Chapter 4 Confusion

Barely a heartbeat before I could get a glimpse of the audacious moron that had bumped into me; an unfamiliar face suddenly popped into my line of vision. The movement betrayed the sight of a girl about my age with a mop of wavy brunette hair and bangs that complimented her eye shadow. I noticed we were about the same height as I came face to face with the tight-lipped smile that reached her hazel eyes. Judging by her sundress and demeanor, I could tell she seemed modest. Boy, I hoped I was right.

On instinct, I squirmed at her proximity, a question escaping my mouth in the process, "And you are?"

"Here we go again." She said while biting her lip, thinking she whispered, yet she was audible.

"Excuse me?" I was polite. For now.

"I mean... I'm Ava." She clarified.

Crossing her arms above her chest, she bit her lips a second time and examined me closely. After hesitating, she added, "Walker. You must be..."

Taking the hint, I replied to her, "Just Skylar."

"Let me take you to our palace then, Just Skylar." Her tone was baptized with sarcasm, as she prodded me to walk with her.

Like a lost dog, I fell in line behind her like a shadow, matching the event from earlier today with Jackson. Amidst the confusion, a presence clung to her. A strong scent steeped in familiarity, an aura that was worlds apart from thepreviously encountered moron.

I let her lead me into a dorm that was adorned with neutral colors that pleased my vision. Scanning the place, I noticed there was nothing too serious about the decorations. Meaning she was either simple, broke, or cheap.

"I never saw you coming out of the office. How did you know where I was and that I was your roommate?" I interrogatedher, my suspicion reaching its climax.

Widening her eyes one second, and composing herself the next, she responded, "I... am part of the Tour Committee, so I come to the Admissions Office often to get the names of freshmen I could take on a tour 'round the school."

"So, you're not a freshman?" My curiosity consumed me whole.

"Nope. Not doing that again." She was carefree, coolly throwing her whole body onto the lower bunk of the double-bunked bed, the cushions muffling out the thud from her fall.

"You didn't answer my question though."

Just when I accused her, I noticed the only pink item in the room. A ragged plushie toy idly lay on the top bunk of the bed. It looked like it had seen better days.

Before she could respond, I fired a question at her, while holding the toy up, "What's this?"

Just about anyone would be aggravated by my questions. Shewas no exception. I could tell by her tightened lips and her blank stare.

"That was my ex-roommate's stuffed animal. She's dead now though. Animal attack. I'd watch my back if I were you." She sneered back with a biting warning.

"I could eat a whole cow right now." Clutching my stomach, I hissed bitterly with a scowl, changing the topic.

"You should probably prioritize not smelling like a dead one instead." Ava retorted, her nose wrinkling and her arms crossed behind her head.

"Shower's just down the hall. Take your time." Her humor both annoyed and amused me.

Without a second thought, I made my way to the shower room. Stripping down to nothing, I let the cold water hit me like a thousand icy needles sliding down my spine, causing a soothing shiver that temporarily washed away the weight of all my burdens. Though every drop erupted a calming sensation, a storm still brewed in me.

When I eventually stepped out of the shower, I surrendered to my paranoia, my eyes darting left to right, searching for a looming figure that sought my return to California. Quickly, I sprinted back to my dorm with my heart pounding.

When I arrived, I noticed how Ava stood by the mirror, oozing confidence as she adjusted her outfit with eerie precision, stylishly running her fingers through her hair and applying another layer of makeup. She looked like she was ready for something... or someone.

Right then I discovered how much time had passed by while I was relishing in the relief from showering. I weaved my way past Ava to get ready for a stay-in night at my dorm.

Abruptly, Ava turned to face me with a mask of intense disapproval defining her countenance.

"No." She commented, pointing a finger at my pajamas, while shaking her head and moving to grab a dress, which she shoved at me.

"You should be my size. Get dressed. You're about to get the full frat party experience." She encouraged me.

"As fun as that sounds, I'm too exhausted." I rejected her offer.

"Great! We'll stop at O'Reilly's. Buffalo wings fix everything." She insisted.

Defeated, I rolled my eyes and hesitantly changed into the outfit she gave me. Wasting no time, she guided me to a bar where she said less than three sentences to the waiter before he handed us our orders. Afterwards, we hurriedly fled the bar without spending a dime or leaving behind a tip.

From the free meal and the way she knew her way around the bar, it seemed she was a frequent customer. Ava was everything I was when angry; infuriating to those who surrounded me. Having that tendency, she deprived me of properly savoring the food before she was on the move again, and I followed her like a docile sheep.

In less than 20 minutes, I had practically wolfed down all the food in the take-out bag. Fashioning a disgruntled look, I struggled to walk when Ava eventually halted moving. Now, we stood before the sight of a wild frat party in the forest.

Red cups sloshed between desperate hands, filled with liquid lies meant to drown their misery. The music blared causing me to frown, daredevil games everywhere and a public display of ironically intimate scenes.

I had followed her all the way from the bar, not suspecting that she was leading me to my death; her roommate was killed, after all.

Tangled in my web of thoughts, Ava turned to me, her voice rising above the music to reach me, "A little birdy told me it's your 19th before my midnight. Live it up a little!"

"If you must have one or two drinks, keep your act classy. You seem like a weak drinker." She said, vanishing into the crowd. I didn't see her again for hours.

Alone, I stomped over to the log by the bonfire, frustration heavy in every step. Sat on my island of skepticism, I watched the chaos unfold.

Jocks parading around in their letterman jackets, queen bees trailing after them like glittering shadows, and clusters of leather-clad and casually dressed students littered everywhere. It was the usual college party madness-loud, reckless, and reeking of cheap beer.

The night felt off still. That smell was back again, faint but familiar, twisting in the smoky air. And it was then I noticed a grim-faced, middle-aged man lurking near the trees. His retro glasses and sweater vest made him out of place.

Who on earth chaperones a college party?

At exactly ten minutes to my birthday, a gut-wrenching pain unexpectedly hit me. My knees buckled beneath me as I stumbled toward the part of the forest I thought was deserted. I pushed deeper into the trees, gritting my teeth, willing my body to move but it betrayed me. Gasping loudly, my legs gave out, sending me crashing into the brittle carpet of leaves below.

Then came the headache.

It was excruciating. Vertigo pulled me into darkness while my bones cracked and twisted beneath my skin. Yet, somehow, I remained sharply aware of every horrifying second, trapped between screaming senses and a mind slipping away.

Through the agony, I hardly noticed the red-haired girl racing toward me, until her hands gripped my shoulders, shaking me uncontrollably. Big mistake.

A violent force surged through me, throwing her back like she weighed nothing. She slammed against a tree with a thud, utterly terrified and crying as she scrambled backwards.

Struggling to cope with the pain, an apology was due when darkness devoured my vision and with it, my consciousness.

When I stirred again, it was dawn, and I was back in my dorm at the top bunk. Still wearing the white dress Ava had gifted me for the party - only now, it was no longer just stained with sauce from my last meal, but mud caked the fabric, smearing both my arms and feet.

A shudder ripped through me as I realized I had no memory of what had happened after witnessing the redhead's terrified face.

Just then I noticed a red stain all over my hands. It didn't look like mud.

It was blood.

And it wasn't mine.