The Morning After

Brooke woke up before Adrian the next morning and took a shower while he slept. She stood still letting the warm water run over her, reveling in the night she just had and the plans they were making. She knew this was going too fast. She knew this was crazy. She had second thoughts but shook them off.

She had to go back to the dorm to gather her things. Luckily she didn’t have much. She was thinking she could leave most of it behind if needed. The only thing she had to have was her mother’s orange blanket.

She got out of the shower, wrapped herself with a towel and stepped out of the bathroom to see Adrian sitting up on the side the bed. He looked up when he heard the door and smiled when he saw her dripping wet, but she wouldn’t entertain that devilish smirk. She had business to tend to and needed to focus. She sat next to him, “Okay, so what’s the plan?”

He sweetly pecked her on the cheek, “Well, you come home with me and then we’ll take some time and come up with a plan.”

“I have to go to school to pick up a few things. Wanna meet back here in a couple of hours?”

“You don’t want me to bring you?”

“No, I won’t be long … I’m a big girl.”

Playfully, he pushed her down and straddled her bringing his face just an inch from hers, “Don’t get snippy with me Miss Brooke, I’ll bend you over my knee.”

She smiled trying to push him off while thinking how delicious that sounded, quickly she regained her resolve and said sarcastically, “Ohhhh, I’m so scared Adrian! I’m shaking in my boots!”

He stood up and extended his hand to help her off the bed. As she got up, she wrapped her arms around him and squeezed tight. She was the happiest she’d ever been. The future looked bright and she was anxious to start this adventure with him. He kissed the top of her head and looked down at her, “I know you’re a big girl and everything, but will you at least let me walk you to your car?”

“Yes, dear, I guess I can allow that,” she crossed her eyes, stuck out her tongue and pushed him away. “Now, let me get dressed. The sooner I leave, the sooner I can get back.”

They strolled hand in hand to her car and before she got in he kissed her deeply. “Hurry back. Call me when you’re on your way.”

She nodded and drove off heading toward her dorm room. Driving cautiously with her music blaring, singing along with all her favorite songs, she was lost in her thoughts reliving the events that have taken place the past few weeks. She didn’t notice the black car that had been following her since she left the city.

She arrived on campus, parked the car and went upstairs to her room. Upon opening the door she was grateful to find that her roommate was not there. Brooke left the door open, switched on the radio on her desk and began to stuff her things into a suitcase. Dancing and singing along with the song that was playing, she neglected to see the dark figure standing in the doorway watching her. She was startled by the sound of the door being closed and locked. She quickly turned with a start to see the person standing before her removing the hood from her head.

Brooke’s eyes widened and her body started to tremble from the fear that encapsulated her when she saw a face from the past smiling back at her.

“Jada! What are you doing here?”

“You didn’t think I would forget about ya huh, Brooke? You fucked with the wrong one and you will pay for what you did.”

“Jada, please don’t…”

“Uh uh, shut up, you ain’t talking your way out of this.”

Brooke scanned the room, hoping to see something at arm’s length that she could use as leverage against this monster.

The second Brooke took her eyes off of Jada, she plunged toward Brooke and knocked her to the floor where a struggle ensued. Brooke tried pushing her off but Jada was too strong, too heavy.

Pinned down by Jada’s weight, all Brooke could do was endure blow after blow. She couldn’t fight any longer and faded into unconsciousness.

Jada placed Brooke’s limp body on the bed and patiently waited for her to awake. She wanted to have a little fun with Brooke before she choked the life out of her. She wanted revenge.

Brooke awoke to excruciating pain and the taste of blood. She opened her swollen eyes and saw Jada sitting at the desk. She was sitting with her back facing Brooke and didn’t notice her stirring. Brooke looked around the room and saw her chopsticks sitting on the nightstand next to the bed. Intently watching Jada, she quietly and quickly grabbed the sharpened chopstick and stuck it in her back pocket. The bed made a small squeaking sound.

Jada hopped up and faced Brooke. “Have a nice nap?”

Brooke remained still and quiet.

“Giving me the silent treatment? That’s not going to help you, Brooke.”

Jada sat down on the bed. She placed her hand on Brooke’s leg and started moving it up her thigh, her eyes following her hand.

Brooke saw her opportunity. She swiftly grabbed the chopstick from her pocket and before Jada could react, she stabbed her in the throat with all of the strength she could muster. Jada stood, grabbing at her throat. Brooke got up, walked toward Jada and pulled the chopstick from her throat allowing the blood to escape in spurts, matching her heartbeat, from the wound.

Jada fell to the floor, face first while the blood pooled around her. Brooke stood over her, heard the gurgling coming from her throat and watched her die.

When Jada’s body stopped moving and she took her last breath, the reality of what Brooke had just done struck her like a prizefighter's blow. She could feel her heart pounding against her ribcage as fear enveloped her body.

In a panic ridden state, she ran to the bathroom, washed the blood off the chopstick and her hands. She quickly returned to the room where Jada’s lifeless body lay on the floor, grabbed the other chopstick from the nightstand, the orange blanket from the foot of the bed and shoved everything into the suitcase. With her luggage and keys in hand, she walked out of the room and locked the door behind her. She headed downstairs to her car, threw her suitcase on the passenger seat and left campus in a confused haze.

She wanted to go back to New Orleans to meet Adrian but knew he couldn’t understand what she did or why she did it. Knowing that it wouldn’t be long before the cops would be looking for her, she realized she needed to stay off the grid and find a place to hide. She didn’t know where she was going, she just drove … lost in her thoughts.

Several miles down the road, she found a secluded rest area and pulled over. She sat in the car and freed her emotions. Heartbroken that she would never see Adrian again. Terrified of winding up in a similar place as her father. But most frightening was her complete and utter lack of guilt.

She didn't feel bad for killing Jada. She felt ... empowered.