Depths of a River

Chapter 1 - Intro

I walked down the sidewalk, splashing in the freshly rained puddles. My ankle boots aren't new anymore even though they were still in great shape. Girls don't want to admit it but, they prefer wearing some of their shoes rather than other. We all have that special pair we never wear but save for a special date.

The evening breeze was cold when I opened the dark wooden door to my apartment and closed it behind me again. My cat ran over the white tiles to come and greet me. Tom was the slightly smaller cat with black and brown fur with a heart of gold. He usually greets me when I come home after a long day of work and he likes to cuddle up against me on the couch. Cruze is dark brown with white patches, and your typical house cat. He sleeps at the end of the bed and sits on everything you are busy with. I love them to bits.

After entering the kitchen, I sat down on a high chair that stood next to the counter and took my phone from the back pocket of my jeans. I sighed loudly while scrolling through Instagram looking for inspiration. As a fashion designer I usually struggle coming up with new ideas just like authors get writers block. The company I worked with had a fashion show at the end of the month. It's a spring-themed show to welcome September, and I haven't come up with anything yet. I liked working with fall colors like orange and brown and yellow more than with flower patterns and bright colours, unlike anybody else at my firm. I guess that's why they need me because I bring a different style to the table. I took out my sketch book from my bag that stood by my feet. It had more loose pages than ones still attached to the book. I went through my older sketches and realized that I never get bored with these older styles even while the style changes every month in this industry.

My eye caught Tom jumping onto the couch, and I decided to go and sit with him and watch television to get my mind off work. I pushed the fluffy white pillow under my arm and threw the purple fleece blanket over my body. Tom lay down on top of my feet while I surfed through the channels, but couldn't find anything interesting to watch. I fell asleep not long after I rested my head on the pillow and woke up again at three in the morning. I stumbled my way up the stairs to my bedroom, my two cats following me.

The sun wasn't out yet when I woke up the next morning. I lay in bed looking at the painting of roses my grandma gave me seven years ago, when I was seventeen. After a few minutes I got up, went to the bathroom. I switched the light on and walked to the mirror to look at myself. My long, red, wavy hair was still in place like the day before but my mascara was a black mess around my eyes. I applied new make-up after washing my face with cold water. After walking back to my room, I opened the closet. The curtains in my room were still closed so only a ray of sun shone through, as the dawn broke. It was still cold even though it was almost September. My phone vibrated, while I was getting dressed. I reached over to pick it up while pulling my top over my head and opened my home screen to read the message. It was from my sister, Cleone, she said that she needed a lift to campus. I didn't open the message so she doesn't know that I've read it.

Why wasn't she on campus? Where on earth could she be at this time in the morning? I didn't reply her, because I first needed to get my head together before dealing with her. She's two years younger than me and I was the one that took responsibility for us.

After running downstairs to the kitchen I grabbed an apple from the fridge and my bag and book from the counter and head out the door. My silver car was parked in the street outside my apartment. While still in a rush to get to the office early, to work on designs for the fashion show, my phone buzzed in my hand again.

I loved Cleone dearly but after our parents died, she became the image of 'couldn't-care-less'. She was always out of money even though my dad's brother sends her a fair amount of her heritages every month, which was more than enough to live from for someone in college. Every time she called I assume it was to borrow money from me.

I put the key in the ignition, start the car and pressed the call button on my phone simultaneously before I drove off. It rang two times before she answered. "Hay, Addie!" she sang over the phone.

"Why are you not on campus and where are you?" I sounded so strict.

I hate talking to her like she was a little kid, but she wasn't acting like an adult.

"I'm at this guy's house, Matt or Mick or whatever" She said and I could hear her giggle on the other side.

"I'm so sorry Addie, Maisie and I was bored and she suggested that we go to this party, because there is this guy she likes and he was going to be there." She said and I could hear her giggle again before I could say anything.

I doubted this because I knew Maisie; they have been friends since the third grade, she was the quiet one and usually just went along with Cleone's plans. She has never suggested any plans of her own.

"The guys we came with went back to campus already and the person whose house it is, is still sleeping." Cleone said and I rolled my eyes. I saw the time on my wrist watch and got worried because I was going to be late. "Send me your location, I don't want to be late for work" I said before ending the call.

I opened the location while driving towards the avenue she was talking about. It was an eight minute drive which meant ten minutes from her campus.

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