Tale Teller (West Hampton U Series #1)

Chapter 23 ● Change of Scenery

This is the last chapter folks, we've reached the end...!

It's been a tough one getting this out. I have wanted to write this for so long but life has not made it easy. Nevertheless, the sequel will be out soon, called "Commencement (West Hampton U Part 2)." 

It will follow Suhana and Ruhaan's story, with maybe some other surprises in there. But you'll have to read to find out😜

-- Muskaan--

When I woke up this morning, got dressed, made Sameer and I breakfast, I had no idea how this day would end. I was just a girl, about to write her LSAT in a couple weeks, wearing her boyfriend's jersey before he was about to win his first game back from suspension.

Now, I stood in front of my best friend, in a dark forest, as she held something in her hand, confusion and fear swirling in her green eyes.

"What is it?" my voice is a whisper, afraid that if the trees around us could hear, they would answer me with something I didn't want to know. I kneel down beside her and she hands me what she has in her hand.

It's a phone, but what catches my attention is the picture on the back of her phone case. There's a little polaroid, a photograph of a girl smiling and hugging someone who most likely is her mom. The girl looks familiar, and it only takes me a second before a loud gasp spills out through my lips.

We hear more footsteps in our direction, all of our heads whipping behind us. "I'll ward them off," Ruhaan says, jogging towards the sound. I hear him say something to the crowd, loud laughter follows, and then the people seem to walk away.

"What is is?" Sameer puts his hands on my shoulders, leaning over me to see. I hand it to him. He doesn't recognize the girl, looking between Suhana and I in confusion.

"It's the girl who went missing," Suhana scrambles through her pockets and pulls her own phone out, opening Instagram and showing Sameer that girl's Instagram page: Elena Rodriguez.

His eyes dart between Suhana's phone screen and photo. I can't read his thoughts around the questions swimming in my own head. Sameer hands Suhana her phone back and then pulls us both up, tucking Elena's phone in his jacket pocket. He begins to rush us both out of the forest and around the side of the house.

He instructs Suhana to unlock her car and drive home. Minutes later, we're sitting in his living room while he tells Zain what happened.

Zain turns to us, his expression gentle but exasperated nonetheless. "What does this prove you guys? Nothing. A girl dropped her phone in the forest."

Ruhaan scoffs. "That's a little idealistic, don't you think?"

"Think what you want guys. Fact of the matter is, you turn that phone on and they track the location to you. It only spells trouble," Zain rightfully knocks some sense into us.

"Fine," Sameer stands up, picking the phone up off the coffee table and putting it in a cupboard in the kitchen. "No one touch it until we know what to do with it."

Everyone in the living room looks at each other and then we all nod uncommittedly. I don't think any one of us will sleep tonight knowing evidence to a possible girl's death is in the next room with us.

The last few weeks of the semester went by in a blur and the year was done. The phone was never mentioned again but also never touched. It sat there, in the boys' cupboard of pasta and cereal, collecting dust.