Trust the Killer

Chapter Two

It was dark out now as we walked down the sidewalk of an older street on the way to the Seattle aquarium. I was extremely full from dinner and Oliver had stayed by my side. I was becoming much more comfortable with him since the night started and laughed quietly to myself when he would text me while sitting next to me because the dinner table was to loud to hear each other talk. The only awkward thing that happened all night was that my roommate Reilly was staring at me and Oliver across the table with a grimace. I thought of how her and Oliver had sort of dated in the past but I put that to the back of my head, I can see she's annoyed to see me talk to him but I'm sure it'll pass. A different small warning sounded off in my head, this flirtatiousness and connection between us was moving very quickly, it seems after only a few hours of talking he's texting me very sweet compliments and watching my face for my reaction. I chalked it up to the fact we may be talking more right now but I've had a crush on him all year, maybe he's felt the same.
It was growing to be colder outside now that the sun is completely out of sight and the street was illuminated by lamps along the sidewalk. Oliver must have notice me shiver, he shrugged the light weight gray hoodie off his shoulders and passed it to me, I excepted the jacked with a very bright smile.
"Thank you." I spoke while pushing my arms through the long sleeves.
"No problem, it looks much better on you than me." He winked with animated body language. He was a very cheerful person which contrasted my calm and quiet demeanor. After our exchange I heard a scoff behind me, my head turned to see Reilly and her best friend Emma walking behind Oliver and I. I only looked at them for a moment before Oliver wrapped his arm around my shoulders and pushed me forward to keep me from looking.
     "Ignore her, she's a bitch." He was speaking as if he was reassuring me, but I only stared at the side of his face slightly shocked. I didn't think he was the type of person to call a girl a bitch. I looked forward again, watching my feet walk. Soon we were at the aquarium and Oliver paid for my ticket, we argued for a moment but he wouldn't allow me to pay.
     It was warm inside the building, originally my group stayed together but it wasn't long before Oliver pulled me off to explore alone with him. Everything seemed to be tinted blue from the large glass windows of water and fish. I looked up at Oliver who was admiring a little green fish who swam by next to the glass, I smiled at his smile. He looked at me and I turned my head, embarrassed again.
     "You look beautiful in the blue light." His words made a smile crawl up my cheeks. "Should we take another picture?" He asked while pulling his own phone out and turning his back to the glass. I turned as well placing my hands on his shoulder and standing on my toes to smile into the picture closer to his height. He laughed as he took the photo and stared down at our smiling faces on the screen before sending it to me. God, I can't wait to send those to my mom.
     I was sure we explored every tank in the building but Oliver didn't want to leave. We stood in a dome shaped hallway with fish swimming over our heads for at least ten minutes. I felt his warm fingers slip through mine and pull me closer to his side. For a moment I blushed until I became very nervous at how quickly things seemed to be happening, Oliver looked down to my face with his eyes closed. Wait hold on why are his eyes closed? He turned his body toward mine and wrapped an arm around my back as his face moved closer and panic began to ring in my eyes.
     "What the fuck? Stop!" I pushed him back, he stumbled and stared at me with an equal amount of shock and confusion as me, it made me angry that he was confused too. "What are you doing?"
     "I was trying to kiss you Ava!" He shouted, stung by rejection.
     "Why?" My eyes squinted.
     "What do you mean why? I thought-" His voice was loud but he stopped talking the moment I spun and walked quickly in the other direction, aimlessly searching for the exit. "Ava!" He shouted after me but I was not just embarrassed but also extremely overwhelmed. The aquarium was nearly empty as it was almost 10:30 at night and I rushed past the tanks hoping Oliver couldn't keep up. I found the exit and and took a sharp turn out of the building and down the street walking in the direction of my hotel. It would be a twenty minute walk but I didn't want to take the chance of him catching up with me if I stopped to order an Uber. 
