Chapter 4

Peter relaxed.  He had just woken up, and was still in his underwater animal underwear.

Marcia walked in. 

"I'm here to make the bed."

Peter chuckled and walked over.  

"You and I both know all to well that's not why you are here.  And, the bed is already made." Peter said.

They gazed intently on each other's eyes, waiting for the other to say there shared thought.

Peter decided it was time to turn on the charm.  He also decided it was time to block out all thoughts of his girlfriend, Kate.

"You look tense, darling" He said suavely. 

Peter massaged her back as he asked, "So why are you here?"

"I think you know the answer," she whispered, "We both know two people could not be more similar.  That is why we are meant to be."

At that moment, Peter turned her around, and kissed her.

As they backed away from each other, Peter knew something was off.

Marcia looked away as she stated: 

"I'm with someone, well not officially.  But you have Kate.  And we both are not good with relationships.  This wouldn't work."

"But for the next hour, it could," Peter said with a charismatic wink.

Hayley sat by herself in jail.  She was turned in by the police once others had found Dianne's body in the woods.  There was too much evidence to plead innocent, and Hayley admitted to the crime, so maybe she wouldn't spend her whole life in jail.  After all, Hayley hadn't directly killed Dianne.  She just left her alone in the wilderness.  For someone who loved the outdoors so much, who knew she wouldn't last for more than a few days?

A few days later, Bill got a call from his baseball coach at from the Stadium.

"Bill, you've been caught." Coach said.

"I don't know what you're talking about." Bill stated, heat flowing to his cheeks.

Bill walked to the window, looking out at the ocean.

"We know you've been using steroids.  It may make you stronger, but the consequences are way worse. You can't do this.  I haven't told the authorities, I'm giving you a chance to stop.  Please Bill, you're one of the best we've got." Coach pleaded.

"I promise, Coach, I wouldn't do that to you and the rest of the team."

"I know you won't lie to me, Bill, you're to good of a guy.  I believe you.  It must have been a mistake, I apologize."

Bill hung up the phone.

Bill sighed and walked over to the breakfast nook to talk to Tom.

Tom was Bill's closest friend in the house.  He told him everything.

Before Bill could do anything, he looked at his shoes.

"They found out, didn't they," said Tom.

Bill nodded.

"I had to lie to them, Tom.  The stress is killing me, and my job is the most important thing to me since what happened to Dianne.  I had to use it.  I just-" Bill cried.

Tom walked away.  He was ashamed of his best friend.

A few weeks later, Bill had gotten worse and worse.  He used more often, and he was more secret about it.  But all of the sudden, pain shot through Bill's body, and he collapsed onto the sofa.

Something was wrong.