“Yes I did,” Jennifer answered. “Do you realize how many bad dates you and Billy have set me up on since Tom died?”

Tracy crossed into the living room and flopped on the couch. “They weren’t all bad.”

Jennifer rolled her eyes at her roommate and nodded. “Uh, yes they were.” She tossed her notepad on the coffee table and headed to the refrigerator for a soda. “You want one?” She turned toward Tracy.

“Sure.” Tracy continued sulking on the couch.

“All they were interested in was getting into bed with me, nothing else.” Jennifer handed Tracy the can of soda.

“Like Steve was any different.”

“Okay, I’ll admit he did want to sleep with me, but that’s not all he wants, and that’s where he differs from everyone else you have subjected me to.”

Tracy tilted her head a little. “Did you sleep with him?”

Jennifer blushed. “That’s none of your business,” she said, a grin surfacing and disappearing just as fast.

“Oh my God!” Tracy shot to her feet. “You did!”

“I’m not going there with you Tracy,” Jennifer said, but the barely-suppressed smirk confirmed it.

Tracy grinned. “How was he?”

Jennifer blushed. She wanted to tell Tracy it was none of her business, but just smiled instead.

“That good?” Tracy sat and put her feet on the coffee table, crossing her arms, studying Jennifer.

Jennifer laughed. “Yeah, that good.”

“What made you say yes?” She knew Jennifer had only been with Tom until now.

“Let’s just say Steve can be very persuasive.” Jen blushed. “And he is one fine-looking man.”

Tracy nodded, a little envious of her roommate. Bill was good-looking, but he wasn’t in the same ‘stop and stare’ realm as Steve. “Even with the black eye.”

“Especially with the black eye. For some reason, that just makes him more…,” Jennifer trailed off searching for the exact word.

“Sexy.”

Jennifer laughed and nodded. “You have the hots for my boyfriend?”

Tracy raised her eyebrows. “No, not really. He’s just sweet eye candy.”

Jennifer giggled. “Don’t tell him that. It’ll just go to his head.”

Tracy smiled at Jennifer. “So we finally found the right one for you.”

Jennifer’s smile faded. “As much as I hate to admit it, yes. He is the one.”

Tracy’s mouth dropped. “How can you be so sure he’s the one?” She wasn’t even sure if Bill was her one, and they’d been dating for years.

“I just know,” Jen replied. “I can see forever with him.” She took a sip of her drink. “Didn’t you know with Billy?”

Tracy shrugged. “I’m not sure he is the one. I love him to death, but forever? I just don’t know about that.”

“When did you come to that conclusion?”

Tracy shrugged. “I don’t know, this summer I guess.” She stood and walked on to the balcony. Jennifer followed, taking the spot next to her at the railing. “He doesn’t want to leave New Hampshire,” she continued. “This isn’t what I want.” She surveyed the view of Mirror Lake and the surrounding mountains. “It’s wonderful for school or visiting during the summer, but living up here would drive me batty.” She glanced at Jennifer. “I want New York or L.A., just like you do.”

Jennifer nodded absently. “I wouldn’t mind spending the summers on the lake,” she said, more to herself than to Tracy.

Tracy slowly turned to her roommate. “You couldn’t wait to get out of here last spring. What changed?”

Jennifer shrugged. “I don’t know. It’s peaceful up here and there are beautiful places around the lake.”

“You went there,” Tracy gasped.

“Went where?”

“Paradise Cove.”

“What if I did?”

Tracy felt the hair on the back of her neck tingle in the light breeze. She looked out at the lake and back at Jennifer. “What did it show you?”

“Cut the crap, Tracy. There isn’t anything to the legend you told me about.”

Tracy stepped back. Her eyes darted between the lake and Jennifer. “Do you understand what you’ve done?” Panic flowed into her voice.

“Come on,” Jennifer said.

“Do you?” Tracy screamed and ran into the apartment, down the hall and threw herself onto the bed in her room.

Jennifer went after her and stood in the doorway. “Tracy, the legend doesn’t exist.”

