Friday March 20, 1987
Naomi had the girls over to her house for a slumber party girl's night. The girls had taken over the living room, with snacks and magazines everywhere as they sat around in their PJ's and nightgowns listening to music and flipping through the magazines.
"I am still leaning towards a purple prom gown." Naomi said.
"I am not sure what color I want. Maybe pink." Kristin said.
"Chevonne, what is going on with you and Roman?" Naomi asked.
"Yeah, every day this week you two have had lunch together." Brandi smiled.
"With Randy and the other guys." Chevonne protested.
"And I hear you two have been sitting next to each other in history class." Naomi said.
"Just sitting next to each other and I have been letting him copy my notes when he misses something." Chevonne said. "And I been helping him catch up, he missed the first half of WWI
before he moved here."
"And you get this dopey grin on your face every time you hear his name." Kristin said.
"Look who is talking. When you and Teddy started dating, you became the T-channel…all Ted, all the time." Chevonne laughed.
"I wasn't that bad." Kristin said.
"Yeah you were." Naomi nodded.
"Maybe you and Roman can go to prom together." Brandi said.
"He hasn't even mentioned prom." Chevonne said.
"Still, how you gonna wear your hair?" Kristin asked.
"Maybe over to one side? You could get some great height and with some curls…it'd look great." Brandi said.
"I think that would look great. I might try that myself." Kristin moved to try different looks with Chevonne's hair.
"I was thinking about wearing some flowers or ribbon in mine." Brandi said.
"Maybe pull it back halfway with some curls." Chevonne suggested.
"That would be cute." Naomi said.
"I think the guys are gonna look so handsome in their tuxes" Brandi said.
"I want a dress that will knock Jimmy's socks off." Naomi said. "You know….if certain things run in the family, you might want to latch yourself onto Roman."
"What things?" Chevonne asked.
"Size honey, size." Naomi wiggled her eyebrows.
"I so don't wanna hear about Jimmy's thing again." Brandi fell back on the couch.
"Really, Miss Cody can go forever." Naomi said.
"Oh you brag about Jimmy's stamina too." Brandi said.
Meanwhile, the guys we were at the Brick Oven, hanging out and sharing a few pizzas. Jimmy and Jey had brought Roman with them to hang out for the evening.
"Have you got all settled in?" Ted asked Roman.
"Yeah, I still wish I could've graduated at my old school, but things here aren't so bad." Roman said.
"I figured you would be out with Brandi tonight." Jey said to Cody.
"She is with the other girls at Naomi's. They are having a girl's night." Cody said.
"Kristin is there too." Ted said.
"Why don't we sneak over there and see what they are up to?" Jey asked.
"You mean crash the party?" Randy asked. "What for?"
"Yeah, it is not like they are gonna be running around naked like in all those crappy movies." Jimmy said.
"Still, it'd give you three a chance to hang with your ladies…and Roman some time to keep flirting with his." Jey chuckled.
"At least he picked a nice girl. If he had picked a bitch, I would've disowned him." Jimmy said.
"We are nothing official." Roman said.
"Yes, but she is coming to the lake with us tomorrow." Ted winked.
"And there have been numerous sightings of the two of you together this past week." Jey chuckled.
"What the hell is this? An interrogation?" Roman rolled his eyes.
"Borrowing her history notes? I saw her notebook in your locker." Jimmy said.
"So what? I saw Brandi's notebook in Naomi's book bag." Roman said.
"I can back Roman on this one. I borrow Chevonne's notes all the time. She is the only reason I am passing Hart's class." Randy said.
"But you don't look around for her at lunch." Jimmy chuckled. "Roman, you picked a good one."
"Glad I have your approval." Roman rolled his eyes.
"What the hell, let's go see what the girls are into." Cody said.
Back at Naomi's the girls were singing 'Purple Rain' along with the radio and Kristin was trying to find a movie for them to watch.
"Did you hear that?" Naomi asked.
"What?" Brandi looked at her.
"Sirens." Naomi said and turned down the music.
All four girls could hear sirens. They walked over to the picture window and pulled the curtains back. They saw an ambulance hurry by with two cop cars.
"What is going on?" Kristin asked.
"Must have been an accident somewhere." Chevonne said.
"There goes another cop car…what the hell?" Naomi asked as another cop car drove by.
"Three cop cars, that is the entire Walkerton police department." Chevonne said.
"Guess we'll hear about it whatever it is in the morning paper." Brandi said.
"Kristin did you pick a movie yet?" Naomi asked as she closed the curtains.
"I was thinking maybe we could watch 'Flashdance'." Kristin said.
"That is a good one." Brandi said.
"I'll grab us a few more sodas from the kitchen." Naomi said.
As she started for the kitchen the phone rang. Naomi walked to end table and answered the phone.
"Hello….Layla….Layla slow down." Naomi said. "What….are you sure?"
"Naomi, what is going on?" Kristin walked over to her concerned.
"Nikki was murdered at the Cena house tonight." Naomi said.
"What? Oh my God." Brandi paled.
"Layla, hold on a second." Naomi covered the phone. "That must be all of the sirens, the Cena's just live two streets over."
