Page 15 of Deadly Secrets

“I’ll do it before I leave London. Gosh, I hope he doesn’t cry like the last one. Have you seen Jake since the funeral?”

Jake and Caroline had contacted me multiple times, but I’d been actively dodging their calls throughout the summer. In one of his recent texts, Jake told me he was heading Upstate for work until the end of the year and suggested we meet. However, I had isolated myself within the walls of Moore Manor ever since the funeral, and the thought of seeing them and potentially having an uncomfortable conversation weighed heavily on my mind.

“No, I haven’t. I’ve been ignoring his messages since the service,” I confessed.

“What a shame... He did seem like a good guy, but I understand.” Sarah sympathized.

“Yeah, I know, but I’ll be leaving soon, and the last thing I want is to add more complications to my already complex life,” I explained.

Little did I suspect that California had its own set of complications waiting for me.

* * *

Sarah left almost a week ago.

I’d almost finished unpacking, and after buying new furniture, my apartment at Aster Hall finally felt cozy. I liked my accommodation. Aster Hall was mixed-gender housing, and most units were one-bed apartments with an en suite bathroom. Each one had a small living room and a kitchen. I could afford to rent my own apartment, but then I would miss college life. I was so used to sharing space with other students at boarding school that I preferred seeing people my age rather than oldies with Chanel sunglasses holding Pomeranians in the elevator.

While my mood had certainly improved since Sarah arrived, I still cried myself to sleep almost every night. I was fully aware that I couldn’t continue down this road and began considering booking an appointment with a counselor or a therapist. The last thing I wanted was to fall into a depression.

It was Friday, and my classes wouldn’t start until Monday. My teachers had uploaded their syllabi on the intranet, so I made a list of the books I needed to buy and updated my Microsoft Outlook calendar with key dates and my weekly schedule. According to Google Maps, an academic text bookstore was in the area, just a ten-minute walk from my dorm. It seemed like a good idea to take a break from all the cleaning and organizing I’d done to leave the apartment and get some fresh air.

The moment I set foot in the bookstore, I knew I needed help. The store had multiple floors, and I couldn’t even see its full extent from my position by the counter. Realizing I wouldn’t locate the books on my list without some guidance, I approached one of their employees and asked for directions. He kindly pointed me to a section at the back of the store.

I was looking for a specific book on one of the shelves when someone spoke from behind me.

“Do you need any help?”

I spun around and was greeted by a guy flashing me a warm smile. Towering at an impressive height of around six-two, he appeared to be a giant compared to my five-four frame. He had Asian features, black hair, dark eyes, a cute nose, and perfect teeth. I smiled back at him.

“Yes, thank you. I’m looking for this book,” I said, pointing at my list. He looked at the piece of paper, and without hesitation, he extended his right arm and reached for a book behind me. His whole body practically pressed against mine, and I blushed. I took a step back, but I hit the bookshelf.

“Let me guess, you’re a freshman majoring in a science field?” he said, holding the book before me.

“Is it that obvious?”

“Yeah, a little. I assumed, based on your list. My best friend is a sophomore majoring in bioengineering, and he had a similar list last year.”

Why is he so handsome, and why can’t I stop staring at his killer smile?

“Are you coming to the party tonight?” he asked me.

“What party?”

“Every year, all the seniors from economics organize a freshman party at Banbury Hall. It starts at ten o’clock. You have to come. If you don’t know anyone, you could look for me,” he said with a wink. “Give me your phone,” he demanded. “I’ll give you my number, and you can text me when you get there. By the way, my name is Noah. What’s your name?”

“Sienna,” I told him while handing him my phone.

“Nice to meet you, Sienna.”

While he typed his number, I observed him in more detail. His arms were well-defined under his white T-shirt. He had broad shoulders and strong hands. His hair looked messy but purposely messy, quite sexy, like just-got-fucked hair. I wasn’t a fool…great hair, a beautiful smile, good social skills, and that body…he was definitely a fuckboy, and I was his next victim.

“I’ve sent myself a text, so I have your number too. I’ll see you tonight.” We parted ways after he gave me back my phone and gifted me with another flirty smile. Once I exited the store, I looked down at my screen, noticing he’d saved his number as Noah and a heart emoji. He had already sent me a text.

Noah

I can’t wait to see you tonight. I hope you come ;)

I had the feeling that the text had a double meaning.

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