“Yes it does, Jen. I’ve seen it.” She raised her makeup smeared face from the crook of her arm and met Jennifer’s gaze.

“Sweetie, it’s not real.” Jennifer ventured in the room. “You can’t see the future in a reflection on the water.”

“Yet you can see it in your visions?” Tracy sniffled.

Jennifer shook her head. “Not really,” she said, dismissing the gnawing at the edge of her mind.

“That’s not true, Jen, and you know it,” Tracy snapped. “It’s gonna want you.” She let out a sob. “And it’s all my fault.”

Jennifer skin broke out in goose bumps. “It’s not your fault,” she said and walked over to Tracy, taking a seat next to her on the soft bed. “Nothing is going to happen.”

Tracy wished she could believe her friend, but she already felt the cold hands around her heart and could only deny the powerful commands for so long before giving in or going crazy herself. She sat up, wiped her eyes, and just nodded.

Jennifer put her arm around Tracy’s shoulders. “I promise everything will be just fine.”

Tracy sniffled and stood without meeting Jennifer’s gaze. She headed into the bathroom to wash her face.

Thirsty and wanting to wash the peculiar metallic taste from her mouth, Jennifer headed into the living room and scrounged under the bar for a soda. “Want some?” she asked, holding up a can when Tracy walked in.

Tracy nodded, still subdued.

“Are you going to see Bill tonight?” Jennifer crossed and handed her the soda before parking on the couch.

“No, he has some pledge stuff to do. They’re deciding what the initiation ritual will be this year.” She rolled her eyes. “Like it ever changes.”

“You know what the ritual is?” Jennifer asked.

Tracy smiled a little. “Yes, but I was sworn to secrecy.”

“Come on, I promise I won’t tell,” Jennifer said.

“The fraternities and sororities that have been here a while all seem to do the same thing,” Tracy began. “So it’s not really a big secret, but it’s how far the pledge is willing to go that matters.” She looked at Jennifer and shrugged. “Some chicken out and others, well, they drop out all together.”

Jennifer’s interest was piqued. She’d never pledged a sorority. “What do they do?”

“They tell the pledges about the legend of Paradise Cove and send them there,” Tracy said, picking at the tab on her soda can. “They’re supposed to get a picture of their reflection. That’s what’s required to get in, but I guess there’s a bonus as well. If you follow the stream and get a picture of where it ends, you don’t have to pay dues.” She looked up at Jennifer. “Didn’t you ever wonder why I wasn’t in a sorority?”

Jennifer shook her head slowly. “No.”

“Well, I wasn’t willing to get the picture and I certainly wouldn’t follow that stream. You don’t know what’s back there.” She took another sip of her drink. “Bill did it and he must have chickened out on the second part because he still pays dues.” Tracy looked at Jennifer, tilting her head in thought for a moment. “I wonder if they’ll make Steve go through initiation. He doesn’t have to go through the pledge process because he transferred from Yale, but they may make him do something for initiation. If they ask him, tell him not to go,” she said.

“Don’t be ridiculous.” Jennifer took her last sip and heading to the kitchen sink.

“You have to tell him not to go,” Tracy said, this time with more urgency.

“I’ll mention it.” Jennifer rinsed the empty can and dropped it in the recycle bin. She had no intention of telling Tracy he had already been there countless times. She wiped her hands and looked at the clock. “I need to get ready for class.”

She went to her bedroom, stripped and stepped into the closet. Shuffling through her clothes, she tried to decide what to wear for Steve. The closet door closed behind her. The click of the latch startled Jennifer. She turned and the bulb above her popped, plunging her into darkness. The temperature plummeted and she began to shiver. Fumbling for the door, she suppressed her growing panic, her breath hitching in short bursts from her chest. “It’s just a closet,” she said, trying desperately to keep calm. A hand reached out and grabbed the back of her neck, causing her to yelp in surprise. She clawed at the door, missing the doorknob by inches. The scream finally reached her vocal cords and barreled out, echoing in the darkness.