The Untitled Case

"Don’t go, Betty. Please…" Laura’s voice trembled as she clutched her best friend’s arm. But she knew deep down it was futile. Betty was resolute, her eyes locked on the plane waiting on the tarmac. In a few moments, she would be gone, and Laura couldn’t stop her. As the plane ascended into the sky, shrinking to a distant dot, Laura felt a part of herself leaving too.

One Year Ago…

Laura and Betty had been called the "inseparable magnets" for as long as anyone at the university could remember. Their bond was unbreakable—best friends who shared not just memories but a mutual passion for fashion design, which had catapulted them into campus fame. Together, they were a force to be reckoned with. While Betty’s talents as a singer and artist made her a star, Laura’s prowess in football and basketball earned her the title of a sports champ. They balanced each other perfectly, thriving in their differences but united in spirit.

They were the "Lit Duo," known across campus for their creativity and charm. However, not everyone was thrilled about their rise, especially Shiny, a media student and a senior who had once held the spotlight. Shiny’s jealousy burned brighter each day as Betty and Laura’s talents eclipsed her own. She tried countless ways to split the two apart—rumors, manipulations, and petty games—but nothing worked. The "inseparable magnets" were just that—inseparable. Though what most didn’t know was that their bond went deeper than friendship. There was a secret tying them together, one neither had spoken of, yet it lingered between them.

Shiny’s scheming eventually backfired, leading her into a mess that landed her in jail for a minor offense. Oddly enough, despite their rocky history, Betty and Laura had helped her out, and from then on, Shiny joined their circle, transforming the duo into a celebrated trio.

By the time their final year approached, the trio had become legends on campus. Exams flew by, and the girls celebrated their top rankings—Betty securing first place and Laura following close behind. Life was good, and the future looked even better.

But on their graduation day, everything changed.

As the ceremony buzzed with excitement, a letter arrived in Betty’s hands. Laura noticed her friend’s face go ashen as she read its contents, the color draining from her cheeks. “Betty? What is it? Please, don’t scare me. What’s wrong?” Laura’s voice was filled with dread.

Without a word, Betty handed her the letter. The words hit Laura like a punch to the gut: Betty’s parents had died in a car accident, and the cremation was scheduled for that evening.

Shock gripped both girls, for this tragedy cut deeper than most could understand. Laura and Betty weren’t just friends—they were like sisters. After Laura’s parents died in a plane crash when she was only nine, she had moved in with Betty’s family. Betty’s father had been best friends with Laura’s dad, and their two families had always been close. Losing them meant losing the last connection to her past.

Tears welled in Laura’s eyes, but there was no time for grief—not yet. They packed their bags and rushed back to their hometown. The evening air was thick with sorrow as they arrived at the cremation site. Betty, strong as she tried to be, broke down at the sight of her parents' bodies. Laura stood by her side, holding her close, trying to offer comfort amidst the overwhelming loss.

"Why do they have so many injuries?" Betty whispered through her tears. "What really happened?"

One of her aunts, equally shaken, replied, "No one knows for sure. We were just told it was a car accident. But… something doesn’t feel right."

The air around them seemed heavy with unanswered questions, but the ceremony continued. After it was over, they returned to Betty’s childhood home. The silence was suffocating. Both girls sat in the living room, surrounded by memories—laughter, celebrations, and moments now lost forever.

After a long while, Laura gently asked, "Betty, do you want me to make you something to eat? You haven’t eaten all day."

"Just some porridge, please," Betty whispered, her voice hollow.

Laura made the porridge, but when she returned, she found Betty sitting on the floor, clutching a framed photo of her parents. It was a candid shot Laura had taken on Betty’s mother’s birthday—a day filled with laughter when Betty’s dad had surprised her mother with a pink gown she had always wanted. Laura stood frozen for a moment, watching her friend relive that happy memory in silence.

Suddenly, a sharp, terrified scream pierced the air.

"Bettyyyyyyy!" Laura’s voice echoed from down the hall, coming from Betty’s parents’ bedroom.

Betty’s heart raced as she ran towards the sound. What she saw when she entered the room stopped her in her tracks. Laura was standing there, pale as a ghost, her eyes wide with terror, beads of sweat trickling down her face. She pointed at something on the floor—a torn piece of paper crumpled near the bed.

Betty picked it up with trembling hands, smoothing it out. Her blood ran cold as she read the ominous words scrawled across the page: "It wasn’t an accident."