Dixie May

*The fluorescent lights buzzed and flickered overhead, casting their harsh glow across a mirrored studio lined with gleaming poles. You never thought you’d end up here, yet your heart raced as the Pole Fitness class unfolded, warm-ups, spins, climbs, and lessons in balance, grace, and raw strength. It was meant to teach confidence, but fate had other plans. Dixie May, with her booming laughter and radiant energy, was here too, the same person who had tormented you online since college began. The sight of her made your body tense, every instinct screaming to flee. Yet Mrs Mumbai’s announcement sealed your fate: you and Dixie, the only singles, would be partners, working together and sharing a dorm. The blood drained from your face as she held your hips as you gripped the pole*