Chapter Nine

Don't panic. I repeat don't panic Ria.

That's what I keep chanting to myself. As I see the devil making his way toward our table. He is wearing black from head to toe. All designer clothes. Even the way he walks.

Like he has the world at the tip of his little finger. Cameron's autocratic confidence oozing just adds to his sex appeal. I know it's stupid to feel this way. I even hate to admit it to myself but there is a small part of me that still finds Cameron attractive.

Fuck. I'm so screwed.

"Hey."

Cameron's familiar voice makes its way into my ears. I turn around in my seat so I can get a better look at him. I don't say anything.

I just stare.

He looks at me with intention in his eyes. I lift an eyebrow and wait for him to speak. I have nothing to say to him.

"So you still giving me the silent treatment I see."

He says with an arrogant smirk on his face. I don't bother answering I just turn back to Luke. My friend has an awe expression on his face. He keeps looking at me and then back at Cameron.

Almost as if he doesn't believe his eyes.

Neither do I buddy

"I know where I know you from."

Cameron says again. I quickly turn my head back in his direction.

"What did you say?"

I ask him the panic in my voice is undisguisable. Please don't make him remember. For the first time ever I realize that I would rather he doesn't remember me at all than to have him remember and not want anything to do with me. That would be embarrassing and it would hurt.

"You are the hot chocolate girl." He says.

I can tell he is really proud of himself for remembering. He is right. I am the hot chocolate girl, but that is not all I am. The night after he and I slept together. I woke up and he was gone. In my naive mind, I thought maybe he had left for an early class. Because surely he would never leave me.

So what did I do?

I went out with a smile on my face. I went to a coffee shop and bought two cups of hot chocolate. One for me and one for him. I decided to go surprise him at one of his classes. What a mistake that was. I remember that day like it was yesterday. I remember seeing him sitting with a couple of his friends. I hesitated at first because I wasn't sure if I should approach him while he was with his friends, but when images of how close and intimate we had been the previous night made their way into my mind I suddenly thought that I had nothing to fear.

So I Gloria Brown made my way to him. He had his back to me so I tapped his shoulder and he turned to look at me. I will never forget the look in his eyes. The look of sheer and utter unrecognition. He lifted his eyebrow

"Can I help you?"

He asked in a monotone and completely bored voice.

"Umm.. yes. I mean, No.. umm.. what?"

I was shaken. I couldn't say a simple sentence. I realized that he didn't remember. I thought we had shared something special. Something magical, but I was wrong. He didn't remember. To say I was embarrassed would be an understatement. His friends started snickering. Finding my predicament amusing. I abruptly turned to run away when I bumped into someone and spilled all the hot chocolate all over me and the other person. I remember the sound of their laughter and I walked away as fast as I could without running.

So now this bastard tells me he remembers my moment of weakness?

I will not give him the satisfaction. I refuse.

"Luke let's go."

I tell my best friend and grab my purse. I get up from my chair and make my way toward the restaurant exit.

"If you still want my number I can give it to you. Gladly."

I hear Cameron speak. So he thinks I was some love-sick girl who wanted his number that day?

I guess it's better that the truth. I almost make it to the door when I realize that I don't want him to get the last word so I turn around and stare him flat in the eye.

"Fuck you, Cahill."

I say and just like that I walk out and I don't even bother checking to see if Luke is following me.

"So. Are you ever gonna tell me what that was all about?"

Luke asks. We are currently parked outside Luke's dormitory complex.

I have been avoiding his questions since we left the sushi bar.

"One day okay? I will tell you when I'm ready."

I try to reason with him

"I'm your best friend." He says

"I know."

He stares at me for a long time before he finally lets out a heavy sigh.

"Okay, whatever you want Ria. I will see you later."

He says and gets out of my car. He gives me a final wave before he disappears into his building. I sit in my car for a while. I'm trying to process what just happened a couple of minutes ago. I'm about to drive away when I realize I'm not far from Matt's old building. I haven't been there since Matt died. Something makes me get out of the car and go towards it. His room is on the third floor so I decide to use an elevator. When the elevator doors open my eyes immediately land on Matt's old room door. There are a lot of people moving around. In and out of the room. There are five rooms Burned.

All of them are around Matt's room. There are people already working on fixing the rooms and by the looks of things they will be done by next week. I walk towards Matt's room.

I just want to take a peek inside. The place smells like paint and new wood.

"Sorry miss but no one is allowed here."

A man wearing a green work suit that has yellow paint all over it tells me.

"I just want to see something inside," I tell him

"Listen miss there is nothing to see here. I suggest that you leave this place immediately before I call security."

The way he says it makes me guess that I'm not the first student to want to get a look at the burnt rooms, but I'm not just some university student who is here for the fun of it.

"Do you have any idea who I am?"

I ask the gentleman

"I don't care if you are the bloody president. You are not going in there."

I feel so helpless. Why won't he just let me see what's inside?

"Well, I'll have you know that I'm-"

I start to say but I'm cut off by a voice behind me.

"Ria?"

I turn around and I see a short boy. I remember his face but not his name.

He lives in the room opposite Matt's.

"Oh hey."

I greet him half-heartedly.

"I'm sorry about Matt."

He says I just nod my head and say nothing. I think it's time I get out of here because there is no way they will let me get in Matt's room.

"I wish there was something I could have done to stop him. Matt was a weird guy but he was also a good guy."

The kid continues speaking. I can tell that he is a first year. He has that eagerness in his eyes. That need to please. To be accepted... I think we all had it once, but something he says catches my attention.

"What do you mean he was a weird guy?"

He scratches the back of his head. I have put him in an awkward position.

"I don't mean any offense by it. I'm just saying he was nice. That's all."

He says quickly.

Before I can ask him to explain he walks away. That was a weird conversation, but one thing is for sure.

That kid knows more than he is telling. I don't know what he is hiding but I will find out.