What Could Love Be

Melissa hurriedly ran out of the class as she felt blood trickling down her skirt; she went into the university bathroom and saw she had just got her period. She took out her phone and gave her friend Lydia a call, telling her to help her get menstrual pads and bring them to her in the bathroom.

Lydia brought her the pad, and she quickly cleaned up and got changed. Melissa asked Lydia if she'd be attending the last class for the day and then informed Lydia that she would be skipping the last class for the day as she got period cramps. Lydia also said she would be skipping the last class of the day as she's got other plans.

Melissa asked Lydia what her plans were but she was reluctant to tell Melissa her plans. Melissa let it slide and didn't press her about it any further. Both girls bid each other goodbye for the day and parted ways at the university's gate.

As Melissa walked home, her mind kept wandering around; she kept on thinking about how Lydia had been acting strange lately, as they barely get to hang out as often these days. And Lydia always seems to be in a hurry to get somewhere. She kept on thing if Lydia probably picked up a side job she works after school. But she brushed this thought aside quickly as it didn't make sense to her, because Lydia is from a wealthy background, so she has no reason to pick up a side job, and even if she did pick up a side Job they were close enough for Lydia to tell her. As she was lost in her thoughts she felt someone tap her from behind, she was startled and quickly turned around to see who had tapped her, it was her mother, her mom asked her if she was alright as she had called out her name a few times, but she failed to respond. She told her mom she was fine, but she just got lost in her thoughts; she noticed her mom was carrying a grocery bag, and she hurriedly grabbed the bag from her mother as they walked home, talking about her elder brother getting his first girlfriend.

Once Melissa arrived home she took a warm bath and passed out on her bed.

Lisa, Lisa, Lisa, she heard from afar. The sound was muffled and kept on fading; she could see Lydia running on a long dark corridor; it looked like Lydia was running away from something.

"Lisa, Lisa, Lisa, the voice got closer and clearer her heart began to sink, then she heard Lisa, Lisa, Lisa, come down for dinner or there would be no food for you today in this house. Her eyes opened slightly at the sound of food; she got up and realised the name she had heard was her mother calling her, and her seeing Lydia run on the dark, long corridor was all a dream.

Melissa went downstairs to eat dinner and faced her mom, who was angry she didn't get any help while making dinner.

As they eat their dinner in silence, the image of Lydia from her dream keeps coming back into Melissa's mind; she asks her mother what it means when she has a dream, and she keeps thinking about it. Her mother said if the dream keeps coming back it could either mean something or nothing, and urged her to let it be.

Melissa gave Lydia a call later that night to ask if they would be seeing each other the next morning as previously planned; Lydia said they'd definitely see each other at school confused, Melissa replied, it's Saturday tomorrow, and we don't go to school over the weekends.

Lydia teased and said she knew and just wanted to pull her legs. They ended the call with both girls agreeing that Lisa would come over to Lydia's.

It was a bright, sunny Saturday morning, and Melissa got up to do her morning chores; she greeted her mom and asked when her dad would be back from his business trip; her mom replied that in a week since his trip was for a month and he had been gone for three weeks already. Melissa told her mother that she would be heading over to Lydia's today, and her mom sent her regards to Lydia's parents and stepped out of the house.

During the early hours of noon, the Joe's were chilling in the family room when they heard the doorbell ring; Lydia ran towards it in excitement and said Melissa's here. She opened the door, and Melissa came in and exchanged pleasantries with everyone. She hugged Lydia's mother because she was loved greatly by her. The two girls went into Lydia's room and talked about how their first year of school had been and how it would be coming to an end soon. Melissa said to Lydia, it's too bad because I thought I'd get a boyfriend in my first year in uni; I can't believe we're the only ones in the entire class who's yet to have our first kiss; it somehow makes me feel like an outcast. Lydia laughed at Melissa and said girl, please speak for yourself. You're the only one on that boat; I left you on it a few days ago. Confused Mellissa asked did you have your first kiss yet? I thought we were both single, then Lydia began to gist her friend of the guy she met recently at a cafe. She talked about how tall, dark and handsome he was and that they shared a kiss yesterday when he walked her home. Melissa was more curious to know if that meant they were officially dating, but Lydia also seemed unsure as they had both not yet spelt out the meaning of the relationship they currently have.

