The Perfect Ruin

by Shanora Williams

  “What do you mean, you weren’t going to stay here? Why wouldn’t you, when you organized all this?”

  “Well, Vonyetta told me she overheard some ladies last year saying they felt like they were being watched too closely by me—like they were nervous because I was around.”

  “Like you intimidate them?”

  “Something like that.” She picked up her water to sip it as she looked around the cafeteria. I bet she wished it was something stronger. Maybe that was why she was on edge—she had no alcohol in her.

  “Well, I wouldn’t be too upset about that.” I needed to make her feel better, butter her up. That was what a good, trustworthy friend would do. “A lot of people know your status. They know you’re one of the most well-paid women in Florida. Maybe they feel like they have to be perfect around you and that makes them nervous—sends their hormones on a rampage.”

  “You think so?” she asked, swinging her gaze to me. “Do you think I’m intimidating, Ivy?”

  I put on a sheepish smile. In all honesty, hell no I didn’t find her intimidating. If anything, her presence probably annoyed the hell out of people, the way she walked around like gravity defied her and politely gave orders. The way she pretended she didn’t love to be in charge, and that she didn’t take any of her success for granted. Such bullshit. All of it.

  “Well,” I started, “when I first met you, I was a little nervous—but only because I’d heard so much about you and couldn’t believe I was actually meeting you for the first time.”

  “Really?” Her mouth did a thing. Not a smile, but not a frown either. She was clearly flattered. “See, I wish I could understand that. I don’t want the women to look at me as an idol or anything. I want them to think of me as a friend—someone who doesn’t mind taking care of another sister.” First of all, I never said I looked at her as an idol. See how she loved to put ideas into her own head?

  “I say take it with a grain of salt. You’re practically a goddess among mortals here. You can’t be too hard on yourself, but I really do admire your humbleness.” After saying that, I wished the fish in my mouth would get lodged in my throat, or at least that there were bones in them to choke me.

  “Well, thank you, Ivy. You’re so sweet.” She rubbed my shoulder. She always did that, like I was her little pet.

  Something dropped down on the table and we both looked up to find Keke standing on the other side of the table with her tray of food. “I swear, I thought I’d never make it to dinner!” Keke griped. “Ugh. What are you two over here talking about?” She plopped down in the chair and picked up her bottle of water to crack it open and sit.

  “Keke, why weren’t you on time for dinner?” Lola asked, completely ignoring her last question.

  “Girl, I had to help one of the pregnant ladies because she accidentally peed on herself! I swear, Lola, some of them pretend they are so handicapped. I mean, when I was pregnant, I still knew how to walk and make it to the bathroom. Yeah, I had a few mishaps when Bailey hit the third trimester and was all on my bladder, but I wasn’t full-blown peeing on myself.”

  “Keke, you have to remember some of them have been through some really hard times. Lots of it is traumatic.” The way Lola coddled Keke made me sick. She treated her like her long-lost sister. Now that I thought about it, it didn’t shock me that Keke was around my age. I guess taking on Keke and Bailey gave Lola purpose too. She couldn’t have a child on her own, so younger women made up for that somehow—like raising a sister or a daughter. It was weird as hell, but it worked in my favor, I suppose.

  Lola yawned. “I’m really tired. I had an early start this morning and it’s catching up to me.”

  “You should go to the cabin and rest. You’ve been running around all day,” Keke said, eating her bread.

  I looked at Lola’s plate, which only had vegetables on it, and noticed she’d barely touched her food. Then I looked up at her, but she was already focused on me. “You won’t mind if I run off, will you?”

  “Not at all, no.”

  She gave me a grateful smile and then gave my shoulder a pat. I was ready to burn off her hand by this point.

  “Okay. I’ll see you two in the cabin later—that is, if I’m not already sleeping.” Lola stood and walked away from the table to Noah to say something to him, and then sauntered out of the cafeteria.

