Let's Talk About Murder

52 | say the word

TWO MONTHS LATER.
ORION ACADEMY:
LEX AND KARAN'S DORM ROOM.

APHRODITE squirmed as the nightmare played in front of her eyes. Beads of sweat rolled down her forehead. Her body began to shake and her eyes fluttered open. Her pupils dilated under the sudden blast of blurry darkness until she noticed a pair of eyes staring at her. Her first thought was Yumi but that was until her vision cleared and she saw those beautiful brown eyes staring at her with concern.

She sat up and fell into Lex's chest. He pulled the bedsheet away from their legs, making room for some air. He rested his chin on Aphrodite's head and tightened his arms around her. This has been occurring for the past two months. Good for them, Karan is a heavy sleeper and was rarely woken by Aphrodite's screams.

Aphrodite couldn't step into her dorm room again. She would attend her lectures on a regular basis and avoid her Peter Baker at all costs, she would sleep in Lex and Karan's room, she would eat her lunch with her friends and dinner with Josh. But she wouldn't enter that room.

Oh, poor Josh.

The second shot that Aphrodite had heard was of Issac shooting himself--he spiralled out when the realization of killing someone innocent hit his mind. The cops found his journals a few days later that mentioned how he had killed Jessica and his feelings for Josh. It was all the proof the cops needed to declare him guilty without the requirement of knowledge of how he had gotten away with it.

Lex kissed the top of his head. "You wanna tell me what happened?"

Her nightmares were variations of the same dream.

Tonight she was holding the gun.

She shook her head. "No," she croaked.

"Let me get you some water," Lex mumbled and was about to unwrap his arm when she buried herself even more. She pulled him close, she clutched him tightly.

"No, don't go. Stay," she said and then looked up into his eyes. "For now."

Lex's eyes softened. "Aphy, I can get into NYU. Say the word and I'll be right with you. I don't want you to be alone with strangers."

Her shoulders slumped but she paused for a moment. She examined his face before murmuring, "I love you, Lex."

He smiled. "I love you, Aphy. More than you'll ever know."

•••

She brushed some blush on her cheeks. She checked her side angles in the mirror and kept the brush down. Her pale skin and sore eyes seemed to have been covered by the make-up that she so skillfully had put on. What would Yumi do if she was here? Probably whine about not wanting to be iced with makeup or compliment how beautiful she looked. Either way, it would've made Aphrodite smile.

Aphrodite's hand reached the counter and she pulled her phone closer. She opened her voice mail and replayed the last voice mail Yumi had sent. Yumi's voice had begun to fade from her mind and this was the only way she could force it back inside. She could never want to forget how Yumi smiled or how she sounded.

Then she swiped her thumb to open Photos. She clicked on the folder that said Best Friends and played the video of Aphrodite annoying Yumi by poking her when Yumi was busy playing video games. Frustrated, Yumi threw the controller aside and folded her arms over her chest. Her face burned with playful anger. 'Go to Hell, Aphy,' she said. Aphrodite laughed. 'You look hilarious, Yums. So red. So angry. And cute.' 'Let me play!" Yumi stuck her tongue out at the camera and snatched the phone from her hand and stopped recording.

Lie, Aphrodite, Lie to me.

The flashes of that night resurfaced in her mind. Aphrodite's smile faltered and she switched her phone off before putting it away.

"You're thinking about her, aren't you?" A voice echoed. She turned her head towards the voice. Karan leaned on the doorframe of the bathroom. She gave him a long gaze that was brimmed with tears. Her lips quivered as she nodded once. A tear rolled down her cheek.

"Hey, hey, hey." Karan lunged forward and twisted her chair to turn her towards him. He crouched down on his knees and extended his hand. His soft fingers brushed against her cheek as he wiped the tear off of her face. He then placed his fingers under her chin and made him look at her. "Don't cry, Aphy. Not today. Yumi would like you to enjoy today."

Aphrodite's blue eyes glimmered, still glassy--blurring her vision. "I still see her." Her voice fissured--uneven and groggy. Karan nodded in understanding. He placed both his hands on hers and gave them a light squeeze. She lowered her eyes to their hands and continued, "I tried going to our room. I waited outside wondering what would've happened if she was still inside. Learning those strange mnemonic devices or...or...stitching her new dress. I..." She met his concerned gaze. "Why?" She croaked. "Why would she jump in between?"

Karan squeeze tightened. "Would you do the same?"

"Of course! How could you ask me that?"

"Then you can't really blame her if she chose you over herself."

Aphrodite opened her mouth but didn't say a word. She pursed her lips again.

"Was it a lie?" Karan asked suddenly. "That night when Yumi asked you to lie to her. It wasn't a lie, was it?"

"It was anything but that." She sniffed. Karan lifted her hand and kissed the back of it. He rested his head on her lap and Aphrodite brushed her fingers between his black hair. "Why aren't you dressed yet?" She finally said, wiping the tear drops away.

Karan chuckled as he looked back into her eyes. "Ah, this certain girl has abducted my room. Can't change with her in the room," he teased her.

Aphrodite frowned. "I am so sorry for that. I should've exchanged rooms with someone but I wasn't ready. I shouldn't have suddenly walked in your room and stolen your personal space. I--"

"I am just joking," he cut her off. "You can stay here as long as you want."

"Trust me, I won't be staying long anyway." She let out a dry chuckle and turned back to the mirror.

"What? Why?" Karan asked--his voice was stiff.

"I am transferring to NYU."

"You're leaving too? Lex is going to Stanford, you are going to NYU and West is taking a drop year." He got up from his knees. "Well, college is going to be tough now. Promise to stay in touch?"

"Always."

She stood up and grabbed the dress from the hanger. "I will change in a jiffy so that you can have your room back."

He nodded and began to walk outside. "No rush," he said before closing the bathroom door behind him. Aphrodite looked at her reflection again as the words that her mother had said last night. It's time for you to live for her.

She is going to live for Yumi.

header image by Elisa Ph.

had been dreading to write this chapter and the last one ever since I can remember.

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