As Easy As Murder

10. Hate and homicide

Under the florescent light of Kori's dorm, I notice a scar under his left eye. 

I never noticed it before. Maybe it's because almost always avoid his gaze. Maybe it's because I didn't care enough to notice his physical details, just how much he gets to me. But there it is. A small 2-inch scar runnning from the cornea to just before his sideburn. 

"How'd you get that?" I point to it. 

We had only just sat down. Kori's dorm is very different from me Loretta's. Each item has it's own designated spot, the carpets are cleared off, and both of their sides of the room have visble surfaces. Anthony's side has lot of action figures and Funko pops. Kori's side has a couple of trophies, and poster of Sir Isaac Newton. 

He doesn't seem to realize what I'm talking about at first, then seems to remember the scar. "Scooter accident. I was nine. Now can we focus?" 

I roll my eyes, but return my gaze to the open binder on my lap. I pick up the case synopsis, and hand It to him, leaning back against the sleek white walls, resting my eyes. I look at him through my eyelashes as he stares at the sheet of paper intently. 

"16 year old female, Molly Cline. Killed walking home from a sleepover." 

I perk up, the 6 year old self-proclamed detective in me becoming alert. I scoot closer to him, as we look down at the kit together. "Suspects?" 

"Friend, Boyfriend, Unidentfied relation, and last person to see." 

"I say we investigate the friend." 

"Why the friend?" 

"Could have motives." I shrug a shoulder. He scoffs. 

"No, we should start with 'Unidentified relation'. It's clearly suspicious." He talks with his hands, a slight French accent coming out. I raise an eyebrow and the ends of my lips curl into a smirk, amused by how frustrated he's already become so soon. 

I ignore his protest and pick up the friend's profile. "Marie Gibson." 

He snatches it out of my hands, "Slow down, brat." 

"Brat?" 

"What, never had a nickname?" He smirks. 

"You don't get to use my own lines against me." I wine, shoving him and taking back the peice of paper, writing in some details. He backs off, crossing his arms tightly over his chest. 

After a period of arguing and disagreeing about every little detail, I start to loose interest in the assignment, and my eyelids become heavy. It's my fault for going to bed at 2am knowing I had to be up at 8. And downing a lemonde at 4am. 

"Wake up." He snaps his finger in my ear and I jolt, slapping his finger away. 

"I wasn't sleeping," I argue. "I was intently contemplating the case." 

"While snoring?" 

I go red, and turn away from him. The sound of his unfortunately attractive laughter brings me nothing but pure anger. 

Anthony walks in, humming a tune. He kicks the door shut behind him and stomps right into the room, his humming slowly transforming to beatboxing. "Babadapabeebop," He dances over to us and plops right down in the middle of the two of us, smiling his same rabbit teeth grin. 

"We're working." I say coldly. 

"The more the merrier." He says in a sing-song voice, then pokes his nose right into our case, voicing his opinions and shuffling around the papers, his voice becoming the equilvelant of a small dog barking as I zone out. 

Kori's head in buried In his knees, and I sympathize. Anthony finally backs off after about 9 times of me practically begging him to take a hint. I had to basically shove the hint down his throat for him to leave the dorm. Once he does, I stand up too. 

"Can we call it a day? I'm going out to dinner with some friends." 

"But we barely did anyth-" 

"Bye!" I skip out of the dorm, and into the hall.

I hear him groan a very frustrated, "Bon dieu." I wonder what that means. Probably nothing light. 

My phone rings and for the first time I don't let it. I answer right away, the sound of Bishop's raspy voice greeting my ear. "Hey, we're going out to dinner. Jesse got a promotion at work or something." 

"Oh, cool. What time?" 

"6. I'll be a little late though. I have to help Christian with something." 

"Okay, cya." 

I hang up. Christian is Bishop's older brother. If you can't tell, Bishop came from a religious background. Unfortunately not a healthy one. Bishop was made to do odd 'sacrifices' for the church and wear odd garments. She was told that if she didn't;t comply. horrible things would occur. Her brother got it eve n worse, being made to carry a 200 pound cross across the church parking lot each Sunday at only 11. 

They both were affected, but it took a bigger toll on Chris. Bishop has to help him out a lot, whether it be driving him to a therapy session or having to go over and comfort him through a panic attack, she is an amazing little sister. Christian is now getting married and Bishop has been helping him and his wife plan. 

She really is saintly. 

My bug seems bigger today. I cleared out the backseat, finally discarding things I didn't need, and giving it a good vacuum. I pull up at the resteraunt Loretta texted me that we are meeting at, and something catches my eye. A crumpled peice of paper on the ground. I pick it up with the intention of throwing it out, but a series of hearts drawn on it catches my attention I unfold it gently with a soft crinkle. 

"Dear Mia, these flowers are for you. Don't give up. You can graduate. I know you can. -Mark."  