Melissa asked so you shared a kiss with a guy you're not sure if you're dating? Lydia answered yes and quickly changed the subject, as she was a bit embarrassed. The two girls talked in Lydia's room for a while and decided to go grab a snack outside.

As they stepped out of Lydia's gate, they saw an ambulance and some police cars; they also saw a body on a stretcher covered with a cloth being carried into the ambulance; both girls were shocked, and they tried to gather information to see if the person was alive and find out what had happened. After the scene had been cleared out, they heard from the people gathered around that a murder had occurred; the cause of the murder was unknown, but the perpetrator had been arrested. Apparently, it was the man who ran the cafe Lydia often visited around her house who was the murderer.

Both girls went cold in their feet and began to tremble; they ran back into the house and told Lydia's parents what had happened outside. Lydia said I've always known Mr Mark to be really cold, but I could never have imagined he was capable of killing another person. Lydia said you can't believe I was at his cafe till late last night. Melissa asked with who? Were you alone? And Lydia whispered into her ears, I was with "Mr right", and then she smiled sheepishly.

Melissa told her friend she wanted to head home, and Lydia insisted on seeing her off, Lydia told her she had planned on meeting her new romantic interest at the same cafe they met down the road to her house, but since it was closed because of the incident they'd have to look for a new hang out spot. Melissa asked. You must really like this guy. You just saw a dead body, and you're not traumatised by it; you're still thinking of going out to meet him, Lydia giggled and said yes, I really like him. Moreover, the killer has been arrested, so there is no cause for alarm. She said the world would always move on no matter what happens.

After seeing Melissa board her bus home. Lydia walked towards the ice cream shop, around the corner. She saw the neighbourhood cats behind a garbage can on a back street corner and went to take a look at it. As she patted the cat she saw a figure hiding behind the trash can, wearing a face cap, she looked up and saw that it was her date, she happily stood up and ran to meet him, they both smiled and looked into each other's eyes, as they walked he picked out the cat fur stuck in her hair, the most perfect gentleman ever she thought to herself. As they walked to the ice cream shop together, something fell out of his pants, it was an object that was a bit long, and wrapped in a piece of black cloth, she stopped and watched him pick it up, as he reached out to pick it up, she saw dried blood around the corners of his nails, she was alarmed, thinking he had gotten hurt, she reached out to hold his hands and he drop the object again, however it unravelled this time around and she saw a knife with not so dried blood on it, an insane amount of fear came upon her as she wondered why he had, that on him. He, however, calmed her down that it was fake blood and he had just come out of acting class in a hurry, just in time to meet up for their date, as he didn't want to keep her waiting.

She felt someone pull her and drag her from behind, she tried to scream, but no sound came out, she looked up at the face and said in her mind he found me. He looked at her and smiled; my love, he said, you know I love you, right? You don't have to be afraid; I would never hurt you; you're a nice and respectful girl, and I love you so much; you're the first girl who ever confessed to liking me. As for the other girl you need not be afraid. She needed to be taught a lesson; she insulted me, Lydia asked shakily; you killed a person because she insulted you? He smiled and said yes. He tossed her into his car and locked the door; where are you taking me? She asked. He replied to my place; she was overpowered by her emotions due to the fear she had that he might harm her. They got to his place and he kept on confessing his love for her. He told her again and again how much he loved her because she was the first girl to ever confess her feelings for him. He started kissing her on the neck; she had no choice but to put up with it; he ripped off her shirt and started fondling her breast; he pushed her to the bed and put his hands in her pants. She lay there dead cold; she felt something inside of her she couldn't dare to look at, and just like that, she had lost her virginity to a murderer; every time his dick slid into her, she died inside.

As she lay there on the bed, she remembered how she had gotten tangled up with a man like him; if only I didn't partake in the truth or dare game that night, she thought. I wouldn't have to go through all this. When he was done with her, he asked her to leave, with a strict warning that whoever found out what had happened between them and what he had done would also end up dead.

Melissa heard her phone ring and rushed out of the bathroom to pick it up. However, the call had ended before she got to it; it was an unknown caller, and she returned the callback; she's dead, she's dead, said the voice on the other end of the phone. Melissa collapsed to the ground, broke down in tears, and said, "I could have saved her" As her eyes shot dim, she passed out.