We tumble into the elevator; the rich scent of the pizza surrounding us.
Victor presses the top button, and we soon arrive at the rooftop garden: the same place I was just a few days ago.
Alone.
Until Garfield showed up.
I catch his eye, and a smile crosses his face, and I realise he's probably thinking about the exact same thing as me.
''You sure you don't want any pizza?'' he asks, but I shake my head before he's even finished his sentence.
''I'm not hungry.'' The elevator doors open, and Kori grabs my hand again, pulling me onto the rooftop, by the handrail.
The wind forces my hair behind my shoulders, the cold gust of air nipping at my exposed skin.
''This is just what I needed after today!'' she giggles, leaning over the handrail, watching the streetlights light up on the street, far below us. ''It's getting dark quite early.''
I lift my head up, facing the horizon partly hidden by the city, patches of the sky a mixture of colours, blending into each other and the lit-up buildings as the sun departs.
''Yo, Kori! Here's your disgusting pineapple pizza.'' The voice belongs to Garfield. I turn back, looking at Victor and Garfield scoffing slices down their throats, pizza boxes strewn across a bench.
''You should try some. It's much better than you think,'' she replies, taking her food dotted with chunks of pineapple. I stay where I am, by the handrail, observing the city, the night-life just awakening.
The laughs and shouts from my roommates are simply blurs in the background of my thoughts.
I shiver slightly at the coldness of the wind touching my skin, and I pull down the hem of my skirt lower, wishing I had brought one of my hoodies with me. As if in answer, Kori returns next to me, clutching one of my grey, oversized sweatshirts.
''Thank you so much.'' I smile. I'm about to say something when the glass door to the roof swings open, and Richard enters.
''Hey, guys.'' We all greet him, including me.
I continue staring out into the distance, aware that Kori is watching me, trying to find out why I'm acting so distant tonight.
My stomach howls alongside the wind, but I bite my lip, trying to think about anything other than hunger and — and my mother.
''Rachel, are you okay?'' Kori breaks the silence, looking back to the guys on the blanket, surrounded by leftovers. Her eyes dart back to mine in a few seconds.
I sigh before I answer. ''I'm fine, Kori, honestly. I just have a lot to think about that moment.''
She places a reassuring hand on my shoulder. I know that Kori instantly understands what I'm thinking about. ''I'm really sorry about your mother, Rachel. Do you want to go inside and talk?''
''I — I —'' I feel a pang of guilt as I start to speak. ''No, Kori, it's fine. I'll come over in a bit.''
Kori smiles, and her hand relaxes and withdraws from my shoulder. ''Do you want some of my pizza? There are two slices left.''
''No, it's fine. Not hungry,'' the lie slips from my tongue for the third time tonight.
I just need to ignore food for a few days, and then that excess fat around my stomach will go.
Just for a few days.
''I'll come over in a bit,'' I repeat what I said earlier.
She nods, walking over to Richard and the others.
After half an hour, I decide to finally approach them.
''Hey, we were just playing a game of truth or dare,'' Kori says. ''Want to join in?''
I contemplate playing. ''I'll just watch if that's okay.''
''Sure,'' she replies, shuffling closer to Richard to allow me to sit down on the blanket.
''Truth or dare, Victor?'' Garfield asks, awaiting his response.
''Truth.''
''I see we have another chicken,'' he laughs, and playful punches Victor. ''Come on, Vic! Dare?''
''Nah, man. I'm still recovering from the last.'' The group chuckles, but they do not tell me what the last dare was. I assume it was something gruesome, like chewing a piece of used gum stuck underneath a bench.
''Fine, then. Truth. If you had to make out with someone you've met: either someone from this group or someone else studying here, who would it be?''
Victor laughs. ''I guess this girl I met today.'' A slight blush rises from his dark skin. ''But she's — she's dating Wally.''
''You mean Jeanette?'' Richard nudges him on the shoulder. ''I'm so telling him.''
Victor is about to reply, but Garfield cuts him off. ''Come on, details, Vic. What she look like? What does she study?''
''Well, she has short hair, like a pixie cut, bright pink —'' he's interrupted again, but this time by Kori.
''Does she study graphics?''
''Yeah, how'd you know?'' Victor responds.
''We sat next to each other in my lecture. Our courses are similar so we had one together.''
''Yeah, well then that's her.''
The game goes on for another hour before everyone decides it's time to go back inside.
''Rach, are you coming?'' Garfield is one of the last to go back.
I look at him, his green eyes gleaming in the light of the lanterns, alive like all the plants surrounding us. As he steps closer, I can see a glassy quality in them, his forest eyes masked with worry.
''Not yet. I'll be out here just for a few minutes longer.''
I hear a muffled voice from inside. Garfield ignores it and speaks to me again.
''Okay.'' He runs his hands through his blond hair. ''If you need anything, just let me know.''
''Sure.'' I turn around, leaning on the handrail once more, the cold air creating goosebumps on my arms. The discarded hoodie is still left on the bench. I took it off during the game, and I don't go and get it as I start to shiver.
I concentrate on the night. The sky is much darker, but very cloudy. The moon isn't visible, however, a few stars can be found weaving in and out of the thick murky clouds. I eventually spot a small patch of the moon, before being covered up again, the light from it devoured by the clouds.
I hear the door opening.
''Rach?''
At first, I don't hear him.
''Hey, Rachel?''
I turn around to face him.
''You okay? You've been out for an hour since I left.''
''Oh, right. Sorry. I've — I'm just — just got a lot to think about.'' I smile uneasily at him, walking over to the bench grabbing my hoodie.
''Is there something you want to tell me, Rach?'' He observes my fidgety hands, playing with the fabric of my hoodie. ''I know you probably tell Kori everything, but I'm here as well — you know? If you ever want to talk, know that I'm here as well.''
''I know.'' I avoid looking into his eyes. They hold too much worry, and I know if I see the amount of fear for me in his pupils, I'll start to cry. ''I'm just thinking about my first day, that's all.''
''Okay. Well, goodnight.''
''Goodnight, Garfield.'' I walk back inside, soon enveloped in the covers of my bed, letting my dreams take over.
Thank you so much for reading this chapter! So Jeanette aka Jinx was mentioned, who Victor may be crushing on, but, of course, she's dating Wally. By the way, I ship flinx, not cyjinx, so Victor aka Cyborg won't be getting with her... but maybe with someone else! I hope you enjoyed the short bbrae moment at the end. Garfield really cares about her, even so early on. Awww. I hope she eventually does confide in him. Comment down any thoughts. Love you all.