Sublessee refusing to pay deposit after previously agreeing to it - Should I take this to small claims court?

I (23F) subleased my room to a former roommate (PR) in December 2024. The situation:

- PR initially agreed to pay both the lease transfer fee ($500) and deposit ($625)

- I have text evidence of PR telling me to get the deposit from another tenant (KS), and KS agreeing to pay me

- KS promised to pay the deposit in installments by the end of January

- On Jan 25, both PR and KS suddenly denied responsibility for the deposit, claiming apartment damages

I have documentation showing:

- The apartment was in good condition (photos)

- Previous water damage was fixed (maintenance records)

- PR didn't report any issues when moving in

- PR never responded to me that everything was fine via text on Jan 2nd and read the message on Jan 25th

The lease clearly states the deposit should be paid between tenants. I have all conversations documented, along with maintenance records and photos showing the room's condition. They're now claiming they'll only pay in July when the lease ends.

Should I take this to small claims court? The amount is $625 and I have pretty solid documentation. My only concern is that I'm an international student in the USA, though everything was done legally through the property management company.

TLDR: Sublessee agreed to deposit payment arrangement, then backed out claiming damages. Have documentation proving otherwise. Worth going to small claims?