My long dark hair was a mess and the brush kept getting stuck. This was what I got staying up all night reading books in my best friend's library.
"Clara!" A voice called out. I turned slowly to see my younger friend Alex, her long brown hair was sleek and shiny, unlike mine which was full of knots. Her family has taken me in a while back when my parents died in a fire two years ago. I had been a college senior at the time and since I didn't have anywhere to go, the two of us had known each forever.

She took me back to her house without a second thought, where her grandfather lived and her creepy Butler. I always made jokes that she was rich but she always dismissed that and told me the house was just in her family. "What's the hold-up?" She asked.
"I was reading Sherlock Holmes again." I answered.
"Girl you really shouldn't spend all your time in the library, it's not healthy," She told me. "Are you okay?"
"You know I wonder what's for breakfast I hope it's pancakes." I answered changing the topic immediately. She looked at me with concern and decided to help me with my hair.

"Here let me help." She said taking the brush and running it through my hair. It was painful when the brush got stuck in the knots and for a second I was a little child again complaining about it. Alex didn't lecture me though she just kept going about we should spend time together. I adored my best friend but I could tell she was just trying to get me out of the house, so I wouldn't end up becoming a recluse.
"Girl I'm really okay, it's just an escape for me." I explained.
"Yeah and I'm not John Watson," she answered finally finishing with my hair. "Finish up your look quick Holmes or you are going to be late for class." I laughed at her fake accent and promised to meet her downstairs.

After dressing in gray jeans, a black top, a chain necklace, and my black shoes. I went downstairs to meet up with Alex and her family, what followed was a day of classes, professors I either tuned out or enjoyed, and ended with a surprise celebration for me at my favorite restaurant. My birthday was coming up and Alex had arranged everything, she insisted on getting me a present. But while we eating dinner, she took a sip of her water and suddenly froze.
"Alex what's wrong?" Another friend of ours Marina asked. Alex didn't answer and she began coughing, I called out to her and she fell out of her seat hardly breathing.
"She needs help call 911!" I exclaimed trying my best to help her. She had been poisoned, I recognized the signs from all my reading.
I looked at the cup she had been drinking but it looked like normal water.

How could this have happened? None one has touched her food and none else had gotten poisoned. It was all I could think sitting beside her crying for her to be okay, but eventually her throat went numb, her muscles froze and she was dead. I wept hysterically at her death and promised that I was going to find whoever poisoned her. First my family and now my best friend, someone was after me, and now they've officially declared war.