CHAPTER 5

      "The rain was razor-thin and mean with cold, a miserable drizzle that sliced through the bones and into the spirit. It turned the light blanket of snow into a gloomy smear on the sky. 

     "Holy cramp! My third day at the Williams. It's a good thing he hasn't been around since I came." I murmured. 

     "Who hasn't been around."

     "Aaron! what are you doing in my room?"

     "You are in my house. I can go wherever I want."

     "Really?"

     "Just kidding. You look like an angel that fell from the sky."

     "I wish your brother would say that line someday."

     "Nate?"

     "It's not like you have another brother."

     "I do."

     "Wait. For real."

     "Yea. His name is Dale. That's Nathan, Dale, Me, Aviana, and Gianna."

     "And Richard?"

     "Richard's not related to us by blood. Richard's mum worked for my mum for fifteen years before giving birth to him. She died two weeks after Richard's younger sister, Armelle was born."

     "They grew up here?"

     "Yes. My mum took Richard's mum as her sister. She couldn't let her children live as orphans."

     "Did Richard ever date any girl before or after Amalia?"

     "This question is ridiculous. It's just like asking if Nate has ever broken any girl's heart before."

     "Aaron please be serious."

     "Richard is next to a playboy. He's been in tons of relationships."

     "Has he ever had an issue with any of them?"

     "Amalia. She never went a day without making him angry. Their relationship was kinda complicated."

     "How did they meet?"

     "Amalia is a family friend. Her mum is a very close friend of my mum."

     "Your mum seems to have lots of friends."

     "My mum is a nice woman. She's only mean to you because she misses her son."

     "I get it. Hey, um, Is there any way I can get access to Richard's room.?"

     "Why?"

     "Maybe I can find some useful information there. Aaron please I need your help. I promise to pay back this favor."

     "But we would need...."

     "Me for that." Aviana interrupted. 

     "Avy?"

     "Don't Avy me. I ain't gonna help a murderer."

     "Avy, she's trying to prove she's innocent. The least you can do is help her."

     "You think I don't know that. Ashton, she can't be trusted. She's willing to do anything to prove she's innocent even if it means blaming one of us for Richard's murder."

     "Avy, she's our guest please be nice."

     "Nate!" Oh my gosh! He's shirtless! I sat in awe and stared at his topless body.

     "Any reason you were staring at me shirtless." He asked after putting on his shirt. "Were you checking me out?"

     "What? No! Of course not. I was only thinking about my parents."

     "If you are missing them so much why don't you go and see them."

     "They are already stressed with this whole thing. They are the only people in this world that know I'm innocent."

     "They are your parents after all. I could help you get into Richard's room."

     "We would appreciate that," Aaron replied. 

     "We?"

     "She promised to give me whatever I ask for. Please!"

     "Okay. You have to make it quick. Mum's still asleep."

    "Thank You." Aaron and I walked behind Nathan as he led the way. He turned the doorknob of Richard's room and closed it after we had gone in. 

     "Wow! Richard never let anyone into his room while he was alive."

     "Aaron, to be fair he did let everyone into this room except you."

     "Why?"

     "Probably because you talk too much and ask a lot of questions."

     "This place looks like no one has been here for years." I waved away the web. 

     "No one's been here since the last eleven days."

     "After Richard passed away, did anyone come here to look for him?"

    "Yeah. Some of his college friends came here to get a file they claimed was theirs."

     "What did the file contain."

     "I don't know. They seemed like they were in a hurry. But, there was a note that fell out of the file. I kept it safe in case they returned for it."

     "Where's the note?"

     "There." He walked up to the desk and placed the note neatly on the desk. "Looks like it is written in Spanish."

     "Read it out then."

     "I don't understand Spanish."

     "Liar." Nathan echoed from the side of the room. 

     "You are not a supportive brother."

     "I know." He threw Aaron a charming smile. I could see his cute pink lips parting ways and my inside yearning for one of those smiles. 

     "Whatever. I'm not ready for another relationship yet." 

     "What?"

     Oh no! Did I just say that out? I thought. 

     "What? What? It was um, a line I saw in a movie. I don't know why it had to come out now. Aaron, please read out the note." I quickly changed the topic. 

     "OK. For your sake, I won’t say your name. I don’t feel like I need to, you and others both know who you are. This is a letter to you. You know what type of person I am, one that doesn’t easily give their heart to someone, but then I met you. From the moment I met you, I knew you were going to change my life. I didn’t think you were going to mean so much to me, but somehow you tore down my walls and I let you in. Hearing about your relationship with Amalia has torn my heart. Baby, I just can't stand seeing you with someone else. Richi, come meet me tonight, even if it's the last. Let's talk this out. Baby, if you don't come I will end my life. Love. Ken."

     "Who's Ken?"

     "Ken is a girl Richard met during his days at campus. He never really introduced us to the girl but he sure did talk about her a lot. They were so in love."

     "What if Amalia... "

     "Hold it there" Nathan chirped in. "Amalia loved and love Richard a lot. She wouldn't do anything to hurt him."

     "I'm not saying she did it deliberately. What if she found out about this mysterious girl and out of anger and jealousy she did something crazy."

     "That's ridiculous. Amalia loves money and fame more than anything. She wouldn't do anything that will destroy her chances of being in the spotlight." Aaron replied. 

     "That doesn't change the fact that she's a suspect. And the guys that came in here to get the file, they should know a thing or two about this girl called Ken."

     "I can help you contact one of the boys that came in here that day." 

