Let's Talk About Murder

12 | first of all, what the heck?

26TH OCTOBER.
ORION ACADEMY:
LEX AND KARAN'S DORM ROOM

APHRODITE CLOSED THE door behind her as she stepped into the hallway. She laced her left hand in her hair as her slender fingers danced around the screen, deciding whether she should attend the call or not.

"Is everything all right?" She flinched and snapped her head at the lady who looked at her with concern. The Housekeeper of the freshmen and sophomore year's residential quarters gave her a soft smile. "You look worried."

"Ms. Hathaway." Aphrodite smiled hesitantly. "I, um. I am fine. I just had an argument with my friend and it...was brutal," she lied with ease.

God, how does she do that?

"Ah." Melanie Hathaway nodded. They raised their eyebrow and cocked their head behind as they made a gesture with their hand that said don't worry. "Been there, done that. I used to fight with my best friend too. From experience, it's usually just miscommunication. Listen to what they have to say."

Aphrodite nodded.

Melanie straightened their back and went back to their usual pointed look. "Now, go back to your dorm room. You're not allowed to walk out of your room after nine."

"Yeah, thank you." Melanie gave her a tight smile and continued to walk down the hallway, inspecting the rooms. Aphrodite looked back at her phone and with a long sigh, she called her mom back. In less than two rings, her mom was already on the phone.

"Hey, Mom. How have you been?"

"Aphrodite Rose," her mom said sternly. "I know what you have been upto. You are my favourite child and this was the last thing I expected from you--at least not this early, anyways." Her voice was fabricated with disappointment but the kind when your five and you're mother says 'don't play in the mud' and that's the exact thing you do.

Did her mother expect her to sneak out of school?

"What do you mean by not this early?"

"I obviously expected you to go shopping but it's been less than a month and you're already out there shopping from H&M. Just because I'm not there, doesn't mean I can't keep an eye on you."

"What?" Aphrodite knotted her eyebrows. "That's why you called--to yell at me for shopping?" She tried to hide the relief in her voice. She smiled at herself.

Her mother didn't know.

"That and the fact that it's your birthday next weekend. I'm expecting you and your friends to be here. As you know, we're throwing a party--an adult party so do not invite your rogue friends. My daughter is legally going to be an adult!" Her mother lost a grasp of her strict demeanor when she squealed at the last statement.

"Mom, it's just a birthday. No big deal."

"It is a big deal. And I want all your friends there--those three guys and your roommate. And more, if any," Her mother said, back to her icy cold voice with no tender warmth.

"What the heck?" Aphrodite half-yelled. "Who told you about th--" She sighed when the answer hit her like a brick. "It was Joshua, wasn't it? He is spying on me."

"He is looking after you. Why else do you think I let you go so far away from home?"

"Mom!" Aphrodite scolded. "Could you please give me a little space? How dare you ask Joshua to spy on me? And didn't you just say I'm about to be an adult, so better start treating me like one!" Aphrodite didn't wait for her mother to answer and hung up right away.

Aphrodite groaned and was about to walk back to her dorm room when the door of Karan and Lex's room opened. Lex peaked his head out. "Hey, you comin' inside? West is not good at this at all. I want my partner back," he said.

She blew a breath. "No. I think I'll call it a night." She lowered her head, feeling exhausted with the conversation she just had. Her weary eyes didn't go unnoticed by Lex. He frowned and walked out and closed the door behind him. He stood two steps away from her.

"Hey, is everything all right?"

Aphrodite nodded. "Yeah."

"No, it's not," Lex said. "You have been skipping all your lectures, avoiding each one of us and were about to ditch the game night. You're far from okay." Aphrodite remained silent so he continued, "Look, I'm not going to ask you to vent to me because frankly, we don't know each other. But if you're going through some shit--" Lex extended his hand to squeeze Aphrodite's shoulders but then he quickly pulled it back "--then you should go talk to someone."

Aphrodite met his dark caramel eyes. "Yeah. I'll do that." She bit her lips. "Could you tell everyone that I'm feeling a little sick and want them to continue the game night?"

Lex nodded.

Aphrodite blinked.

None of them spoke.

The words in their mouth were swallowed.

"Um, good night," she said.

"Yeah. You too." He turned around and placed his hand on the door handle, ready to twist it when he heard the most gentle voice.

"Uh, Lex," she muttered. She took a step closer and circled her hands around his neck right when he turned towards her. He was taken aback by her sudden gesture but quickly gave in. He draped his hand around her waist and pulled her even closer. "Thanks." Her chin rested on the nape of his neck and the mere touch sent waves of electricity down Lex's spine. His breath was caught in throat. He wanted to say something like 'don't mention it' or 'no big deal' but he couldn't bring himself to do anything at all.

She pulled apart and Lex felt homeless all over again.

She smiled at him. "Let's go play."

"What?"

"Well, I don't want my partner to lose because his out of the world amazing companion couldn't handle a single conversation with her overly extra mother."

He smirked. "Let's kick their asses."

header image by Christina Rivers.

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