That letter wasn't for me. It was just discarded on the floor by whoever Mia is. Or whoever mark is. Maybe he couldn't get the flowers to Mia. But even so, he did help someone. Me. It eases my worries about the future just slightly. I can't help but feel like it's a sign. A sign to keep going. 

I walk into the busy resteraunt with a slightly changed outlook. Waitors rush to tables, customers laugh and clink glasses. I maneuver my way around the tables until I find my friends. Jesse has a plastic crown on, and I snort. 

I slide into the booth. Loretta and Vicky are gushing about some new horror movie coming out, and Bishop smiles at me, dimples and all. "Hey." 

"Hi," I smile, putting the peice of paper in my pocket. 

Jesse is explaining how he got a promotion to manager at his job at the local bowling alley. "So then he pulls me and this other guy into the back and starts yelling at us, telling us that he's disappointed in both of us, him for literally never being here and me for not wearing my uniform, and he tells us that we both suck but the manager quit so he's picking me." 

Loretta nods, "How admirable."

Vicky giggles, taking a sip of her mango lemonade. "You must have great work ethic." 

The waiter comes and we all order, delicious smells wafting through the air. My eyes find the TV at the back of the resteraunt. Yet another tragedy. I turn my attention to Janey, who is ranting about a new rule Collin put In place. No wearing anything sleeveless without him present. I mean, are you kidding me? This guy is a joke. And she's still twirling in circles for him. The waiter come's around with only Janey's grilled cheese, being It's the least complicated meal. 

Loretta is looking at Janey like she's a peice of gum she just stepped on, "And you still haven't broken things up?" 

Janey sighs, replying with a mouth full of grilled cheese and regret. "No. I love him."

We all collectively groan, a 'here we go again' sound. I want to bash Janey over the head with the napkin holder to wake her up. Vera, who hasn't said a word the entire time, finally speaks up. And that's saying something. 

"You're in dreamland."

Vicky agrees, and so does Jesse. Janey turns on her phone, showing us her lockscreen, a photo of her and Collin on a date, sitting on a blanket in a sunflower feild, sun shining scraps of shadow onto the grass around them. Janey is smiling, her skin appearing sunkissed, and Collin has his arm around her torso, looking at her lovingly. A way I've never seen him look at her. 

We all study it, and Jesse is the first to say something. "He looks ugly in green." 

Janey rolls her eyes, clearly annoyed by the lack of empathy at this table. Loretta agrees, "I rock green. I'd probably be a better boyfriend, too." 

"Can you stop with the self-promo?" I nudge her, and she shrugs. 

"I'm just that great." 

We all give her the same look. The rest of our meals come, and I dig into my ceaser. The resteraunt crowd starts to thin out. An elderly couple walk out hand in hand, the women supported her husband as he slowly shuffles out, hunched over. And I can't believe I just imagined me and Kori in their position. Someone put me on a phsyciatric hold because I am looking my mind and If I don't get it together i'm on my way to loosing my dignity. 

"I need a smoke break." Bishop says and stands up. I decide to go with her even though I don't smoke. We sit down on the curb, and she lights a cig. She crosses her legs, smoke clouding the clear air, her hair falling out of the usual pigtails. Her fingers run over the edge of the curb, fidgeting. 

I look up at the sky. It's a full moon. 

She follows my gaze, and we both stare up at the gloomy night sky, the undiscovered base of our universe. She looks at me, chest heaving. "I'm taking an astrology course." 

"Oh, that's cool. I heard they're difficult." 

"Eh," She shrugged and took another puff, this time coughing slightly. I chew my lip, looking out into the parking lot. A little girl stares at her Dad, who is also smoking. He leans against the car. She tries to lean against him, but he moves away. I think about my Dad, and get hit with a sudden wave of homesickness. 

I take out my phone and shoot him an 'I miss you' text. The little bubble to show that he's typing pops up. I wait. Bishop takes another puff, deep in thought. She's not fully here anymore, mind wandering too far too  fast for her to catch up. The bubble is replaced by a text, 'Miss you too, Stinker. Mom wants to get a cat. I think she's replacing you.' 

I laugh softly, replying. 'Anything to keep her from calling me 9 times a day.' 

He replies with a laughing emoji and a thumbs up. My heart warms up just a bit. I didn't realize it was cold. Bishop throws her cigarette away and brushes off her knees. I stand up too, and  before we can go back inside, the rest of the group walks out. Janey is staring intently at her phone, and I know exactly why. 

"What did he say now?" I lean over her shoulder. Her eyes are illuminated by her phone screen, making the tears in them visible.

"He wants me to drop out." 

"Well I'll tell you what, someone dropped him on his head." Jesse chimes in. 

"And I'm going to drop-kick him." Loretta smirks. 

"And you better drop him." I nudge her, getting a small smile on her face, contradicting the tear rolling down her cheek. Vicky wipes it away.

"I'm blocking him." She suddenly says. And we all cheer, Loretta even starts victory dancing. 

Today is a damn good day.