A String of Secrets

Chapter 16

A little soft chapter for you loves. <3 Thanks for being patient as I sort out all of my writing and other projects. Love you. -Rae

I quietly cursed underneath my breath when I highlighted the wrong section of my notes.

Despite the news, everyone was present in CI4. Since everyone was busy with projects, Professor Rize just passed out to everyone a small packet with some small, fictional crime-related scenarios for the class to solve together for some light-hearted fun. There was a ton of debating, but lots of engagement overall. The distraction was just what I needed.

It was either to be distracted by class or finally give into my desire to go and destroy Dean Vincent's office.

"Just use another color beside it. That's what I do when I mess up," Naomi gently whispered to me. Since she was transferred into the class, she now sat in the spot Alex used to sit. Though I missed Alex, Naomi's presence was comforting, and it made me feel a little less alone.

"Will do. Thanks," I said back to her.

"No problem. By the way, we're on scenario six instead of five."

For fuck's sake, Mari. Get a grip, I thought to myself as I turned to the correct page and started reading so I could catch up. As I read, other students I knew debated back and forth.

"So, there's clearly a pattern," Milo, a student that sat in the back, spoke up against Terrance, the student he was debating with. "Robert has an obsessed stalker. A few days after he gets with a new woman, that woman is found dead. I think his roommate is behind it. I mean, Robert excitedly talks to him each time he thinks he's found the one. Who else would know about it?"

"Yes, but Matt, his roommate, is dating Chloe." Terrance said. "Chloe is Robert's ex. In the fourth paragraph, it stated that even though Chloe loves Matt, they argue a lot. It's gotten to the point where they argue every few days, and sometimes, she goes to talk to Robert about it since they're still close friends. I don't think she's over him, and therefore kills any woman that he shows the slightest interest in because she still wants him."

"But the reason Robert and Chloe broke up was because Robert cheated," Milo fired back. "Why would she become obsessed with someone who cheated on her?"

"You'd be surprised," Kaia, a student who sat in the middle, said quietly. "Maybe somewhere along the lines when she visited him, she forgave him and wanted him back. I agree with Terrance. I think it's Chloe."

"It makes sense, and in paragraph three, it says that Chloe was at home well before the times of each murder. Then Matt goes to great lengths to prove it," A familiar voice added, and the entire room looked over at Eli, who was watching the situation closely.

I stopped highlighting certain things in my notes for a moment to turn to face him. Like every other time, he had his calculating face on; an expression that made me wonder just how much he could decode within a minute, an hour, and even a day. His processing time was little to none it seemed, and most days, he never missed a beat with his answers and rebuttals.

Some days, I didn't know if I hated that about him, or if I was jealous of him.

"Matt is madly in love with Chloe, as it was stated," Eli said as he met Milo's eyes. "Of course he would defend her, even if she was the murderer. Maybe when they argue, Chloe brings up Robert, then when Matt mentions that Robert is dating another woman, -- since Robert excitedly talks about them to him -- she goes after them."

"Exactly," Terrance added, and I could tell that he felt great about himself now that Eli, one of the top students, was on his side. "The whole, "If I can't have him, then why should other women?" is glaringly obvious. Matt knows that Chloe did it and is defending her out of love."