  “I hope she’s okay,” I said but avoided Keke’s eyes. I knew she’d heard me, but she said nothing in response to my remark. We finished our meals in silence, listening to the chatter of the expectant mothers and some of the volunteers.

  A fork clinked against porcelain. “All right. I just have to say it. You know what I find interesting?” Keke said, looking me over.

  I carefully yet curiously slid my gaze up to hers. “Interesting about what?”

  “About you.”

  “What about me?” I asked with a nervous laugh. A sweet, innocent smile.

  “I tried to find you on Facebook, but I couldn’t, so I searched Google for your name and a few Facebook accounts came up, but none of them were of you. I saw an Instagram account for you, but you don’t even have any pictures.” Keke narrowed her eyes and stared right into mine. “There’s something off about you and I don’t like or trust it.”

  Well, if she was playing that card . . . “Funny, I was thinking the same thing about you when we first met.” I couldn’t let her think she intimidated me, Marriott. Fuck that.

  Her nostrils flared at the edges, but she tried to keep a cool head. “You don’t have to like me, honey,” she shot back. “I love myself enough.”

  Did she really just go there? This was a joke, right?

  I rolled my eyes and picked up my grape juice. She really went there, Marriott. I simply couldn’t.

  “I just can’t help but find it interesting that you met Lola in her kickboxing class and became a volunteer all in the same day. Then she wants you to model for her shirts—you, a new volunteer, when there have been dozens of girls who have been dying for that position—and now you’re here at the camp, sharing her VIP cabin?” She scoffed and shook her head, her silver hoops catching the light in the ceiling. “Something doesn’t add up with you. Girls like you, who just pop up out of nowhere in Lola’s life, are always after something.”

  I bet she’d know. “Maybe Lola just likes me as a person,” I responded, avoiding the urge to pick up my empty tray and slam it across her head. “I have nothing to hide, Keke. I just don’t believe in posting my life all over social media the way others do.”

  Keke scoffed, pursed her lips as she looked me up and down, and then locked on my face again. “Lola needs to stop wearing her heart on her sleeve. People like you are leeches. You worm your way in, try to get close, and think you’ll have a foot in the door with her for life. Well, here’s a piece of advice for you,” she said, leaning over the table. “The same way Lola took you in with open arms, she’ll drop you just as fast if you do something to hurt or betray her.”

  I matched Keke’s stare, refusing to back down. I could speak nice, but there was no way in hell I was going to let this bitch think she could intimidate me.

  I’m certain there was something a bit more vicious about my stare because she leaned back and clenched her jaw before picking up her tray and taking it to the nearest trash can.

  She left the cafeteria, but not without looking back at me.

  This was strike three. I’d had enough of her.

  I watched her leave and then made a mental note to take her out. Immediately.

  I was done playing games—letting her think she had the upper hand. Keke was a flaw in my perfect plan, and it was time to get her out of my way.

  CHAPTER THIRTEEN

  I’ve always had a problem with my temper, Marriott. I remember my mother giving me spankings for throwing tantrums over things I couldn’t have or couldn’t do.

  I remember being thirteen and purposely breaking Mama’s favorite lemonade pitcher because she wouldn’t let me go to a sl
eepover. Granted, my grades weren’t so good, and it served as a form of punishment that I couldn’t attend said sleepover, but all I remember was thinking how unfair she was and getting pissed about it.

  If only I’d known that a year later, she would be gone forever. I never would have broken her favorite pitcher and hid the glass pieces. I never would have been such a pain in the ass.

  I wish I could say I had outgrown the tantrum phase at this point in my life, but that would be a complete lie. If anything, my tantrums manifested into something much, much worse. How does the saying go, when you bottle up too many emotions? Yeah, it’s that sort of thing for me.

  I was desperate to get closer to Lola. No one was going to stop me, spread rumors about me, or get into Lola’s ear on my watch. Keke was going to keep telling Lola that she didn’t like me—that she found me weird and off. I couldn’t have that, Marriott.

