Sunflower post-it's

Chapter eight

Several hours , four cups of coffee and a stiff pain in my neck , later I close the final page of the diary. While holding up a Polaroid photograph.

Exhaling a hefty sigh.

I'm not sure how I should feel at this moment. Relief? Hardly possible to feel that when the darkness creeps closer.

Dropping my head in my hands , elbows positioned on my crossed thighs.

"Oh Kenya , what did you get yourself into?" I speak aloud , posing the question to the empty room.

I lift my head ,run a hand through my hair and look for my cell phone amongst the pillows and sheets. Finally locating it I press the power button to see that it's nearing two am.

I lost all concept of time while I plunged into her diary. Which if I may say so was very detailed. Almost too detailed for my liking ,especially parts with sexual content.

I drop onto my back ,sighing again. There's no way I can sleep right now. I'm wired. Not just from the revelations that I've discovered but mostly from the numerous cups of coffee I've consumed.

My body aches ,probably from sitting in the same position for hours. Extending my limps to flex the muscles and twisting my back. I settle back against the bed.

When one is presented with new information it's important to absorb it then digest it before acting upon it. That is exactly what I try to do.

I've just learnt a lot about Kenya. Like I've thought before ,she really did lead two separate lives. I thought she was fooling her parents but apparently I was the biggest fool of all. Jumping to her defense all the time , even now as she lays dead.

Never would I have guessed she was so deceptive. So coy.

Fatigue overtakes my body but my mind remains awake. Refusing to shutdown the kaleidoscope of words , memories ,yellow , Kenya , sunflowers ,post-it notes-

I squeeze my eyes shut tighter. Willing the images to stop , for my mind to shut down and allow me to drift off to sleep.

My last coherent thought being: i wish I had never read the diary.

•••

Evidently I fell into a troubled , restless sleep in the early hours of the morning. I open one eye ,noticing the few silvers of light slipping through the gaps between the blinds I forgot to close.

Groaning ,I turn onto my side ,away from the light and grab my phone on the bedside table. I lift it ,the screen lights up to show that it is just past seven am. I groan louder ,throwing a hand over my eyes to shield them from the day break. It's no wonder I feel slightly rested but hardly relaxed , having scraped by on a few hours of sleep.

My mind is a sleep induced foggy mess , until I remember the events that have unfolded recently. I recall them as if I'm counting fingers-
1. Kenya is dead
2. Murdered
3. Sticky notes
4. Xavier
5. My mother
6. The dairy!

Suddenly I sit up bolt straight as it all floods through my mind. Catching my breath and putting a hand to my head in an attempt to ease the oncoming headache I feel.

I need to talk to Xavier!

Exiting the warmth and comfort of my bed I enter the bathroom. Once I've emptied my bladder , washed my face and brushed my teeth. I ruffle through my closet for comfortable clothing. Leggings and a black T-shirt will have to suffice ,along with sneakers. Hardly caring about my appearance , I throw my hair into a messy bun. Not a trace of makeup on my face.