Middle Child Syndrome - Chapter 11

Chapter 11: Ch 11: Finding the right place
“These are the bedrooms. These are usually shared between 4-6 people, depending on how lucky or unlucky you are. But the number might increase this year because too many people applied here.”

Rika looked at the small bedroom that seemed to be falling apart.

It was barely sufficient for two individuals, let alone accommodating 4, or worse, 6. The walls were marred with mould, and a dubious wet patch adorned the ceiling. Rika couldn’t shake off the unsettling feeling that she was better off not knowing what had transpired in this room.

“There are no single rooms available here?”

Rika asked in a slightly desperate voice.

She did not mind sharing a room, but the condition of this room was enough to make her puke.

“Single room? We have those but cannot issue one to a beta like you. Those rooms are specifically reserved for Alphas and omegas because of their ‘special’ needs. We cannot have them dorm with common people after all.”

The dorm lady informed Sui, and Sui almost asked her why alphas and omegas could not have their separate dorms at the university.

She could guess the answer already – the lack of funds this place had.

“Now that we have seen the communal kitchen, let me show you the bathrooms. We have two on each floor, so it is usually a race to see who gets to shower first. But there is warm water and-!”

The dorm lady paused and tensed up.

“It seems that we should not head this way. Let’s head back now.”

Rika also wanted to see the bathrooms, but asking the form lady to show them to her would have been inappropriate.

She could also hear the dorm lady muttering, ‘Stupid alpha-omega couple! Going at it in the middle of the day and public, no less!’ and Rika suddenly lost all will to live here.

“Now, would you like to see the communal kitchen? I can show you around-”

“It’s fine! I think I’ve seen more than enough. I will just dorm out of the campus for the time being.”

As she stepped back, Rika quickly assured the dorm lady of this. She knew her response had been stronger than expected, but the dorm lady made an understanding face.

“That will be best for you to do. I can point you to a good PG if you want me to.”

Rika accepted the offer and took it out of the university dorms. She had no intention of ever living there.

‘It’s such a relief that I ended up coming today. Mark would have thrown a fit if he had seen this place. I can never let him find out about this dorm.’

Thankfully, the place that the dorm lady introduced Rika to looked like a decent place.

Rika could have lived alone in her family’s nearby apartment complex. However, the people who won places there worked for her family or were acquaintances.

Staying there would send a red signal to people, and there was also a chance of others recognising her.

Her mother had some conditions regarding renting other apartments, which were as bad as living in her family’s apartment complex.

So, Rika’s best bet was a communal house, and the one she had been pointed to looked satisfactory.

Rika knocked at the door, and the kind-looking lady open

“Ah, welcome to our communal dorm. I heard from my friend that you would be coming to check this place out. Before I give you a tour, I must inform you that this place is a bit expensive compared to others. Would that be a problem for you?”

The communal house lady looked nervous when she told Rika that. Money was an issue for many people.

‘It makes sense. Anyone who chooses Maxwell Academy must not be rich enough to attend a fancy college or pay for it. There is no way they could afford an expensive Communal dorm.’

But Rika had a lot of money she did not care about. If this place suited her, then she would live here.

“I don’t have a problem living here. I heard from the dorm lady that this was a beta-only place. Is that true?”

Rika asked excitedly, and the landlady looked taken aback by Rika’s question. But understanding passed her eyes when she looked at Rika, and her gaze softened.

“That is right! This place is strictly reserved for betas only. So, I take it that money is not an issue for you. Would you like to tour the house now?”

The lady asked, and Rika nodded.

The communal house was a three-story apartment, and Rika was led to the top floor.

Unlike the other two floors, this one had a common hall leading to two separate rooms with twin beds.

There was also a terrace garden that covered the rest of the floor, and it looked beautiful.

“You will have to share this room with someone else, but it should not be a problem for you, right? Also, you are in luck. Your roommate is here right now, and you can meet her to see if living together would work.”

The Landlady looked nervously at Rika’s reaction but showed no apparent discomfort.

It seemed like a good sign for the Land Lady, so she knocked at the other room’s door, and a familiar face opened.

‘Oh wow! I did hear that the world can feel like a small place at times, but I never expected to experience it myself. What are the chances I will run into one of Mark’s ex-girlfriends like this?’

There had been a time when Mark had constantly dated one person after another, and there had been quite a few betas in the mix.

Rika remembered Charron because she had lasted a whole week despite being a beta. She remembered Mark saying that Charron was extremely sensitive despite being a beta, which was why he dated her.

In the end, Rika only meets Charron once or twice before Mark moves on from her to another lady.

‘Charron must have dyed her hair blond, but her face looks the same as it did a few years ago. Does she recognise me as well? If so, then I cannot live here.’

Rika was about to say something when Charron spoke first.

“You! I have seen you before. Let me think…I think I saw you around Mark Goodwill when I visited his house. You must be the daughter of one of Goodwill’s servants. It’s nice to meet you again.”

Charron smiled at Rika, not realising how offending her words sounded.

Despite being offended, Rika was glad she had not been recognised. It assured her she could get by without being associated with her family.

But in honesty, it also made Rika’s heart hurt.

‘It makes sense why Charron does not recognise me. I am sure that Mark only introduced Suzie when he brought people home. Our relationship had already started to sour at that point. It’s no wonder that I got mistaken as a servant.’

Rika tried to maintain her smile, but even she realised it was slightly strained.

“So, would you like to live here? Knowing each other beforehand will make you feel more comfortable together.”

The landlady asked anxiously. She seemed desperate to get Sui to accept this place and live there.

“Look, I understand why you feel uncomfortable living with me, but I promise I will not hold your past and connections against you. It must have been a nightmare living and serving in the Goodwill household.”

“I dated Mark and visited a few times, so I understand your struggles. Betas have different needs than Alphas and Omegas, but no one in that household seemed to understand this.”

For the first time in forever…. Rika felt understood.

Charron’s words gave Rika hope that she had never felt before.

Even if Charron was one of Mark’s ex-girlfriends and had somewhat recognised Rika, she seemed to understand and take Rika’s side.

That thought alone made Rika’s eyes moist.

“I will take the offer for this place. I think I will like living there.”

Rika felt calm outside, but her heart was jumping for joy inside.

The landlady also looked relieved and gave Charron a grateful look for getting Rika to accept.

Completing the formalities took no time, and Rika even paid the advance deposit to live in the dorms.

By the time she finished, it was late, and the landlady looked worried when Rika said she should get going.

“Are you sure you want to go back home? It is rather late, and I do not feel comfortable sending you back alone. How about you stay here for the night and head back tomorrow?”

The landlady asked in a concerned voice, and it touched Rika.

People usually ordered her into her home, and Rika felt powerless to argue back. But the landlady was friendly and calm.

The dorm atmosphere was also calm, and no one expected Rika to read their pheromones to know how they felt.

‘I guess it will be found if I spend a night here. It is not like someone is waiting for me to return home.’

So, Rika accepted the offer to spend the night at the communal dorm.