Guilt: A Fractured Minds Novel

Chapter Thirty-eight

After we finished eating Kelsey's home cooked dinner Kara and I said goodbye before we raced off to her room. As she kicked the door open with her foot I commented, "Your Mother is an amazing cook."

At my words she smiles a little before sitting down on her bed patting the spot next to her. Following her example I sit down as well watching as she turn towards me while criss crossing her legs. I smile at the action because she's done that as long as I've known her. Although I find it to be uncomfortable she enjoys it. Shaking the thought away I wait for her to speak. Her eyes light up as they do when she's excited and I know that she has something that she wants to tell me about. After all we are very close friends.

"Guess what!" She exclaims while a wide grin takes over her face. Not waiting for me to even guess she tells me, "Ethan asked me out!"

"When did this happen?" I ask not surprised in the least. Her nose scrunches up as she asks, "Wait, why are you not surprised?"

"I've known for awhile now that he's liked you. It's very obvious and I've been waiting for the time when you two got together. So how did he ask?"

She blushes at my comment before ranting, "Well today he'd been wanting to hang out like we've been doing a lot recently. So we went out to lunch-he took me to my favorite place-and afterwards went on a hike. Although it's been hot recently I had so much fun!"

"Yeah, it has been awfully hot and I hate it."

"Unlike you Ice Queen, I love the heat." Rolling my eyes at her comment a memory comes to mind.

"How can you life like this?? It's way too cold. Are you trying to freeze us to death?" Tori voiced her thoughts as she once again turned up the thermostat while glaring at me. As I held up my hands in a form of surrendering I watch as she turned to walk back into her bedroom I made my move. Quickly I turned it down once again before following Tori's actions and walking back to my room. Later that night I heard her let out a groan as she found that I had changed it once again. Smiling I fell back asleep.

It's then I'm reminded of my sister's murder. The killer is still out there and breathing fine. Anger fills my blood as I look down at my hands that have curled themselves into tight fists.

"Alexa are you okay?" Kara askes causing me to look up. Meeting her wide brown eyes I notice that my fingernails are digging into my skin.

"Yes, I'm fine." My voice strains out causing her to give me a look of disbelief. Looking away I hear yelling from downstairs. Kara stands up before walking over to her bedroom door. Looking down the hallway to her room I hear her let out a small laugh. Standing up I walk over to her to see the twins running around the house yelling and laughing.

"What's that all about?" I wonder aloud. Kara shakes her head while muttering, "I have no idea..."

"Kara!" Kelsey yells from somewhere inside the house. Giving me a look of are-you-kidding-me she walks down the hallway. Deciding that it would better if I stayed I turn around and walk back into her room. Her stacks of books sit next to her bedside while another pile sits near a comfortable chair in the corner of the room by her window.

"Hey, sorry about that." Kara says as she walks into the room. Shrugging I check the time on my phone, 7:04pm.

"My Mom just told me that she's taking them to see some movie. In hopes that it will tire them out or something along those lines." At her explanation I hear a bit more of laughing before a door is shut and silence envelops the house. Kara takes a look around her room and makes a sour face.

"How about we hang out somewhere else? My room is kind of messy."

As we walk out of her room I look at her while tilting my head. "Really? Your room is spotless and compared to mine it is untouched."

Glancing over at me she smiles before saying, "Yeah, your room is terribly messy."

"Hey! You're supposed to say: It's not that bad or I didn't notice." I call out as she laughs walking down the hallway and into her living room.

Sitting down I glace out the window as see that the sun is starting to set as the colors come out to play. The air becomes thick as we both are lost in our thoughts. My own soon turn to my sister who's killer I have yet to find. Guilt starts to creep in as I think. I'm just sitting here with a friend while my sister's killer breathes easier every second. I'm just sitting here doing nothing except think.

Staring off while lost in my thoughts of who could've killed my sister I'm interrupted by Kara waving her hand in front of my face. Smiling at her I feel as though she can see that it's a fake one. She lets out a sigh as I look out the front window that rests above the couch that sits unoccupied across from me. The sky tells of my lies as it bleeds into reds and oranges.

"You've been spacing out a lot lately..." She trails off as if hoping I'll fill in the blank. When I don't she continues, "What is going on with you Alex? You've been acting very strange recently and I suspect that your sister's death had something to do with it. You know you can talk to me about anything, right? I know it will make you feel better afterwards." Kara says while I cast my eyes downwards to my beaten shoes. I haven't told her, in fact the only people that I've told are Jared and Heather. It wouldn't hurt to at least tell her some of it, right? I can trust her after all we are friends and we have been for a very long time. On the other hand Heather told me not to tell anyone in case they had something to do with Victoria's murder.

Lifting my eyes I decide to tell her what I've found out. What's the harm in that? All this information feels like rocks on my shoulders without Jared or Heather to lift the weight.

"I've been acting "strange recently" because I've been doing an investigation of sorts and you are right. It has everything to do with my sister's murder." At my words her eyes widen a fraction as her mouth sets into a thin line.