Room 307: Chicago / Book 1 [Hemsworth | Styles]

Chapter 1

"His golden skin was pulled tight over strong, flexing muscles. His loose  rugby shorts were caught up in all the right places. I looked up to his face. He was at least a foot taller than me. I felt the blood rise to my cheeks as I gazed at his angular cheekbones and golden mane of hair. His forehead had a perfect crease and his jaw just seemed so... powerful. A shimmer of golden stubble covered his chin. Far and beyond, though, his most hypnotic feature - his piercing, bright blue eyes. I had never felt like this before. Callum."

__

Kate and I were sitting on the couch, watching some trashy reality show, when Sally Ferguson's news desk burst onto the screen - "Breaking news!" 

The typical newsroom music jingled in the background. 

I looked to Kate and we both smirked. Sally Ferguson's daughter, Liv, lived in the room down the hall. We all go to Chicago State University and she's as uptight as her mother appears to be on TV.  

"In a freak accident, a truck has flipped on Augusta Boulevard, mid-town Chicago. The truck rolled onto cars in the left lane of the Boulevard, falling onto a group of pedestrians. At this point it can be confirmed that five people are dead and one is in critical condition." 

Sally Ferguson's eyes widened as she looked down at her bulletin. When she looked up, she seemed to be in grief. 

"Chicago State family - the Jeffersons - were..." her voice caught, "victims in this accident. It would appear that both parents of Callum Jefferson are dead..." 

Kate jolted, sitting upright. 

Sally's bulletin continued with sadness. "The City of Chicago is incredibly sorry for your loss, Callum. More news to come." 

The broadcast ended. 

Kate was looking at me, blue eyes wide. "Oh my god, Kiara." She stared at me lost for words and I was unsure what to say. "Callum!"She repeated his name with shock.

Callum was one of Kate's friends from her microbiology class, he also dormed somewhere nearby. They'd gone out a few times but I'd never met him. I reached out and held her hand as she processed the news.

"His parents. Kiara, we'll have to go to the funeral. That is, if they have one. Do you think he'll be able to stay at Chicago? Oh my god, Kiara! Imagine if it was one of us! And Liv!" She got up and started pacing. Liv, the newsreader's daughter, was dating Callum. I felt for her.

Kate was actually flipping out. This news was shocking, that's for sure. I didn't know Callum that well, though, and doubted that he'd be interested in meeting anyone new, anytime soon. If I had to go to the funeral I would, to support Kate.

"Kate," I said softly, "it's okay. Just take a breath, do you know where Callum dorms?"

"Kiara!" She was still pacing. "Do you think they even told him before they announced it on the news? Do you think he even knows!" She was walking around in circles now, hastily texting on her phone and running her hands through her hair. Kate is a, er, dramatic person. She was however my best friend and college had so far been an absolute blast with her.

"Kate, come on," I tried to sound especially reasonable. "He'll need some space and a good friend to help him figure things out. You can't go crazy on him now." I smiled.

 Kate stopped pacing and looked at me. I thought she was going to sit down again but her phone vibrated.

"Kiara, Callum says he wants us to go over. Come on, we need to be with him!"

 "Um, are you sure that's a good idea?" I asked. This guy had just found out his parents had died. Kate and him were friends but really, now?

"Yes, of course I'm sure. Come on, get your stuff, we'll be staying the night."