Chapter 12: Passing Notes

“Hey,” Remington smiled as he watched Christina’s eyes flutter open. “How ya feeling?”

“Mmm well rested.” She pulled the covers up to her neck and watched his eyes as they combed over her body. It was almost as if she could see the very moment his mind started undressing her and the smile that made them sparkle confirmed it. “How are you feeling?”

“Relaxed,” he shrugged and leaned over stealing a kiss from her lips. She shrunk back and squealed as his mouth left hers causing him to laugh. “What was that?”

“Nothing it’s just…I have morning breath and you kissed me, must mean you care.”

“Well I do care of course I’m not in the habit of inviting girls back to my bed and then kicking them out before morning light. I even made you breakfast, it’s waiting on the table.” His fingers danced across her belly lightly and she giggled into his mouth. “You’re so sensitive,” he murmured in a low voice listening to her laugh as his hand rested against her hip again. “It’s cute.” She gasped as he lowered his mouth to her neck and sucked gently. Arching her back in a combination of surprise and pleasure of his touch, she rubbed against the very hard and very warm bulge between his legs and smiled.

 “So breakfast is on the table?” He nodded in confirmation. “You mean I don’t deserve breakfast in bed after that performance last night!?”

“Mmm no you deserve breakfast in bed every day,” he growled and pulled her into his chest as he once again claimed her mouth with his. Her hands caught in the ends of his hair and she slowly guided his head against her lips. “Just not today. Come on, we don’t want to keep the day waiting.”

Christina yawned and stretched as she stepped into the kitchen. She found Remington seated at the dining table with two bowls, two spoons and a box of Kellogg’s Corn Flakes. “Are you serious?” she frowned staring at her so called breakfast. “Cereal?”

“What? Oh come on haven’t you heard? It’s the breakfast of champions!” he smiled pointing towards himself.

“That’s Wheaties!”

“Oh...well I prefer the Flakes. Now sit, eat up. They taste awful once they turn to mush!”

“Thinking about the local law enforcement’s stand on vigilante justice and the recent deaths at the hands of this animal stalking the campus, what do you think would quickly end this situation? And how do you think this could have been handled differently?” Professor Amanda Langston asked taking a seat on her desk as the class discussed the events taking place in the news.

“I think this animal or whatever it is should be hunted down and gutted! I mean I knew Joy! We were Kappa sisters together and she was well on her way to becoming a very influential and successful politician. She had aspirations of joining City Council and reorganizing Emerald Cove’s administration from the inside out. It was very sad learning about her death,” Rachael sat up in her seat as she noticed eyes were on her. “And that’s why I feel it is important we do something to stop this monster from claiming another life!”

“She’s right,” Donovan added listening to Rachael’s statement intensely. “But what she’s forgetting is the fact that vigilantes cause more problems than they solve. Because of people ‘taking the law into their own hands’ we have unnecessary deaths, accidents and random acts of violence every day. Regardless of how one feels about the current position of law enforcement and whether or not they are getting the job done, it’s never a good idea to arm yourself and go out shooting people claiming it’s justice!”

Remington shook his head at the two students going back and forth and slumped into his desk. “Mr. Cantrell?” Professor Langston called noticing his reaction to the debate. “Did you have something you wanted to add to the discussion?”

“Uh not really. I think they both have interesting points. While you may believe that sitting back and doing nothing is fine think of how you would react if you are placed in similar circumstances. If someone you loved was hurt by the mob mentality of ‘vigilante justice’ wouldn’t you want to exact revenge on the ones that caused them harm? On the other hand attacking innocent people believing they had anything to do with the incident or just being so ‘in the moment’ you end up hurting some bystander is not justice in any way, shape or form. I feel it’s usually best to leave these matters up to the law enforcement agencies that’s their job after all and what taxes are paying for.”

“Ah so you’d be on the fence if something was to happen to Christina?” Rachael asked touting her nose in Remington’s direction.

“Excuse me?” he turned to face her and she crossed her arms into her chest daring him to fight back. “What does Christina have to do with this discussion?”

“Are you serious? Come on I’m not the only one thinking it! I just have the balls to say it. All of this weird shit started happening when little Miss Sunshine came back to town or haven’t you been paying attention? You don’t find it odd that the day Joy dies is the day Christina gets taken off the waiting list and joins the student body of Cyprus-Gray? It’s not rocket science, it’s fact!”

“So you’re saying that because she just happened to show up right around the time of the murders that she what? Went to the zoo and unleashed some animal from its cage to kill at random? I think that peroxide you keep dying your roots with is finally starting to seep into your brain.”

“Yeah? And I think you’re just so stuck on finally getting it in that you are ignoring the obvious warning signs!”

Remington’s eyes opened in shock hearing her open up his private life to the entire class. “Be careful where you’re treading Rachael! You have no idea what you’re talking about!”

“Oh please! Don’t act all innocent with me! I saw her come to your room the other day and everyone is talking about her date with Kayne. She’s nothing but a little slut and if I were you I’d watch my back with that one. It’s the ones with the sweetest smiles that hide the sharpest claws.”

“What exactly are you getting at? You know what? Don’t even answer; what I do in my personal time is none of your business. You should worry more about the jock you’re constantly chasing and the amount of times he’s been to the free clinic for the STDs he’s bringing to your bed. Learn how to swim before you jump into the deep end because you’ll certainly drown in my pool!”

Rachael shrugged and leaned back into her seat. “Christina is a mental case! Sooner or later you’ll find that out; hopefully before she scratches up that cute face of yours.”

