My alarm clock beeps, a signal for me to wake up.
I'm already awake anyway.
I've been up, more or less, all night.
No matter how hard I try to forget the day before, I can't. It always finds a way back into my mind. My mother's smiling face, slowly morphing into a cold, lifeless corpse is a frequent image displayed in my head. I was never told how she killed herself, and so that leaves a lot to the imagination for my inner demons to conjure up.
So far the hospital hasn't contacted me further, apart from an email sent to me last night when I came back to my room at around midnight explaining if I changed my mind about the funeral I was welcome to call a phone number listed at the bottom of the email.
I put any remaining thoughts about my mother and the night before to rest at the back of my mind, hauling myself off my bed, approaching my desk stacked with books, stationery, a small collection of make-up and a mirror, hanging above my eyeshadow palette: a gift from Kori on my 16th birthday, two years earlier. The eyeshadows in it are still untouched.
I grab my face-cream, rubbing it into my pale face, laced with tiredness, whilst opening my wardrobe with my free hand. I grab a black skirt along with a white t-shirt adorned with a simple red heart in the centre: a basic outfit designed to not attract attention. Once I've got dressed, I apply some mascara and look in the mirror, shrugging at my appearance, the bags under my eyes a constant reminder of the sleepless night I've had.
My alarm clock reads 6:27 am, approximately 2 hours and a half until my first class: ''An Introductory Lecture On Media: 9 am commencing'', my timetable reads. I grab my backpack from underneath my bed, putting essentials into it to last the day: a notebook, my pencil case, my phone and a portable charger.
Next, I go out of my room, not surprised when I notice no one else is up. My portable bottle sits on the side, next to my kettle. The main kitchen is downstairs, but I keep my essentials up here, on the side table, because they do not need many appliances to make.
I turn on the kettle, place my backpack on the floor and go into the bathroom, to brush my teeth. Once I've finished in there, I go back to brew my herbal tea, startled to see Richard all dressed and ready sitting on the sofa, on his phone.
''Oh hey, Rich,'' I say. ''Didn't expect you to be up.''
''I always get up early,'' he responds. ''I go to the rooftop garden to watch the sunrise. It's what I always do.''
''Ah. Right.'' I put the lid of the bottle on, securing the heat of the tea inside.
''Have you been to the roof yet?'' he asks.
''Yeah,'' I recall last night again: Garfield finding me there, and how I had a complete breakdown in front of him. ''It's a nice place,'' I half-lie. It is a nice place, with all the flowers and plants, but it isn't at the same time, because I will associate it with sadness from now on, because of the tears shed last night in that very place.
Our conversation continues for a few minutes, chattering about our first day, and how nervous and excited we are at the same time until Kori's bedroom door opens, a beaming smile decorating her face.
''It's our first day!'' she shouts, smoothing down her grey pencil skirt with a pink blouse. She was always the most fashionable out of the two of us. A black handbag hangs in the crook of her elbow, brushing by her hip as she walks forward. ''So how do you feel?'' she asks Richard and me.
''Bit nervous, but alright, I guess.'' I plaster a fake, uneasy smile on my face.
''Pretty excited,'' Richard answers. ''What about you?''
''I cannot wait!'' Kori's eyes brighten with excitement, her smile widening as she walks forward towards the side table, with the kettle, my teabags, cereal boxes, and a few packets of snacks on it. She opens a small fridge directly underneath the platform, taking out a carton of milk, and grabbing a spoon from a drawer. She begins to eat the cereal, observing Victor's door open.
''Good morning, Victor!'' she says, and Richard and I greet him as he groggily makes his way to the bathroom muttering a reply.
I look down at my watch, reading 7:22 am.
''What's the time?'' Victor yells from inside the bathroom.
''7:22,'' I respond, and Victor rushes out the bathroom, holding a toothbrush.
''I'm meeting a friend at half-past,'' he explains, ''I need to go.'' He grabs his backpack. ''Oh yeah, Rich, wanna come? I'm meeting Wally, the dude we met yesterday?''
''Sure,'' Richard grabs his backpack, following Victor. ''Bye, Kori.'' She smiles and waves back. ''See you later, Rachel.''
Victor knocks on Garfield's door before leaving. ''Yo, G! Wake up!'' Victor opens the front door, rushing out, nodding behind him as a goodbye. Richard follows.
''See you later!'' Kori shouts as they leave, placing her empty cereal bowl in the sink.
I suddenly remember I didn't eat anything this morning, and hardly anything yesterday. My stomach howls in response, but I just sip my tea as a way of reducing my hunger.
''Missing breakfast won't hurt,'' I think, watching a sleepy Garfield emerge from his room. He's in a pair of grey lounge shorts and a red t-shirt. He walks in a daze, making his way to the bathroom, without looking at Kori and I.
''When's your class start?'' I ask Kori.
''8:45 am,'' she answers, looking over at a golden watch on her wrist: a present I bought her for her birthday last year. I feel a pang of guilt because nearly all gifts I've been given by her are unused, either withering in the back of my closet or left back at home.
Home.
With my mother.
My mother who — who...
''When does your class start?'' Kori interrupts my thoughts, but I am grateful for the intervention.
''9:00 am.'' As I reply, Garfield comes out of the bathroom, finally noticing our presence.
''Good morning.'' He smiles, and I just nod back. Kori, however, initiates a conversation.
''Hello, Garfield! When does your class start?''
''Class? Oh, shoot. Today? The first day is today?'' He rushes into his room, shutting the door, and reappears what seems to be a few seconds later in some jeans and a hoodie. He's holding a notebook.
''8:45 am,'' he answers Kori's question. ''I guess I'd better get going.''
As he passes us, grabbing a packet of what I believe is tofu, I can see bags under his eyes.
Guess someone else didn't sleep last night either.
And I can't help thinking it was because of me.
Oof! Quite a long chapter, I'd say. About 1150 words. I hope you liked it. It was really just an introduction to their university life, and also a slight recollection for Rachel. I swear, at least ten times in this I kept on writing ''Cyborg'' and ''Robin''. It's so hard to not use their superhero nicknames. Anyway, hoped you enjoyed this chapter. And also did you spot the reference to my other bbrae book? It's quite subtle, but it's there. Another thing that is quite subtle is the blooming romance between Kori and Richard, but, of course, the centre of this is bbrae, so there won't be much focus on them. By the way, if you didn't know, the guy Victor and Richard are meeting is called ''Wally'' aka ''Kid Flash''. Just to let you know! Another character appearing will be ''Garth'' aka ''Aqualad'', and ''Jeanette'' (Jinx) and ''Karen'' (Bee) I'm not sure when, but they will appear! And no Terra at all. She's not included, thank God. If you spot any typos, comment where they are. Thank you so much for reading!