Paper Heart Goodbyes

Ch. 21

Tess didn't mention anything to Becky about her suspicions about Lena. First of all, when she had said something about Lena possibly messing with her phone or knowing more than she was letting on about the letter, Becky didn't take it all too well. Secondly, she didn't have any proof about anything other than a gut feeling. The thing is the gut feeling didn't necessarily mean that Lena was a cold blooded serial killer. She just felt like something was off with that girl. While Becky and Lena weren't exactly close, that didn't mean Becky wanted to hear theories about her roommate being a psycho killer.

She wished she had someone to talk to about all the conflicting and confusing feelings she was having inside. She just needed to talk it out, out loud, with someone she trusts. Becky had quickly become one of her closest friends, but the subject of Lena was touchy. The person she really wanted to talk to was Chris, but she was barely hearing from him lately. She'd been gone just short of a week so far and she felt forgotten.

"Penny for your thoughts," Becky said as she drove along the palm tree lined streets of Santa Barbara. They were heading to Lexie Harrington's house. She was Samantha's roommate at the time of her death and was the one who discovered the bodies. After such a traumatizing event, Tess was extremely grateful that Lexie was willing to meet with her let alone agree to be interviewed.

"Just thinking about all the information we've gathered so far." She clutched her notebook on her lap. Tess was careful about writing her theories and new ideas down in her notebook as well, afraid that Becky might read it and see what she really thought. "Since when was she so cautious around one of her best friends," she thought to herself.

"It was pretty crazy to finally get a name for the friend. Rose." Becky looked thoughtful, like she was trying to think of what kind of person this Rose person was.

"Yeah, it's a huge break. But, we don't know for sure that Rose is the same girl from San Francisco that Maggie and Rachel became friends with. And how come no one has met her or can tell us what she looks like or anything? It's like she's a ghost. Nonetheless, things seem to be lining up. It can't all be coincidence. "

"I don't know, maybe it is. I believe in coincidences, not fate. " Becky said as she looked right and left at the stop sign.

"You don't?"

"Nope. I think people make things happen. We're in control of what we do and what happens to us. You don't think so?"

"I don't know. I think some things are fated to be."

"Like how we're fated to be bff's?" Becky glanced over and laughed.

Tess giggled, "Yes, perfect example."

"I knew it." Becky winked to keep up with the joke.

"Do you think you and Chris are meant to be?" Becky remembered that Tess had gushed over her and Brian's story and believed they were meant to be after both being at the same hotel bar all those years ago.

"I do. I think we were both meant to be at that same party and talk to each other. But, I think fate only takes you so far and then you have to do something about it. But, yeah, I do believe he's my soulmate," a smile spread across Tess' face, lighting up her eyes.

Becky laughed lightly after she saw the smile on Tess' face that made her look like a lovesick school girl. "I wish I was so sure about fate as you are."

"You just have to choose to believe," Tess replied with an air of authority with a hint of cheesy.

A few minutes later, Becky slowed down to turn onto a street lined with the most charming bungalows. The houses were all turn-of-the-century and the attention to detail and craftsmanship was evident to even the untrained eye.