LEAH
Hidden number: I know what you've done, and I am going to come forward and take you all down.
My breath is taken away immediately.
How is that even possible? Who the fuck is that person? Frowning, I try to type a text back, but it doesn't send - I had no idea it was possible to create a number that could only go one way. Shaking my head and setting my jaw, I start hyperventilating, which ultimately lead me to text Ingrid for help, but she did not answer at all, so I went on with my classes, wondering the whole time: How could someone possibly know what happened? We were so careful with everything, there were no witnesses... and even if there was, why come forward now?
Once the last class of the day is over, I text Ingrid again, but without success: she must be very occupied with her article coming out soon, and with trying to hide the truth from her nemesis, while Alexia is occupied enough as it is. I was on my own now, and I never felt so alone. Sometimes, I miss our friendship, but then I remember we took on different path after... well, what happened.
This afternoon, the gigantic Christmas market downtown London, near the big wheel, was our only plan: I am currently with Jill, Lia and Kady, as well as a few of Kady's French friends - named Kenza, MA (for Marie-Antoinette) and Griedge - drinking warm wine, which was a true institution in central European countries coming Christmas days.
While the others were gone to look for some food, Lia stares at me and says, pointing at the big wheel in front of us:
"Have you ever been on one?"
I shake my head no.
"Never, my parents are afraid of heights, so I never got the chance to go on one. You?"
"There aren't many big wheels in Switzerland, so, no... Would you go with me ?"
"Now?" I ask, surprised. As Lia smirks, I add: "Well, maybe I am also afraid of heights, isn't it a family thing?"
"Not at all" she mocks, me, before grabbing my hand as we go on the line.
After a few minutes - we got lucky, because there weren't as many people as during the rest of the day - we walk onto one of the boxes, where we had no choice but to sit next to each other, quite close actually.
As soon as the wheel starts turning, I immediately start to feel dizzy. As Lia realises it, she grabs my hand naturally, as I watch the ground get smaller and smaller within seconds, as the snowy roofs of London start showing: the view was breathtaking, and worth it, that was for sure. Lia, on the other hand, remained in silence, admiring the view ahead of us. Time seems to stop, as the content smile on her lips give me butterflies.
I haven't felt like that since...
After a while, when we are on top of the wheel, at the highest point possible, it stops working, as an announcement speak about a scheduled break of five minutes. Starting to panic, my eyes meet Lia's, who smiles at me softly, squeezing my hand.
Knowing that I was tensed, she says:
"You're doing great, Leah" and, as I look down at our fingers entangled, she blushes and asks: "Is that... okay?"
I nod my head without really thinking, as flashbacks from Mapi's face close to mine make me close my eyes, uneasy.
Lia lets go of my hand, and when I realise she is staring at me trying to understand if she did anything wrong, I sigh.
Gathering my words as well as I can, I settle:
"Sorry, it's just-"
"The girl you told us about the other day, she haunts you, is that it?"
YOU ARE READING
THE VELVET KILLERS
FanfictionThree former friends run into each other in London as they were each trying to escape the same secret that broke them apart four years ago...
