This Dream is a Killer

catch up to love

"Kate, can I ask you a question?"

This couldn't be good. I put down my pen and looked up nervously.

"Would you be okay with me dating Liam? I know we're your friends, but I don't want to make you uncomfortable in any way..." she began to ramble about why she didn't want to ruin our friendship. Friendship could barely be a word to describe our relationship. I had never said a word to her. I smiled my three second, teethless smile, but that was it.

Murder wasn't something I usually contemplated. The idea was too messy, but not something unheard of in the house. My father regularly discussed with my mum his negative views on my gender. My mum had done everything she could to stop him delving into his needs to get rid of me, she even suggested simply raising me as a boy, but that warranted another negative reaction.

"You can't raise a girl as a boy, Elizabeth. Don't be ridiculous. Sure, we've done bad things, but raising her as a...as one of those transsexuals is not something I can abide by,"

If my plan for a life with Liam was ever going to come true, that meant I'd have to get rid of Scarlet.

Returning back to the conversation, I smiled my smile and picked up my pen, beginning to plan. The small classroom we were in was quite full of things that I could use. I could cut her throat with the scissors, choke her with her cute little scarf, stab her in the eye with a pen, the opportunities were endless. The after school hours made the school we were in so isolated, so why not just do it then and there?

We went back to the work and she continued on about how she was so glad that I was totally okay with it.

In this time, I came up with the plan. I was a few inches shorter than her, so if I choked her with the scarf, she could throw me off. The easiest way was to go from behind, take her off guard. When she started packing up, focused down on her bag, i walked over to the scissors and opened them up. I would have to be fast, and push hard for them to cut the skin. Luckily they were pretty sharp.

"I'm going to ask Liam out tomorrow. You're so great, Kate." I studied her for a minute. Maybe she has a family that loves her. She could get any boy in this school, why does she have to take mine?

Scarlet was classically beautiful. Blonde hair, usually worn up in a ponytail, blue eyes, she was tall and slim. She had a natural beauty to her, so of course people loved her. The problem was, I'm blonde with green eyes. So why is she any better than me? Why do people like her more?

Her family love her, her family has people who love them. They may be losing one source of love, but it goes to a good cause. It takes me one step closer to Liam, and one step closer to my parents finally loving me.

I walked towards her and she slung her back pack over her shoulder. In one quick move, I put my hand on her upper back and stabbed the scissors blade into her throat. Not my original plan, but it worked just as well. Her weight fell into me so I let her drop to the floor. She was looking around, panicking with her hands trying to stop the rapid bleeding. I stepped back to make sure I didn't get any blood on myself. It wasn't a nice sight, to see someone in pain, panicking, but it had to be done. I carefully placed the scissors down in her own hand, then left.

I returned home, feeling satisfied with myself. I walked to straight to my parents and told them what I did and why. My mum looked empty, while my dad looked slightly impressed.

"I'll make some calls, make sure you don't get into trouble. You said you put the scissors in her hand? It'll go down as a suicide," he nodded at me in approval. "Well done," a genuine smile crept onto my face and a feeling that I'd never felt before tingled in my heart. He must see my potential by now.

The next morning in school was chaotic. So chaotic, they ended up sending us home for the day. That wasn't something that surprised me, considering half a dozen students found her and made a huge scene. I was watching from my locker. The screams could be heard from miles away. The way the teachers came running, people gathered around the door.

The next day was starkly different. It was totally silent. The classroom was taped off and we were told to continue with our timetables. An emergency assembly was called in first period. The teacher that taught the class we were in together when I killed her took me to his office. On the walk there, I was sure I'd been caught. That my fingerprints were found everywhere, and I was the last person to see her. Of course I'd be the main suspect.

Walking down these halls felt eerie, knowing I had murdered my best friend here. Everyone was in shock at why she would do something like that to herself. I would wonder why too.

We sat down in his office and he simply sighed and looked at me.

"I'm sure you've heard by now that Scarlet isn't...she's not...with us anymore. I know, Kate, I know that you don't have many friends and the struggle of being mute must be unbearable, and now having lost your best friend? I can't even begin to imagine what you're going through right now. I know you are close with Liam too, so I'm hoping you can support each other through this," He was talking with much difficulty in his voice. He almost sounded as if he were going to cry. If I was going to get away with this, I would have to seem upset.

Of course I was upset that I don't have scarlet anymore. She would talk at me everyday about pointless things, but she was in my way. I'd rather have my parents and Liam's love than just one stupid friend. I stared at the desk until he stopped talking, then left when he finished.