LEAH

Ben's death left me more depressed than I had expected.

The day after the funeral, Josh, Cedric and I decided to meet up to continue our discussion, about why Ben had actually died.

"Our Granddad, David Sanders found the company about 65 years ago. He named it after himself, David Sanders and Company aka. DSC." Josh narrates.

Cedric writes down notes, and I continue further.

"It was around the same time when James and Edward Yale founded their company, named Yale Brothers and Company or YBC. The companies had a natural rivalry because they were the only businesses that were present to market household products."

Cedric draws a flowchart, connecting DSC and YBC. He nods, and Josh continues the story.

"When our parents took over, initially they were on par with YBC. As the years progressed, DSC performed better that it began to expand into international markets." Josh says, getting excited with every word.

I'd never been able to show this much of enthusiasm to DSC as he does.

"We currently supply in 5 countries, Japan being our latest..."Josh continues to gush over DSC.

Cedric listens to him politely, before I interrupt, "How does Ben come into the picture?"

Josh and Cedric give me a blank look.

"I guess, the Head of YBC got ticked off about the Japanese selecting DSC. He decided to murder Ben, to exert his power over DSC or whatever." Cedric explains, after some time.

It doesn't make sense to me.

But it's the only lead we have, so we better pursue that.

"And our parents made up the story that Ben had suicided, so it covers the fact that he was murdered. I'm pretty sure that they have the police investigating in private, though." Josh concludes.

"Yeah, it makes sense," I reply shortly.
My mind began to race, to finally settle on a single thought.

I was in danger of being murdered, whether I liked it or not.

*****

I'd been so busy in the past few days, that I hadn't even processed Tess's warning against Adam.

Adam had raped my best friend Tess.

It brought chills to my heart, thinking about how much of pain she must've gone through.

It made me realise that I could be wrong about Adam. That he wasn't as wonderful as I'd perceived him to be.

Tears escaped my eyes at the realisation. Did I choose the wrong guy again?

Did Adam not truly love me like I thought he did?

Would I ever find true love?

Why, oh why, was I so unlucky when it came to love?

Why did I always fall for the wrong person every single time, someone who never really loved me back?

Was this my fate?

Would I be alone forever?

I sank to the ground, feeling my room spin around me. My heartbeat got caught in my throat, choking me with despair, longing and everything at once.

I would never find the right guy.

I would-

"Leah?"

It was Adam, standing at the doorway of my room. He must've entered through my spare key.

His blond hair falls over his forehead, and he looks concerned as he lifts me off the ground. I fall into his arms, feeling his heartbeat against my cheek, a dull throb that always provided me comfort.

Then I remember Tess and I draw away from him, eyeing him with fear.

Adam was a rapist.

"Leah, what's wrong?" He asks worriedly.

"Y-you raped Tess!" I point toward him, my finger quivering. 

He looks away, guilt covering his face.

"Why, oh how could you do something so terrible!" I exclaim, feeling my heart drum against my rib cage.

Adam doesn't say anything. He's crying now, tears streaming down his angled face.

"Say something!" I shout.

"What can I say? I can't defend myself against something I'm clearly guilty for," He sighs, still not meeting my eyes.

"So you did rape her," my voice was hollow, watching him with disbelief.

The silence stretches across minutes, where I wait for him to say something, and he just stays there, without uttering a word.

Then he finally turns around, and heads towards my door.

"Where are you going?" I ask him.

"You hate me now," He says, finally looking up at me. "I should go."

I stare at him, dumbfounded.

That's when I notice the roses in his hand.

He finds me looking at it, and his shoulders fall.

"I wanted to ask you to be my girlfriend, for real. I didn't want it to be a secret anymore," He tells me.

My jaw drops at his words.

"You changed me, Leah. I'm not the same guy who raped Tess. I'm like a whole new person now, and you're the only girl I ever want to be with."

He hands me the flowers.

"I love you," He says tenderly, pain lacing his words. "But you don't love me anymore."

I'm crying again, my tears falling on the rose petals like dew drops.

Adam nods, and walks away. I hear his footsteps, rhythmic like his steady heart beat.

He's almost gone, his footsteps faint when I say his name again.

"Adam, wait."

I run outside my room, my surroundings a blur, only to see Adam right there, his hazel eyes shining as I neared him. Nothing else seemed to matter, as I threw myself onto him, my lips meeting his and dissolving into a kiss.

As he wraps his arms around me, my heart swells with happiness at what we were now.

A couple in love.

*****

In the days that followed, I began to have nightmares. The fact that there was still a murderer out there for me terrified me beyond my wits.

All my dreams involved me dying by various means such as poisoning, fire, accident, stabbing and other interesting ways.

However, the nightmare with Tess was especially terrible. I dreamt that Tess was stabbing me and that I had been drenched in blood, for it spurted from my wounds like a fountain.

I woke up screaming and couldn't sleep for the rest of the night. The dream was so vivid, that I felt like I was covered in blood, even the following day.

When I told Tess the dream, she just laughed away at it, commending on my creativity.

I haven't spoken to Tess since.

I realized that I was living alone and had to be prepared. I made my own food and drink, and didn't leave my apartment, except when I had college.

When I went outside, I was sure to have my pepper spray and pocket knife handy. I'd also been taking online defence classes, learning to protect myself from anyone, including the murderer.

Even if I was taking precautions, it was still unsettling. I couldn't sleep at night, not only due to my nightmares, but also because I was afraid that I might get killed in my sleep.

"L, I'll watch you over, okay?" Adam says when I tell him about my paranoia. He settles on my bed and begins to read a novel, his blond hair shaggy.

I look at him and think of how Adam was the only good thing left in my life.

"Adam", I say, liking the feel of his name in my mouth.

"Yeah?", he asks, looking at me over the top of his book.

"Are we going to tell everyone tomorrow about our relationship?" I ask.

His face breaks into a grin.

"Of course," He says. "I'll be waiting for you at the cafeteria during lunch tomorrow."

"Okay," I answer, returning his grin.

He kisses my forehead softly, before tucking me into bed. I stare at him, his beautiful hazel eyes that I loved so much.

He was mine.

I was his.

And tomorrow, the world would know.