly.
"You need serious help."
"I need you... to stop moving."
Before she can react, Dio wobbles over and scoops her into his arms.
"Put me down or I swear—"
"Shhh. Pillow doesn't talk."
She's too tired to fight it. His body's warm. The spinning in her head softens. One second she's glaring at him...
next second, her eyes flutter closed.
[The Next Morning]
Ami blinks awake slowly, her head fuzzy… warm… and oddly… trapped?
She tries to move---
Nope.
Something's got her in a chokehold.
More like a cuddle-hold.
"Why can't I move—?"
She glances down.
Two arms.
Wrapped around her like casually it's a habit.
Leg tangled with hers.
Her brain glitches.
"I swear… if my clothes are missing---"
She slowly peeks under the blanket.
Shirt? Check.
Pants? Still on ,Thank God.
She lets out a breath of relief. Still panicking.
Then suddenly---
A sleepy mumble against her hair:
"Just five more minutes… I gotta finish cuddling my...puppies."
Ami's eyes go wide.
Puppies???
Then---
Both their eyes snap open.
Dio: "WHY ARE YOU IN MY BED???"
Ami: "WHY ARE YOU HUGGING ME LIKE I'M YOUR TEDDY BEAR???"
They both sit up so fast, they almost headbutt each other.
Ami scrambles to the edge of the bed, checking her hair, her shirt, her soul.
Dio's rubbing his eyes, looking like a confused puppy himself.
"Okay, okay---did we…? No, wait. I didn't… right?"
Ami snaps:
"Don't flatter yourself. I passed out. You dragged me here, remember? Emotional support pillow?"
Dio's brain replays the moment.
"Oh crap—yeah…"
They sit in awkward silence for a beat.
Then Ami straightens up.
"Alright. We forget this happened. We saw nothing. We say nothing."
Dio nods like a soldier receiving a secret mission.
"Agreed. Nothing happened. Total blackout. We were never here."
Ami grabs a pillow, throws it at him playfully.
"You better not start rumors."
"You better not snore next time."
They both smirk.
Then Ami gets up, muttering:
"Time to find Soha before anyone thinks I eloped overnight."
Just as Ami's heading for the door, Dio calls out, still half-flopped on the bed, hair messy and voice groggy.
"Hey, Ami---look, I know girls can be, y'know… a little wild in their fantasies…"
He smirks.
"But you didn't lose your virginity just by sleeping beside me, alright?"
Ami stops mid-step.
Turns slowly.
Raises an eyebrow.
"Damn, idiot. I'm not twelve."
"I mean…" She crosses her arms, lips twitching.
"Don't flatter yourself. If I wanted to lose it, I wouldn't choose a half-drunk giraffe snoring in his sleep."
Dio dramatically clutches his chest.
"Ouch. Straight to the heart."
Ami tosses a small cushion at him.
"Now shut up and go brush your teeth. You reek of soda and regret."
She walks out before he can fire back.
Dio leans back with a stupid grin on his face.
*She's so dramatic. I think I like it.*