Nolan and Travis's second-story apartment is empty when we approach it. The small porch is clear; the door and rectangular window is lonely.

We halt in front of the door.

"This is it?" Brett asks from my left.

"Yeah—" I glance at him. "He rooms with Pat."

What has me in its grip is the aggressive hope of Nolan being here with him. I just need an explanation.

I slam my fist on the door three times. I then step back to line up with Brett. The two of us stare at the door.

It stays still.

"That's strange since their car is in the parking lot—" I peer to my left over the railings, spotting the familiar black car parked in the parking lot. "—and they always answer."

I hear Brett knocking the door. I turn back and glance at him before flicking my eyes back at the door.

Nothing.

Brett turns to me with annoyance. "You think they're really inside?"

"They should be." I shoot my hand to the knob and twist it in anticipation of it being locked.

Instead, the knob turns fully with a click.

I stay still.

"Strange..." I slowly push at it. "...he always locks it..."

I swing the door open, casting the afternoon light into the dim inside.

"Go in yourself," I hear Brett say from behind me. "I shouldn't go inside since they don't know me as well as you."

I nod, then step inside. The small living room to the right and kitchen to the left is silent. An eerie aura is in the air, making my movements slow and steady. Step by step, I turn my head at all angles, wondering if I should call out for Travis.

But something within me tells me otherwise. Something within me tells me to shut up. Fear...trepidation...

It's the smell of smoke. Faint, yet thick...

I peer to the left. I'm parallel to the countertop's end of the kitchen. I take a step forward to be in the walkway in between the countertop and counter.

I lean forward, eyes aimed to my left. The corner of the cabinets below the rounding countertop slide away as I move closer to the ground. A pair of sock-clad feet displaying their dirty soles appear from around the corner.

I take a sharp inhale. I rise to my full height and shuffle down the walkway. My bouncing vision is aimed downward at the tile ground as Travis's lying body is revealed.

A gasp flies out of my mouth, forcing me to tumble backward.

"AH!" I press myself against the counter's edge behind me. Breathing heavily, I keep wide eyes on the body.

Blood slips out from his long, dark brown hair. The skin of his hands and arms are pale with a blue tint. His whole body is still.

"BRETT! HE'S DEAD!"

With panic whizzing through me, I shoot through the walkway and dash to the open door.

"BRETT! HE'S BEEN SHOT!"

I burst into the porch and halt at the empty sight of the porch. Panting, I whirl my head to both sides. The still porch and blue skies stare back at me.

"Brett?" I swing my head from side to side once again in growing frustration. "Brett!"

I then whirl to my right and slam my fist into the door jamb. "Damn it!" I hold onto the door jamb as I press my forehead against it. "Why am I alone here again?"

I dip my head, staring at my black shoes. My breathing is laboured due to the adrenaline buzzing through me. My mind is swirling in newfound hurt and confusion.

I was alone when Claude was murdered. Now I am alone when Travis is murdered. Brett was with me and now he's gone. But Brett was also with me before I went to the bar, where Claude was murdered.

I perk up at my conclusion. Brett is the murderer. Why else is he sticking with me?

I crumple my face with disgust as I shake my head. I push myself back out to the porch and slam the door close. Taking deep breaths, I pull out my smartphone and gaze at it.

"Can't call the police...," I murmur, "...they'll arrest me."

I unlock my phone and locate the phone app to call Nolan. I place the phone to my ear and peer up.

"Come on, Pat, pick up...! If you really wanna help, you gotta pick up...I know who's framing me...!"

The automated voicemail meets my ear instead.

"Ugh." I pull the phone away from my ear. "Why aren't you answering?" I gaze back at my list of recent calls. "You always answer."

I pause as a realization crosses my mind. "You always..." I furrow my eyebrows. "Why aren't you answering?"

I exit out of the app and locate the My Friends app. On the app's map, is a picture of Nolan smiling in New Jersey. In the list, his location is under "Newark, New Jersey."

Bitterness instantly builds within me. "Nico's place," I spit out. "Of course. You like Nico more than me." I press my lips and shake my head. "Why did we even become friends in the first place if I was gonna be replaced like this?"

I peer up from my phone with narrowed eyes. The view of the mellow, suburban view dotted with one-story houses and vivid, green trees stares back at me.

"I'm gonna get Pat away from him!" I declare. "No matter what, I'm a true friend to him."

Then with a glance at my phone, I turn to the left and step toward the staircase of the porch.