Locket full of Secrets (6 page)

              Over the next three week I began spending more time with Steven than I spent in class, even with a full schedule. After our night at dinner and walk by the bay we started meeting for morning coffee, having lunch together, and hung out almost every evening. I will still new to the whole “dating” scene, but it felt really natural to make plans with him and spend time together.

              “So what are we going to do tonight?” I asked as we left math class hand in hand.
              “Doesn't Norra have an art show? We could go check it out,” Steven offered before glancing at his watch.

              “Yeah, that sounds good,” I nodded, pulling my scarf tighter around my neck.

              “Okay, I’ll meet you at your dorm after class,” he nodded, before leaning down and planting a kiss on my cheek.

              Before I could reply he was heading off towards his history class, the opposite direction I needed to travel. Resting my gloved hand on my cheek, I could not help but frown. He had seemed distracted when we got coffee first thing in the morning, but I assumed he was just tired. Now, he seemed even worse. And on top of it all, I was still going out of my mind waiting for Steven to make his move and really kiss me. He was all for hand holding and pecks on my cheek, but since our near moment during our first study session things were strictly G rated between us.

              When 2 o’clock finally rolled around I had all but forgotten about my disappointment over my lack of passion with Steven. After a rather grueling essay test in my Women in Literature class, I left for my dorm excited to see Steven, even if there would be no overly romantic moments involved.

              “You want to get some food first?” Steven asked as we headed out of my dorm building and into the fall weather.

              “That would be great,” I smiled, taking his hand automatically. It took a second for his fingers to curl around mine, but I tried not to focus on it too much.

              Glancing at his watch as we crossed campus towards the Arby’s in the center of town, Steven seemed to be distracted by something. Despite trying to chat with him, he didn’t even look my way until I said his name three times.

              “Are you okay?” I asked, wrapping my free hand around his arm as I snuggled closer to him while we walked.

              “What?” He seemed almost startled by my question. “Oh, yeah, sorry. I just had a long day in class. Didn’t get much sleep last night either.”

              “Oh,” I commented, not fully convinced. “Well, it’s Friday now, so the only thing you need to worry about is regular or curly fries.”

              With a laugh Steven tightened his grip on my hand as we continued on our path. I found myself glancing more and more at Steven, waiting for him start acting normal. Trying to shake it off as we entered the fast food restaurant, I was determined to have a nice evening with Steven.

              “Sorry,” Steven mumbled after we ate in silence for a few minutes. “I just had a long week, and I feel like I’m forgetting something.”

              “You don’t need to apologize,” I smiled, trying to reassure him. “I just hope it’s not something for one of your classes.”

              “I don’t think so,” he sighed. “I almost think I forgot it was someone's birthday or something like that.”

              “You need to get one of those Palm Pilots,” I offered. “My dad always uses one for work stuff.”

              “I just might have to if I don’t figure this out soon,” Steven grinned.

              By the time we arrived at Norra’s art show half an hour later, Steven was back to his normal self. He seemed a lot less distracted, chatting and making plans for the rest of weekend. Getting some food seemed to relax him about whatever it was that was really bothering him. It might have just been lack of sleep and his classes, but in the back of my mind I thought it might be something more. Then again, hanging out with anyone, let alone a guy who was interested in me, was still a rather new occurrence for me.

              “You came!!!” Norra exclaimed, enveloping me in a hug when she spotted us while we walked into the gallery space.

              “But of course,” I smiled, extremely glad we had chosen to visit after all. Norra and I had started chatting more ever since Steven visited to study the first time. Apparently Norra was getting to know a guy in one of her classes and wanted my opinion about it since I was now an expert on boys.

              “Okay, you need to go check out my stuff over there, but then also check out that room off the hallway. My friend Katie did some amazing sculptures!” The words tumbled quickly from her mouth before Norra ran off to greet someone else. It was clear she was getting carried away with the thrill of sharing her work with everyone. Considering it was a project she had been working on all semester so far, it made sense that she was so excited.

              Walking in the direction she had pointed, Steven and I spent time checking out each of the works Norra had showing in the gallery. Despite so many people passing through, the gallery was rather quiet. Steven and I walked around also silent, our hands still linking us together. As we entered the sculpture room Norra had mentioned, I was in awe at a large eagle made of clay and wire. Walking up to it I was so focused on the intricacies of the work I did not notice someone was standing next to me until they spoke.

“This one is especially beautiful,” they whispered, leaning closer to me to keep their voice down.

“Yes, it’s just so-”

The words caught in my throat as I turned toward the girl who has spoken to me. My mouth felt dry as it hung open, my mind only slightly aware of Steven asking me what was wrong. Finally, after what felt like an eternity I found my voice again.

“Olena?”

As she nodded, I felt my eyes well with tears and my body begin to tremble. Olena was here with me, after killing someone only a few months ago. Taking a step back and pressing myself into Stevens’s body, I stared at her, not knowing what to say. Olena’s return could only mean bad things for my relaxing evening with Steven, not to mention the almost normal life I was finally enjoying.

