It was way past curfew but Isabeth grew tired of lying in her bed praying for sleep to come. If she wasn't crying about Kevin's death then she was having a nightmare about Dr. Fulton crawling out of a pigpen. So, instead of counting sheep she slipped on her jeans, left her Hello Kitty pajama shirt on and groped in the dark for her riding boots. She tiptoed down the stairs, stopping every time they creaked and held her breath as she passed by Dorm-mother Kathy's room on the first floor.
Strangely, the bouncing of Kerma's gait eased the nausea in her stomach. She didn't always get the chance to ride during the nighttime but she loved it the most. During the day, riding was all about precision or speed but once the moon hung in the sky and she grew enough courage to sneak her horse out—she rode just for her, slow and steady. As she did now, navigating Kerma around trees and underbrush. She let him linger and nibble at a shrub while she counted the stars hanging in the big Texas sky.
"The stars at night are big and bright..." Isabeth lowly sang to herself mentally clapping the beat in her head. "Deep in the heart of Texas." She finished blinking away the tears collecting in her eyes. It wasn't a song she grew up knowing. The west coast born girl grew up with the lyrics of Tupac's California Love at the tip of her tongue until she spent a weekend at Kevin's home in Dallas three years ago. Backyard camping while roasting marshmallows on the fire, Kevin broke out into song with his guitar across his lap. He surprisingly carried a tune that was accentuated with the baritone of Malachi and the humming of Faith while Isabeth stared up at the sky lost in the stars.
"Where were you?" The deep voice yanked Isabeth out of her stroll down memory lane.
The familiar tone piqued Isabeth's curiosity. Isabeth climbed off Kerma, creped behind and tree and peeked around it. The moonlight that poured through the treetops fell on two male faces. Malachi and Benny.
"What are they doing together?" She whispered to herself.
"Why are you questioning me," Benny hissed. " You called me out here for?"
Malachi threw up his arms, "I asked where were you that's what I called you out here for."
"Liar! You want to know if I killed him!" Benny shouted scaring a creature of the night. He looked in Isabeth's direction but she quickly tucked her head behind the tree. "That bastard." He murmured.
Malachi stopped studying the ground, tilting his head up. "What did you say?"
"That bastard dragged me and you let him."
"I stopped him!"
"After he dragged me."
"What was I supposed to do? You put me in a difficult situation. Why were you there in the first place?"
"Isa—"
Malachi cut him off, "And you couldn't say no to her."
"If that was a difficult situation for you then why do you want me living on campus."
"I don't have a problem with you living on campus—"
"Just a problem with me being around your friends." Benny nodded. "Why don't we just cancel these little meetings and we can actually not know each other."
"When someone dies people look for an easy target." Malachi anxiously rubbed his neck. "I'm trying to look after you." He dropped his hand letting it dangle at his side. "Kevin is..." Malachi swallowed blinking hard. "Was my friend but you're my brother." Isabeth gasped at the statement, whispering what to herself. "And I'll always have your back. I don't have to ask if you did it...because I know you. You're not a killer." Malachi looked at his watch. "I gotta get back to the dorm before Ivan checks rooms." Malachi held out his fist.
Benny looked at Malachi's fist for a while, letting it hang there. "I went for a ride...that night...but I didn't do it." He bumped his fist with Malachi's.
"I know." Malachi nodded once more before walking off.
Benny shoved his hands in the pockets of his sweatpants as he looked up. He exhaled a deep breath before speaking. "You can come out now." Isabeth glued her body behind the tree, holding her breath. "Isabeth, I know you're there."
What. Isabeth mouthed then dropped her head in her hands with a groan. She stepped from behind the tree to see Benny with a coy grin.
"How did you know..." She asked folding her arms. "...it was me?"
Benny pointed to the side, "The horse."
"You know my horse?" Her voice elevated.
He held out his hands, framing her face. "You and it were on the front page of the Toliver Tribune.
Isabeth nodded remembering the photoshoot she, Faith, and Gavin did last semester after fall competition. "So..." She squeezed the sides of her arms. "You and Chi are brothers." She whispered the familiar relationship like it was a bad word.
Benny laughed at her. "Looks, like you know Malachi's secret."
She dropped her arms walking closer to him. "I didn't know Chi had a secret."
"Don't be naïve, Isabeth." His causal smile fell. "We all have secrets."
A humid night breeze blew up the back of her flimsy pajama shirt showing her midriff. She quickly pulled the shirt down, "What do you mean...all."
"It's time you go back to the dorm." He read the time on his watch. "We have a class in six hours."
Seems like there's trouble brewing between Benny and Malachi.
Is Malachi wrong for keeping Benny a secret?
Isabeth has discovered Malachi's secret, will this affect their relationship?