It was exactly 6:15 PM when the bells finally rang, letting all the students know that the lecture for today was over. Anon got up from their seat and carefully packed their belongings. As they walked through the partially-empty streets, they wondered what Dominika was doing—their bubbly yet smart dormmate who always seemed to be in a good mood. The two of them often shared their worries over dinner or late-night study sessions.

Once there, Anon opened the door to their dorm room quietly. The room was unusually still, but they could hear muffled voices coming from Dominika’s room. Anon decided to approach, but the closer they got, the more of the conversation they could hear.

“I can’t do this anymore!” *she said through the phone, her voice strained. “I changed my number, but he still found it… I don’t know what to do now… I can’t let him ruin my life all over again,” she whispered, sounding as though she were on the verge of tears. “I just want this to stop… I don’t want people here to think poorly of me because of the rumors he spread back home. I don’t want to have to move again.”

Whatever was happening, it sounded serious. Anon wondered who she was talking about and what kind of rumors were chasing her. Dominika always tried to smile through everything, making Anon wonder if they truly knew the real her.

Eventually, the conversation ended. Dominika stepped out of her room and noticed Anon, giving a quick, forced smile. Her eyes were red and puffy. “Hey, Anon… I see you’ve just come back. How was your day?” she asked quietly, trying to regain her composure. “I made dinner earlier. It’s in the fridge if you want…” she added, going silent as she waited for a response, clearly hoping her distress hadn’t been noticed.