"Holiday In Death"

“All people boarding Flight 331 to Paris, France, please board the plane now,” the loudspeaker blared, in the airport lobby.

“God, I’m sooo excited,” Teresa said to her friend, Jennifer, as they grabbed their carryon bag, and went towards the terminal that they were to go to board the plane.

“Paris, City of Lights, and Love,” Jennifer said excitedly, following Teresa through the terminal. Teresa had flown several times, where for Jennifer this was her first.

They boarded the plane, and went down the narrow hall to their seats. Plopping down on her seat next to a window, on the end, an overweight man sat sleeping.

“Window seat?” Teresa asked.

“Sure, I’ll take it,” Jennifer said, squeezing through.

“Um, actually, I meant me,” Teresa said, smirking.

“Oh, um, okay,” Jennifer said, sitting down next to the sleeping man.

“Hey Jenn, wake up, we’re almost there,” Teresa said, nudging Jennifer. The flight had been long, and she had just woken up herself, to find that they weren’t far from landing. In fact, the Pilot had put the “seatbelts on” sign even. “Sleeping Beast” as they called him, was even stirring from his neverending slumber, even though a princess didn’t kiss him to wake him up from his deep sleep. Teresa chuckeled at her own little joke, thinking that after they got up and off the plane, she should tell Jennifer that one.

“How long was I asleep?” Jennifer asked, pulling her compact out of her purse, and rummaging through it for a comb.

“A few hours at least, I’m not sure though, I fell asleep not long after you,” Teresa said, putting her lipgloss on.

“God, isn’t this place great?” Jennifer asked, as they walked into their hotel room. The room was spacious, featuring two beds, a kitchenette with a fridge, microwave and sink, a couch, a desk, a table and two chairs, and a bathroom. It would be their home for two weeks.

“So what do you say, we unpack and than head out and see some sights? Perhaps find something for dinner?” Teresa asked, putting her suitcase on her bed, and unzipping it.

“Sounds good,” Jennifer said, starting to unpack her stuff.

Teresa and Jennifer walked along the streets of Paris, and wandered into Au Sauvignon a restaurant.

“Should we eat here?” Jennifer asked, as they stepped inside.

“Sure, it looks good,” Teresa said, following the seating Hostess, to a table. Across from them sat, four people, all looking to be their age.

Jennifer and Teresa ordered some diet Cokes, and salads before one of the others spoke up.

“Excusez` moi? Are you Americans?” one of the guys asked.

“Yes, we are,” Teresa said.

“Would you like to eat lunch with us?” the other guy asked, “We would love to speak with you.”

Teresa glanced at Jennifer, before saying, “Sure, we will.”

“So what is you lovely ladies names?” the first guy asked.

“Well, I’m Teresa, and this is my friend, Jennifer,” Teresa said, introducing them.

“Are you on a holiday?” he asked.

“Yes, and what are your names?” Jennifer asked.

“I am Jean-Paul, and these are my friends, Felicite, Pierre, and Elise,” Jean-Paul said.
Jean-Paul, had killer eyes, and gorgeous brown hair. He had a smile that made your heart warm, was pretty tall. Felicite looked annoyed at having the girls join them for their lunch, and she had her arm around Jean-Paul. She had wavy blonde hair with cold blue gray eyes. Pierre had blonde hair, and wore glasses, and was pretty tall, pretty quiet though. Elise was shy, she looked around quietly and observed. She had curly brown hair that fell past her shoulders and brown eyes. She was short and petite.

“So what are you ladies doing tonight?” Pierre asked us, after we had sat and chatted a few minutes, and started eating our salads.

“Well, we just arrived here today, so for the moment, we have nothing planned, perhaps doing some sightseeing or something,” Jennifer said, before taking a biteful of salad.

“Would you like to join us at the discotheque tonight?” Jean-Paul asked, looking over at Teresa, before picking up a breadstick.

“Um, yeah, sure,” Teresa said, glancing over at Jennifer, “That sounds great.”

