Blythe Tatum expected her freshman year at university to be nerve-wracking, though nothing out of the ordinary. The beginning of her school year starts off as averagely as possible, though Blythe soon finds herself caught up in an unexpected and ine...
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"It's insane," Ben mutters, clutching the coffee cup in his hand tightly as we walk. "I can't believe it took the cops this long just to release information on a potential suspect. They don't even have an identity yet. Just 'hey, we think this is what the guy may look like'. Bullshit."
I shrug, nodding to express my agreement. "At least the police are still somewhat working on the case," I say, trying to look on the bright side. "Better than nothing, right?"
"I guess," Ben admits grudgingly. "But, still. They could be doing way more."
"Whoever hurt Naomi, I hope they spend the rest of their life in prison once the cops finally catch them. Could you imagine? They know what they did . . . and they still have yet to confess. It's disgusting."
Ben shakes his head dejectedly. "It's hard to believe there are malicious people like that in the world. I'm hoping that maybe her death was an accident, and maybe the culprit is just too scared to come clean with the truth."
"I don't think that's possible. Not after the autopsy revealed Naomi's death was caused by strangulation. That couldn't have been an accident."
"I suppose not." Ben frowns. "I just want this whole thing to be over with."
"Me too," I admit softly. "I want things to go back to normal. Though I guess Redwood has changed forever. Campus has doubled up on security. Have you noticed?"
"Yeah. I don't view that as a bad thing."
Ben and I walk in silence for a few moments. We both have morning classes today, so we thought it would be best to walk to our buildings together, as they aren't too far apart. My friends and I have made a pact that none of us will walk anywhere alone. Desperate times call for desperate measures, after all. Plus, I feel a lot safer having Ben or Ivy by my side when I have to roam Redwood's campus—especially knowing there is a potential murderer on the loose.
The breeze picks up, blowing a chill in my direction. My hair ruffles as it ripples behind my shoulders. A slight shiver runs down my spine, causing the hair on my arms to stand on end as my flesh riddles with goosebumps. Fall has brought along its usual cool weather, which seems to fit in perfectly with the mood lingering in the air around Redwood these days.
As Ben and I are walking, the goosebumps littering my body are suddenly caused by something other than a chill. I glance over my shoulder, feeling as if I am being watched. Unintentionally, I lock gazes with a pair of piercing green eyes that I recognize all too instantly. Caught off guard, I hesitate for a moment.
Ben must notice my shift in moods, as he asks, "What is it, Blythe?"
I mumble my response as if I'm in a daze, "I just remembered that I have to do something. I'll catch up with you later."
I walk away from Ben as if I am being drawn by some invisible force in the opposite direction. I fail to answer his questions as to where I'm going, though I don't turn around. I move with purpose, weaving my way through the crowds that have started to form along the campus sidewalks as my peers head for their morning classes.