  I guess Keke’s blabbermouth was good for one thing, though. Last night, Keke told the whole cabin she couldn’t wait to wake up early and go for a run so she could keep her body in shape. Faith and Arabel forced smiles at her, and Lola was so out of the mix that she didn’t respond to her.

  There was something on Lola’s mind. Was what Vonyetta told her about being intimidating to the pregnant women really bothering her that much?

  Too bad I didn’t get the chance to ask. Keke must have noticed the same thing about Lola because she climbed out of her bed to sit beside Lola and ask her what was wrong. I overheard Lola mentioning she was tired, and then she told her she was going for a shower. When Lola walked out, Keke glared my way before going back to her bed.

  Who would have known Keke was into jogging? She always seemed like the shake-your-ass-and-dance-to-workout type. A little twerk here and some jumping jacks there.

  Keke woke up at five fifteen in the morning, got dressed, and left the cabin at five thirty. I know because I watched her as she did so the morning after she mentioned going for the jog.

  Five thirty was right before the sun slipped over the horizon—before the palm trees would begin to sway, and while the soil in the earth was still cool.

  I stepped out of the cabin, barefoot and in a matching set of pajamas, watching Keke run toward the first trail in view. I peered up at the sky, which was a mass of lavender and blue, the orange swirls from the sun slowly filling in, and then I focused on the trail Keke had taken again.

  There were many shadows and trees on that trail.

  I looked around. The camp was quiet. No one was awake at this hour.

  This.

  This would be the way I got rid of Keke. While everyone was sleeping. On a shadowy trail, where no one could see. It would be quick. Easy.

  But it wouldn’t be right now.

  No, the next morning seemed much more promising.

  * * *

  An alarm went off at 5:15 a.m.

  Keke groaned as she sat up, then she sighed and rolled out of the bed, going for her suitcase. From where I was, I watched her take her workout clothes to the bathroom. She flipped a switch, and part of the room illuminated with light.

  Faith, Arabel, Xena, and Lola were all sleeping, practically dead to the world. Arabel was a light snorer but, according to Lola, nothing in comparison to Olivia.

  Keke got dressed quickly and trotted out of the bathroom. She stuffed her feet into black Nike running shoes, grabbed her phone and headphones, and headed out the door, clicking it shut quietly behind her.

  As soon as she was gone, I twisted the doorknob in front of me and stepped out of the only closet in the cabin, dressed in yoga pants, a black T-shirt, and tennis shoes. I adjusted my black baseball cap and hurried for the door, making sure to keep my steps light. The door creaked as I shut it and I mentally cursed it for being so loud. But no one woke up. The coast was still clear.

  I jogged toward the trail. I couldn’t let her get too far ahead of me.

  I’d thought about how I’d handle this situation all day yesterday. In between painting protruding bellies, prepping snacks, and helping Lola make mocktails for the dine-in movie, all I could think about was getting Keke out of my way.

  Keke had rolled her eyes at me so much the day before that I’d lost count. And anytime she saw me alone with Lola, she’d interrupt, only to talk about herself or something someone did that reminded her of Bailey.

  She was too much for Lola, and I wished Lola would fucking say something about it already. A friend with no boundaries is unhealthy . . . but perhaps I should digress, so as not to seem like the world’s biggest hypocrite, right?

  The path of the trail was a simple one, and I could see why Keke jogged on it. It was a straight shot to the lake. Not only that, but there was a cliff where, not far beyond it, you could watch the sun rise above a shimmering ocean.

  Below the cliff, though—like, right below it—were jagged rocks. The rocks weren’t too far down. In fact, if you took a few steps to the right, you could climb on the rocks. You’d have to sit close to the edge of the cliff to witness the sunset from the top of the cliff.

  That particular cliff was amazing—a beholder of beauty and destruction, something I could relate to all too well. Get too close to the edge and you’ll see the ugly, scary rocks at the bottom. But stand back just enough, keep your distance, and you’ll only see the beauty of it.

