I had always liked to make up scenarios in my head. I had this habit right from my childhood. I imagine myself in various situations and my reactions to it. But I never expected myself to sit in my living room with a sharp knife in my hand to stab my roommate if necessary.

Noah was still sleeping in his room unaware that I saw his picture with Mitchell and Kevin. That picture could only mean one thing. Noah lied to me. When I asked him about Mitchell earlier he acted like he didn't know her other than the news of her murder in the paper. But not only did he know Mitchell but also Kevin. I grabbed my phone and looked at the selfie I sent myself from Noah's phone last night.

It was a normal selfie. Just the ones, you take casually with your friends. They seemed to be in the living room of some house. I could only make the couch they sat on and TV at a distance. I tossed my mobile aside again and clutched the knife handle tighter.

I didn't know if what I was feeling right now was anger, sadness, or fear. I trusted him even though I didn't know him too well which was my mistake. The thought that Noah could be the one who murdered Mitchell was so absurd at first but was more appealing by the moment.

I couldn't sleep a wink since last night due to the thought I could end up like her. But if he really wanted to kill me he had plenty of opportunities to do so from day one. I couldn't understand the connection between Mitchell, Kevin, and Noah. And I couldn't understand the motive behind Noah living here. But I intended to find out alright.

I became restless by sitting there waiting for him to come out. I slowly walked to his room and opened the door slowly so as not to make a sound. He was still sleeping in his tuxedo from last night. The sunlight from the window was softly illuminating his features which I admired last night when we were dancing at the party.

It was strange to think last night and this moment could exist in the same world. That I could go from liking a person so much to suspecting and fearing him in a matter of minutes. While I was standing there watching him, he stirred slowly and lazily opened his eyes. His eyes widened as he saw me standing at his door watching him. Then his face curved into a smirk I loved until last night.

"You're watching me sleep? That's a little creepy."

"I thought I'd reserve the word for this." I flashed the selfie in front of him. His face fell and I could now see an alarm in it. He got up from his bed.

"Where did you get that?" He asked, taking a step forward.

"Stay where you are." I waved the knife in front of me, "You take one step forward, then I won't be responsible for the consequences."

He stopped in his tracks, his face full of tension. If I had any doubt that he was innocent, I wouldn't have it now. Only a guilty person would look like that.

"I can explain everything," Noah said, raising his hands in defense.

"Believe me, Noah, I'm dying for that explanation. Why did you murder Mitchell? What did you do to Kevin?" I asked him, my voice shaking with anger. I had no proof that he did those things but catching him by surprise seemed like the best option. His face became white as a sheet.

"I didn't do it." He said slowly.

"What?"

"I didn't murder Mitchell," Noah said. I let out a cynical laugh.

"Yeah. I'm going to take your word for that. You knew Mitchell and Kevin but acted like you didn't. You are now living in the same room as Mitchell. No one believes you, Noah." I shouted. I couldn't explain how angry I felt at him.

"Let me tell you my version. If you don't believe me, then you can do as you want." He pleaded. I contemplated what he had just said. There was still a little part of me, which wanted him to be innocent. Maybe that was the part that agreed with him.

"Tell me."

Noah sat on his bed and gestured to me to come over. I shook my head no. There was no way I was going anywhere near him. He gave out a sigh and started:

"Kevin and I have been roommates since the beginning of college. We were like brothers. He used to share everything with me. Mitchell and Kevin used to hang around a lot in our apartment. I am not the one to leave people alone so Mitchell became a friend of mine quickly. Everything was fine but at the end of the freshman year, they started to behave strangely. They were always tense and discussing something. I couldn't get Kevin to talk about it. I thought they were going through a rough patch and left it at that.

Then one day Kevin came to me, his face so tired and worried. He gave me a silver chain and asked me to hide it. He asked me to never say where I hid it even if he asked. I took it from him and hid it. I didn't ask him any questions. I thought he would say what the hell was happening when he was ready.

On the day before Mitchell was murdered, I went to LA since my mom was sick. I didn't return for a week. By the time I returned, Mitchell was dead and Kevin ran away. You can check where I was on the day of murder if you want to."

I didn't know what to think. He sounded genuine. His story matched with mine in many parts but again he also sounded genuine when he told me that he didn't know Mitchell. He was a good liar. I couldn't believe him anymore as I did before. He took a look at me and got up from the bed.

"Stay where you are." I waved the knife one more time at him.

"I was just going to show you the proofs. Relax. I'm not going to come anywhere near you." He said and entered into his closet. He returned with a small square box in his hand after a few seconds. He returned to the bed, opened the box, and started pulling out things from it.

He took out what looks like two airplane tickets and an SD card.

The SD card, I don't believe this!

He dropped them on the bed and looked at me.

"These are my tickets to LA. And this is an SD card I found in Kevin's room when he ran away. I think you need to hear this."

He threw the things at my feet.

"I'll stay here. Lock me up if it makes you feel safe. I just want you to believe me." He threw his hands up in resignation and plopped on his bed. I picked up the tickets and the card, the knife still trained on him. I left the room closing the door behind me.

**********

As I sat in my room, my door locked and inserting the SD card in my mobile, it was like history was repeating itself. I half guessed what would be in here but I had to confirm. I inserted the card, went into the folder. It contained a video and an audio clip just as I had expected.

I played the video almost sure of what it contained and I was right. It was the same video that Mitchell left in her closet. I closed it and opened the audio clip.

"Noah, I didn't have time to explain everything. I didn't murder Mitchell and I have something to figure out. So I had to go away. You've got to believe me. And whatever you do man, don't lose the chain and don't tell anyone about that." Kevin's voice sounded from my mobile. It was a little disconcerting to hear his voice after such a long time. I was beginning to feel like he was a fragment of my imagination.

Relief flooded through me as I realized this was proof that Noah didn't do the murder. He was caught in this issue just like I was. But there was still a question left unanswered, why did he come to live here?