Obscure

Chapter 4

"Coffee"

Oddly enough, Jonah woke me up this morning instead of my alarm. I wasn't aware my relationship with him would go further than last night's single man orientation but I guess I was mistaken.
When I opened my door, Jonah stood there, beaming at me. He was all dressed up in his school uniform. His aftershave and cologne clogging the air around me. I, on the other hand, had yet to make it to the wing's bathroom to even brush my teeth.
"Good morning, Amy!" He is too cheerful for the morning and his voice echoes through the hallway. I pray that any of the other girls on the floor don't hear him.
"Hi?" I half-ass my greeting to him. I'm caught off guard that he's here at seven in the morning and so peppy, out of all the moods he chooses to be this early in the day. The sun hasn't even set fully yet.
He doesn't catch on to my uneasiness and continues to talk to me as if we're the bestest of friends. If that's the future he has in mind with me, he's sorely mistaken. The last friend I had was Francesca and that was before freshmen year of high school and that took years to develop.
"I thought I would help you with your first morning here at Balcones. I figured we could start with breakfast and then I can walk you to your classes. Help you get situated. When you're done getting ready of course." He finally addresses the fact that I'm still in my pajama pants.
"Oh, okay. You can wait in my room while I get ready I guess." I step to the side, allowing him space to get in my room.
"Oh, boys aren't allowed in the dorms." He smirks at me and then scans me from head to toe. "But I can come later tonight after check in and stop by." He winks at me and I'm absolutely mortified.
I furrow my eyebrows at him and correct him, "That's not what I meant. I just didn't want you to stand outside my door while I run around getting ready."
"Oh," Jonah mouths. He recovers from my rejection with the same smug look as before. "Then I'll wait downstairs for you."
I shrug my shoulders and close the door. Jonah's attractive so maybe he's used to invitations like that from the girls at Balcones. I can't blame him for that. I should have been more clear when I asked him in. I can't help but laugh at the misunderstanding, though. Just the idea of any guy sneaking in and spending the night with me is absurd.

x

I meet Jonah outside Adams shortly after. After the weird conversation outside my door, he doesn't look at me like some adorable puppy. He just acknowledges I'm there with a small wave.
As we walk tot he dining hall, Jonah tries making small talk. A feeble attempt to forget what happened less than an hour ago at Adams. I don't make his effort any easier either. I answer his questions with a short sentence of a single word. I don't bother to continue out conversation with more questions.
I am curious on how long he's been at Balcones and if he does more than Welcoming Committee, but if he wants to tell me, he'll tell me. I don't want to impose by asking. Or rather, I don't want to mess up my good karma.
     We arrive at the dining hall. Yesterday, I sat with him and Papi in the corner of the big room but today is different. Today he guides me to another table and unlike yesterday, we aren't the only ones there.
     Today, three people join us. Jonah introduces them as Genevieve, Wren, and Nico. Genevieve is a replica of Jonah. Same curly brown hair, deep brown eyes, and they make the same faces. It's odd how alike they are. Their similarities have a reason, though, that's as simple as sharing genetics. Wren is a burst of sunshine. She wears her hair in long braids with colorful beads tied in. Nico is just there. He waves to say hello and I never hear from him again. He hides behind his long, unruly hair. A complete opposite of the well-groomed style Jonah has.
      Genevieve and Wren seem to be their own club who only talk to everyone else when brought up. Besides that, they talk among themselves. Nico doesn't say much either. He seems more involved with the book his reading rather than the lagging conversation between Jonah and I.
     "Have you already met the coach of the soccer team?" Jonah brings up. Both Genevieve and Wren stop talking and listen in. Nico is still unbothered.
     "We talked over the phone. He seems like a nice guy." Once. We talked on the phone once. He reminded me of a 'cool' dad. More caught up in having fun rather than getting to business. Which scared me at first but the team was still national champions so he must know what he's doing, even if he does joke off.
     Genevieve snorts at my comment. No explanation behind it.
      Thankfully, Wren speaks up. "The General? He's not a nice guy."
     Genevieve shushes Wren. "By all means, if Miss Kansas thinks he's a nice guy, he's a nice guy."
     Wren glares at Genevieve. She doesn't pay attention, though. She just gives me a big toothy grin. The same type that unsettle me to my core. I just ignore it and finish my cereal, uninterested in starting my morning with a knot in my stomach.
I leave the table to throw away my trash and drop of my tray. It's a breath of fresh air from the four students I've found myself hanging out with. Nico and Wren are bearable but Jonah and Genevieve are a challenge. I don't think he realizes but he keeps practically undressing me with his eyes where as Genevieve stares at me as if she's figuring out different ways to kill me.
When I return, whatever the four where talking about comes to a screeching halt. I feel like an intruder, invading their comfortable friend circle and I think it best to grab my stuff and leave. Maybe I'll check out that library or get a head start to class but when I sit down, Genevieve says something that makes me want to stay.
"Jonah says you knew Francesca."
I gulp. Maybe it's not as weird for them but for me, it's not exactly my preferred topic. Missing close friends never seem to be. "Yeah, we grew up together." I don't bother lying. Jonah heard what Papi said and if he said I knew her, as far as these three are concerned, no matter what I say, I knew Francesca Prince.
"Do you know what happened?" Nico finally speaks.
Everyone is leaning in now, paying attention to every word I say and every move I make.
"I read some articles, but they don't say much," I admit. I don't like sticking my nose in things, especially creepy kidnappings, but this concerned a close friend. I can't be penalized for caring, can I?
"Hm." Genevieve stares off. Probably taking what I said and morphing it into some crazy story in her mind.
I'm tempted to ask for their take on what happened but before I can, the bell rings. No doubt a warning from karma itself to take a step back before getting involved with things that don't concern me.
As much as I despite being nosey, this is different. Francesca was my friend and she's gone. Missing. Is it wrong to be curious about what happened? Is curiosity such a bad thing?
The only answer I can manage is the old saying, "Curiosity killed the cat." That's all I need to drop the conversation and all thoughts of Francesca all together.

