Twilight's terror

Chapter 5

The place was completely empty. It looked untouched, in fact it looked better than untouched. It looked remodelled. The walls looked cleaner and shinier like it had been freshly painted, the floor was spotless, the broken glasses and  bottles had all disappeared. He had forgotten jace's cleanups were even better than his parties.

Carelessness on his part. Considering the magnitude of parties this best friend of his had back home, the memories ought to be sealed into his brain. If it weren't for the solid structure of the houses in their neighbourhood, he could swear one of these days they would bring the roofs down.

He was walking out annoyed and disappointed when a familiar face swung by.

Dexter falcon A.K.A Mr popular, hottest guy in school and captain of the football team. He knew that chin anywhere, his face couldn't be missed.  The gorgeous balance of his hair which flustered perfectly around his head was unmistakable. He was the type of guy girls dreamt to be with, boys prayed to wake up as, parents hoped for as a son. Yes siree he was no slouch in the looks department. But that was the thing - the looks department. Every other department-like a brain, stunk like rotten oatmeal.

Alex had tutored him a while back, then they had been freshman. Then he'd been awkward, weird and silly, how he had grown.

Dexter flashed a smile from the entrance of the room. It hadn't been a big smile, just a little lift from the corner of his mouth to acknowledge his presence, but still a smile nonetheless. Dexter wasn't the Beat around the Bush kind of guy. He liked to cut to the chase.

Alex  knew that. He knew he wasn't here by coincidence or just happened to be walking by and noticed an open door. He smiled back. Fully aware he had come for something, and faked a chuckle as he walked towards him - waiting for him to say what it was.

"What up my man" dexter pulled him in for a hug.

"Trying to figure out what I did last night"

"Those kind of parties huh?" He grinned mockingly

"You have no idea"

"We'll maybe you could tell me"

"You weren't there?"

"Sorry bro I had some important stuff to do"

One didn't need to be a private eye to know 'some important stuff to do' was a big fat lie. The most important guy on campus hadn't been there and yet everyone who was anyone was. Dexter's absence was not a good sign. Luckily as mentioned, he wasn't the beat around the bush type.

"Why are you here Dex" his brows furrowed as he crossed his arms. Suddenly he could no longer stand the pretence of their suspiciously cordial greetings.

He chuckled and smiled weakly.

"I was hoping to ask you something"

"About?"

"Well it's kinda personal and I wouldn't want to..."

"Could you get straight to the point" he cut in impatiently. "Your not the only one with important stuff to do"

He sighed sadly and continued.

"Look dude, I just.. Just wanted to know how you were doing"

"What?"

"I heard a rumor that well you know..." He broke off reading the impatient look on Alex's face.

"A rumor about..?"

"Well" he sighed and Alex watched his face fall into a deep frown. He looked on edge. Like he was unwilling to say it but felt he had too out of duty.

Reluctantly he continued. "Is it true your mom died, I heard she was murdered, have they found out who did it"

Alex froze on the spot. Suddenly all that unreadiness his father and aunt talked about dawned on him. Of all the times for them to be right. He wasn't ready, he wasn't ready for the truth. The reality of everything. Of course he did in fact know the truth. His mom was gone and that was it, no changing things. But there was the truth and then there was The Truth. It was one thing to know that truly his mother was dead. It was another to know she was dead and buried and was never coming back.

There were times when he wondered how much of that truth was indeed true and if some of the truth had been rationed, spared on the pretext of protecting him. A guy coming out of nowhere and shooting you in your office on your way home seemed a bit farfetched. There was more to it, he could feel it. She simply couldn't be gone. But his fear of the truth and the effect it would have on him had stopped him from ever finding out. He learned to work with what he was given. She died. End of story. If he investigated and he was wrong, all the old scars that he had been trying to heal - the operating word there being trying, would be opened again. It would be another six months of heartbreak, that truth he wasn't ready to face again.

"Alex you okay" dexter nudged him. Wondering if his heart had stopped and eager to know if he was still breathing.

"I'm fine dexter" he threw his hands off him and moved away. "Absolutely fine" he walked away barely able to stop himself from breaking down in tears.

He stopped at the door and turned back.

"How did you hear about that" he sniffled and put a hand over his nose trying to hide his devastated state.

"We all heard Alex, when those kind of s**t happens bro, you gotta tell your friends dude. A problem shared is one half solved"

"Good to know" he stated and walked away.