The sunrise over the Brooklyn Bridge, the smell of eggs and bacon coming from the apartment next door, the sound of the morning traffic. All things Riley had become accustomed to over the years. The absence of these things now makes for a rude awakening to reality.

Bryn is standing on the terrace behind the house, Riley spots her as she glances out the kitchen window. A cloud of smoke is hanging over her as she tosses her cigarette on the grass and pushes it into the ground with the heel of her designer shoe. 

Riley is grabbing cereal off the shelf when Bryn makes her way through the glass doors. 'What are you doing?' 

Riley swings open the door of the large pastel pink Smeg fridge. 'Just getting some breakfast.' 

'Don't be silly, we eat breakfast at Gigis here.' 

Puzzled by Bryns commentary on her morning ritual, she returns the milk. 'Who's Gigi?' 

Bryn smiles. 'I'll show you.'

Ten minutes later a big, red, neon sign answers her question. A 50s style diner, located at the edge of the campus, is slowly filling with Penburg students. As Bryn pushes open the mint-green double doors the smell of breakfast foods Riley had been craving welcomes her. 

Five foot six of South-Korean beauty is standing by the juice bar, being handed a glass of mango berry sunrise. As she turns around she notices Bryn and makes her way over to them.

'Look who finally made it. And you brought the newbie. Hi Riley, remember me?' She takes a sip of her juice as her eyes scan Riley from head to toe. Eyes about as dark as Riley could ever imagine eyes to be. And though these eyes are putting up a strong front, there is something innocent, almost child-like behind them. The eyes are matched by her neck-length, tousled, inky black hair, and together a strong contrast to her fair skin.

'How could I forget? Hey Sofia, long time.' 

Bryn and Sofia lead her to their usual table, past the baby blue window seats, red barstools and round windows showing a view of the bay in the distance. But as Riley looks to the bright yellow couch in the corner that appears to be their destination, she stops dead in her tracks. 

An underlying fear she's so far done her best to keep hidden comes rushing to the surface as she looks in the face of her past. Hazel eyes, wavy dark hair, just the right amount of stubble and a jawline you could cut meat with. He's still the same, only even more handsome than she was willing to remember. 

She stops breathing as the direct eye contact becomes apparent to her. In a haze of nerves and old feelings time stops and only restarts again as soon as she feels the cold wind blow through her. 

She's somehow managed to run outside, not that she could have stopped herself. Her eyes flash around the parking lot as she tries to make sense of the situation. Immediate disappointment in how she handled this confrontation ensues and she sighs as she squeezes her eyes shut.

'Riley.' 

She freezes. She's not ready for this. But was she ever going to be? She forces herself to turn around and look at him. The ever so calm, serious view of the world that he usually maintains is now clearly interrupted by hurt. They stare at each other for a single moment of painful silence.

'I'm sorry, I didn't mean to...'

'Run? Why did you?'

'I guess I didn't prepare myself for this.'

'You must have realized you were going to see me at some point.'

'Yes, but I...'

'You can't avoid me forever. Especially not now.'

'You're angry.'

'Of course I'm angry, Riley. You left, for two years you were gone. And you refused to see me. You just shut me out.'

'What was I supposed to do after what we did?!'

She quickly averts her eyes, away from him, and breathes, to try and steady her nerves. But the mix of hurt and anger dissipates when she notices something a little further down the parking lot. 

Her heartsick state is replaced with worried fear as she realizes what she's seeing and takes a few steps in the direction. 'Riley?' Aaron follows her gaze and then speeds past her. As he kneels down he looks back at her. 'Call an ambulance!'

∾

She'd been there all night. Her body is still wet from the storm. All Riley can see in her head is those eyes, those glowing green eyes. What happened to her? 

Bryn lays her hand on Riley's shoulder, pulling her back to reality. An ambulance has arrived on the scene, joined by a few cop cars. Already the yellow police tape is everywhere, and guys in white suits are examining the body. 

'Riley, the police want to talk to you.' She nods without looking up. Is Bryn thinking the same thing she is? Is this somehow connected to what happened to Carrie?

Aaron is already standing by two cops, his arms crossed on his chest, giving his statement. 'She was just lying there. I didn't even realize she was dead until I looked at her face. Eyes were wide open, she looked terrified.' One cop is scribbling down everything Aaron says, the other's leading the inquiry. Hesitantly Riley joins them, keeping a safe physical distance from Aaron.

'Miss Clemens, we're very sorry you had to be the one to find this body, after everything you've been through with your sister.' Immediately she's angered by the so-called apology.

'This body? You know my sister's not dead, right? Then again, if she was, you might actually be looking into her case.' The cops seem thrown off by her blunt comment. She couldn't care less, they're not going to arrest her, they're too afraid of her father's influence. She takes the momentary silence as a chance to ask her own questions.

'How did the girl die?'

'We won't know that until she's been examined at the morgue.'

'She had a puncture wound on her neck, was she drugged? Like my sister? Except this girl clearly got a little too much.'

'That'll be enough, Miss Clemens. We can't discuss this case with you. And right now there is no evidence implying that this is connected to your sister's case. Please just let us do our job.'