x

It's the end of the day and I'm dragging my feet to the West side of campus for soccer practice. I must have walked ten miles between periods, running around trying to find my next class. Despite Jonah's information, it was a lot harder to discern what exactly was considered 'advanced' at this academically competitive school. He also never kept his promise to walk me to classes. He must have given up once he realized he wouldn't be getting in my pants anytime soon. It took me awhile to figure it out but after our walk to first period, it was pretty clear and I wasted no time shutting it down.
As tired as I am, I wouldn't change anything I told him. I'd rather walk ten miles than spend another minute with that pervert. The first sign should have been when he invited himself as a booty call for tonight but I wrote it off like an idiot. Never again.
     It was easier to make it to the locker room but I think it's because after getting lost so many times, my mental map had developed to the point where it actual helped me get around campus. I followed the signs and was in the girl's locker room, changing into my practice jersey and gear.
    When I had locked up everything, I found two girls  in front of me. They were anything but friends, they made sure to let me know that. There was to be no confusions left from our 'friendly' breakfast.
     Genevieve greeted me with condescending sneer. Wren on the other hand acted as if I wasn't there.
     "Can I help you?" I inquired. They were in my way and as far as I knew, I hadn't done anything to offend them.
     "Is it true?" Genevieve began. I raised an eyebrow at her. She rolled her eyes and finished, "Is it true you made a move on Jonah?"
     "I haven't talked to Jonah since first period."
     "Why? Because you were embarrassed that he rejected you?" She continued to accuse me. Of what crime? I had yet to figure out. Wren seemed mad, too, but she didn't say anything. She just boar holes into my skin with her intense gaze.
     "Rejected me? I didn't even let it get to far. The second he made a move I told him to back off. That's why we haven't talked away and that's why I stayed away from you guys at lunch. He creeps me out." It all came out in one quick breath.
     Genevieve kept scolding me. Did she even hear what I said? "It's only your first day here and you're already making enemies. And with the wrong people."
     "I don't even know what I did!"
     "Oh, please! You know what you did!"
     "I genuinely don't."
     Wren breaks her vow of silence. "Gen, I believe her," she says in a soft voice.
     "Seriously? You don't believe what Jonah said?" In a flash, Wren becomes a criminal in Genevieve's eye. It's like Genevieve discards their friendship because of some unspoken betrayal.
     "You know how Jonah is. He over exaggerates. Maybe he misinterpreted something she said. She seems like a sweet girl. She wouldn't do something like that."
     Something like what? I dare to wonder.
     Genevieve huffs and walks away. Wren watches her and shakes her head. "She's just over protective of Jonah," she tells me, "You know how older sisters can be."
     "Yeah." In reality, I have no idea. I'm clueless as to the crime I now no longer committed. A mystery overwhelming enough.
    "We should go warmup before the General gets on the field. He doesn't like to waste time," she suggests.
    I follow behind her to to the field. A new mystery in my mind; who is the General?

glad to announce the next chapter, a sign that i might just be able to keep up with updates on this book

i know something i want to focus on i'd making sweet and simple chapters that focus on moving the plot along rather than giving long and detailed ones that describe minor details that don't help the story so looking forward to editing any drafts and cultivating ideas into that vision

it may be hard to update for the next three weeks since i'm with family but i'll try my best to find the time to write and continue this story

please don't hesitate to show your support for my book by liking and commenting it really encourages me, for updates regarding obscure or any other of my stories, follow me

- roseliane