Chapter 4

In my past life, it was at this exact moment that my heart softened, and I gave in.

I had thought it wasn't worth ruining roommate relationships on the very first day.

So, I had followed her back.

That same night, she brought in more dogs, feeding them and grooming them right in our room.

The air had become thick with fine dander and hair. My throat felt like it was being scraped with sandpaper.

When I crawled out of bed to find my medication, she had grabbed my inhaler and thrown it out the window, crying, "Chloe, you can't use that chemical spray in front of them! The fumes will poison them!"

Later, as I knelt on the floor, gasping for air, a terrifying wheeze rattling in my chest, she was still hugging her dog, whispering, "Don't be scared, sweetie. She didn't mean to make that scary noise."

"Why do you always have to make everything a massive scene?" Becca hissed, suddenly snapping out of her memories and glaring at me.

"We could have easily worked this out in private!"

I immediately took a step back, widening the gap between us.

"Get away from me."

Becca bit her lip, tears instantly welling up again.

"I didn't even do anything to you."

"Why are you acting like I'm a monster?"

Suddenly, the office door was slammed open. A campus security officer rushed in, his face pale with panic.

"Mrs. Davies! We have an emergency! A student was just attacked and severely bitten by a stray dog over at the Quad!"

Mrs. Davies leaped up. "What? Is it bad?"

"A chunk of his arm was practically torn off! They're rushing him to the emergency room! Apparently, that dog has been hanging around because someone keeps feeding it!"

The office went dead silent.

Becca's face drained of all color.

"But... dogs are so sweet," she mumbled, unconsciously letting go of the dog in her arms.

Startled, the puppy bolted. It ran straight toward Mrs. Davies's desk, jumping onto the freshly printed freshman records and urinating all over them.

Becca's eyes went wide. "Chloe must have scared him! He's usually so well-behaved!"

Once again, everyone's eyes locked onto me.

It was just like my past life.

Back then, her dogs had shredded my medical files, and everyone blamed me for "provoking her" and making her too emotional to watch her pets.

When I suffocated, they said I was just too fragile and dramatic, refusing to blame her "kind heart."

Becca's crying cut off in her throat.

"Mrs. Davies, I... I didn't mean to."

Mrs. Davies closed her eyes, looking completely exhausted.

"Everyone out. Let's go see what's happening at the Quad."

By the time we arrived, the paramedics were loading a bleeding male student into an ambulance.

A security guard stood nearby holding a catch-pole. Trapped in the loop was a snarling, dirty stray, growling menacingly.

The moment Becca saw the dog, she screamed and tried to charge forward.

"Buster! Don't hurt him!"