To Riley's surprise classes aren't cancelled for the day, which would have been more respectful to the unknown girl who lost her life last night. The lessons are as disappointing as she'd feared. Economics, Business, subjects Riley never wanted to know about. But she knew this school, which exists only to educate the rich and privileged, would singularly focus on money and power. And all with the masterful ability to leave out the corruption and lies behind every company funding it. How everyone here can pretend everything is perfect is beyond her.

At four PM, after their last class, the entire school is called to assemble at the College Hall. As Bryn, Sofia and Riley sit down in the front row, Riley spies Aaron out of the corner of her eye. He's with his best friends Milo and Noah, she knows both of them from Carlton Prep. 

'Must be weird to see everyone again, huh?' Sofia had noticed her wandering eye. 

'Yeah, I guess it is. After all these years...' As Riley vaguely responds she reflects on her past, which is now so rapidly reappearing in her present. 

Carlton Prep is a very prestigious high school, and directly linked to Penburg University. Many kids from elite families were sent there to ensure their acceptance to Penburg. Often it didn't matter where those kids came from. Riley and Carrie may have been locals, but Bryn moved here from Vermont. Aaron came from Portland, Sofia and Noah from Illinois, Milo from Washington State. Most of them were separated from their parents at a young age, living in the dorms on Carlton's campus. It's the price they paid for the level of education their families demanded.

Their attention is drawn to the stage when Dean Harper stands up and takes the microphone. A slender, stiff looking man in his early 40s, the Dean speaks with a steady baritone and temperate resolve.

'As you all must have heard by now, the body of a young girl was discovered on campus early this morning. She has now been identified as second year student Ivy Ross. The autopsy has just taken place and her death has been ruled a homicide. We are all very concerned by the situation, and we understand you must feel frightened and confused. The security on campus will be increased. Nothing is more important than the safety of our students. If any of you have any information regarding Miss Ross' demise, we encourage you to contact the police. They will be investigating on campus for the coming weeks, until the murderer has been caught. Classes will continue as scheduled. That is all for now, thank you.'

As Dean Harper makes his way off the stage someone in the row behind them stands up.

'Dean Harper, how will you be able to guarantee our safety if the murderer was able to do what he did right here on campus with all the cameras pointed at him?'

'Our security officers as well as police officers will be patrolling every street and corner on this campus 24/7, any unknown individual will be noticed. The murderer will be caught, until then I ask for your patience, Miss Vancourt.'

As the Dean vacates the stage Riley glances over her shoulder at Alice Vancourt, holding her ground while everyone around her begins to leave. She met Alice a few times over the years, at parties, luncheons and other occasions. She remembers her as being outspoken, a little bitchy sometimes, but honest. Clearly she hasn't changed.

Outside the College Hall Sofia and Bryn engage in a casual cigarette session as they hug themselves in defense against the cold wind. Sofia soon strolls over to greet her brother while Bryn and Riley chat.

'So is Sofia the bad influence that got you smoking?' Riley asks.

'I wouldn't blame Sofia as much as I'd blame my mother. I had to find some kind of coping mechanism when dealing with that damn woman.' Bryn explains dismally.

'Some things never change, I guess.' Riley ponders.

'No, they certainly don't.'

Glancing in Sofia's direction, Riley observes her interaction with the guys. Especially her current exchange with Aaron, noting that they seem rather friendly.

'Is there anything between Sofia and Aaron?'

'Oh god no.' Bryn dismisses, 'Neither one of them is ready or willing to start something. Sofia would probably be up for a one-nighter, but Aaron isn't the type.'

'Yeah, that's not Aaron. But why are they both not ready or willing?'

'I suspect Sofia's a little afraid of attachment, cause she always avoids anything serious. But I also think she hasn't found the right guy yet.'

'What about Aaron?' Riley's attempt to sound casual fails miserably, but Bryn doesn't seem to notice.

'He hasn't been with anyone since Carrie, as far as I know. He never seems interested. I always thought he was just hung up on Carrie, but he was the one who broke it off, so it doesn't make any sense. And yet he always has that look in his eyes, like heartbreak.'

Riley swallows with difficulty, trying to mask the painful emotions boiling inside her.

'Carrie was about the same.' Bryn continues. 'Except I know she's hung up on Aaron. She'd talk to me about it. Even though its been more than two years, she still has a hard time letting go. Or, had, I guess...'

In the meantime Sofia has stridden back over to them. 'So, what's the plan, guys?' Riley takes her question as a chance to escape the difficult subject.

'I was thinking of going to Galaxy, checking the place out. To see if I can find anything, any evidence Carrie or her kidnapper may have left behind.'

'Sounds like a plan, let's go.'

'You want to come?'

'Of course. Carrie is my friend too, besides, we could help you. Right, Bryn?'

Bryn nods affirmatively. Sofia seems genuinely excited as she tosses her cigarette on the ground and rubs her hands together. 'Alright gang, lets nab ourselves a kidnapper!'

Sofia's feigned nonchalance and humor aimed to distract succeed in keeping people unaware. As it does now, while Riley and Bryn head for Bryn's silver BMW and Sofia deliberately keeps a few steps behind them. 

She allows her tiny, black leather backpack to slip down off her back and into her hands, zipping it open to reveal a small handgun. She glances at it somberly, before quickly closing it back up again. With a bit of effort she quickly regains her nerve. 

As she proceeds to the car she silently wishes for nobody to find out. If they knew all her secrets, would they be afraid?