Yours Eternally

Chapter 1

It hurt to breathe. It hurt to move. It hurt to cough. Everything hurt. There were so many voices crowded around me.

"Her pulse is unsteady. We need to get her to the hospital," someone shouted over me. I blinked and tried to move my head but couldn't, moaning when pain shot up my neck. I tried to swallow but could barely do that, all I could taste was blood in my mouth.

"Don't move, darlin'. You're banged up," the man said as I was lifted off the ground and put onto something. I grunted and moaned again, rasping as I breathed. What the hell happened!?

"Dimitri?!" I croaked, my breathing starting to increase as I started to panic. Everything was coming together too quickly. The headlights, the horn.

"Dimitri is fine, he's right behind me," the man said, a paramedic I came to realize.

"Dimitri!"

"I'm right here, Roza!" I could hear him say. There was a jolt as the gurney was lifted into the ambulance. I rocked a little bit and could see the carnage. But it wasn't the scene itself that made my stomach drop, it was the car. I knew that car. Only one person I knew drove a yellow Jaguar in town.

"Is Eric okay?!" I asked.

"Eric?"

"The other driver! I know him. Is he okay?" I asked in a panic. The paramedic climbed in beside me and Dimitri followed, sitting beside him. Dimitri's brows were furrowed as he gripped my hand.

"Tell me!"

"They're dead," Dimitri said quietly. The paramedic threw him a look that asked if he was crazy, but I just blinked.

No.

"They?" I croaked, squeezing his hand.

"Eric, Rhea, and Andre are dead. I don't know about Lissa yet," Dimitri said.

"The nightmare again?"

I woke with a jolt and swallowed thickly, rubbing my hand over my face.

"It's fine."

"Do you want me to sit with you?"

I rolled over and squinted at the light that came through the open door. "No, it's okay. Go back to sleep."

"Rose," Ellison chuckled, "It's seven-thirty. I was coming to walk you up because you're going to be late."

I looked at the clock on my nightstand and jolted out of bed, scrambling to get ready. Ellison closed the door behind him as I got dressed. I didn't care if my hair was a mess, I just threw it up with a clip. I had hoped that cutting it short would help maintain it, but now it was just more in the way.

I guess it did go with the hippie artist vibe I had going. All I need was to put some dreadlocks in my hair and I'd be all set. I already had the nose ring, the haircut, the major, and the joint addiction to go with it.

I bolted out of my room with my bag on my shoulder, scrambling around the kitchen.

My other roommate, Sydney, watched with amused curiosity.

"I got you a mug," Sydney said quietly, holding out the travel mug with coffee and a ziplock bag with a muffin. I sighed and smiled, kissing her cheek.

"You're the best babes! See you in a few hours!" I called out as I slipped out the door.

I made it to the train and grabbed a seat, using the twenty minute ride to wake up and drink my coffee. I scrolled my phone as I ate, stopping on one that I wasn't expecting to find.