     After five minutes I slowed my pace, I tried to relax myself and enjoy the trek back to my room, at least I really was getting to see the city. The people on the streets stared at me as I walked past, making me feel uneasy, I wrapped the gray material around myself tightly as my bare legs shivered in the cold night air. There was quite a few drunken people shouting on the side walk and I really wished I stayed with the group instead of allowing Oliver to lead me away. I was relieved when I turned to walk up the large steps of the Mayflower Hotel and head into the heated air inside. I walked straight to the elevator and eventually room 503, dreading running into Reilly. Things started to look up after I swiped my room card and pushed the door open to see it was vacant, maybe the other students were still at the aquarium. I untied the boots from my feet and set them beside the door before hoping on my bed and pulling out my phone to dial my mom.
     "Hi Ava, how was the flight?"
     "I threw up."
     "Oh, so it was fine." She laughed through the speaker.
     "Yeah, haha. The flight has been the best part so far." I played with the seam of my skirt as I spoke.
"What's wrong? You sound upset?" My mom read my voice.
I took in a breath before talking, I've always been close with my mom but this is slightly uncomfortable, "You know the cute red head Oliver? I've brought him up a few times,"
"Mhm."
"Well we sat together on the plane." My tone was flat.
"Ooo!" She seemed excited for me, ignoring my depressing tone.
"Well, he was being pretty nice but once we got to Seattle he was flirting a lot and then he tried to kiss me and it was just to much to fast... also I'm roommates with his ex girlfriend or whatever." My words flowed out quickly, "She's not really his ex but..."
"Oh lord." My mom spoke over me, "Ava be careful, you've only been there a few hours. I'd stay away from him maybe?" She suggested.
I sighed and fell into the pillows, "I don't know, maybe it was a mistake."
"He came on a bit to strong, no?"
"Yeah. He's so sweet though he could have just gotten carried away." I attempted to rationalize, I didn't notice how much I began to like having Oliver's affection.
"Well, be cautious. It's nice to have a cute boy around but someone who truly cares for you would be nervous, not smooth."
About an hour past on the phone with my mom, she updated me on life back in Louisiana since I've been gone for less than 12 hours and I decided to put the idea of Oliver in the back of my mind for now. I believe his intentions weren't the best but I'm also hoping to be wrong. After the phone call ended I found myself in the lobby buying snacks out of a vending machine and and exploring the hallways. It was almost 1 o'clock in the morning by the time I was back in my room watching tv still wrapped in Oliver's gray jacket. I had only just begun to wonder where Reilly was, but I was glad she hadn't come back yet. I planned to be asleep before she arrived to avoid conversation. With that in mind I stood off the bed to clean my face in the bathroom and prepare for bed.
     I stepped into the doorway of the bathroom when I heard a keycard slide and the door push open, I looked to my right to see Reilly stumbling in with a wide smile on her face, she giggled and shushed at someone who seemed to be following behind her. There was an arm wrapped around her waist, two people stepped clumsily into the hotel room. I followed the muscular arm up to see the person behind Reilly was Oliver, and his lips were on her neck. I backed into the bathroom door, the sound of the door hitting the wall caused Oliver and Reilly to look up and land eyes on me.
     "Ava?" Oliver's eyes shot wide open, "This is your room?" He looked back and forth from me and Reilly, who was covering her mouth to silence laughing.
     My stomach wrenched and it felt like I had been slapped in the face, wow what a tool. I stepped away from the bathroom, this is the most humiliated I've been since I threw up in the airport. I reached for my phone that was sat on my bed and my small backpack from the ground. I cringed as I tried to walk quickly past Oliver who had pushed Reilly away, I grabbed my boots from the floor and noticed that both Reilly and Oliver stunk of alcohol. "Ava! Where are you going? Let's talk fo-" I slammed the hotel room door shut and darted down the hallway. I felt a cool tear slip down my cheek but wiped it quickly. I pulled the boots onto my feet once I was in the elevator and set the button to the lobby. I need to switch hotel rooms tomorrow, no I should get my own room now and stay away from Oliver for the rest of the trip. But first I need to get some air.