Read Corset Killer :: Playing Dirty

Days had passed since the questioning at the school. The seniors were now in the phase of getting their college acceptance letters, rejection letters, or placed on the waiting list, while others were still trying to file for the late financial aid period. Valie sat at her table fiddling with her pencil as she stared at Lily as she talked about her new boyfriend. Valie saw as her eyes twinkled and dilated when she talked about him. Her eyelashes were more pronounced, her eyelids held a pinkish glitter, her cheeks were slightly flushed, and her lips were lightly tinted with a shimmer. Valie continued to stare at he friend as her mind wandered, "There is nothing more beautiful than a girl in love". Valie's smile began to slowly emerge but then faded when Lily's eyes looked up and past her. Lily greeted and kissed her boyfriend as he sat beside her. " So, what I miss?", Alex asked as he intertwined his hand into Lily's. "Honestly nothing, but it took you long enough. Do you have any idea the number of boys and creepy men I had to protect her from until you made your move?", Valie joked as the couple laughed. "I am sorry about that. I did start to get nervous though, at some points, I thought Valie would take you away", Alex joked back as he looked into Lily's eyes. Lily laughed as she leaned closer, they nuzzled into each other in front of their friend.

Valie stared at the couple before her as they talked about something, but it was white noise to her. She nodded and smiled on occasion, but there was nothing behind her eyes. She felt happy for a second as she saw her two friends together, but, it also hurt. She felt something in the pit of her stomach and her throat. The sensation was not strong enough to elicit crying, but enough to pull in silence. But, she didn't want to complain, this was her idea. She wanted to see her childhood friend happy and experience love, she had given them everything else, why would she stop at this?

Valie made it to the end of the day and told her group to go without her, she was going to stay back and mend a dress for a student in a play. Everyone said their goodbyes, not realizing Valie's distress.

Valie wanted time alone as she untangled her feelings and found out why she felt like this, so she quickly mended the dress and walked to her locker. Her smiling facade melted as her mouth quivered, but no tears fell out. She sighed while opening her locker to hide the sound, then, a letter fell out. She looked around and saw no one as she ripped it open to find a note: 'I know you are hiding something from everyone but, you can tell me. I thought I was going crazy, but your blue bike was missing something and I wanted to let you know where you left it. And, if you want to know how I know, know a ghost tipped me off '. Valie's heart raced as she looked at the envelope and saw a picture of Giselle's ghost charm. She felt cold as she packed the letter and hid it in her backpack. She appeared calm as she closed her locker but found Elis smiling at the exit door. He was polite as always, almost taunting as he made her wait, "Hi Valie, what's wrong, you look so pale. It's like you've seen a ghost".

Valie took a deep breath and exhaled. Her head lifted up and there it was, that inviting smile. Elis took this time to walk side by side and talk to her about nothing as they headed to the bike station. "Valie, mind coming with me to a cafe nearby, not a lot of people go there but I've been dying to try it", he smiled as he spotted a few people walking out of the school building but ultimately ignored the two. Valie felt her blood boiling as she gripped the handlebars. "Sure, I always like going to new places". They walked side by side as they continued in silence.

Valie failed to show up for school the next day.