Remember That Day

Chapter 4

“Jayda? Jayda!”

Jayda didn’t know how long she had been staring at nothing. It was because of what she heard last night. After what the guy uttered, she ran to her room as fast as she could.

That man really killed her, she had thought before she squeezed the table napkin with both of her hands.

Fortunately, she got out of the hotel safely this morning before she went to the restaurant that she and Tris had talked about. Now she wondered where that guy could be probably at by this time because he seemed to be out of the hotel as well.

“Hey! How long will you ignore me? Jayda?”

Could he be stalking his another victim? Jayda had theorized to herself before she jumped to her feet after Tris threw the napkin right on her face.

“Hey, what was that for?” Jayda exclaimed.

Tris had rolled her eyes on Jayda before she clicked her tounge. She was obviously pissed off.

“You’ve been spacing out for goodness’ sake, Jayda! What?” Tris hissed. Just as she crossed her arms, she added, “I’ve been calling you several times, but you were drowned with your own thoughts. Tell me, what’s bothering you?”

Jayda suddenly felt sorry for her friend, so she flashed a forced smile in front of her. She was finally back to her senses!

“I’m... I’m sorry, Tris. I don’t know. Maybe I just didn’t get enough sleep last night.”

Tris twitched her lips. She didn’t believe her.

“I told you. You’re not a good liar.”

“I’m sorry, okay? Let’s just eat.”

They both continued to eat their foods, but Tris was not really convinced. She even squinted her eyes on her friend without Jayda noticing it.

Little did she know, Jayda went on thinking again about the mysterious guy she saw last night.

“You know what, Jayda? I’ve been thinking of pouring my cold drink to you,” Tris had spoken before she sipped her cold cucumber smoothie.

Jayda glanced at Tris. She had nothing to do, but to make a story for Tris just to stop disturbing her. It was not really a story, but a scene that was near to what had been puzzling her.

She couldn’t really tell why and what was happening because it would be a trouble for Tris as well if she would know.

“Okay, look,” Jayda started. “Let’s assume that there is a guy... a guy killer. Do you think a... a killer like him would pay a hotel room as his hideout?”

“A killer?” asked Tris. “What a sudden creepy question of yours.”

Jayda shrugged her shoulders. “Any thoughts?”

Tris didn’t expect it. However, she had thought about it for a moment before she answered.

“I don’t know. I’m not a killer,” said Tris. “It could be probably a yes, but I think the killer would be safer if he would choose an isolated one. Hotel is not a good choice as hideout, you know, a lot of people.”

She again sipped an amount of her drink as Jayda looked at her intently.

“But of course, he is a criminal, so he couldn’t hide himself forever,” Tris added.

“Yeah, right?” said Jayda as she nodded simultaneously.

But she was still bothered. If he was not the killer, then how about the thing she heard in that room last night?

“Wait. Was the question you asked... is it related to your novel? Well, as far as I remember, romance and comedy are your genres and killer-like stories are what you don’t like write.”

“Yes,” Jayda answered while she stuttered. “It’s for my novel.”

“Really?”

“Yes.”

“This is not something in reality?”

“Of course.” Just as she scratched her nape, she added, “There is a contest, a mystery writing contest... the prize is quite big. I just want to try it.”

“Oh.”

Jayda felt relieved when Tris pulled a smile. She could finally say that she made her believe that it was just for her novel. She even flashed a smile as well with the thought of her being a good liar by this time.

“Killers... mysteries... it has always been an interesting theme for a story,” Tris commented. “But most killers are smart enough whether they can be caught easily or not. Of course, they are hard to catch, but they could wander anywhere as long as they know how to manipulate people around them with the use of their fake identities.”

“You think so?”

As much as Jayda wanted to praise her friend for her useful informations, she started to feel scared. Tris was right.

She added, “Seems like you know how killers live their lives.”

Tris giggled as she tucked her hair at the back of her ear.

Tris said, “Look. Killers maybe anyone that you know for a long time or probably the person you just bumped the last time inside the elevator. Who knows? It could be also the person you trusted the most. You wouldn’t know they’re murderers unless you are smarter than them.”

“Smarter...” Jayda mumbled as she kept her eyes on her friend.

A familiar scene suddenly popped inside Jayda’s head where she tried to go after the mysterious guy she saw last night.

“That person or a person I trusted the most. Who could it be?” Jayda added just as her chest became heavy.

She was muted as she felt something weird. Or she might be crazy for suspecting her friend.

No. I was with her on her birthday. You’re being ridiculous, Jayda, Jayda thought to herself.

“Killers are very... very flexible,” Tris smirked.

How Tris said it made Jayda get goosebumps. She even swallowed the lump in her throat by just looking at her friend.

“Yes. It could be probably... you,” Jayda said, almost a whisper.

Jayda expected that Tris would shout at her, but it didn’t happen. Instead, she grinned which Jayda found uncomfortable and confusing.

“I could be the killer,” said Tris while she stabbed the beef with a knife, very slowly, but with a force.

Jayda could feel her heart thumped so hard because of the sudden nervous she had felt. It was as if she was facing the killer she wanted to meet the night of the murder incident. But after a few seconds, she witnessed how Tris bursted out laughing.

“Hey!” Tris exclaimed. “You look so pale, Jayda! What do you think of me? A killer? I just gave you examples... an almost realistic and effective character of killer for your novel!”

Jayda didn’t know where to look after Tris said it. Aside from they were the center of attraction at that moment, Jayda felt embarrassed for thinking the wrong idea.

“You almost gave me a heart attack!” Jayda said as her annoyance flared. “That was so... so real! I got goosebumps, and I almost fell to your words. I thought—”

Tris interrupted her by waving her hand to her face.

“You thought what? That I could be a killer of some sort? Are you insane?” she asked and laughed again.

Jayda just shook her head as she drank all the water in her glass.

“You’re crazy for acting so weird, Tris,” Jayda said annoyingly. “You even grinned at me!”

“I’m sorry, okay? I’m sorry. I didn’t know that you would take it seriously,” Tris replied as she wiped her mouth with the napkin. “But you know what? Let’s drop it already, okay? I think you need to rest for awhile. You’re overthinking things already. Why don’t you come at my place and visit Olga?”

Jayda took a long breath and eventually nodded. She had finally calmed herself before she spoke.

“I’ll inform you if I find time. I really need to write. I have 3 on-going novels plus the novel for the writing contest, just so you know. No write, no income,” Jayda answered.

As usual, Jayda received her friend’s signature rolling eyes, but she couldn’t deny that the topic earlier about the killer made her think over at it again. It was as if everyone around her could probably be the murderer.