Chapter 5
February 25th
When Nicole arrived at The University of Sandy Beach on Monday morning, she was shocked when she saw Matilda Shepherd walking on campus, hand in hand with her boyfriend, Ash Green.
Matilda was Tasha's childhood best friend. They had had their ups and downs during high school where they lost their friendship for a while. Matilda was sent to boarding school and she cut ties with Tasha for a while. But that has since made up and everything had been good between the pair ever since.
Nicole hadn't seen Ash since late in year ten and she was surprised to see him. He didn't seem like the kind of person who would want to study a degree at university. So Nicole decided that she would go over and talk to Matilda. Even though they were not the best of friends, Nicole and Matilda did get along better than they used to.
"Hi," said Nicole, "I didn't think you guys were studying here."
"I am not studying here. I was just walking Til here," replied Ash.
Nicole couldn't help noticing the cigarette that was tucked between his fingers. Nicole thought that it was absolutely disgusting to see someone smoking a cigarette and it was made even worse since her boyfriend started it up again. And Matilda had kept her old habit because she too was also smoking a cigarette.
"I am just starting today," said Matilda after she took a puff of her cigarette, "and I asked Ash if he wanted to walk with me. That is what boyfriends do."
Nicole was extremely surprised to see this. She had seen Matilda in year twelve at the end of the year at Amy's wedding. Nicole now didn't like this because Matilda seemed to have changed again. She went from being evil, to nice and then to not so nice anymore. Nicole didn't want Matilda to go back to her old ways and she hated it.
When Matilda was in year ten, she was a rebel and she was influenced by Ash. Nicole knew that Tasha hated this and she knew that she would have hated it if Matilda went back to her old ways. Nicole wondered if Matilda had really learnt her lesson from boarding school and, more importantly, what was going to happen now?
The whole reason why Matilda went to RayBourne Academy was for her smoking; it was a punishment for it and Nicole couldn't believe she had just gone back to her old behavior. Hopefully she wouldn't start drinking all the time at parties again, but Nicole had her doubts. If Matilda could act like this now, it meant that she could change again if she wanted to.
"What are you studying?" asked Nicole, trying her hardest to not breath in the strong cigarette smoke. This is what she now had to do when she was around Riley.
"A bachelor of arts," Matilda replied coldly.
Now it was confirmed.
Matilda had definitely gone back to her old ways and Nicole knew that she had to talk to Tasha about this.
And now Nicole wanted to go.
"Well, I should probably go. I am meeting a friend before class," said Nicole as she tried to remain as calm as possible. She was now wishing that Riley was here with her.
Ash and Matilda just nodded their heads, not even bothering to say goodbye.
Now Nicole knew that this was going to ruin her day.
...
"Nicole?" Lilly Nelson waved her hand in front of Nicole's face, "Nicole? What's wrong?"
Nicole woke up from her trance and she realised that the lecture theatre was now empty.
