Let's Talk About Murder

48 | fate is a twisty little b--

4TH DECEMBER.
ORION ACADEMY:
APHRODITE AND YUMI'S ROOM.

FIVE days had passed by since their break in and Aphrodite still didn't have the courage to open the file. She opened the cabinet of her desk and saw the manila file laying there, buried under pens and loose papers. She brushed the others things away and read the name again.

Yumi Cho.

It was a mistake. She shouldn't have stolen her file. But Aphrodite wanted to know if what Yumi had said was true. She trusted Yumi but it was hard to believe that the soft spoken Yumi was once a rebel. She simply couldn't picture her that way. But, no. She had to put it back. She couldn't read it. Yumi is her best friend. She can't go behind her back. She has to come clean. She picked it up and paced in the room, waiting for Yumi to come in. Her eyes caught a sight of West jogging towards the woods.

A run with someone. That will distract her while Yumi comes back from wherever she has been.

She wore her winter workout wear. She tied her hair in a ponytail and walked out of her room. She followed the direction in which West went. Her eyes scanned her surroundings as she looked for him. She needed to talk to him--tell him the unfair things that she had done. He'd know what she should do. He'll give the best advice.

The sun hadn't settled yet and the air of December was fresh in the atmosphere. The first snow had already made an appearance long ago but unlike the previous years, Aphrodite didn't go snow fighting. She barely even acknowledged the snow.

It was cold as she followed the footsteps that West had imprinted on the snow.

She paused to catch a breath. The layer of snow was thicker than she imagined and going for a jog didn't seem ideal but she was determined to find West. A yell from him would've been enough for her to do the right thing. It's stupid, when she thinks about how much she disliked West--or more like, his attitude. She didn't trust him but now, here she was searching for him to ask him for advice.

Oh, fate is a twisty little bitch.

She breathed, a puff of fog leaving her lips. She continued to follow the steps. She lowered her eyes and tucked a strand of her hair, her gaze fixed on her legs--that is until she hears a sound. The least expected sound. A moan.

She snaps her head and finds West's mouth fighting for dominance against another boy's lips. Not just any boy. It was her step-brother.

"What the hell?" She stared at the two boys as they pulled apart. West's eyes widened in horror and he took a couple of steps away from Josh.

"Aphy, I--"

"Save it, Josh," she said through a clenched jaw. Her eyes were on West. She trusted him. Huh. She spoke too soon. "How long has this been going on?" Josh lowered his gaze, refusing to look at her. "Answer the damn question, Joshua! Was it before Jessica went missing or after?"

"After," he whispered.

West's eyes brimmed with tears. "Aphy, let me expl--"

"Oh, trust me, West." She let out a sinister snicker. "You don't wanna do that. I would say that I am surprised but it's not your first time chasing people behind their boyfriend or girlfriend's back. I guess you have a type." She narrowed her eyes at him. She spun around in rage and what she expected was anger in her eyes, turned to be her tears. She stomped away when she heard Josh call her out. He outran her and stood in her way, blocking her from leaving. She folded her arms over her chest, her face soaked with tears.

"Aphy, listen--"

"No, Josh. I don't want to listen. All day everyday I sit in my room, blaming myself there's nothing I can do to make you feel better and--and--" her voice cracked. "--here you are kissing my best friend. What am I supposed to do, Josh? What are you going to say that will make me believe that this was right?"

"Because it's not!" Josh said. Water pooling in his eyes. "I am sorry, Aphy. I am sorry I hid it from you and I know it's not right. But West is the only one who has been constantly checking up on me. And you, I love you, Aphy, but all you have done is ignore and avoid me. It's like you are hiding something from me. And I know you went behind my back to find Peter. I know everything that you're upto."

"Oh, my God. I can't believe that you are making this all about me. After what I just witnessed and after finding out that you, mom and step-dad have been hiding that you all were in a secret society, you have the nerve of coming at me because I was looking for answers about why my biological dad abandoned me!" All the blood rushed to the back of her neck, fuelling her anger--making her skin burn.

"You wanna know why Peter left you and mom?" He yelled. "Fine, I'll tell you. He didn't give a fuck about you. He still doesn't. You were a result of a one night fling. Peter didn't find out until you were five. And the night he showed up drunk, wanting to talk to you, be a father to you?--Dad found an eviction notice in his pocket. He wanted money from you, Aphy."

"You have no proof of that! You are just bluffing to prove a point!"

"You want proof? Really? God, you are so naive. He doesn't give a fuck about you and you can't find him in this town because you see him everyday. He is living right under your nose. He is your business management professor. Peter Baker. Ever ring a bell?"

"I--" Aphrodite sucked a breath. "I--" Her chest tightened. "I need to leave. Don't follow me."

"Gladly." He called back when she stormed back to her room. The door was ajar and her eyes found Yumi standing near the window and an open manila folder in her hand. Yumi turned around, her gaze lifting from the file. Disappointment and betrayal maneuvering its way on her face. Aphrodite's vision blurred and her body began to numb and ache at the same time.

Swirly. Swirly. Round and Round.

"Why do you have this?" These were the last words she heard before she collapsed on the floor.

header image by Adam Chang.

oh well that was intense;)

did you make this connection?

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