Sebastian 'Bash' Walker is a partying Good-Time bloke who landed a full ride scholarship from out of The Bush of the outback in Australia to Magnolia Falls University. Magnolia Falls is located in Cajun Country, Louisiana USA where the food is hot...
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The soft voice of Giselle speaks hesitantly through my phone speaker as I weave through the crowded pool area, "Aspen? Oh... my goodness. I didn't know you were back in town?"
"Yes, I transferred." Clearly, she's aware of who I am based on me only giving my name. Either by my sister or by the news.
I stop when I reach the door and glance back, my hot skin pricking up as if a thousand needles had pricked my flesh at once. How had Bash not known I was Foxy's sister?
Through the swimmers and divers, I watch as Jared seems to be arguing with Bash, speaking quickly with his hands that were just thrown from Bash's face. He knew she was dead, but he still thought I was her? That's incredibly strange and incredibly suspicious.
"Transferred? To Magnolia Falls? For good?" Giselle's stunned voice pulls my attention back from watching the men still arguing back near the locker rooms.
"Y-yes," I answer half listening and half watching the guys still, wanting to be able to read their lips.
"Oh my Goodness, I-I don't really know what to say." Giselle offers with sympathy flowing from her concerned voice.
I realize I haven't given her much because I'm too busy watching the strange exchange between Jared and Bash.
"Right, yeah. Um, one second, Giselle." I say, still needing to speak to her, but can't look away from what I'm watching. They are clearly in a heated argument and based on me leaving two minutes earlier, I know it must be about me or Foxy.
Jared returns to the locker room door and says something to Bash, then Bash pushes off from the wall he's leaned against and heads in my direction with his eyes burning into the tile floors.
Shit
I hustle out the door, looking quickly for a place to hide within a few feet of the pool building then dash into a large crowd of girls laughing and chatting loudly. I earn a few good looks from several of the preoccupied girls but ignore them and cast a glance over my shoulder just as Bash shoves through the door with his hands buried in his jean pockets and head downcast.
He walks straight, cutting through the crowds of students who seem to separate and intentionally avoid him.
I leave the group and follow far enough behind him where I know he'd never realize I am there. "Okay, Giselle, sorry about that. Listen, I was hoping I could meet up with you and talk about Foxy. I want to know what happened that night, and I heard you and her were seen together at the Frat party?"
She sighs sadly and is quiet for a moment, "Yes. I spoke to the police about that night, but of course, I'll tell you anything I can."
"Thank you, when are you free?"
"I'm full today with classes, I can meet up afterwards? We could get a coffee?"
Fuuuuckkkkk
"I work today until about eleven then I'm going to the frat house to check it o-"
"You're going there? Okay, I know we don't know each other, but Foxy and I were close, I feel like I should tell you that's a bad idea."
"Why do you say that?" I ask, following Bash through the thinning quad area and notice one of the many parking lots straight ahead. "You're not the only one who mentioned going to that house is a bad idea."
"Because it's the last place I saw Foxy, I don't know if the person who did it lives there. I don't think it's a good idea, Pen." My throat is instantly dry, and I'm stopped in my tracks.
Hearing the name my sister called me nearly knocks me down, but it is successful in sucking the air from my lungs. My eyes sting with threatening tears, but I clear my throat and continue with my stalking of Bash who has entered the parking lot.
"I need to go. It'll be fine." I stop on the curb of the sidewalk and watch Bash climb onto his motorcycle littered with scratches seen from where I stand. He places the black matte helmet on his head, then fires up the machine. Even from where I stand, I want to clasp my hands over my ears.
"I have a break between classes tomorrow, before lunch. Would you like to meet up then?" She asks. I grind my teeth together, knowing my plan on going to the precinct tomorrow was on my to-do list. But, I can't risk not meeting up with Giselle. I'll simply ditch classes tomorrow if it comes down to it. Giselle is important, from what she's said she and Foxy were close.
Anyone close to my sister is important to me.
"Yes. Where do you want to meet?"
"Frappies? It's the coffee shop just across the street from campus?"
"Yes, that'll work," I speak loudly as Bash fires up the engine and flies dangerously fast out of the parking lot. No wonder he almost flew into my car, fucking idiot.
"Okay, I'll see you then, Pen." Again, hearing that name hurts my heart.
"Umm, hold on, Giselle. Do you know who Bash Walker is?" I ask her, watching him cut someone off and fly down the main road and increase his already fast pace to make a yellow light through an intersection.
"Oh, yeah." She says quickly, then pauses and is silent for a moment, "Foxy had met him that night, she saw him play at the baseball game and said she was attracted to him and wanted to meet him."
A bead of sweat rolls down my back and I feel my heart throb between my ears, "She said that? She said she was attracted to him?" That can't be right.
I know my sisters' type, and he with his tattoos covering nearly all his exposed skin and gloomy bad boy vibe is not it. He's my type, not hers.
"Yeah, she said it multiple times. They were even flirting during his game."
Flirting? He conveniently forgot to mention that when I grilled him before class.
Bash Walker, his tattoos, and his strange actions are looking more and more like someone I want to get close with. If I find out it was him, I will fillet him alive.
"Thanks, Giselle. I've got to get to class, I'll see you tomorrow at Frappies?"
