The landlords were an elderly couple, kind enough to rent it to me for just two hundred dollars, seeing I was a young student.
After staying there for three or four days, I returned to the dorm one night to pack my belongings.
On the balcony, I noticed the cage lock had been cracked open by the snake!
My stomach tightened—the cage could no longer contain it.
“Lily, where have you been these past days? Are you avoiding us because you think the snake is poisonous?” Emily asked as they came in.
“No, not at all.”
Amanda frowned, unconvinced. “Not at all? Then feed it.”
Emily quickly messaged in the group chat: “Lily, Amanda’s snake crawls around at night. We’re terrified.”
Sophia: “If it bites someone, it’ll be serious. Please tell the RA to scold her!”
I said nothing, picked up some food, and walked toward the cage.
The snake’s vertical pupils glared at me coldly.
I forced myself to drop the food inside.
Seeing the snake eat, Amanda looked pleased.
Emily, however, grew angry. “Amanda, Lily tossed the food in from afar, like she’s scared of it.”
Sophia agreed. “Exactly. She’s afraid it’s poisonous and might tell the RA, making you throw it away.”
Amanda’s face darkened. “Lily, why did you throw it from so far?”
Feigning innocence, I smiled. “I had lotion on my hands. I wasn’t sure if it would irritate the snake.”
“Bubbles is so sweet. I’ll pet it myself.”
I reached in and stroked the snake.
Emily and Sophia stared, dumbfounded.
How could I dare touch it?
Only I knew—from my past life—that after feeding, the snake temporarily tolerated me. But that wouldn’t last long.
I seized the chance to strike back. “Amanda, maybe Emily and Sophia think it’s poisonous? After all, I haven’t seen them touch it.”
Their faces blanched.
Amanda narrowed her eyes. “I knew it—you two never get close to Bubbles. Are you trying to say it’s poisonous?”
Both trembled in fear.
Emily stammered, “N-no, I’ll touch it too.”
She opened the cage, lifted the snake, and even rubbed it against her face.
The snake flicked its tongue, glaring coldly. Emily’s face turned white.
“See? I never said it was poisonous.” She quickly shoved it back.
Amanda then turned to Sophia.
Sophia, who feared anything creepy or crawly, paled in terror.
Amanda smirked. “What are you afraid of? I kiss it all the time. It’s tame and won’t bite. Why don’t you kiss it too?”
Sophia’s clothes were soaked in sweat.
“It—it won’t bite?”
“Of course not.”
Shaking, Sophia brought the snake close and kissed its body.
Amanda scowled. “I meant its mouth.”
Sophia’s lips quivered, but she obeyed, kissing the snake’s head as it hissed, tongue flicking.
Terrified, she nearly wet herself.
The snake, luckily well-fed, didn’t attack.
She quickly put it back. Amanda nodded in satisfaction. “Good. Then I won’t make the snake bite you two in the future.”