“What time should we meet you?” Jennifer asked, “We are staying at the hotel on 2nd Street.”
“We can meet you in the lobby, no?” Felicite asked, taking a sip of her iced tea.

“Yeah, you can, what time though?” Teresa asked.

“Seven?” Jean-Paul asked, looking over at Felicite, who nodded.

“Great, that’ll be fun,” said Jennifer, taking her credit card out of her purse and handing it to the waiter, “I guess, we’ll see you than.”

Teresa buried her face in her pillow, and groaned, it was morning already. She had sooo much fun last night with Jean-Paul, Elise, Felicite and Pierre. The discotechque was great, they had lot of fun dancing and drinking. She rubbed her eyes, and opened up. She went and laid down on her side, facing Jennifer.

“Wake up sleepy head, it’s time to face the day,” Teresa said, to Jennifer’s still body. Jennifer never moved or made a sound.

Teresa sat up, “Jenn, time to get up!” she said loudly, and looked over at her. She still didn’t move. She couldn’t even see her breathing.

“Oh my god, Jenn. You okay?” Teresa asked, getting up and going over to the other bed, she touched Jennifer’s face. She looked at her hand, there were dried blood, caked on her hands. Jennifer lay still, her chest drenched in blood.

“Oh my god,” Teresa gasped, “What have I done?”

Teresa grabbed Jennifer’s wrist and felt for a pulse. “Oh my god, oh my god, oh my god,” she gasped, as she hurried towards the bathroom after she felt no pulse. She ran her hands under the water and soaped them up, trying to wash off Jennifer’s blood. “Oh my god, why would I kill my best friend? Oh my god!?” Teresa said, tears filling her eyes, “I killed my best friend?!”

Teresa drew in a sharp breath when she heard a knock at the door, “Coming!” she called, praying that the housekeeper wouldn’t come in.

“Hi,” Teresa said opening the door cautiously.

“Bonjour mademoiselle, do you wish your room to be done today?” the housekeeper said.

“Uh, no thank you,” Teresa said, “Have a nice day,” she said shutting the door, and scurrying back to the bathroom.

“Come on,” Teresa prayed, “Wash off. I’m dead, I’m dead,” she groaned. She slumped down on the floor next to the toilet, and buried her head in her hands. “How did this happen?! Why would I kill her? Why can’t I remember?” Teresa cried, into her hands, “What am I going to do?”

A sharp knock on the door, brought Teresa back to reality, she went and opened it and saw a package lying on the ground. Looking down the hall, she picked it up, and shut the door. Inside was a dead rose and a note: “I saw what you did, and I’m going to make sure you pay.”

“Oh my,” Teresa said, dropping the box, “I have got to go, I’ve got to go.”

She hurried and went over to her suitcase and her dresser, and started shoving all of her stuff back into her suitcase, she had to leave, and she had to leave now. She wasn’t going to wait around to just end up going to jail! The housekeeping staff wouldn’t be checking her room now anyways, the soonest they would be in, would be tomorrow. That would give her time to leave, and figure out what she was going to do.

She hurriedly finished packing her bags, and with one last look at Jennifer, she left the room, and went out to the parking lot and got into their rental car. She drove it to the airport, and went in to decide where to go. She couldn’t go home. She needed to hide out. Until the search for her would be over at least. Where would she go?

She drove to the airport and went to the ticket line. She took the next plane out of Paris, which was to London, England and boarded the plane. Hurriedly, she went and got on.

“so have you flown before?” the man sitting next to her asked, glancing over at her clenched fists, and how she was biting her lip.

“Yes,” Teresa told him, glaring at him for disturbing her peace.

“Have you been to England before?” He asked her.

“No,” Teresa said.

“How old are you?” He asked her.

“Dude, can you just can it?!” Teresa exploded, “Can you not just keep your mouth still for a little while?”

“No,” he chuckled.

“It’s not funny,” Teresa said, crossing her arms in front of her chest.