"What the hell happened? What do you mean murdered?" Chevonne asked.
"Apparently John and Nikki were swimming in the family pool…John went in the house to get some drinks, when Alex Riley knocked on the door. When Alex and John walked back out to the pool, Nikki was dead….apparently she was stabbed." Naomi said.
"That's terrible. Who would do such a thing?" Chevonne asked.
"A murder? In Walkerton?" Kristin asked.
"Layla, do they know who did it?" Naomi asked. "I see…yes, I'll see you Monday. Bye."
Naomi hung up the phone. The girls stood silently for just a few moments. They didn't know what to say.
"That was just a few streets over. We should probably double check the locks just to be safe." Chevonne said.
"Yeah, good idea." Naomi said.
"I'll come with you." Chevonne said.
They set off to check the locks. Brandi and Kristin sat down in the living room, still not sure what to think.
"Are you okay?" Chevonne asked Naomi.
"Yeah, just…shocking news. None of us liked her….but to be murdered?" Naomi said as they finished checking the doors.
They walked back into the living room where Kristin had started the movie.
"Everything is locked, we are safe." Chevonne said.
"Good, I am still in shock." Brandi said.
The girls sat on the floor, among the pillows they had brought from the bedroom and couch and began watching the movie.
"Do you think Roman is gonna ask you to prom?" Kristin asked.
"I'm not sure. But I would say yes if he did. He is very nice." She smiled.
"I think he really likes you." Brandi smiled.
"Did you hear that?" Naomi asked.
"What?" Kristin asked.
Naomi turned down the movie. The girls all listened. They heard a thumping sound on the back porch.
"Are your parents due back yet?" Kristin asked.
"No, they went out for the evening….date night." Naomi said as they heard the noise again.
"I don't like this. Nikki was just murdered two streets over." Brandi said.
"The doors are locked, we'll be fine." Chevonne said as the thumping got louder.
"Shit…..we gotta do something." Naomi said.
"Let's go see what is out there. It might be nothing." Chevonne said.
"Maybe we should take a weapon with us." Kristin said.
"There are knives in the kitchen." Naomi said as the thumping continued.
The four girls slowly walked into the kitchen. Naomi grabbed a knife off the counter. Chevonne slowly moved to the back door and pulled back the curtains. Naomi stood beside her and peered out onto the back porch.
"I don't see anything." Naomi whispered to the others.
"Me either." Chevonne said.
Suddenly someone appeared at the door and loudly pounded on it causing all four girls to scream and jump back. After a moment they realized it was Randy and Jimmy, both of whom were laughing themselves silly outside the door.
"You jackass!" Naomi yelled and unlocked the door, yanking it open.
"It was just a joke. We knew all you girls were here." Jimmy held his hands up in surrender.
The girls looked and saw Jey, Cody, Ted and Roman stand up from where they were hid on the other side of the porch and they were laughing.
"It's not funny. Nikki was murdered at John Cena's house tonight." Chevonne said. "We thought maybe the murderer was here."
"What? Are you serious? Murdered?" Randy asked.
"Yes, Layla called just a bit ago. That's what all the fuss a few streets over is about." Brandi said.
"What the fuck? We thought it was a car accident." Jey said.
"From what we heard, she was alone in the pool while John was in the house and when he came back, she had been stabbed to death." Naomi said.
"Do they know who did it?" Roman asked.
"I don't think so." Kristin said.
"Could this John guy have done it?" Roman asked.
"No, John is a good guy….just had bad taste in women." Randy said.
"Come on, let's get the girls inside." Ted said.
All the kids walked into the house as Naomi made sure to shut the door and lock it again. Cody hugged Brandi who was still upset. Ted checked on Kristin a she was shaken as well.
"We didn't know a murder had been committed. We didn't mean to scare you that bad." Jey said.
"Where is Brett?" Brandi asked.
"Grounded, he missed curfew on a school night." Ted said.
"We'll stay with you girls until Naomi's parents get home. I don't want you girls here alone." Randy said.
"I'm not gonna argue that. I still can't believe a murder here? I mean, nothing ever happens in Walkerton." Naomi hugged Jimmy.
"You okay?" Roman asked Chevonne.
"Yeah, just….a little scared…and a little sad." She said.
"Come on, we were watching a movie." Naomi said.
The boys followed the girls into the living room where the movie was still playing. They all sat down on the couch and the floor, making themselves comfortable. Roman sat next to Chevonne while Randy sat on her other side.
Nobody really said much, they watched the movie while sitting together. While none of them were close to Nikki, they had compassion that someone had been killed. The movie had just ended when Naomi's parents came home.
"I guess that is our cue to go." Randy said.
"We still going to the lake tomorrow?" Jimmy asked.
"I don't see why not. Nikki's murder has nothing to do with us." Ted said.
"We'll see you girls tomorrow." Jey said.
"I'll pick you up tomorrow." Randy said to Chevonne as the others said their goodbyes.
"I'll be ready." She assured him.
Author's Note: Thanks to Cinnamon Muffin Punk and cdajr for the feedback. All feedback is encouraged.