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General

Just like a traffic light, I believe there are three types of people in this world.


There is red: dangerous to be crossed over. These people are the ones who you will never befriend, the ones whose personality never match yours. And that’s Bella.


How do I know this fact? Because I happened to overhear a phone call that she had in the old park behind the school building, the phone call that made me realize the personality of the school’s cheerleader squad captain.


The phone call that made me understand how this beautiful, well-respected, famous girl in our high school was faking herself.


“What? Why can’t I go to the party?” Bella asked. Her tone sounded upset.


The person on the other end mumbled his reply that I couldn’t quite catch. The reply that made the redhead girl looking even grimmer.


“I can assure you it’s safe, Papa,” Bella replied. This time, I could tell from the tone that she tried to persuade the other person.


Again, the person answered Bella. The answer that made Bella clicking her tongue in annoyance. 


“You are unreasonable, Papa! The party is going to start at 8, and you want me home by 10? They are going to call me a loser! I might even get bullied for this, you know? Do you want me to suffer?” Bella threw a tantrum, slightly threatening her father on the receiving end.


Yet again, the person answered her, this time with some long sentences. The sentences that made Bella roll her eyes while tapping her feet continuously as she listened to it.


“Ugh, you never understand! Fine, whatever you say, I’m still coming to the party tonight!” The angered girl then ended the call right away.


So, would you call a person who fought their father for a trivial matter as “nice”? 


Well, I wouldn’t.


---


Just like the traffic light, there is the green: allowing people to pass. These people are the kindest ones who never blame others for their mistakes, letting them walk away without burden. And that’s Kevin.


How do I know this fact? Because I happened to find the boy who disappeared eight years ago, the boy whom I thought to have died in the car accident. The boy who used to be all smiles back then, the same boy who suddenly jumped from the bridge as he tried to take his own life when I met him once again.


The same boy that made me dive and swam against the flow while dragging him to the rocky area beside the river. The same boy whom I never talked to, but scolded right away.


“I don’t know what your experiences were, but don’t throw away your life!”


Upon my sentence, I could see Kevin lowering his head while his shoulder shivered. I couldn’t tell whether that was from his emotions or the coldness of the water that drenched his entire outfit.


“I don’t know you, but can you listen to my stories?” Kevin asked while he put his arms around his knees, hiding his face from me.


“Sure,” I sat beside Kevin, the boy who made my heart flutter back in high school, the boy who stayed in the same position without saying anything for a while. 


The boy who then broke the silence with a single sentence, “I…, I am a murderer.”


I doubted my hearing at that time. “A… what?”


“A murderer. I killed someone,” Kevin restated his sentence.


I became speechless, unsure which words I should use to reply to him. And to this silence, Kevin turned his head towards me. “Eight years ago, I was driving a car with my girlfriend, Bella. I was driving my father’s car although I had no license. And that killed her. And I…, I felt so bad…,” Kevin let out more words. 


The boy with dark brown hair beside me took a deep breath, then continued his story. “We were having a conversation. I couldn’t quite remember what was it about; I replied to her without much thinking since I was too focused on the road.”


“Then?”


“Then at one point, she asked me to look at the sunset outside. Stupidly, I did.”


“And that led to the crash?”


Kevin nodded his head. “The car went to the other lane, where a teal-coloured truck drove towards us. I…, I panicked and turned the steer as quickly as I can, but maybe it was too late by then.”


“So you crashed to the truck?”


The boy shook his head. “We fell off the cliff.”


I could see tears started to well on Kevin’s eyes as he recalled the memories from the accident.


And while thinking for a reply, I tapped Kevin’s back, supported him as he sniffled, supported him as he let out his cry for a couple of minutes. 


And when he managed to stop his tears, I asked, “Where were you going back then?”


“The observatory on the mountaintop.”


“Why there?”


“Because Bella wanted to. Because she said watching the stars with me would relax her from the stalker.”


I frowned. “Stalker?”


Kevin let out a sigh. “The afternoon before the accident, Bella was mad. She said there was a stalker; a girl who keeps following the two of us, a girl with dark green eyes.”


So, would you call someone who carried the burden on their own, to the point they wanted to kill themselves as “happy”?


Well, I wouldn’t.


---


As you know, between red and green in the traffic light, there is the yellow light: sometimes letting you go, then forcing you to stop, depending on the timing and situation. These people are the ones who seem without harm but might change according to the context. And that’s who I am.


How do I know this fact?


Because when my first love told the story of how he accidentally killed his girlfriend, I fully sympathized with him, while feeling happy that Bella had died.


Because when Kevin uncovered the reason behind their last trip, I genuinely listened to it, while feeling happy knowing that Bella recognized the green-eyed stalker.


All while rejoicing the fact that green-eyed stalker indirectly caused Bella’s death.


All while knowing who the green-eyed stalker was.


So, to whoever reading this…, can you keep a secret from Kevin?


A secret that the green-eyed stalker was me.


Yes, me, the girl who saved his life, eight years after Bella’s death.


Yes, me, the girl whom he dated for two years; the one that he just knelt to propose to.


Well, you've read all this. Now, you would have to keep this secret of mine, wouldn’t you? :).

