Blythe Tatum expected her freshman year at university to be nerve-wracking, though nothing out of the ordinary. The beginning of her school year starts off as averagely as possible, though Blythe soon finds herself caught up in an unexpected and ine...
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The police finally have an update on Naomi.
Alcohol was found in her system, though the police don't believe this had anything to do with her sudden death. A full autopsy reveals fatal strangulation marks around her neck; dark purple bruises in the shape of fingertips, amongst a number of other injuries—though strangulation is believed to be the cause of her death. The news is horrifying. I can't imagine how that must have felt for her to have to bear, unable to fathom having the air literally forced out of my lungs.
Of course, any information the police release is immediately printed into some sort of article for The Cardinal. Even though I'm not a writer, working on the paper is still overwhelming and draining. There is always something to get done, and everyone on the committee seems to be working overtime.
Ivy is so busy with the paper and her school assignments that I barely have time to talk to her anymore. When I do get the chance to speak to her it's like talking to a wall, as she's hardly responsive. I can't blame my friend for being so out of it; I'm sure I'd be acting the same if I had as much going on as she does. Her schedule makes it difficult for our small group to make plans to see each other, leaving me feeling as if I haven't hung out with my friends in forever. Ben and I get together whenever we can for walks to and from classes, but it's not as if I have much time to fill him in on the details as to what I have going on in my life.
So when Friday night rolls around and I have plans set with Jacob to go on our first date, the only person who knows about the whole ordeal is Kehlani. I wish I could be sharing my excitement with Ben and Ivy, but it doesn't feel right to be telling them about my first potential boyfriend over text. And telling my mother is definitely not an option—she would talk my ears off about how happy she is for me, then try to find out when I could bring Jacob home for her to meet him. I have no plans on introducing him to my parents any time soon, even if Jacob and I happen to become serious in the future. I'm not quite ready to scare him off.
"You're so lucky," Kehlani says as I study my reflection in the small mirror sitting atop my desk on my side of our shared room. "I wish I was going out with Jacob Beckham."
I laugh as I apply light makeup to my features, never having been the type to wear much. "I'm not going out with him," I correct her. I turn in my chair to face my roommate, pondering a clear response. "It's just a simple coffee date."
Kehlani rolls her green eyes. "A date is a date," she retorts. "And you happen to be going on a date with Jacob Beckham. The hottest guy at Redwood."
I return my attention to the mirror, noticing the way my cheeks are flushing as I glance into the reflective glass.
"Do I look okay?" I ask Kehlani, rising from my seat so she can study my appearance. I know next to nothing about making myself look good, and Kehlani just-so-happens to be an expert on the topic.
Kehlani studies me carefully for a moment. My dark hair tumbles down my shoulders in soft waves. I applied little to no makeup to my face, just some mascara and faint concealer. I wear a sweater and a pair of ripped jeans, the look completed with my favorite sneakers.