“Come on Steven, we need to go,” I managed to say as I turned and headed for the exit, pulling Steven with me as I walked.

“Claire wait, please,” Olena pleaded, following our progress to the door.

“No, we’re leaving,” I announced, reaching the door and stepping outside.

“Who is that?” Steven asked, his voice strained with concern.

“We just need to go,” I demanded. Steven managed to stumble along behind me as I headed away from the art gallery.

“Claire, just give me a minute,” Olena tried again, jogging to catch up to me.

Stopping my rushed walking, I turned to face Olena. Tears were welling up quickly in my eyes.

“I don’t want to talk to you Olena,” I hissed through clenched teeth. “Just leave me alone. Didn’t you do enough damage last time?”

“I did not mean to kill anyone,” Olena replied, her voice suddenly louder than I wanted it to be.

“Wait, what?” Steven asked next to me, moving a step closer as if to protect me.

“If you didn’t mean to kill him then why did you leave?” My voice was shaking now, tears spilling onto my cheeks at the sudden barrage of emotions.

“It was self-defense,” Olena assured me with a sigh. “Yes, I killed him. But, if I did not he would have killed me instead.”

“Claire, what is she talking about?” Steven’s body was pressed to mine, one arm wrapped tightly around me.

“This is Olena,” I muttered, finally answering Steven with my gaze still on Olena. “The last time I saw her she killed someone then climbed out a window so she wouldn’t get caught.”

“I did what I had to do to keep you safe,” Olena tried, her voice begging me to believe her.

“What?” I asked, not expecting her comment.

“When I got up to go to the bathroom it was because I saw I had been found,” she explained, shaking her head. “If I stayed in our booth they would have known you were with me and killed both of us.”

“Who would have killed her?” Steven asked, my shock keeping me from asking the question myself.

“We cannot talk about it here.” Olena lowered her voice as she looked around us frantically. “I promise I will tell you everything. But we need to go somewhere private.”

“How do I know we will be safe?” I asked, using my coat sleeve to wipe my tears away.

“The longer we stand out here the more danger we are in,” she quickly explained, not really answering my question.

“Maybe we should go to your dorm,” Steven offered, now looking around as well.

I weighed the options in my head. Could I really trust Olena after everything that had happened? With a sigh I turned and started in the direction of my dorm. Steven kept up, his arm still around me, now tighter than before. Olena followed close behind us, her eyes darting around as if someone was going to jump out at any second.

Once we were in the safety of my dorm I collapsed onto my bed, my head pounding with a sudden headache. Steven sat next to me, one arm around my waist while the other held onto my shaking hands. Olena locked the door before turning to face us, her look more urgent than ever.

“The guy you found dead in the bathroom was Alexi Dyatlov,” she began, a calm expression on her face. “He was sent to kill me back in ‘95, but my mom and I got away. That is why I left Ohio when I did. The man he works for has been trying to find us since we moved to the United States years ago. When we left we headed to Canada, thinking we would be safe, but then he found us again. That was why I needed to come find you.”

“But why did you need to drag me into all of this now?” I asked, my voice finally calming down some. Something about the way she stated everything as a simple fact made me think there was even more she was not saying.

“Until we met a few months ago they did not know you and I were connected,” she explained. “But now they are likely watching you, making sure I do not contact you again. I wanted to stay away and leave you out of this, I really did. But I do not have a choice.”

With a sigh she sat on my desk chair, a look of remorse on her face. I glanced at Steven, his face a mask of concern and confusion. It felt good to know I was not the only one still in the dark.

“I had to find you in order to get the necklace,” Olena began again slowly. “The locket I gave you is the key to all of this. I did not know it when I gave it to you, but it is the only thing that will stop these men.”

“I don’t have it,” I managed to croak despite my dry throat. “I left it in Ohio.”

“That is okay,” she nodded. “That means it is still safe until we can go get it. If we leave now we can get there while your parents are still asleep so we will not have to involve them in this any more than they already are.”

“Wait, you expect us to come with you now?” Steven asked. A part of me could not help but smile to know he was going to stick with me through this. But, a bigger part of me was still a mess of emotions trying to make sense of everything I had just heard.

“The longer we wait the more danger we are all in,” Olena explained. “They have been tracking me since I killed Alexi, and it is only a matter of time before they figure out that I came here to see you, Claire.”

I could feel my heart pounding even more now, my pulse speeding up at all the news Olena was presenting me with. Earlier today I was happy to be spending time with Steven, and now I was being asked to drive to Ohio to pick up a necklace that was the cause of Olena killing someone?

“How do I know all of this is even real?” I asked, taking a deep breath in an attempt to calm down.

“This might help,” Olena muttered.

I watched in shock as Olena stood to shed her black coat before pulling off her black t-shirt. Standing only in her bra I sat in silence staring at her pale skin, covered in thick red scars. Most of the scars were small, likely not too deep. On her left side, however, was a scar that ran from her rib cage down towards her belly button. It was jagged and darker than the other as if it had only recently healed. Tiny puncture marks around it hinted at stitches and who knows what else.