The bell sounded and the students all began gathering up their belongings preparing to head to the next class. “Well we’ll pick this up at a later time. In the meantime be sure and read chapters 26 and 27 for next class. We are going to discuss the makings of law and the importance of bills so be sure you’ve read because we may also have a pop quiz!” Professor Langston shouted mostly to their backs as they all hurried from the room.

Remington shrugged off his conversation with Rachael, threw his bag over his shoulder and started for the door. “Mr. Cantrell, you dropped something,” Professor Langston pointed towards a slip of paper beside his foot as she picked up her coffee mug and exited the room. “See you next class.”

Remington eyed the notebook page and cautiously moved to retrieve it. Unfolding the edges he took in the sight of the hastily scribbled writing and tried to slowly piece together what the note said:

Christina is not who she claims to be.
If I were you I wouldn’t get too close!
Look up her transcripts and dig
a little more into why she came
back to Emerald Cove!

- A friend

Remington balled the note up into his hand and with a scoff tossed it to the trashcan as he exited the class. “Careful with that! You don’t want to break it open before the party!” Olivia exclaimed as a few guys from the floor moved large boxes of party decorations towards an empty room at the end of the hall.

“What’s going on?” Christina asked ducking beneath a large banner being strung against the ceiling.

“It’s for the traditional Halloween Bash; Olivia hosts it every October in Jansen Hall. You dress up as your favorite ghost, ghoul or whatever and meet up with the rest of the campus to dance the night away! It’s really a blast. Last year I went as Juliet to Donovan’s Romeo. This year I’m planning a little Tinkerbell to his Peter Pan.” Christina shot her a curious look and she smiled. “What? I love seeing him in tights! Does wonders for our sex life trust me!”

“Haha I’m sorry I asked,” Christina laughed and pushed into their room. Stopping just at the door, the girls took in the brooding shoulders of the swimmer standing beside the desks and the soured look on Remington’s face. “Remy, hey.” Jordan waved towards him and continued towards her bed tossing her books to the floor. “What’s going on?”

“I’m sorry about barging in here like this but I wanted to talk to you about something.” He glanced over his shoulder towards Jordan and back to Christina. “Can we go somewhere maybe? It’s important.”

“Uh yeah, sure Remy. Let me just grab the books for my next class and I’ll meet you down in the quad ok?” He nodded, gently pecked her cheek and headed out the door to wait for her.

“Wow that sounds serious. Would this perhaps have anything to do with the reason your bed was made all last night?” She smirked at Christina’s sudden blush and jumped from her bed. “I knew it you little ho! When were you going to tell me?!”

“After I figured out what it meant! I mean it all happened kind of sudden to be honest.”

“Ah that’s disappointing. I’d have never guessed he was a minute man,” Jordan frowned.

“What? No that’s not what I was talking about! He’s not a minute man; the sex was wow. I just meant I didn’t go to see him to end up in his bed. I only wanted to talk to him.” 

“Well if his form of talking is the reason you’ve had that ‘cat that ate the canary’ smile on your face all day, I need to start having more conversations with Donny. Come on girl give! I want details!”

“Details?” Christina chewed her lip thinking about the man waiting for her downstairs and grabbed her science book from her bedside table. “I’ll tell you about it later. I have another class to get to.”

“Yeah you better tell me! If I have to find out through the grapevine, Jordan Brighton is not going to be a very happy camper!”

“I promise I’ll give you all the lengthy details.” Her eyes rolled and she laughed at Jordan’s gasp as she rushed from the room to meet with Remington before her class. Spotting him leaning against the founder statue she waved at him and he ran up to greet her. “So?”

“So, uh.” He grabbed the book from her hand and started in the direction of her class. “Uh about last night, you might hear a lot of stuff concerning us around campus and I just kinda wanted to…I didn’t say anything Chrissy but you might feel a little discomfort if you’re subjected to the stares and whispers.”

“Remy what are you talking about?”

“Hey Chrissy,” Ezra smiled as he passed her in the hall. She smiled in return and Remington grabbed her hand and stole away into one of the empty classrooms for a little privacy.

“Rachael; she said she saw you come to my room the other night and is making a lot of noise about your uh sexual behavior. I just wanted you to know that I was sorry about anything you might hear. That girl really seems to have it out for you though.”

“Yeah it’s because of Kayne. She thinks I’m interested in him and has been trying to make my life a living hell for it. It’s ok Remy, I can handle her. I appreciate your concern though.” She giggled, leaned forward and snuck a kiss on his bottom lip that produced a smile on his face. He pulled her back before she could get away and lengthened the embrace.

“Mmm well if you need someone to hold her down while you rip her to pieces, you know where to find me.”

“Aww that’s sweet of you.” She started for the door and he slipped his hand into hers pulling her back before she could exit.

“Wait a sec there was one other thing I wanted to ask.”

“I’m listening.”

“How did you get into CG this semester?”

“Hmm what do you mean?”

“I mean there are a certain number of transfers the University accepts each term and it was full from what I understand. Do you have any idea how you made it in this term?”

She shrugged and shook her head. “I heard someone dropped out at the last minute which was great for me since everything I did to get in here was a desperate last ditch effort. I think I was about ready to kill for a spot! Anyway I’d better get to class. Uh hey if you’re not busy later I’d like to talk to you about the Halloween dance…you know if you’d go with me that is.” 

“Of course I will; but no tights,” he handed her book to her and smiled. “You’d better get to class; I’d hate to place your spot in jeopardy.” Remington chewed his lower lip watching Christina rush off and slowly exited out behind her into the crowded hallway.

Continue ---->