The Killer Secret

2.

Two days after the party, news of Tammy's murder surfaced all over town. Of course, given what happened, a few nights ago between Axel and Tammy, it was no surprise that he would be the first suspect.

"That poor family," my mother sympathized as she took a sip of her tall glass of wine. "Kayla, you and Tammy use to be close, right?"

I nodded awkwardly, chewing on a piece of chicken.

Taylor shot me a side-way glance. She was the only person who truly  knew the real reason for the dead friendship between Tammy and I.

No pun intended.

"This is why I keep you girls away from the Morgans." My father carried on in my mom's place. "I knew that Axel boy was trouble from the moment the universe put him with such a family."

"Dad, you don't know if he actually killed her." Taylor piped in.

"Money has a way of making you see just the surface, kitten. Remember that."

Taylor didn't comment and, in our book, that was the right call or we would be sitting here talking about this until our brown curls wither into gray straws.

My father had bad blood with the Morgans, ever since they were teenagers. I never knew the specifics and he never talked about the story behind the feud, but I sensed that it had something to do with a girl.

We continued to eat in silence until dinner was over and the unfinished topic weighed over the dining table like an ax, waiting to fall, from a guillotine. Dad helped mom with the dishes while Taylor and I packed away the leftovers into the refrigerator.

"Dinner was delicious, honey." My dad stated and kissed my mom on the lips. It went on for some time that Taylor and I had to excuse ourselves from the scene quickly.

"That's a sight I do not ever want to witness again," Taylor grumbled as she walked up the stairs and I laughed.

"You and Eliot suck face harder than mom and dad. Why is it an issue now?"

She turned to face me. "It's just gross. Did you see how dad shoved his tongue in mom's mouth like it's their honeymoon stage all over again?"

That made me laugh even more. "It's nice, after twenty years together, they can still make out like that, don't you think? I mean look at Jasmine's parents. They can't stand each other and they've been married for only four."

Jasmine was Taylor's sidekick. Her parents were on and off for eighteen years and finally decided to make the terrible decision to tie the knot. Those two were like fire and ice, oil and water...They just couldn't get along.

Taylor seemed to get my point because she sighed and continued her journey to her room without another word, and I did the same.

My room was my safe haven. Its walls were filled with polaroids of crazy trips that I went on, family time, and many other adventures around town. I sat on my huge white oak bed and fell
back against the numerous pillows which lined the headboard.

I thought back to my freshman year and wondered how much everything has changed between then and now, how everything was so much simpler before that night.

A small knock sounded outside of my door and my mom popped her head through the open crease.

"Hey sweetie. Getting ready for bed?"