Reporters are very predictable. I knew this morning I will find them at the campus, waiting to know the mysterious girl in Quinn's life. I decided to carpool with Oliver, I knew his old SUV that runs on borrowed time and emits smoke as it moves would hide me until I was inside the campus. It worked. "We'll talk in the evening if anything happens i am a call away." Oliver waves as he walks towards the engineering building. I look around, no one saw us. I don't want to drag Oliver in this mess I am in. I'm in a damp mood as I walk past the faculty of Finance. I am angry Andre stood me up, he didn't show up, yesterday. I find students crowded at the notice board. I walk past them ignoring whatever has their interest until I see Mr Marcelo's picture pinned on it. I can't read what is written beneath it unless I get closer. I start to sweat, what if it is a missing notice of death. What did Quinn do to him? I am relieved as I read that the university wishes to announce that Mr Marcelo

"I am not going to live with you!" I half yell. He turns and cocks an eyebrow.I roll my eyes."I am not enthusiastic about it either." He continues to walk."I don't care what you have to say, Quinn, am not living with you. I agreed to come with you cause I didn't want to be around Oliver and his girlfriend." "Some family you are!" He presses basement on the elevator."At least we get along unlike yours." My tongue slips, he back is on me. I don't get to see his reaction."I'm sorry I didn't..." He cuts me."You didn't mean to say that..." He sighs frustrated. "Don't be sorry for what you mean."I shiver when we get to the basement. It is dark and isolated. I Fall into steps behind him, making sure to stay close to him as possible.He still has the blue old chipped truck. He reaches for the door and I stop him. "I am still not going to live with you, Quinn. The only place you are taking me is my apartment." I make myself clear."It is not safe." He insists."That could also be a li

NB: Zac is Oliver. He changed his name after the tragedy. Ten years ago I can't fall asleep. I move Zac's leg from my body and step out of his bedroom. He recently has been having trouble sleeping alone. Just like how recently things have been changing. My mother has turned into a zombie, a drunk zombie. We are strangers to her, strangers living in the same house. Silent and stolen gazes along the hallways. Holding her bottle close to her chest, like it will fill the emptiness in her eyes. She misses him. We miss him. It is eight months since we buried my father. The wound is still fresh, with the blow that we faced two days ago. The court dismissed the murder charges we pressed on the Nickel's. There wasn't enough evidence to show they had the motive or killed my father. I am on the last step of the staircase when I hear noises in the kitchen. Probably my mother, opening the cabinets to find more alcohol. I deter from my mission to walk in when I hear manly voices. "The order c

My jaw goes slack, I am mortified. "Take that back!" I point at Oliver. He sighs and pinches the bridge of his nose, "You aren't remotely close to who Dad was, a ruthless beast to anyone who crossed him.""He was a businessman, he ought to have been ruthless otherwise..." I say. "He made me watch him beat a man that had betrayed him. I was only four and that was just the beginning of the horrific incidents he forced me to be part of. And you think I would want that life again?" He shakes his head. My father was a gentleman, he would never hurt a fly. A man that read stories to me, he played house with me, he tucked me to bed with a kiss... No. "You are lying." My voice comes out unsure.He paces at one spot before looking down at me, "Of course it is understandable why you would think that. When Dad and I came back. He no blood spot on his white shirts, he smelled good and a diamond from Tiffany for his princess. While I returned more broken than I left. He protected you, you were

"I can't believe you brought a bunch of posers to my apartment!" Oliver pours a drink to one the guest. She takes a sip and pours the rest on the floor. "Disgusting!" The despicable guest spits and staggers away. "I am being humiliated in my own house and on top of that I get to be the help of his despicable beings."Oliver throws me a dirty look and looks down at his now stained carpet. I had no other choice but to use Oliver's apartment as mine and host a house warming party. I couldn't use Quinn's Penthouse, he made that very clear. "I will make it up to you," I promise. Oliver grunts and walks away with a tray full of drinks. "We are now patronizing with low life helps." Roxanna walks up to me. I decide to ignore her snide remark about my brother. Only Quinn know him. She doesn't take the hint, she continues to talk, "He is cute though and a bit younger than you. I won't mind having a taste after you." I grit my teeth at her comment. Like I would let a vulture-like her