Raia’s POV

“Oh my God, oh my God, oh my God!.” I screamed as I saw the note in the envelope in my hand.

“Dear Raia Adam, we are very pleased to inform you that you have been awarded a fully funded scholarship to the Imperial College of London, we can’t wait to see you there. Please contact the email below for all necessary documents you’ll need to bring. Remember your happiness is our joy.”

I couldn’t believe what I was reading. My dream school. I was moving to LONDON!!! This is too surreal for me. I picked up the phone to call my parents.

“Raia ,why are you calling us at this time of the day.” My mum asked.

I couldn’t wait to tell her the good news.

“Mama, guess who just got a fully funded scholarship to the Imperial College of LONDON!!.” I screamed at the top of my lungs in the last part.

“You’re lying…Raia don’t joke with me today child I’m in no mood for your jokes right now.” My mum said in a serious tone. Which is fair because I’m the joker of the family.

“Mum, I’m being deadass with you right now, hold on a second let me send a photo.” I said that while positioning my phone to take the photo of the note. As soon as I sent it to her she screamed.

“Oh my darling, I am so proud of you, once your father gets back from work I’ll tell him and we will be on our way to your side of town before you know it.” My mum said in her happy voice.

“Mama, you really don’t have to.” I said not wanting her to stress herself.

“Nonsense, you will see us tomorrow before evening time.” My mum said.

And she kept true to her word. The next day by eleven o’clock they told me they were on their way already. I went to work, did the little I could do and came back home. I made sure the whole house was clean in case mama would want to throw her fit about how I’m not living right.

Now it was six o’clock and I hadn’t gotten any call or even a text. Something was off. I called Mama’s phone countless times. I called Dads phone and still no answer.

“Oh no. God please let them be safe please”. I prayed worriedly.

As I was about to step out to see if I could go to the police station to complain or something. I heard the news reporter from the television talking.

“It now looks like there has been a fatal accident of a tank truck jamming into a mini van on 44th street in east California. From the images it appears that sadly none of the victims survived this fatal accident.” The news reporter said.

The tv remote dropped out of my hand. I felt the air around me grow thick. My mouth suddenly went dry.

I suddenly realized that the 44th street is two streets away from mine, so I ran. Before I knew it I was there. Looking at my entire family. Dead.

“NO!!!!.”I screamed as I saw my precious mother and father laying in the pool of their own blood.

As I was about to approach them I heard, “Ma’am please you can’t be here.” One of the ambulance attendants in the scenery said.

“No, please you don’t understand this is my family I need to go in please.” I said as hot tears streamed down my face and my voice breaking.

One of the other ambulance attendants told him to allow me in and he did.

“Thank you.” I said as I walked past him.

I walked towards the scene and saw mama and dads bodies covered in those zip up bags and I broke down beside them.

“You two are selfish, how can you leave me alone in this cruel world when I just got the best news of my life. I promise to make you both proud. I love you guys.” I said to them with hands on both of their heads.

I stayed there for a while just whispering silent nothings to myself. I felt so numb. One of the police officers approached me and said they had to carry them to the mortuary so I stood up and allowed him.

I went home with the pain of being alone. I felt numb and out of space. I laid awake the entire night with the fear of seeing their dead bodies again.

After a few days I got a call from the mortuary saying they were ready for me to bury them. I got there, signed their death certificates and before I knew it the two most important people in my life were six feet under. Life is a bitch.

I went back home with the same numb feeling. No tears, no crash outs, nobody to confide in, no shoulder to lean on. Just me. Wow life.

For the next one month I bed rotted. Reality just kept dawning on me day by day. I barely ate, I didn’t go to work, my life was just great. But I knew I couldn’t continue like this, I had to do something.

So I did. The next day I cleaned out my entire apartment with my amazing Billie Eilish playlist. God bless that woman’s heart. Then went to work to do the little I could. I went back home so exhausted I slept off.

When I woke up after my short nap I walked lazily to the kitchen. I opened and looked inside my fridge and saw absolutely nothing.

“Oh fucking hell.” I slapped my hand on my forehead as I said.

My life is a fucking mess. I went over to the sitting room, opened my laptop and saw the email from Imperial college asking me to accept or decline my scholarship.

I exhaled deeply and did what I thought was best.