The Last Victim #JustWriteIt

CHAPTER TWENTY THREE

Dawn tied her hair up in an elegant knot at the back of her head. A few rolled curls fell free on her forehead. She looked at herself. The gown Jay and she had decided on was looking extremely trendy; in fact it looked as if it grew on her. She turned back checked herself out in the full length mirror in her dressing room. She looked..... Heavenly. She knew that. Adding another coat of dark red lipstick to her lips and mascara to her eyes, she leaned forward towards the mirror to see if anything was out of place. She looked fine. The smoky eye makeup made her look more... interesting. She gave herself a gorgeous smile as she raised an eyebrow and spoke to herself.

'Well! You are ready now!'

Then she picked up her black jewel studded clutch and slipping into a pair of black heels, though she did not keep them too high, she stepped out of the room. Her soft makeup glittered in the dim light in the corridor outside. She knew Jay would come soon. But she had important business to deal with first. She took out her cell phone and checked. No update. He was probably not ready yet. She had to be quick. Turning off her cell phone and placing it back in the bag, she had a word with her mother and then stepped out of the house. She had a date with someone else before she could see Jay.

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Gazelle was still talking when they climbed the bridge. She was extremely exuberant and Carmela could not just see the contentment shining on her face. Her patience was wearing thin now. That's why she could not help when Gazelle, for the twentieth time that night questioned her about their performance.

'We did pretty well, right? Though I thin-'

Carmela screamed with all the effort she could muster.

'SHUT UP!'

Gazelle stopped short and gazed at her friend, surprise leaking out of her eyes.

'What's wrong, Carmel-'

Carmela was beside herself. She felt hurt, betrayed, cheated...... Above all, she felt the fire of envy burning deep down in her mind. Gazelle. She stole the only guy she ever cared about. She stole all the praise which was rightfully Carmela's too. She was a monster..... She hated every inch of that perfect face gazing at her with an expression torn between misery and shock. How she wished she could gouge those eyes out with her bare fingers. She turned her hands in two strong fists to prevent doing anything harsh. When she spoke, her voice was cold and distant.

'You..... You know what Gazelle? I hate you. I hate you like nothing I had hated before. I wish.... I wish you were dead!'

Gazelle gasped in shock, looking at her, pain and distress written clearly across her face. But she did not cry. She merely swallowed and tried to speak confidently, yet her voice shook.

'I wish I had died too. At least I would not have to hear this then.'

They had stopped on the bridge somewhere around the middle. Gazelle tore her face from Carmela's sharp scary eyes, and looked down. She had never felt this helpless before. Her eyes caught the glinting gold medal on her chest and realized, she was not happy anymore. One single sentence from Carmela had destroyed her. Tears forming even through her hard restrain not to, she spoke quietly to Carmela.

'What did I ever do to you to have deserved this Carmela?'

Carmela gave a grimace. She seemed beyond reason, her eyes shining cruelly and thirsts of envy coarsing through her blood. She raised an eyebrow.

'Yeah. As if you don't know. So adorable. You took everything from me. Things I equally deserved. You got a medal today, I didn't. You have always overshadowed my life.' Suddenly her voice became harsher and the expressions on her face more maniac as she continued. 'YOU BITCH!' She screamed again. 'You destroyed my life. You had everything, I had nothing. You took Jake away from me. You only made my life miserable. I hate you!'

There was such venom in her voice, Gazelle recoiled, each of her words stabbing right through her heart. She never though Carmela would have this problem. Jake had been right all along. She was..... Jealous? Can't be. Impossible. Her thoughts raved back and forth as she stole a look at Carmela. She stood there, looking at her with such inhuman eyes, that Gazelle felt like throwing up. Her own..... Her best friend?

Carmela took a step towards her and suddenly, Gazelle had a weird thought. For the first time in her life, she felt frightened. Of her own friend. She took a scared step back but mustering up courage, said.

'I think we should get back home. It's late.'

It was true. The sun had long gone in and the bridge they stood on, depicted complete death like darkness and silence. Gazelle shivered at the thought and looked back at Carmela who stood before her, looking in the dark pit below. The soft sound of the bubbling marsh carried up here too. She slided a bit past her, hoping to keeping a distance but she felt a cold hand grab her wrist. Carmela twisted her arm so much that she almost cried in pain. Then advancing, iron lock grip on her hand and a nasty smile playing on her lips, Carmela bought her face close to Gazelle's large fearful gray eyes and whispered in her ear.

'Home? I don't think so, darling. I am hoping for a bit of fun tonight.'

And through her eyes widened in fear, Gazellesaw for the first time, a red flame glowing in Carmela's eyes. How could shehave not seen that fire before?