****
Once I knew about the murders, I started looking and noticing things on campus that made me go, Oh yeah, okay, something bad happened here. A memorial wreath at one of the sorority houses and a makeshift memorial at the Quad. They all had pictures of Jessica, a senior accounting major; Tami, a sophomore education major; and Susan, a senior medical major. Pretty girls. Waste of a life.
"They weren't the same year, but they all three attended here," J explained as we walked to our first class. They weren't the same subject, but they were in the same building. Lucky for us.
"Did you know them?" I asked as we walked past their smiling faces. It was sort of creepy and morbid.
"Not personally. I mean, I knew of them. Tami and Susan were local girls. I was a sophomore when they were seniors. And Jessica… I didn't know her that well. Her father became bank manager about two years ago. He got sick and she transferred here to help take care of him."
The thunder clapped louder, making us pick up the pace. Strange how I never even heard it before now… well, since I was at home anyway. I'm sure it had popped a few times since then, but I'd be so into talking to J that I didn't notice it. She had that effect on me a lot.
"Looks like rain," I stated the obvious.
She looked up and concurred. "Yeah, and I'm parked way away from my last class."
"Me too."
"And I don't have an umbrella."
"Guess we'll have to run."
She laughed. It was nice to hear her laugh. It wasn't often, but when she did, it made me smile. I loved her laugh.
I didn't know it at the time. Not that one brief second, even in the midst of the morbid picture of the poor dead girls, we were actually — happy. We didn't know that it would be the last easy moment we'd have together for a while. Before things got complicated and… messy.
If I had of known, I would have enjoyed it more. Relished in it more — if people even use that saying now. I would have taken the time to remember every bit of it. Every second the increasing wind blew her hair around her face. The way she smiled. I would have remembered every bit.
Instead the moment came and went with the sound of a very unwelcome voice calling from behind us.
"Fancy catching you two together."
Oliver Weston.
He looked like he'd stepped out of a J. Crew catalog. Too preppy for my taste, but I guessed J must have loved it. When I looked at her, though, she didn't look in love. Her smile faded, just a little, but just enough for me to notice. I didn't know if Oliver noticed and I didn't really care. I knew that she didn't seem terribly happy to see him. I'd be lying if I said I wasn't happy by that turn of events.
"Oliver. I didn't think you had a class until ten." She walked over to him and gave him a hug. Her hair clung to his scruffy beard. Not my choice of facial hair, that's for sure.
Oliver glared at me over her head. I felt my blood pressure rise and I refused to look away. He wasn't going to intimidate me. Not saying he never did, but at that moment, I refused.
Instead of hanging my head like I'd done something wrong by riding with his girlfriend to school, I waved. "Mornin', Oliver."
Oliver smiled through gritted teeth. "Mornin'. Didn't know you two had classes together."
"We don't," J said hurriedly. She leaned back and took a few steps away, putting her backpack back up on her shoulder. "We are just carpooling to save money."
"Babe, if you were worried about money, I can always come get you. You know that. It's no bother."
J shook her head. "No, that's too far out of your way. The Kappa House is way on the other side of campus. And you don't have your first class until ten."
"That's not much later than yours," Oliver reminded her. I think, to him, I wasn't there anymore. It was between him and his woman. The possessive type 'til the end.
"I know, but I can get some studying in. You know, when we actually have studying to do and it isn't the first day," J said nervously. When she talked to me, she never had that tone of voice. She never had that quiver. In fact, she always sounded like she was confident, but when she was around Oliver, that faded. She wasn't necessarily a doormat, but she seemed to let him lord over her. I didn't like it. Even then, I knew I'd never do that to a woman.
"Still. I can come and get you. It's no trouble." Oliver closed the distance between them. He was so tall, J had to practically strain her neck all the way back to look him.
"It's not necessary," J said again. "Walker lives right upstairs. It would be stupid for you to come across town to get me when he lives right at the same house."
Oliver's voice got really low. "And when you mentioned getting a roommate I never thought it would be another guy. I assumed it would be a girl."
They argued like that for a few more seconds until I couldn't take listening to them anymore. "Look, Oliver. I get it. I'd be ticked if my girl was renting a place with a guy too, but trust me when I say there is nothing going on between us. I just want to focus on school and learning how to navigate college. I'm not trying to take her away from you."
He smirked. "Oh, I'm not worried about you."
Could have fooled me.
Oliver bent down and kissed her on the hair. "I'm looking forward to tonight. It's going to be a fun time at my house. Patty is even making a special dinner. Lamb."
"Can't wait," J said. Oliver might not have been able to tell that she was totally lying, but I could. Seems I could read J much better than he could.
Before Oliver could say anything else, some dude wearing a Kappa shirt hollered at him from across the Quad. Oliver yelled back and kissed J on the head again. "Gotta go. Pick you up at six tonight, Jordan. Wear something nice. Dressy. The opposite of what you've got on, okay?"
With that he left and J watched him go. "I hate lamb," she mumbled under her breath. It started sprinkling as we walked toward class.