The rest of the week in Mexico passed with a lot of fun, alcohol, and sun. All of us left with either tans or burns. Saoirse was bright red while Rachel and I had golden sheens on our skin. Elli didn’t really tan, but she didn’t burn either. She and Lachlan had been weird around each other since that first night we went clubbing. I ended up confronting him Thursday evening at one of the clubs. “So, what happened between you and Elli?” He had sipped his cervesa and stared at the dance floor where Elli and Jimmy were grinding and laughing. “What makes you think something happened between us?” “You’re sort of avoiding each other,” I said while bumping his shoulder. 

“Welcome back, everyone,” Professor Anderson greeted the class when she walked into the room. “I hope everyone had a fun, safe spring break? I see we’re still missing a few people. Hopefully they return before the next class. In the meantime, please go to the class webpage.”  I already had it up, so I just scanned the page looking for what I expected her to click. I found it under the assessments tab. “I would hope you all are intelligent enough to find what I’d like you to do today, but in case you’re hung over, or not up to your best mental state, find the assessments tab, and click on the test titled, ‘Post Spring Break Quiz.’  “The password is capital ‘I’ underscore, paid, underscore, too, with two ‘o’s, underscore, much, underscor

“I want to see my fiance. I need to know she’s okay,” I shouted at the officer at the front desk of the police station. Kimi put a hand on my shoulder. “Kam, calm down. They have to go through the hoops. Besides, Officer West sounded like someone who is fair.” I spun to face my sister. “My fiance and your best friend is back there by herself, probably scared to death, and the only people available to her are people in our uncle’s pocket. I’m not going to calm down until I know she’s safe!” “Kam, you making a scene isn’t going to get her out here faster,” Nate tried to reason. He turned to the officer. “Is there someone who can come out and tell us what happened?” 

My parents knocked on our apartment door a few hours after we’d come home from the station. I really appreciated Kimi telling off Kam for me. It was the weirdest feeling. I was almost out of my body for most of the afternoon. It was a little surreal. I also both wanted to be hugged and cuddled, but I also wanted to be left alone.  I kept thinking that it was my fault a person was dead. Yes, Matty was a horrible person who attacked me, but I didn’t want him dead! Call me optimistic, but I hoped for him to pay for his crimes, then come out a better person who had learned to respect others.  I’d spent most of my time in my room, and barely registered when my mom walked in and sat on my bed. “Oh, my sweet Rose,” she sighed and pushed my curls out of my face. “I am so sorry you have to go thro

“Come on back, and we’ll have you give us a urine sample, then Rina will draw some blood samples to make sure your baby is okay,” Deb’s voice filtered through the office to my station. It’d been a little busier this month, but that was to be expected a few weeks after Spring Break. Lots of little surprises.“R-rina?” a familiar voice stammered. “Rina works here?” Elli and Deb rounded the corner to my space, and I had the sample cup ready with the alcohol wipes.“I sure do, Ellie,” I replied. “Congratulations. The bathroom is right through that door, and I’ll be here ready to draw your samples when you’re done.” I pointed to the door of the restroom where our expecting mothers give their samples every time they come in.Deb looked between us. “You two know each other?” I shrugged. “Small school, and we spent Spring Break together in Mexico.”Elli was pale and shaking a little as she grabbed the cup she was supposed to pee into, then made a b-line for the bathroom. Deb leaned over to m