     "Aviana! Thank you so much, girl."

     "Don't thank me. You have the habit of controlling boys. You got Richard and now you have my two brothers. I know Nate only sides with the truth and if he thinks you are innocent then I will have to give you a try."

     "Thanks."

     "Give me your phone, I will send the message." Aaron grabbed Aviana's phone while she chased after him. 

     "Give me my phone! You don't even know how to type a romantic message." She yelled after him. 

     "I know how to flirt. Just listen to this. Wait, what's the guy's name?"

     "Mason."

     "Hey Mason, it's me, Aviana. I just wanted to know if you will be free this afternoon. I would love to have lunch with you at Casa Vega at 2:30 pm. If it's OK, text me back. All love."

     "That wasn't bad. You're improving a lot better than I expected."

     "Yeah." BEEP BEEP. Aaron checked the phone to see who texted. "Mason said yes. He would meet you there by 2:30."

     "Alright then. I better get going now before mum wakes up."

     "I will come along. You two better not do anything that will disturb the spiders." Aaron teased. 

     "Crazy kid. So, whatcha thinking of now? You are one way closer to proving you're innocent."

     "I just hope all this works out. I'm so stressed. I just wish this pain will just disappear even if it's for a while."

     "I could help."

     "How?" 

     "I know how" He held my hands, sliding his fingers down until they brushed against my wrists.

     After a minute he spoke, "You aren't running away" he said softly "Does that mean you want it too?" 

     The intensity between us grew, a spark that started in my chest, as it had before for him, only this time it grew with each long look and his gentle fingers pressed against my wrists. 

     He leaned in and kissed my nose. He hovered there and I didn't move. He tilted his head, kissing my lips. I remained still, kissing him back. It was a light kiss, but he kept it going soft and steady. 

His tongue teased my lips and I welcomed it. He made a delightful noise and leaned into me, tongue darting into my mouth.

I leaned far back trying not to fall. My hand searched for something to hold to, I grabbed hold of his shoulder and then the back of his neck.

     He moved his right hand to my thigh, just then, his phone rang. "It's Aviana calling, we should get going now." He pulled over his jacket and walked out of the room without another word.

     "He made me feel like the luckiest girl in the world only to walk away like nothing ever happened," I murmured. 

     

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     After we had arrived at the Casa Vega, Aaron walked up to a group of girls to do his thing, Aviana sat down staring at her phone, Nate kept staring at the menu while I fixed my gaze at the bartender. I couldn't risk having eye contact with Nate. 

     My hands kept shaking under the table, my heartbeat raised every single time I thought of Nate's hands on my waist. 

     "Are you alright?" He asked. Without waiting for a reply he waved the menu at the waiter and pointed at what he wanted. 

     "I'm alright."

     "You can go, " he signaled to the waiter. "Ashley, you don't have to feel uncomfortable around me. I only did what I thought would keep you out of your sorrows."

     "What happened between you two?" Aviana asked with her eyes fixed on me. 

     "We kissed. It was a long romantic kiss. We could have done more but once again your call distracted us."

     "If you had told me you two were having fun, I won't have called. Ashley, I don't want to puke on your little fantasy world but I hope you know what's more important now isn't having sex with rich men but proving to the world that you are innocent."

     "I know. It won't happen again. Let's concentrate on why we are here."

     "Hello! Hello!" The guy we were all waiting for arrived. "I'm so sorry I kept you all waiting, I had to drop my sick mum at the hospital. This is my friend, Chris"

     "Hi."

     "And his girlfriend, Ariana."

     "Nice to meet you guys. Mason, we would like to discuss something important with you."

     "Aviana has told me everything. How Richard was killed, when he was killed, and who's held responsible for his death. She told me everything."

     "Good. That will save us time."

     "I will be right back." Ariana excused herself. 

     "Oh! Here's a drink for me. Thanks. You can leave now." He signaled to the waiter that had brought him a bottle of drink.

     "Mason, we need your help. Do you by chance know this girl, Ken?"

     "Ken. Yes, I know her. Thank you once again." The waiter brought in another drink for him. He opened it without any hesitation and drank half of the drink before turning to look at us again. "Ken used to be Richi's girlfriend."

     "Richi. That's what she called him in the letter."

     "Yeah. That's the name we called him whenever we were at school. Richard and Ken loved each other not until he found out that... "

     "Excuse me, sir. Here's your bill." The waiter served Nate his paycheck. 

     "Wow, as much as I don't have a problem with the price I would also like to know why it is so high."

     "Sir, the 3 bottles of drink you ordered for your friend."

     "Wait. I didn't order any drinks for Mason."

     "If you didn't order any drink for me, why did the waiter serve me these drinks? Who ordered them?"

     "Where's the waiter that served you the drinks?" Before anyone could say any other word, Mason fell to the ground with his hands on his neck gasping for air. 

     "Mason! Nate brings the car." I begged. 

     "Sure."

     "Mason! Mason! Mason, why aren't you saying anything. Ashley, what's wrong with him? Why isn't he saying anything?" Aviana asked with tears in her eyes. 

     "Mason's gone," Aaron reported with a shaky voice.  I traced Mason's unconscious eyes to a curtain behind me, there was someone behind the curtains. I walked over to the curtain and opened it but no one was there again except a silver watch. 

     "Ashley!" I ran back to where Mason's dead body was, leaving the watch behind. 

     "Where's Mason's friend, Chris?" I asked. I turned back but couldn't find the watch again. "Where did it go?"