I hesitate, staring at the container—the word ‘No’ dances on the tip of my tongue. I have too much to do tomorrow, too many reasons not to. The thought of going back to the grind makes me feel sick. Tonight, I don’t want to think. I just want to feel something. Alive—I just want to be fucking alive.
“Half a dose,” I say, “We don’t need to be climbing the walls.”
Camismiles and taps her shot glass against mine before we both take our half of the pill. The effect is almost instantaneous—heat spreads through my veins, elevating every sound and every touch.
Cami grabs me. “Oh my God, Vi, this is incredible! You’re a real genius,” she says, her pupils dilated.
Everything is electric. Every beat seems to pulse within me, and every brush of skin feels like flames.It’s unbelievable.A guy from one of my chemistry labs smiles at me, moving his hands on my waist as we sway together. Usually, I’d shove him off, but tonight…Tonight, I don’t care.
Cami dances beside me, waving her arms in the air and laughing, “Promise, if I don’t make it home tonight to bury me in this dress,” she says dramatically.
“I’ll see that it’s included in your will,” I giggle.
The night is a blur of flashes, with Cami and I doing shots at the bar, singing at the top of our lungs. We collapse on the plush couch in the VIP lounge, laughing over nothing.It feels good. It feels free.
The world tilts when I open my eyes. For a second, I think the ceiling’s moving. My head throbs, and my mouth tastes like vodka and cotton mouth. I rub my face, trying to scrape off the headache, but it doesn’t help. The dorm’s a wreck. Clothes everywhere. Papers, and bottles too. One heel lies under the chair, and the other... I don’t even know.
Cami’s crashed out on my loveseat, dress twisted, and one shoe still on. She’s snoring quietly. I don’t know how she does that—just sleeps through anything.
There’s a knock on the door, and the sharpness of it makes my stomach roll.
“Go away,” I mumble, dragging the blanket over my head.
Another knock. Louder this time, seemingly more impatient.
I groan as I move, and instantly regret it. The room spins sideways. I grab the wall, blinking hard until things stop moving, and shuffle to the door.
When I open it, it’s like the air shifts and everything goes still.
I squint at the people standing in my doorway—two cops, the dean, and my RA.Why would they all be here?Their faces tell me I won’t like what comes next.
“Violet Cole?” one of them asks.
Every nerve tightens. I step sideways, blocking the view of my desk and the lab gear scattered behind me. Panic crawls up my throat.They know. Oh God, they finally know.My mind starts doing the math…How fast can I hide it? How bad is this? What do they have on me?
“Ma’am,” the older officer says, softer now.
I force my voice to sound normal. “Yeah? What’s this about?”
He hesitates. His mouth works once before he manages it. “There’s been an accident.”
The word hits harder than I expect.Accident.The sound of it hangs there, wrong and heavy.
“What?” My voice comes out small and broken. “What are you talking about?”
The younger cop clears her throat. “Your family was in a car accident early this morning. Your sister survived. Your parents didn’t.”
Dean Markum steps forward. His hand finds mine; it’s steady, but shaking all the same. “Violet,” he says quietly, “you should sit.”
Family.
Didn’t make it.
No. That’s not… No.
My brain blanks. It’s like I hear him, but he’s waterlogged. Everything smears together until there’s almost nothing left.
I just stand there. I can’t sit. Not now. I have to know what’s happening.
