Chapter Three

Get up.

Ria, get up before I kick your ass.

The not-so-distant voice keeps nagging. I groan and pull the blankets up to my chin and try to go back to sleep.

Just as I feel myself drifting back to sleep someone pulls the blanket from me and since I had it wrapped around my body I rolled along with it. Since I was sleeping on the couch I didn't have that much room to roll.

That my friends is how I found myself dropping to the floor with a heavy thud.

"Ouch!" I whine

"You have thirty minutes to get ready. I have already made you breakfast and some strong coffee."

I stand up and my sleep-deprived body registers that I am in Kim's room and I have zero memory of how I got here.

"What happened last night?" I feel horrible, every part of my body hurts and feels heavy. This has got to be the worst hangover I have ever experienced.

"Here take this." Kim hands me two painkillers and a glass of orange juice. She has a pissed-off look on her face.

I quickly take the pills and greedily drink the juice.

"I love you." I simply tell her as I give her the glass back.

She rolls her eyes in response but I see a small smile trying to make its way onto her lips.

"Go take a shower."

I don't bother arguing I just do as she says. It's best not to provoke her when she is in a bad mood.

A mood I caused by being a drunk mess last night.

A shower is exactly what I need. The hot water loosens out my tense muscles. I try to remember the events of last night but everything is blurry. I remember dancing with Luke a couple of times before he disappeared again.

I also remember someone bumping into me making me spill my half-empty vodka bottle.

I think... I think I flashed some guy my boobs.

Yep, I definitely flashed some random guy.

I groan loudly. I'm never drinking alcohol ever again. Never.

When I'm finished showering I go join Kim. We eat our breakfast quickly in silence. I know Kim disapproves of my behavior last night but I also know she won't openly confront me about it.

It's no surprise that we are late for our first class but we are also lucky because it seems as if the lecturer is late as well. This is shocking because Woodridge always strives to be the best of the best so tardy lecturers are almost unheard of.

Strangely that's not the first thing that I notice when I walk into class. It's the fact that everyone seems to be jumpy.

"What the hell is up with these losers?" Kim asks while shaking her head.

I just shrug my shoulders in response.

When Kim and I walk into the class towards our seats at the back a small petite framed girl rushes up to us before we even make it to our sits.

"Oh my gosh did you guys hear about what happened last night? It's so terrible, I heard he was drunk."

"What are you talking about?" I ask the girl. I have no idea what her name is but I'm sure we have almost every class together because she looks a little familiar.

"Oh my! You mean you haven't heard? It's all over Twitter!"

The annoying girl is jumping up and down with excitement. I wonder what it could be. Nothing overly exciting ever happens here. This Island is the one place most of us can relax and live a normal mundane life. Away from the spotlight that comes with having famous or rich parents.

"Just spit it out for heavens sake!"

I almost laughed when I saw the girl's shocked expression at Kim's impatient outburst.

But before she can answer us our lecturer walks in. Everyone rushes to their seats even our little friend who was about to tell us some potentially juicy gossip.

Whatever has got everyone talking is big news.

"Okay, I'm sure most of you have heard about the unfortunate events that occurred last night. If you haven't them I'm sorry to be the barrier of bad news."

Kim and I exchanged curious glances. I don't know why but a heavy knot suddenly forms in my stomach and it's not from the hangover.

"Last night five rooms from the West End boys dormitory burned down."

Shocked gasps are coming from the students in the room and I see a girl in the back wipe a tear from her eye.

My heart drops. I don't want to jump to conclusions but deep down I know what he is going to say.

A heavy lump forms in my chest. A few people in the room gasp.

"Calm down everyone. Luckily the fire department managed to stop the fire from spreading elsewhere but unfortunately, it had already taken the life of one student."

I am frozen, unable to move.

When our lecturer Mr. August says this. My heart starts pumping fast. I can't breathe. I know I am about to have a panic attack, so I force myself to take a deep breath to try to calm myself.

Please don't say it.

Please don't say it.

Please. Please.

I keep chanting in my mind over and over again but deep down. I can feel it in my gut that something horrible has happened. I don't know how I know but I just do.

I feel Kim silently slip her hand into my own. I grab it and hold her tight.

"He was an excellent student and the university is at a loss. The police are doing an investigation to find out how the fire started. Matthew Trevor will be greatly missed. If any of you knew him personally there will be a memorial service for him in the main hall this weekend."

And just like that, my whole world has fallen apart. Surely it can't be my Matthew. I saw him just a few days ago and now.. and now he is...

I start sobbing violently. It feels like someone has just wrapped their hands around my heart and ripped it from my chest. I can't breathe. I am breathing in oxygen but for some reason, it refuses to reach my lungs. My whole world is collapsing, falling apart, and dragging me with it. At that moment I want to die because I can't imagine living in a world where Matt doesn't exist.

I feel Kim wrap her arms around me and lead me away from the room.

"He is dead Kim. He is gone." I say between sobs.

When I finally say those words out loud the realization that Matt is gone hits me. I feel the bile rise from my stomach and just like that, I vomit all the breakfast I had this morning.

Matthew is dead. My boyfriend is dead.