Survivor

1| Introductions

Nobody knows when they could wake up and live the day that changes their life forever; a day that sets a new plan into motion. I certainly didn't know when I signed up for a month-long survival camp that I would start a very different adventure; One that changed my life forever.

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Beep beep beep beep beep.

"Ugh. Make it stop," I groaned at nobody as my alarm blasted throughout my tiny bedroom. I blinked one eye open at a time, letting them adjust to the morning light streaming through the window. I lazily reached for my phone to hit the snooze button. 7:00 was just too early for me. The good thing about college though, is you don't have to look nice for a giant lecture hall. In fact, 4 of 5 days I would show up to class looking like a homeless person. Today however, was the one day I decided to semi-try.

"Cassie! Don't you dare hit that snooze button. You're gonna be late for our exam!" My roommate Alexa called through my door.

"Yeah yeah," I called back at her as I threw my comforter off of myself. I shivered as my body adjusted to the temperature of my air-conditioned room without my blanket. I ran my fingers through my long blonde hair to release it from the braid I had slept in, and wandered into the kitchen to make some coffee. My roommate and I both had the same class this morning, so I decided I'd make some extra for her too while she showered.

"Morning Cassie," a deep voice rumbled from behind me. I stiffened as I recognized the voice instantly as Alexa's dickhead boyfriend.

"Hey," I said, not bothering to turn around. I couldn't stand the guy, and he didn't deserve an ounce of my attention. Unless of course my attention was in the form of a swift punch to his smug, pimpled, baby-face.

"What, you aren't even going to look at me?" Trent teased.

I finished pouring the water into the back of the coffee maker, set the pot in place, and hit start.  "Nope," I replied before turning to head into my room. Just the sound of his raspy voice was enough to make my insides boil hotter than the fresh stream of coffee.

"You know, you can't blame me for what happened. I mean look at the way you dress around here. You're asking for it." He stood up off the kitchen stool as he spoke, lingering a few steps behind me.

I couldn't believe what I was hearing. How dare he say that about me in my own home, and how dare he blame me for his actions of sexual assault.

Although I wanted to cry instantly as he brought up the incident, his taunting was enough to set me off. I swung around and locked my big brown eyes on his. "Don't you DARE try and justify what you did. Alexa may not believe me now, but one day she will see you for the horrible person that you are. Besides, I can dress however I want; it's my house. Feel free to get the fuck out if you don't like it," I said with the sharpest tone I could muster. I didn't have to fake my intensity; his presence disgusted me.

"Oh Cassie. You know that I DO like it, and that's the problem," he chuckled and headed back into Alexa's room.

I quickly ran inside my room and shut the door. I sunk to the ground to calm my nerves. I just couldn't understand how someone as amazing as Alexa could be with him. She was beautiful, smart, kind, and yet somehow ended up with Trent-- the human equivalent of a pile of shit. She was also the first friend that I made in college. She was the one who helped me turn my life around, and it still hurt me to this day that she didn't believe me when I told her what happened with Trent. Sure, part of it was denial, but I had thought we were closer than that.