Out of Focus |finished|

7- resentments and showers

Simi examined the photo carefully again and was sure of whom she was seeing. In the photo was the dean, Dr. Blankson and the university who had come on tv to give the official cause of death of Elder, Dr. James Austin.

The doctor had said on tv that Elder had died of self-overdose of an unknown substance and that was his official report and here he was in a photo with the dean of students, the same person who Simi said had tried to sway her on Elder's death.

"Maybe it's just a coincidence Kai. Let's start from the first page." Simi said and flipped to the next page of the photobook, and then flipped to the one after that.

Malachi gave a shrug. He didn't believe in coincidences and he wasn't going to start now.
The photo on the first page was that of a student who had died in the first semester. Simi remembered clearly because the girl had been from a wealthy family and there had been a huge controversy in the school.

Ama Rawlings, that was the girl's name. She'd drowned in a pool at her hostel and most of her friends said that she had been acting weird the night she had drowned but the official autopsy report of Ama had been death by drowning.
The doctor who had performed the autopsy? Dr. James Austin from the school hospital.

"Look at this Kai." Simi showed him the photo of Ama.

In the photo, she was at a party and taking something from a girl whose back was captured by the camera. Ama's short hair was plastered to her head and she didn't look okay at all.

"Ama. I remember her. She was in my Literature class," Malachi took the photo out of the photobook and studied it closely.

"Can you recognize the girl she's talking to?" Simi asked him.

"I'm trying to but her backside looks like almost every girl's on campus."

"Kai," Simi sighed.

Malachi looked at her and smiled. Simi thought he was thinking of something else when he had said that. "I wasn't thinking of that."

The was a knock on the door and even though they were safe, Simi's heart jumped. Malachi scrunched his eyebrows at her and put the photo of Ama back in the photobook and placed the photobook under his bed.

He opened the door while Simi sat on his bed and tried to act nonchalant and took out her smartphone from her pocket.

"Hey Abby." Malachi said, his voice taut when he recognized the person at the door.

"Hey Kai," She replied and walked into the room following Malachi.

Simi sat up straight when she realized it was Abby. She was in cutoff jeans and a tank top. Abby was in the same hostel as Elder and Malachi but had been a friend of Elder's. They had gotten so close that Simi got jealous whenever Elder mentioned her name, which was a lot.

"What's up guys?" Abby asked them.

"Just hanging out. What's up with you?" Malachi asked her.

"I'm very sorry I couldn't come for Elder's funeral service. We had a quiz that day and my grades have been falling this semester. I am really sorry."

A tear ran down Abby's face from her right eye. She took a kerchief from her back pocket and wiped her teary eye.
Simi went to her and embraced her in a hug. She might have been jealous of Abby and Elder's friendship but girls had to stick up and be there for each other.

"It was a bland service anyway." Simi said when she pulled out of the hug.

"I miss him Simi." Abby said to her.

"We all do Abby," Simi replied.

Malachi looked at the two girls without saying anything. He wasn't sure of what to say anyway.

"I have to go. I have a tutorial class." Abby said. "If I'm not late to that one too," she added and tried a hearty laugh.

She brushed her hand over her jeans and smiled at Simi and Malachi. Simi returned the smile but Malachi just stared at Abby, stony faced.

"Okay then," Abby opened the door and left.

The moment she left, Simi turned to the Malachi. "What was that?"

"I don't like her. You don't know how close she and Elder were close. They did almost everything together in the hostel when I wasn't around. Washed together, played basketball together, sometimes even cooked together. He dies and you're here one week later to tell us that you're sorry you couldn't come to his funeral?" Malachi raised his voice a little.

Simi sighed. "It doesn't hurt to be nice you know"

"Not to her Simi. Not to her."

Abby listened to the argument between Simi and Malachi and shrugged. She hadn't liked Kai that much either so the feeling was mutual. She walked to her room which was one floor below and made sure the door was locked. Her roommate was out and she had an important call to make.

"How did the search go?" the female voice on the other side of the call asked her.

"I couldn't do it. His roommate and friend were in the room." Abby replied.

"Do you think his roommate knows something?"

"Too early to tell now but I'll be watching him," Abby said.

"Good. Good."

The line cut and Abby shook her head.
She took off her clothes and stepped into the shower and washed off any regret or pain that was trying to get a hold of her.

Author's Note

Hello! Thank you for reading to this far.
What do you guys think is up with Abby?
Let's get interactive!