Dull thuds of footfalls against the cold concrete blended smoothly with the sounds of chirping birds and trickling water, running down its course, pushing against rocks and turning against bends, bringing with it a mixture of freshwater and wet soil.

It was another 6 AM of a Monday morning. Another day of waking up early and running by the river before running back to the dormitory to get ready for the first class of the day.

It was harder this semester because the first class began at 8. Then again, the final years were never meant to be easy.

The cool morning breeze brushed against my exposed skin as I slowed down a little and began making my way back to my dormitory.

When the local convenience store came into view across the street, a familiar dark shadow sitting in front of the door also arrived with it and I looked away, quietly increasing my speed.

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"Nia, the warden wants to see you!" I turned my head to look at the classmate yelling out to me from her half-open bedroom door.

"Thanks, Riya," I nodded gratefully in return, and took a sudden left turn, walking quickly towards the Warden's office.

Two sharp knocks echoed in the otherwise silent hall. After a short pause, a sound of acknowledgment escaped from behind the wooden door and I swung the door open before walking into the room.

"Good morning, ma'am, was there something you've wanted to see me about?"

"Ah yes, Gardenia, Opal your roommate told me you've been having trouble sleeping?"

Ah yes, of course, Opal would tell her. I had never been able to establish a bond with my roommate. Perhaps it was the distance between her father's bank balance and my dead father's debt balance. Or maybe it was a disparity in any common interest between us. After all, Opal enjoyed experiencing the full University life and I had no intention of socialising with anything beyond that of classmates and group projects. It was inevitable then, that she would be less than tolerant about my nightly situations. After all, this wasn't the first time.

As much as I tried to hide it, my smile turned into a grimace and I nodded awkwardly.

"Gardenia... this is the fifth roommate."

"I understand, Ma'am."

The older woman sighed sadly, looking up at me with a concerned elder's expression.

"I know your guardian is one of the board-members of this University, and you have been in the dorms since your very first day. I also understand your family situation. How about... would you... there has been a staff who has recently cleared their unit, how about I shift you there temporarily until we can sort out a single room for you?"

I knew the words came from genuine care, but it made me feel twice as awful as I had been feeling just a minute ago. I could already imagine the spectacle that would cause. It was already being whispered around the dormitory halls about how I was pampered because I had deep connections. Why else had I not been asked to find a space of my own and instead accommodated for so long? My sleeping situation was not something that was easy to put aside.

Nobody liked to have their roommate start screaming murder in the middle of the night with no response when attempting to be woken up. No one wanted to live under the fear of having a heart attack from ghostly cries and gibberish words at 2 in the morning.

In fact, everyone now refused to let me have the upper bunk.

I believed it was some sort of silent communication between everyone who got assigned to share a dorm room with me.

1. Do not let her have the top bunk

2. Do not wake up past 12

3. Sleep with headphones on

4. Always keep a light on

In the end, no one made it through.

"Everyone will just alienate me even more, ma'am."

The warden let out a despondent sigh, "One would think that for a University founded and funded by non-humans, and with 80% of the student population being non-humans, students here would be a little bit more accepting of people with their third eye open. It's not like you have a choice."

"It must still be a scary experience for them to go through every night. I think it's best I be the one to move into a separate place. I'll talk to my guardian and then move out as soon as I can."

The warden let out a frustrated sigh before nodding. She understood what I was saying was the truth.

"Alright, you can find yourself an apartment. But until then, you have to adhere to my arrangements. Move into Miss Bret's unit by tonight."

I let my head fall as I gave in. To be honest, I didn't know how long it was going to take to find a place. I didn't know how I was going to do it as well. I had only ever stayed at the school dormitory and that was arranged by my guardian. Besides, finding a place required at least a month. So it was better to temporarily make do with this arrangement.

"Ma'am... can you please let Opal know I'm only moving into the teacher's unit because I need time to find a place to stay within my budget? That way... they won't patronize me too much."

"What rich, spoilt girls here think about you is the last thing you should worry about, Gardenia. You probably won't see each other after graduation."

I could only nod again.

"Here, take the keys. Move in after your class today."

"Yes, ma'am."