  I kept my steps light, spotting Keke’s white T-shirt ahead. She was running with her headphones plugged into her ears. She couldn’t hear me. I was sure of it because I could hear her music from where I was, about twenty steps behind her.

  She did a light jog, nothing too intense. I could keep up.

  Fifteen steps.

  I lowered my baseball cap.

  Keke’s panting grew louder.

  I grew closer.

  Ten steps.

  She rapped one of the lines from the song she was listening to out loud. J. Cole lyrics. I liked J. Cole . . . but I didn’t like Keke.

  Six steps.

  Could she feel my presence?

  Two steps.

  Feel someone breathing down her back?

  The cliff was ahead of her, but to be wise, she’d make a right turn, follow the path to the lake. Keke wasn’t the type to watch sunrises or sunsets, let alone interrupt her life to witness basic, everyday nature.

  But maybe I’d make her look this one time.

  One.

  Before she could prepare to make the right turn, my palms were pressed to her back to shove her forward with all my might. She made an audible gasp and whipped her head to the left to look over her shoulder to try to see me.

  The push wasn’t hard enough. She caught herself and began to turn to see her culprit, but I couldn’t let her see me. She would recover, tell Lola it was me. Ruin all my plans.

  I grunted and shoved her harder on the back, and she screamed, tripping forward and falling.

  Falling.

  Falling.

  It only took a split second for her to fall and land, but in those moments leading up to the big fall, I couldn’t help but watch her. Her back was to me, arms flailing, trying to stop her impending doom.

  She’d never know I did it. It could have been anyone at the camp, but when she recovered, I was sure she’d pin it on me. The new girl. Her biggest threat with Lola.

  But what proof would she have? She’d only accuse me, right? She could scream about it until her face was blue, or maybe Lola would assume Keke had fallen for attention. It would be like Keke to do something drastic for all to think and talk about her.

  I rushed to the edge of the cliff right before Keke hit the rocks.

  A loud thwack as the back of her head hit the sharp edge of a boulder. Blood instantly pooled around her head, dripping down the curves and edges of gray and silver stone.

  Oh shit.

  A breath left my body.

  Shit, Marriott. I think I pushed her a little too hard.

  She was only supposed to fall, hit her head, break a limb or two, and be rushed off to the hospital. B
ut from this angle, she didn’t appear to be breathing. There was too much blood.

  Oh my God.

  She looked . . . she looked dead.

  CHAPTER FOURTEEN

  Run.

  My thoughts screamed at me. I couldn’t stay here much longer. Someone would come by eventually. One of the park rangers, maybe. They’d see Keke’s body. Sound the alarm. I couldn’t be spotted here when that happened.

  Run.

  I ran away as quickly as I could, finishing on the trail that led to the lake. No way was I going back to the cabins. I’d act as if I got breakfast early—a quick pudding at the Night Mommy cart by the cafeteria for the pregnant women with insomnia.

  I made it to the Night Mommy cart and opened the top lid, panting wildly. I’d run fast—faster than I ever had before.

  There was a broad selection of healthy refrigerated treats and snacks inside the cart, and on the side were containers of veggie chips and bags of dried fruit, which I was certain Lola had picked out. She loved incorporating veganism into everyone else’s lives.

  I picked out a chia seed pudding and grabbed a spoon from one of the cabinets on the cart, but before I turned away, I noticed a camera in the corner above me.

  My heart froze for a moment, then beat to life again like a drum.

  A camera? I only saw one camera, and it was in the cafeteria. But there was one here. Were they all over the camp? On the trails? The cliff?

  They could have been hooked to the trees. After all, this was an upscale camp. They had great resources. Who was there to stop them from making sure they had an eye on every single thing happening at their camp?

  I put my back to the camera casually. “Shit,” I cursed under my breath.

  I walked away, keeping cool. Those cameras couldn’t work . . . but if they did, then they’d put the times together. They’d investigate and they’d know I had come off the same trail Keke was found on.