Price of Love

CHAPTER ONE

The Accident

"My mum sent out my application letters last week," Ria said, stuffing her mouth with food as we sat on the floor, our laughter and camaraderie filling the air. I nodded enthusiastically, the anticipation bubbling inside me. 

"I sent mine last week too! Can't wait to start receiving responses. I'm literally counting down the days until I'm finally off to college!" I squealed, unable to contain my excitement. 

Ever since graduation, I'd dreamed of college: attending classes, meeting new people, partying, and, of course, hanging out with cute boys. The thought sent shivers of delight racing down my spine.

Ria's mischievous grin widened as she continued, "Can't wait to get away from my parents and be on my own." She shot me a playful side-eye before adding, "Can't wait to have a boyfriend." We both burst into laughter, our eyes sparkling with shared dreams. 

I couldn't deny that I wanted the same-independence, new friends, and maybe even love. The excitement was almost too much to bear.

Suddenly, I gasped, glancing at the clock on the wall. "Oh no! It's almost 6 PM! I have to help Mum prepare for dinner." I jumped up, quickly searching for my coat, which I found draped over a nearby chair. 

I grabbed it, gave Ria a quick hug, and dashed out the door. As I walked home, a smile danced on my lips, my mind still swirling with visions of college life.

The evening air felt refreshing as I strolled one block from Ria's house to mine. But soon, I noticed a commotion up ahead-a crowd gathered, murmuring anxiously about an accident. My heart sank; I never felt comfortable being near accidents. 

I attempted to quicken my pace, but the road ahead was blocked, leaving me trapped in the growing sea of spectators.

Then the sirens blurred to life, echoing through the streets as an ambulance pulled up. Uniformed staff rushed out with stretchers-four of them, I counted. 

A few women in the crowd gasped, "This is a tragedy!" and "Oh my God, I can't believe this is happening!" The horror of it all gripped me, suppressing my instincts to flee, as morbid curiosity pulled me closer to the scene.

My eyes widened in horror as I watched the paramedics load two women and a man onto stretchers. But it was the sight of a person lying on the ground-legs twisted, bones shattered-that froze me in place. 

I squeezed my eyes shut, shuddering, and made a beeline for home, trying to erase the image from my mind.

"Lord, I'm so glad my family and I are safe and healthy," I whispered through trembling lips as I ran, glancing down at my legs as they pumped through the streets. Bursting into the kitchen, I found mum busy preparing dinner.

"Hey, Mum," I said, trying to sound nonchalant, but the tremor in my voice hinted at the adrenaline still coursing through me. 

She turned briefly, offering a warm smile, and returned to slicing vegetables.

"Hi, sweetie! How's Ria?" she asked, her tone light. "Ria's fine," I replied, helping her chop the potatoes, though my mind still echoed with the day's shock. 

I dealt with the mundane task carefully, trying to distract myself. 

After Dad passed away from cancer, things had become tough. We had taken out loans to cover his medical expenses, and now my older brother David worked hard to support us. 

He'd dropped out of high school to take care of me and Mum and now pulled double shifts as a security guard, barely scraping by. 

I was determined to go to college, get a good degree, and make my family proud-if only to relieve some of the burden off David's shoulders.

"I wonder what's taking David so long," Mum said, snapping me from my thoughts. I shrugged, suggesting, "Maybe he's just working late tonight." Mum nodded, her brow still creased with worry. 

"When dinner's ready, we'll call to confirm."

After dinner, I washed the dishes and set aside David's dinner, which he could microwave when he got back home in the wee hours. 

The empty two-bedroom house felt even lonelier now that my brother was rarely home.

Just as I was about to head to bed, the phone rang, startling me from my thoughts. I noticed Mum was already reaching for it, so I retreated to my room to lay down. 

A loud crash suddenly echoed from the living room, making my heart race. "Mum, is everything okay?" I called, but silence enveloped the house.