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The walk back to my dorm room felt almost like a walk of shame. Everyone I passed seemed to be looking at me with a knowing look in their eyes. It didn't feel like they was scornful but more so sympathetic. I didn't know which embarrassed me more — receiving scorn or pity.

I hadn't always been this way, to be honest. Though life had been anything but happy, I had never thought I would be dropped with this ... whatever it was. My only reprise was that at least I never saw their true features — simply dark or light-colored smoke depending on how strong they were. The stronger one was, the darker the smoke. The newer or weaker one was, the whiter the smoke. The day it first began, was the second day when my life had turned on its trajectory.

I had been 20 then, two years ago. It was the day my father died. In fact, he was the first soul that I had seen. Pale white, standing between his and my mother's grave, almost dwindling to a point where I had thought it was mere mist. For a second I had thought that it was smoke... but then I remember it reached for me, and I took a step back so hurriedly I fell on my bum. To my horror, the white mist continued to grow closer until it engulfed me and I lost consciousness.

My father wasn't a very popular man. Well... neither was he a good father, but there was no one at his funeral to pay him a final visit. Not even his siblings. I was the only one.

I was found 6 hours later by the graveyard's caretaker, laying on top off my father's grave as if it were mine and I was waiting to be soaked into the damp, freshly dug soil.

When I woke up, I was in the hospital and my English teacher, Miss Usha, was bent over my hospital bed, asleep, a hand still holding my own.

I never saw my father again, I supposed those were his final moments before he moved on, but before he truly left he gave me one last parting pain... this sight.

Walking out of the hospital was a truly challenging experience. I have to this day never seen so many spirits in one area at once. That experience may also be attributed to the reason why I vehemently avoid hospitals if I can so help it now.

Truthfully speaking, in the beginning, I was quite frightened. Despite my respite of not having to see their true form, I could still see their blur shadowy outlines. And it never stopped them from latching onto me as their only means to communicate with their loved ones.

Over two years, I grew used to it. In fact, I eventually learned that the only way to behave is to not be afraid and to curse them out if they cross the line.

A single sign of fear or weakness is all it takes for them to grow interested in you.

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Class ended around twelve and after returning straight to the dormitory I was more or less done packing by 5, and 90% moved out by 5.30. The only things that were remaining was a small refrigerator and other appliances which I had sought help from the security officer to move with me.

As I waited for the security officer to arrive, I looked around the room that I had lived in for the last few months. Of course, this wasn't the only room that had been assigned to me throughout my education, but this was the one I had lived in for the past two months.

My head snapped up when all of a sudden, the door creaked open. A second later, a timid-looking girl edged into the room nervously before stopping when she realised I was there.

Thankfully before things became awkward, Opal swiftly opened the bedroom door to let the security man in just as he began to rap against the wooden door. Sometimes, I was astounded by supernatural speed.

"Let's take your things to the unit then, Gardenia." The fit man nodded before picking up the mini refrigerator and walking out of the room. In my hand, I picked up the remaining bag full of tiny appliances and an air-fryer and then grabbed my most-priced possession, the rice cooker.

"Um Nia-" Opal visibly jerked forward as I made a move to walk after the security officer.

I turned to look back at the hesitant-looking girl.

I really didn't hate her, truthfully, nor was I upset. I had been through this many times to get upset now. It wasn't their fault.

"I'm so sorry," the spring-like girl spoke, sounding genuine as she lowered her hand and bent down a little, apologetically.

My eyes stayed on her for a few seconds, before glancing at the almost black fog shadowing over her from behind. Now that we were not sharing a room, we were probably not going to interact ever again. This made me wonder... if I should tell her that the reason I had been screaming every night in my sleep was because her dead soulmate was still around here, for her. That he had been trying to possess me every night to be with her.

I moved my gaze back to the shorter girl.

"I understand completely and would do the same," I said out loud, before walking out of the door.

Opal was a beta werewolf, and her senses were above average. I was sure she had some idea just who was around her all the time, she was just afraid to admit it. Or perhaps she wanted him to stay with her. They were soulmates after all.

Hopefully, her mate was going to leave me alone now that I was going to be away from her though. Thankfully, most of the time these spirits were area or person bound — either to a person they could not pass on without, or an area they spent their final moments in, or an area they dearly cherished while they were still alive.

Sometimes they also remained... for revenge.