The sun was already climbing high when Matthew stirred awake in his dorm room. It was his junior year at Sanctuary National University, and he had come a long way from the nervous freshman who had arrived with only a suitcase and a scholarship. His dorm was still simple but had become a comfortable home, shared with his roommates, James and Kevin, who were now close friends.
Matthew had grown confident over the past years, excelling in his civil engineering programme and balancing his academic responsibilities with a part-time job at a local bar. Today, however, promised to be busier than usual. He stretched his arms above his head and checked his phone. A few messages from his study group and a reminder about the tutoring session he was scheduled to conduct later flashed on the screen.
"Morning, Matt," James said from across the room, already dressed and ready for the day.
"Morning. Busy day ahead?" Matthew asked, swinging his legs out of bed.
