Chapter 1The Dorm Raid: Takedown of the Student Council

One night, right after I got out of the shower, the Head of the Student Council Disciplinary Committee barged into my room and took a photo of me half-naked.

I demanded she delete it. She refused and threatened to post it on the campus bulletin board as a "shaming" tactic.

I snapped. "If you post that, you’ll regret it for the rest of your life."

She turned pale with rage, gritting her teeth. "Do you have any idea what happens to a freshman who crosses a Student Council Head? Your four years here are over!"

I laughed.

The Student Council? Please. If you push me, I’m taking the whole damn circus down with me.

* * *

I was a freshman, and classes had barely started when the university announced a "Model Dormitory" competition. Civility, hygiene, the whole nine yards. Sounds great on paper, right?

At 9:00 PM, after deep-cleaning my room, I took a shower. I walked out into the room wearing nothing but my boxers when—BAM—the door flew open.

A girl followed by two guys marched in. Without a single word, she held up her phone and started snapping photos of me and the four bunks.

I froze for a second, then lunged for a towel to wrap around my waist. Too late.

One of the guys pointed at the girl. "Disciplinary Committee. This is our Chair, Sarah Miller. From now on, you don't call her 'Sophomore,' you call her 'Chairwoman Miller.' Got it?"

I got it, you little...

I forced myself to stay calm. "Sarah, you're a girl. You're in a guys' dorm. Don't you think you should at least knock first?"

"What's your name? How dare you speak to me like that!" Miller adjusted her glasses and turned to her lackeys. "Check the bed number. Get his name."

I felt like the air was being sucked out of the room.

She kept rambling. "Model Dorms! A campus-wide event, and I have to handle it myself. Look at you. Does this look like 'civility' to you? Let me tell you freshies something: a dorm is a public space. From now on, you stay fully dressed. Understand?"

A public space? My bedroom?

My head was pounding. I told them to just leave; our room was clean.

Miller looked around, realizing there wasn't a speck of dust to find. She turned to her team. "The room is clean, but the tenant has a bad attitude. Deduct six points for 'lack of character.'" She turned to walk out.

"Stop!" I roared. "Deduct whatever points you want, but delete that photo before you leave. I've been more than patient with you."

Miller spun around, glaring at me like I was dirt. "Say that again."

"Delete the photo and get out!"

She was shaking with fury. She claimed she’d never met a freshman this arrogant. She said the photo was staying, and tomorrow, it would be on the main campus board as a "negative example."

I told her if she posted it, I’d sue for privacy violation and call the police.

Her face went white. "You think you can threaten me? Your college career is done!"

"Blah, blah, blah. Get out. I can't snatch your phone, but hear me clearly: if that photo leaks, I’ll see you in court."

She muttered a few choice words and told me to watch my back. Three days later, the real trouble started.