People always say that college is supposed to be the best time of your life.

They say that it's this beautiful, hectic, but short period of time in which one gets to enjoy themselves before they have to face the harsh reality of working eight hours a day, five days a week. 

It's when one gets to study and pursure what they're really interested in. It's when one is allowed to finally branch out and meet new people after seeing the same faces since childhood. It's when one finally figures out what they're passionate about and what they really want to do for the rest their life. 

It marks the beginning of adulthood; many start making their own money; you're away from your parents; you finally get to have a taste of freedom. 

Society makes college seem like this period of self discovery-- a crucial part of life when you find out who you really are as an individual. 

It's a time when you prepare for your future, party with your friends, do some drugs, maybe fall in love, and have a ton of one-night stands. 

In Tzuyu's case, she only got to the partying, drugs, and part of college. 

"Hey, Tzuyu," Chaeyoung, Tzuyu's best friend, says. 

Tzuyu doesn't really like a lot of people, but she can't imagine a world without Chaeyoung. She would never admit it, or tell her, but she was grateful she had at least one good person that was constant in her life. 

(She was never good at expressing her emotions.) 

"What's up?" Tzuyu asks, her eyes never leaving her phone screen. She was texting the singlehandedly hottest girl in school: Myoui Mina. Things weren't official, but they've been flirting nonstop for the past few weeks. Exactly how Tzuyu liked it: no strings attached. 

Chaeyoung peers at her, getting the hint that her best friend was texting the girl. "What are you doing tonight? I don't have any plans." 

Tzuyu smirks at her screen and quickly locks her phone before placing it on her table. "Well you do now. Mina just invited us to her party tonight."

She jumps out of bed and starts gathering her belongings; she had a morning class (that she despised) to attend to. She sees Chaeyoung do the same in her peripheral vision and zips up her backpack before slinging it on her shoulder. 

"Do you have feelings for Mina?" Chaeyoung asks, a suspicious tone in her voice. Tzuyu can't help but laugh. The answer was the same every time Chaeyoung asked if Tzuyu had feelings for the new girl she was flirting with. Tzuyu didn't do relationships. Never did. 

Why would she commit to one girl when she could easily sleep and flirt with any girl at her college? She loved the rush, the chase, and the looks on the girls' faces when she bluntly rejects their suggestion to make it official. She couldn't stand the thought of committing to just one girl and settling down. Didn't it get boring? 

"You already know my answer, Chae," Tzuyu chuckles.

"I know," Chaeyoung responds, laughing at herself as well. She knew Tzuyu too well, and she knew her best friend's habits, but she couldn't help think it would backfire in the end. Tzuyu pats her friend on the back and bids her goodbye before heading out of their dorm room. 

As soon as she steps out of the door, she feels her body crash into another. The impact is so powerful that she stumbles and hits her back on her dorm rooom's door. 

"What the hell?!" Tzuyu groans, her voice laced with annoyance. She turns to look at who she ran into and sees a girl on the floor, obviously startled by her fall. 

The girl was wearing a simple outifit -- a white t-shirt and jeans-- but what stood out wasn't her outfit, it was the pitch black sunglasses that that completely hid her eyes.

And the golden retriever that stood right next to her with a bright yellow vest. 

"I-I'm so sorry," the girl squeaks. Tzuyu rolls her eyes and places her hands on her hips, watching the girl who was to blame for her inconvenience before class. 

She scoffs and watches the girl as she slowly got up and flattened her shirt with her palms. "What, just because you're blind you think you can get away with pushing me against the door?" she snaps. The girl was wearing sunglasses, yet Tzuyu could still see what the girl was feeling. She seemed apologetic, embarrassed-- hurt. And for a second, she felt sorry for her.

"N-no, I just.. I--," the girl stutters. Tzuyu quickly cuts her off with a cold laugh and runs her fingers through her freshly washed hair.

"Just watch where you're going next time," she grumbles, giving the girl one last look before walking away to the stairs-- the elevator has been broken for a month now. She had a small urge to turn and see if the girl was still there or not, but she shook away those thoughts and jogged down the dark steps. 

Sometimes, Tzuyu wonders when she started to act this way. 

-- 

Tzuyu wasn't always like this. 

Growing up, she was known to be a sweet, loving kid. She always had a smile on her face, and people would say that she always made their day a little bit better.

But in the first grade, her seemingly perfect family had turned toxic. The fights were constant, lasting throughout the night, and as an only child, Tzuyu had no one to turn to but herself. The countless sleepless nights, with Tzuyu hiding in the closet and desperate