Prom. 

The biggest event in high school.

Most teenagers lived for just that moment. 

A lot of girls had just one purpose and that was being prom queen. To a lot of girls prom night was the start of new feelings. 

I did not care about prom, though Wes had encouraged me to go. 

There were posters of the prom theme all over the school. The seniors that year had decided to give prom, the theme 'Twilight'. The school hall was also under reconstruction. 

I got a purple dress for the event since Wes had told me to go.

I had been told by other students, that things like prom occurred just once in a person's life.

Well, since it occurred just once, I was going to live that single day to the fullest.

On a bright morning, the date I cannot remember. A tall and skinny boy, brunette, with eyes whose colour seemed trapped between green and a dark shade of blue ran towards me.

"Hi! I'm Andre, from science class. I was your lab partner last month?" He said. 

His eyes shone with excitement. He looked like the quiet type. The nerd-kind-of guy actually. A large brown jacket, a green T-shirt which had the hero 'Green lantern' drawn creatively on it, sagged blue jeans and timberland boots all spoke nothing of him but the word 'geek'.

"I remember. You're Andre Johnson right?" I asked the brunette.

"That's right...Yeah I am Andre. It's a good thing you remembered. Look, I know about everything you've gone through and I'm sorry but I like you. I've been trying to tell you this for a while but anytime I want to approach you...I feel guilty. But today I'm wearing my lucky socks." He chuckled and so did I.

"How would you like to spend tomorrow with me? Can I pick you up at five in the evening? If...If you don't mind that is. Please?" he asked.

I had no interest in his offer but somehow I agreed. 

We did have a good time and we also had better times together. I got involved in a world of gaming and anime which I grew to love. I became half a nerd. 

Andre was not close to me as Wesley Stark was but somehow, I was able to create time for him. He became a friend and he cheered up me a lot. He was a decent person and a really nice guy. I had not had another friend in my life after Rhonda's death and I was glad that my heart had opened up to a new bond of friendship. I only hoped that it would last.

A few days before the prom night Andre popped the question "Would you be my date for prom night?"

"Yes." I replied. I thought it would not hurt a soul if I was Andre's date for the prom. After all, Wes had opted out.

Wesley Stark skipped a huge party once again. I was angry with him. He was supposed to be my date. He was supposed to put a corsage on my wrist.

 I hated him for encouraging me to attend prom and then skipping it. Still, I could not change his mind. It was his choice and I was not ready to change who he was.

Prom night arrived in a zap and I got dressed in the quiet large building I called a house. 

The house owned by my father after we moved to Los Angeles, had become mine but I never left my room. It was just too quiet. 

I sat by the porch of the huge white building and waited for my date. My purple gown and neat bun made me feel like a royal maiden. I laughed at my cute look that night.

A few minutes later, Andre drove into my home in a red Camry. Like other visitors he had opened the gates himself. 

I stared at him while he got out of the blood-coloured auto mobile. 

His brown hair was slipped back and his black tuxedo was made admirable by the touch of a black and red polka-dotted bow he wore on the collar of a white sleeve. He looked like a prince. Prince of the tech age that is. 

He got a corsage out his left pocket and placed it on my wrist. It was pretty. 

He gazed at me and smiled "You look really beautiful. Amazing! I'm gonna be the guy with the hottest date in school. And the dress is glamorous. I just..."

"Andre thanks but enough with the long talk." I brought his speech to a halt. 

More than often he wanted to impress me by trying so hard to sound 'cool'. He tried too hard. I wanted him to be himself. 'Cool' was not a word I wanted at that time in my life.

In a while, we got to the school. 

There were ribbons and balloons at every corner. 

We walked to the entrance of the school hall and that was just another story to tell.

The glittering stars, though fake created a perfect night sky above our heads.

There was a display of various gowns and items on a wardrobe. Long, short, pink, blue, boots, heels, and other stuff teenagers would wear on a pretty night.

A lot of students had drinks in their hands. Some could not stop dancing. A few came out the wash room in disarray. Others danced by stomping their feet or just staring at every one else at each step they took.

Andre and I danced for a while until I became a bit tipsy and quite thirsty. He left quickly to get me a drink. 

I waited for a while and remembered Wes. It would have been more fun with him around. I often wondered why he never showed up for parties or exciting events like prom. It was weird. 

While lost in thoughts I checked the time and realized that Andre had disappeared for over an hour.

I lost my patience after thirty more minutes.

I had thoughts. Horrific thoughts.

I had to get rid of them. I picked up my phone and called my best friend.

