Chapter 1

Chloe pushed the key into the lock and turned. The heavy dorm room door swung open, and a wall of heat hit her. It was thick, suffocating air that felt like a wet blanket on her skin. The room was dark, the curtains drawn tight against the late afternoon sun. It was much hotter inside than it was out in the hallway.

She fumbled for the light switch, her fingers slick with sweat. The fluorescent lights flickered on, revealing the small, shared space. Olivia, Brenda, and Sarah were sprawled on their beds, scrolling through their phones, seemingly unaffected by the oppressive temperature.

Chloe walked over to the central air conditioning unit on the wall. Its display was blank. It was off. Again.

"Hey, why's the AC off? It's boiling in here," she said, her voice trying to stay light and friendly.

She reached out and pressed the power button. The machine whirred to life, and a stream of cool air began to flow into the room. It was instant relief.

"Turn that off."

The voice was sharp. It was Olivia, the self-appointed leader of their little group. She sat up, her expression annoyed.

Brenda, who was built like a linebacker, grunted in agreement from her corner. "Yeah, turn it off. It's freezing."

Chloe looked at them, confused. "Freezing? It's almost ninety degrees outside. We'll all get heatstroke." Her plea for reason was met with cold stares.

"Brenda's not feeling well," Olivia said, her tone smooth and full of false concern. "The cold air makes her cough."

Brenda let out a single, unconvincing cough right on cue.

"And I get headaches from it," Sarah added quietly from her bed, not looking up from her phone. She always agreed with Olivia.

Chloe knew it was a lie. They had been perfectly fine with the AC blasting all last week, as long as Chloe was the one paying the extra electricity charges that came with it. She had covered the last two utility bills entirely by herself, just to keep the peace. She wanted them to like her, to feel like they were all friends in this new college life. But their demands were getting more and more unreasonable.

"Okay," Chloe said, trying a different approach. "But we can't just sit in a hot room. It's not healthy."

"Then you can pay for it," Olivia said, a smirk playing on her lips. She got up and walked over to the small table in the center of the room, picking up an envelope.

She shoved it into Chloe's hand. "The new electricity bill came. If you want the AC on so bad, you can cover it. All of it."

Chloe opened the envelope and pulled out the paper. Her eyes widened. She stared at the number, feeling a knot form in her stomach.

"$485.62."

The amount was insane. It was more than double last month's bill.

"Four hundred and eighty-five dollars?" Chloe's voice was barely a whisper. She looked up from the bill, a deep sense of injustice washing over her. "How is this possible? There's no way we used this much electricity."

Olivia shrugged, completely unconcerned. "That's what the bill says. The AC uses a lot of power. We told you."

Brenda laughed, a harsh, grating sound. "What's the matter, Chloe? Can't afford it? I thought your family was rich."

"That's not the point," Chloe shot back, her frustration finally bubbling to the surface. "This is a shared space. We all benefit from the air conditioning. We all use the lights, we all charge our phones. The bill should be split."

She was getting angry now, the initial shock turning into a hot flush of indignation.

"We all benefit?" Olivia's voice dripped with sarcasm. She took a step closer to Chloe, her eyes narrowing. "That's where you're wrong. We don't need the AC. We're perfectly fine with the fan."

She gestured to the small, pathetic desk fan sitting on her nightstand, which was currently turned off.

"You're the only one who complains about the heat," Olivia continued, her voice rising. "You're the one who can't handle a little discomfort. So if you want the room to be a personal icebox just for you, then you have to pay the price. It's that simple."

Sarah nodded in silent agreement, a shadow behind Olivia. Brenda crossed her arms, a clear physical warning. They were a united front, and Chloe was on the outside. The cool air from the AC unit suddenly felt very cold on her skin.