Seacrets

Chapter 2

     Ants ran through her legs when she stood up to get off the bus. Her tall, athletic frame doesn't do well in cramped spaces. She sat through all five hours with her knees almost up to her chest. Sonia's new car, on the other hand, is spacious enough for her to lounge around. Moving out of the dorms was her idea. The girls go straight to the supermarket to fill their new home with all sorts of goodies. While Solène was gone for the break, Sonia had used her bewitching smile to get help from a few strong classmates. Most of the heavy lifting was done. The roommates spend the rest of the evening decorating, eating and relaxing in their brand new apartment on the edge of campus.

The difference didn't matter much when it came to going to class. But this first day of school simply lingered. Solène didn't get to relax at the beach as she planned. She had so much energy to use. She would not sit still.

Her father's curly-haired apprentice chose a table by the coffee place's window. He waved to her from his sit.

-Adrien!

-Sit, how was your first day?

- Not bad... Slow though ...

-Ok ... Well ... your father's shop was broken into yesterday.

-What!

-He is okay! Don't panic ... He reached for her shoulders ... No one was in the store and we're not sure what they took.

-Why would you leave father alone then!

-Calm down, Miss! Your father sent me... We have a project on a deadline and the mess they made damaged important components for it. I'm here to buy more.

-I don't like this ... Her brows locked into a frown. Her shoulders slumped away from Adrien's embrace.

-Come shopping with me; you know this town better than I do.

The pair went on to roam about the city. They completed Adrien's to-do list and had dinner together. Before they knew it, night had set upon them. Solène dropped off Adrien at his AirBnB and went home with a take-out bag for Sonia. She started her new job this afternoon and she isn't the type to go home to cook.

Solène walked pass an ambulance and a police car parked on the streets to get to her building's front entrance. Her steps slowed down a little bit when she got to her floor, a uniformed officer was standing right at her door.

-Sonia!

-I'm here...

Her weakened voice was heard from inside.

-What happened?

-I walked in on robbers ...

The paramedics had her strapped on and ready to roll.

-Are you okay?

-I'm fine... They just need to check on me because I got hit on the head.

She explained that neighbors had found her lying on the floor with a bleeding wound. Solène stood in her destroyed apartment. They busted in the door. They opened every kitchen cabinet door and pulled out the food. They pilfered cushions, opened the mattresses in both rooms. They even emptied her lingerie drawer. One of them even took off the lid on the back of the toilet. It seemed as though someone was deliberately looking for something. At the very worst, someone enjoyed making a mess of their home. They took her to the hospital and Solène stood in the mess with questions.

Adrien rushed over to be with her. So much worse could have happened when she walked in on those criminals. Fortunately, they simply rushed her to escape with no intent to harm her. Her head wound was the result of her falling to the floor. That too could have produced a very gloom reality had she not been found in time.

Solène wasn't saying much but Adrien could tell that she was feeling bad. Maybe she thought if she'd gone home sooner she could have done something. Not true.