Why I Left You

Chapter 4

I woke up to the soft buzzing of my phone alarm, the light from her window spilling through the curtains in golden streams. It was a little past 7 a.m., and despite the urge to stay curled up under my blankets, I knew I had a long day ahead of me. Throwing off the covers, I stretched and rubbed the sleep from my eyes, my thoughts already drifting toward tomorrow's party. But today, my schedule was packed—lectures on criminal psychology, a meeting with my advisor, and hours of studying. Still, the thought of Saturday night's party was a small, energizing reward dangling at the end of my academic grind. Yawning, I slipped into a pair of sweats and padded out of her small bedroom into the shared living space of her dorm. Kiara was already up, as usual, making tea. The kettle whistled softly as Kiara poured hot water into a chipped ceramic mug, the steam curling up in lazy spirals.

"Morning," I greeted, my voice still groggy. Kiara turned and gave her a bright smile. 

"Morning, Viv! Coffee or tea today?" 

"Coffee," I mumbled, moving toward the counter make my own fix. 

"I need the extra energy. I've got classes all morning, and I'm meeting with my advisor about the internship this afternoon. But—" I grinned, 

"at least the party's tomorrow. I can't wait." Kiara chuckled as she stirred her tea. 

"I knew you'd be looking forward to it. You've been working yourself into the ground this week. You deserve a break." I poured my coffee, the rich aroma filling the kitchen. 

"That's exactly what I keep telling myself. I'm just trying to get through today first. I have that Criminal Behavior Analysis class, and then I've got to finish that paper on psychological profiling."

"You always do this—pack your schedule like you've got endless energy." Kiara teased, taking a sip from her mug. I smiled, knowing her roommate was right. Over the past week had had grown quite close. I was relentless when it came to my studies, and sometimes even I had to remind myself to relax. 

"Well, I'll have time to unwind tomorrow night. It's going to be big, right?" Kiara nodded at my statement. 

"Yeah, I think it's not going to be small though. Word got around, apparently the guy hosting has a pretty big friend group and he told them to invite whoever they wanted." I finished my coffee, already feeling more awake. Glancing at the clock, she saw it was already past 8 a.m.

 "All right, I'd better get moving. See you later?" 

"Yep, I'll be around. Try not to think about tomorrow too much," Kiara called after her with a grin as I grabbed my bag and headed out the door.

The cool morning air hit me as soon as I stepped outside, instantly waking me up further. My walk across campus was brisk, my thoughts bouncing between the day ahead and the fun I was planning on having for the weekend. The party would be a welcome break, a chance to forget about coursework and immerse myself in the normal college social scene—something I rarely would have thought about doing. My first class of the day was my favorite: Criminal Behavior Analysis. As I slipped into her seat, I felt that familiar rush of excitement. Today, the professor was discussing patterns in repeat offenders, diving into case studies that always sparked lively class debates. I was quickly engrossed, my hand scribbling notes as fast as I could. Every time I  learned more about the psychology of criminals, I felt more confident in my path toward becoming a forensic psychologist. But still, a little part of me was counting down the hours until tomorrow night.

During the break between classes, I met up with a few friends that I had made on Wednesday at a campus café. We grabbed sandwiches and coffee, chatting about the usual—upcoming exams, stressful internships, and the party tomorrow.