The Inferno of Retribution

I ran to the first floor and knocked on Jocelyn's door. "Jocelyn, something's wrong!"

I had to knock for a full minute before Jocelyn showed up. She slowly came out of the room, looking irritated. "Just spit out whatever you have to say. You don't have to knock on my door like that."

I leaned close to her. "I want to report my dormmates for using high-power electrical appliances."

Jocelyn wasn't the same resident assistant I'd reported Summer to in the past, so she didn't know who I was. The college had strict rules against students using electrical appliances, so the resident assistants had to take any of these reports seriously.

Jocelyn soon followed me upstairs. She muttered, "Honestly, these students are getting out of hand. How can they use high-power electrical appliances in the dorm? Don't they know the college is strictly against these things?"

I led Jocelyn to my dorm. She opened the door and shouted, "Who's using contraband electrical appliances?"

Summer, who was sitting on her bed and applying makeup, jumped at the noise. She accidentally drew eyeliner over her face.

When she realized what had happened, she glared at me. "How dare you report me, Michelle! Who do you think you are?"

I ducked behind Jocelyn when I saw how Summer looked like she wanted to rip me apart. I said, "I have every right to report you when you're using high-power electrical appliances. Don't you know how dangerous they are? What if a fire breaks out?"

Summer raised a hand and darted toward me. "You're just trying to pick a fight. I'll teach you a lesson right now!"

"What do you think you're doing, Summer?" Jocelyn snapped.

Summer immediately stopped and smiled awkwardly. "I wasn't—"

"Take your oven and come with me," Jocelyn said icily.

Summer had no choice but to do as told. She glared as she walked past me and snarled, "You'd better watch out."

Once she was gone, Jean looked at me icily. "Why are you such a busybody? I can't believe we're unlucky enough to have you as a dormmate."

She'd been Summer's lackey since our freshman year and liked to throw Summer's weight around to get her way.

I asked, "Is the oven yours or Summer's, Jean?"

She thought I was scared and rolled her eyes. "Summer's, of course. She won't let you off the hook even if it were mine. Just you wait."

I shrugged. Summer soon returned with her oven and plugged it in as I watched.

Then, she crossed her arms, looking smug. "To think you even dared to report me, Michelle. I bet you had no idea Jocelyn's my aunt. Listen up—getting on my bad side means getting on the student council's bad side. Your life is going to be a living hell from now on."

Of course, I knew how she and Jocelyn were related. In my past life, Jocelyn was the resident assistant who acted as a witness to back up Summer and Jean's claims that I was the one using the electrical appliances in the dorm. That was why the college administration concluded the case so soon.

And why had she done it? Because she and Summer were relatives.

I said indignantly, "You're just members of the student council. Who do you think you are, politicians? You can't kick me out of the dorm, can you?"

"Of course, I can. And that's exactly what I'll do!" My words provoked Summer. She rolled up her sleeves and dragged me to my feet.

Then, she pushed me out of the dorm and threw my pillow and blanket out. Meanwhile, Jean emptied my cupboard and threw all my things out of the dorm, including my laptop, tablet, and bank card.

I screamed, attracting attention once more. "You're crossing the line, Summer! Aren't you afraid I'll tell the counselor about this?"

Summer stuck her nose in the air. "You can tell the dean about me for all I care. Why don't you try it and see whether they believe me or you?"

She looked around at the crowd and said, "If any of you dare to help her, you'll be making an enemy out of the student council. Think twice before you do anything."

The crowd dispersed at her words. Even if they wanted to speak up for me, they no longer had the nerve to do it.

Summer was pleased by this and sneered at me. "You can sleep in the corridor tonight for all I care."

The smug look on her face and the memory of what had happened to me in my past life made my heart clench. I didn't know where I would sleep tonight, but I knew she would pay the price for this.