By the time the party, it was already late into the night.
On the drive home, the car radio played the evening news:
[At approximately 6 PM, a severe car crash occurred off the west cliff.”
“Police have identified a partially burned ID card at the wreckage. Her last name is Cortez, but the rest of the details are unrecognizable.]
Kevin’s face drained of color. Ignoring the fact that they were speeding down the highway, he lunged forward and grabbed the driver by the collar.
“What the hell are you playing?! That’s fake news, right? Tell me it’s fake!”
Screech!
Caught off guard, the driver slammed on the brakes. Tires screeched violently against the pavement, the deafening sound cutting through the night.
The sudden jolt yanked Valentina out of her drunken sleep. Startled and groggy, she clutched Kevin’s arm.
“Kev! We’re on the highway! What are you doing?! Calm down!”
Angry honks blared from behind them. Drivers rolled down their windows, shouting curses, but Kevin didn’t hear a thing.
His hands trembled as he reached for his phone. He tried to grip it, but it slipped through his fingers, clattering to the floor. Twice. Three times.
Finally, he managed to press my number. His breath caught in his throat as he listened to the ringing, desperate–praying–to hear my voice.
To check that the person in the accident wasn’t really me.
No matter how many times he called, all he got was the cold, mechanical reply: [The number you dialed is temporarily unavailable.]
“What’s going on? Why isn’t she picking up?” His voice trembled. “Ria, don’t do this to me! You promised me–you said you’d be my bride in six months! You wouldn’t lie to me!”
His whole body felt like it was on fire, blood rushing to his head.
“Turn the car around! Take me to the crash site now!”
But he never made it there.
Stopping on the highway for no reason got them all taken straight to the police station.
At the station, the officers went through the usual questioning. But no matter what they asked, Kevin just sat there, staring blankly, repeating the same question over and over.
“The person who died at the west cliff… it wasn’t Valeria Cortez, right?”
Valentina had never seen Kevin like this before–completely unraveling, like his soul had left his body.
Seeing how consumed he was with worry for me, she felt a flicker of irritation.
“Kev, stop worrying too much! You know how my sister is–she loves disappearing just to
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Finally, he managed to press my number. His breath caught in his throat as he listened to the ringing, desperate–praying–to hear my voice.
To check that the person in the accident wasn’t really me.
No matter how many times he called, all he got was the cold, mechanical reply: [The number you dialed is temporarily unavailable.]
“What’s going on? Why isn’t she picking up?” His voice trembled. “Ria, don’t do this to me! You promised me–you said you’d be my bride in six months! You wouldn’t lie to me!”
His whole body felt like it was on fire, blood rushing to his head.
“Turn the car around! Take me to the crash site now!”
But he never made it there.
Stopping on the highway for no reason got them all taken straight to the police station. At the station, the officers went through the usual questioning. But no matter what they asked, Kevin just sat there, staring blankly, repeating the same question over and over.
“The person who died at the west cliff… it wasn’t Valeria Cortez, right?”
Valentina had never seen Kevin like this before–completely unraveling, like his soul had left his body.
Seeing how consumed he was with worry for me, she felt a flicker of irritation.
“Kev, stop worrying too much! You know how my sister is–she loves disappearing just to get your attention!”
“She’s been spoiled her whole life. A few days ago, when she bullied me at home, you and Mom and Dad all took my side. She probably got mad and bought into some fake news just to make a scene. She’s just too used to having everything handed to her!”
She had said things like this before. And every single time, Kevin had believed her- believed her over me–then turned around and treated her even better.
But this time… This time, Kevin’s face darkened. His eyes focked onto Valentina, ice–cold.
“Then tell me.” His voice was low, dangerous. “Where is she?”
His grip tightened around her arm, fingers digging in.
“Hmm? Where is she, Valentina? Say it!”
Valentina winced in pain, frowning as she tried to shake him off. “Kev, you’re hurting me!” Just then, their parents arrived. The Cortez was out of the country, so they had come to bail them out instead.
The moment they walked in, they saw Kevin gripping Valentina with a furious expression. His father was furious. “Kevin! What the hell do you think you’re doing? Let go of Tina right
now!”
His mother followed with equal anger. “Kevin, this afternoon you swore up and down that you’d treat Tina like a treasure. And not even twelve hours later, this is how you act?!”
She swung her purse at Kevin’s head.
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asked, Kevin just sat there, staring blankly, repeating the same question over and over. “The person who died at the west cliff… it wasn’t Valeria Cortez, right?”
Valentina had never seen Kevin like this before–completely unraveling, like his soul had left his body.
Seeing how consumed he was with worry for me, she felt a flicker of irritation.
“Kev, stop worrying too much! You know how my sister is–she loves disappearing just to get your attention!”
“She’s been spoiled her whole life. A few days ago, when she bullied me at home, you and Mom and Dad all took my side. She probably got mad and bought into some fake news just to make a scene. She’s just too used to having everything handed to her!”
She had said things like this before. And every single time, Kevin had believed her- believed her over me–then turned around and treated her even better.
But this time… This time, Kevin’s face darkened. His eyes locked onto Valentina, ice–cold. “Then tell me.” His voice was low, dangerous. “Where is she?”
His grip tightened around her arm, fingers digging in.
“Hmm? Where is she, Valentina? Say it!”
Valentina winced in pain, frowning as she tried to shake him off. “Kev, you’re hurting me!” Just then, their parents arrived. The Cortez was out of the country, so they had come to bail them out instead.
The moment they walked in, they saw Kevin gripping Valentina with a furious expression. His father was furious. “Kevin! What the hell do you think you’re doing? Let go of Tina right now!”
His mother followed with equal anger. “Kevin, this afternoon you swore up and down that you’d treat Tina like a treasure. And not even twelve hours later, this is how you act?!” She swung her purse at Kevin’s head.
Valentina immediately threw herself in front of him. “Mom, Dad, if you want to hit someone, hit me instead!”
She had expected Kevin to be touched by her words, to feel guilty and soften toward her. Instead, the moment she touched him, it was like a fuse inside him exploded.
Kevin shoved her away with force. “Don’t touch me!” His voice was sharp, raw. “Ria hates it
I when I let you get close!””
From the second he heard that news report, he had only one thought in his mind…
That something had happened to me.