Wesley drove me home that night. 

While we were on the road, he tried to apologize on behalf of Andre but I did not care.

I had thoughts which made me angry.

What if he left me for another girl? What could he be doing? Why didn't he call me? What kind of guy disappears at prom night?

I had so many questions but I was too pissed to really ponder on each of them.

Wes dropped me off and I begged him to stay for a while. He agreed. We got out of the car. 

It was really dark. I forgot to turn on the outdoor lights earlier that evening. We could not see a thing but I led the way.

I stepped on something.

I tried to walk over it but it moved. My shoes had stepped on something wet. 

In fear, Wes searched for a torch light in the burnet of his car. I focused the light rays on the object I had stepped on earlier.

It was an awful sight. It was a human.

"Andre?" I called. 

Andre lay peacefully on the lawn at the front of my house. 

The white shirt he wore beneath his black tuxedo was drenched in blood. 

My shoes had been dipped in the red of the liquid which had poured out from his chest. His head was also bruised. He must have been attacked. 

But why was he here? I had questions; sadly no one could answer them. 

I squatted beside Andre and called his name some more.

I placed my hands on his cheeks. They were ice cold.

My eyes moved from his face to his hands. He held something. 

Wes focused the rays from the torch light to Andre's hands. There was a red rose and Andre held it close to his chest.

 In fear I looked into Wes' eyes, hoping Andre's state was different from what my instincts told me.

As though he read my eyes, for the sake of confirmation and a little faith, Wes squatted next to me and placed both fingers that came after his thumb on Andre's neck and wrists in desperate search for a pulse. There was none. 

Wes looked at me with pity written on his face.

"I'm sorry Ray...He...Andre's dead." Wes said. 

I dug my head into Wesley's chest. I soaked his Jersey with tears.

In a few minutes, the compound was filled with cops. 

According to the detectives, Andre was killed by the one we now called the 'Crucifier' and his body was carried to the front of my home.

It all happened exactly five years ago.

That was the 'Crucifier's last kill until I turned twenty one.

Andre was the last person to die before the five silent years without death occurred. 

Back then, Mr Conner said Andre's death was a threat and that I needed optimum security. 

I was told to leave my large mansion and the cops found somewhere else for me to stay.

A simple apartment in a building not so far from the library beside 'my' pavement was recommended for me by Mr Conner. 

I stared at the door of my apartment. The number '8' was boldly inscribed on it.  It was so different from home. 

Just then, a little red-haired girl about seven years old ran towards me and with a beautiful smile she took my hand

"Welcome to the building. I'm Tina what's your name?"

It was the first time I met Tina McQueen.

The grown Stark and I had left the police department after solving the case of the pretty girl with a bloody corsage. 

Wes drove me home. My new home. The little messed up apartment where all was quiet. 

I got out of the car and Wes followed me.

When we got to the door of the huge building, he smiled at me. 

"That was a funny case today. Remember how that pretty girl put her hand in the grinding machine to get her corsage? She did it for her boyfriend. Ray I don't know who you'll meet in the future, but promise me you won't change or let yourself get hurt for the sake of someone. Promise me." He said.

"I'm sorry I can't make any promises Wes, not if that person's you. Though I know you'll never change me for worse. So I'll stay put and keep being me." I replied.

He smiled from ear to ear "Then I'll do same."

He hugged me briefly and bid me good night.

I stared at him while he walked towards his car. I loved him. 

"Maybe Jane Williams was right. Maybe I should let him know how much I love him." I thought while I entered the building.

After a few stairs and a quick turn down the hallway, I was home. 

I turned the doorknob to my apartment and dropped to the ground at a horrific site.

The chairs in the sitting room were overturned. 

I walked into the kitchen. Plates and cups were broken. 

I quickly got a knife.

I moved slowly to my room. My clothes were torn, books also torn and files containing information I had collected on the 'Crucifier' were burning.

The flames rose quickly from a bin at the corner of the room. I put off the fire with an extinguisher which I found deep in my closet. 

I ran to the bathroom. The mirror was smashed and the cabinet on the wall was broken. Band aids, antiseptics, antibiotics, blades, other contents of a small first aid kit, tooth brushes and floss unused were scattered on the floor of the bathroom.

I took another glance at my bedroom.

Fear and confusion made themselves comfortable in a spot within my brain.

I noticed that everything was touched except the bed.

It was well laid but the worse lay on it. A single rose. A red rose.

On the wall were words written in red;

 'Have a rose dear, I'm closer than you think.'

I had to call Wes. I needed a new place to live in.