“Smile, girl. It’s a long plane ride,” he told her, opening up his book and starting to read.

Teresa sighed and looked out the window. She had been looking forward to the trip to Paris, for months. She had just wanted to spend some time with her best friend, go to all the cool places, and meet some hot French guys. Why had this happened? Why did she kill her? Why couldn’t she remember it? She didn’t understand it at all. She laid her head down on the headrest of her chair and closed her eyes. She wanted it to all go away.

A few hours later, she opened her eyes, and blinked, glancing over at her “pal.”

“So sleeping beauty, you done talking in your sleep?” He asked her, looking up from his book.

“I didn’t talk in my sleep,” Teresa said, blushing, while taking her compact out of her purse.

“You look beautiful, don’t worry,” he told her, closing her compact, “and yeah, you did talk, I remember hearing you talking about the gorgeous man who was sitting next to you.”

“And who would that be?” Teresa asked.

“Me of course,” He told her, “So may I know your name?”

“It’s Teresa,” she told him, without thinking, “What’s yours?”

“I’m Caleb Davidson,” he grinned, “It’s nice to meet you Teresa.”

“What’s nice about it?” Teresa grumbled.

“Well, it’s not every day that a pretty girl is completely rude to you from the moment she speaks,” Caleb told her.

“What?! You expected me to swoon and fall at your feet?” Teresa told him, “Hell no. Not gonna happen.”

“Were you just born overly crabby?” Caleb asked with a smile, “Or are you just like that to me?”

“Uh, no, I can be nice to some people,” Teresa stammered.

“Well, why the attitude with me?” Caleb asked.

“Why not?” Teresa shot back.

“Because whether you like it or not Teresa, I have a feeling, you and I are going to be more than friends,” Caleb told her.

“You wish,” Teresa grumbled.

“Well, you married?” Caleb asked.

“No,” Teresa said grabbing her carryon bag and purse, as she stood up and started to follow him down the aisle on the plane.

“Seeing anyone?” He asked, taking her carryon bag from her.

“No,” Teresa told him.

“I knew it,” Caleb said, “So there’s no real reason why we can’t.”

“Yeah there is,” Teresa told him.

“And what’s that, sweetie?” Caleb asked.

“I don’t like you,” Teresa told him.

Caleb stopped, turned around, and looked at her, “Why?”

“Why what?” Teresa asked.

“Why don’t you like me?” He said grinning.

“God, do you have to be soo freaking happy all the time?” Teresa exclaimed, “You annoy me, by just having to see your smiling face.”

“For some people that would be a good thing,” Caleb told her.

“No, not all people,” Teresa told him.

“You know, you don’t have to deny it,” Caleb said looking deep into her eyes.

“What?” Teresa asked, ‘What am I supposebly denying?”

“You don’t have to deny the passion between us,” Caleb told her.

“What the hell? There’s no fucking passion between us, I barely know you from Joe Schmoe!” Teresa exploded.

“Yeah?” He asked her, backing her into the wall.

She stared at him, her heart beating faster, as she wondered what he was going to do, “I don’t need this shit,” she told him, watching him as he lowered his mouth to hers.

After giving into his deep kiss, she shoved him away angrily, and slapped him, “Leave me the fuck alone. I don’t want you touching me,” Teresa told him angrily.

“Baby, alright, I won’t touch you, but next time, you’re gonna be doing the asking,” Caleb told her smiling.

“In your dreams playboy,” Teresa grumbled, “The only thing I’m gonna be asking you is to get out of my fucking way.”

“Aww, baby, that’s not the way to talk to your future husband?” Caleb joked, putting his arm around Teresa’s shoulders.

“What does it take to get through to you!?” Teresa exploded, “I want nothing to do with you. Can you not just go on your happy little way, down your golden trail, and leave me the fuck alone?!”

Caleb watched as Teresa stormed off to the rental car booth. Some women just needed to think. She’d come to her senses before long.