Episode 2: The Mentor

Episode 2: The Mentor

The morning sun spilled through the blinds of Ivy’s dorm room, warming her face as she groggily turned over, squinting at the clock. 7:30 AM. Way too early, especially after a restless first night in a new place.

She groaned and pulled the blanket over her head. Maybe if she ignored the world, it would leave her alone for a bit longer.

Knock. Knock. Knock.

No such luck.

The knocking turned into pounding, and before Ivy could even roll out of bed, the door swung open.

“Rise and shine, Little One.”

That voice. That teasing, infuriatingly confident voice.

Ivy peeked out from under the blanket and saw Elena standing in the doorway, arms crossed, smirking like she owned the place. She wore ripped jeans, a white T-shirt, and a leather jacket, looking effortlessly cool—annoyingly so.

Ivy groaned. “What are you doing here?”

“Helping you, obviously. It’s time for your freshman orientation.” Elena strolled into the room like she belonged there. “As your RA, it is my duty to make sure you don’t get lost or do something dumb on your first day.”

Ivy sat up, rubbing her face. “It’s my second day.”

“Exactly. You survived day one. Barely. Now we move on to step two—figuring out how this place works without embarrassing yourself.”

Ivy scoffed. “I’m not going to embarrass myself.”

Elena gave her a slow once-over. “Sweetheart, you’re still in pajamas. And your hair looks like a baby bird’s nest.”

Ivy yelped, patting her hair. “You could’ve just told me that instead of insulting me!”

“But where’s the fun in that?” Elena grinned. “Now, get dressed. I’ll wait.”

“Outside.”

Elena placed a dramatic hand on her chest. “You wound me, Little One.”

Ivy glared, pointing to the door. “Out.”

Elena chuckled but obeyed, leaving Ivy to scramble out of bed and get ready.

---

Fifteen minutes later, Ivy stepped out, dressed in jeans and a light sweater, her auburn hair brushed into something resembling order. Elena gave her an approving nod.

“Not bad. Now, let’s begin your grand tour.”

Elena walked beside Ivy as they strolled across campus, pointing out the important landmarks. “That’s the library—where you’ll pretend to study but actually watch Netflix. Over there’s the dining hall—food’s decent, but don’t trust the ‘mystery meat Mondays.’ And that,” she gestured toward a massive building, “is where you’ll spend half your life attending boring lectures.”

Ivy smirked. “You make it sound so magical.”

“Oh, college is magical,” Elena said mock-seriously. “If by magic, you mean running on caffeine, turning in assignments at 11:59 PM, and wondering why you ever thought higher education was a good idea.”

Ivy laughed, shaking her head.

They made their way to a cozy corner of campus with outdoor seating and a coffee stand. Elena got them both drinks, handing Ivy a cup.

“Welcome to your new addiction,” she said.

Ivy took a sip, savoring the warmth. “Okay, I might actually survive college with this.”

As they sat down, a familiar voice called out, “Well, well, look at you two.”

Ivy turned to see her cousin, Lila, approaching with a knowing grin. She was a 21-year-old senior like Elena, and Ivy had grown up looking up to her like an older sister.

Lila plopped into the seat next to Ivy and smirked at Elena. “So, you’ve taken my little cousin under your wing, huh?”

Elena stretched lazily. “What can I say? She needs guidance.”

Ivy crossed her arms. “I’m not some lost puppy, you know.”

Lila laughed. “Oh, I know. But Ivy, word of advice? Don’t get on Elena’s bad side.”

Elena arched an eyebrow. “Why? You think she can handle me?”

Lila leaned in, grinning at Ivy. “Let’s just say Elena has a reputation for being… a little much.”

“I’m right here, you know,” Elena deadpanned.

Lila ignored her, continuing, “She teases, she smirks, and she loves getting under people’s skin. But she also looks out for the people she cares about. So… if she’s messing with you, take it as a good sign.”

Ivy scoffed. “Oh great. So I’m supposed to be grateful for all the teasing?”

Elena smirked. “Exactly.”

Ivy rolled her eyes. “You’re impossible.”

Elena leaned closer, blue eyes glinting. “And yet, here you are. Hanging out with me.”

Ivy’s breath hitched for half a second before she cleared her throat. “Only because I was forced to.”

“Uh-huh.” Elena sipped her coffee smugly.

Lila watched the exchange with amusement. “Ohhh, this is going to be fun.”

Ivy turned to her. “What’s that supposed to mean?”

Lila just winked. “You’ll see.”

Ivy had a sinking feeling that whatever her cousin meant, she wasn’t going to like it.

---

That night, as Ivy sat on her bed, she pulled out her journal again.

What made you smile today?

Ivy tapped the pen against the paper before writing:

Elena showing me around. Even if she’s annoying, she makes things less scary.

She paused, then underlined it twice.

---