August 21, 2020 02:11

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171 comments

Pragya Rathore
08:26 Aug 23, 2020

What a beautiful story! I loved the traffic light simile-so true. A lovely story! :)

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Deborah Angevin
22:49 Aug 24, 2020

Thank you for liking the traffic-light idea, Pragya! :D

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I loved how you get creative with your titles and how you can relate them so well with the story!

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Deborah Angevin
10:49 Jun 25, 2021

Hahaha, thank you so much for the comment!

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Najwa Zandlo
22:55 Aug 29, 2020

I liked that you made your narrator a little twisted. As you might have guessed, I’m quite partial to twisted characters. And the stoplight analogy was spot on! Your internal monologue gave just enough away about the narrator to know the there was more to her story that she wasn’t revealing, without being so ambiguous that her thoughts didn’t make sense. Overall, a wonderful story. 😊

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Deborah Angevin
09:49 Aug 31, 2020

Thank you for your kind words, Najwa! I'm glad that you enjoyed the story :D

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Deborah Angevin
02:12 Aug 21, 2020

To those of you who read my previous submissions: another story in the colour series! This isn't my initial draft, I twisted this to match the prompt. To those of you who haven't read my previous stories: enjoy this as a standalone story :D

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Liana S
05:02 Sep 20, 2020

Such an amazing story, I really like your writing!

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Len Mooring
22:55 Aug 27, 2020

Hell's bells, emotions, I'm sure they're made to get us in trouble.

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Deborah Angevin
02:02 Aug 28, 2020

That's true... :D

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D. Shikha
15:52 Aug 27, 2020

WOW, this story was so beautiful. I loved the colour theme. Your writing style is so unique and nice.

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Deborah Angevin
02:03 Aug 28, 2020

Thank you for reading and enjoying it, Deepshikha! :D

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D. Shikha
03:03 Aug 28, 2020

You're welcome! Would you mind checking out my first story?

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Deborah Angevin
22:12 Aug 28, 2020

Sure thing :)

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Roshna Rusiniya
05:12 Aug 23, 2020

Another color themed story from you. This was great! I loved the first line!

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Deborah Angevin
07:22 Aug 23, 2020

Glad that you enjoyed it, Roshna! :D

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Roshna Rusiniya
07:28 Aug 23, 2020

You are very welcome Deborah! Will you have a look at my latest one too? :D

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Roshna Rusiniya
07:28 Aug 23, 2020

You are very welcome Deborah! Will you have a look at my latest one too? :D

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Deborah Angevin
07:31 Aug 23, 2020

Sure thing, Roshna! :D

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Doubra Akika
23:21 Aug 21, 2020

Hey, Deborah! This was another amazing one! Still keeping up with every colored themed story😂. What can I say? I’m a fan. Love the way you write a lot! Few suggestions... So, would you call a person who fought their father for a trivial matter as “nice”? I think this should be so would you call a person who fought with their father over a trivial matter ‘nice’. Kevin let out a sigh. “The afternoon before the accident, Bella was mad. She said there was a stalker; a girl who keeps following the two of us, a girl with dark green eyes.” ...

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Deborah Angevin
07:21 Aug 23, 2020

Thank you for the feedback, Doubra! I really appreciate it :D

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Doubra Akika
10:44 Aug 23, 2020

It was my pleasure! Whenever you get the time, would you mind checking out my recent story? I would love your feedback!

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Deborah Angevin
22:49 Aug 24, 2020

Sure will do, Doubra! :D

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Doubra Akika
22:55 Aug 24, 2020

Thanks!

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Niveeidha Palani
22:28 Aug 21, 2020

The twist was a excellent ending to this read! A wonderful thread to an amazing story, Deborah! I loved how you compared the traffic lights too! Wonderful read!

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Deborah Angevin
07:22 Aug 23, 2020

Thank you for reading and enjoying the ending, Niveeidha! :D

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Niveeidha Palani
07:29 Aug 23, 2020

No problem Deborah! Have a great day!

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Shelley Johnson
16:47 Aug 28, 2020

WOW! This is dark and deep Deborah... I thoroughly enjoyed it. Keeps a reader on the edge of the seat with a wicked twist in the plot that comes from nowhere. Very original. Thank you.

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Deborah Angevin
22:12 Aug 28, 2020

Thank you for reading and enjoying it, Shelley! :D

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Marcia H.
18:07 Aug 27, 2020

I enjoyed reading your story so much. I was hooked at the first sentence. Loved it.

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Deborah Angevin
02:03 Aug 28, 2020

Thank you for enjoying it, Marcia :D

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Emily White
14:05 Aug 27, 2020

Wow, this is amazing! I loved the structure of this story and I would love to see more stories coming from you!

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Deborah Angevin
02:03 Aug 28, 2020

Glad to hear that, Virginia :D

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Mara Hubl
22:18 Aug 26, 2020

I really enjoyed your use of dialogue in this story!

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Deborah Angevin
02:04 Aug 28, 2020

Thanks, Mara! Glad to hear that :D

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Keerththan 😀
14:22 Aug 26, 2020

Congratulations, Deborah. I wouldn't have been suprised if it won. What a story! Keep writing. Would you mind reading my new story "The adventurous tragedy?"

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Deborah Angevin
21:53 Aug 26, 2020

Thank you for the support, Keerththan! Will read yours as soon as I have the chance :D

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Lonnie Larson
00:27 Aug 26, 2020

Excellent. Beautifully written. This story grabbed me right from the beginning.

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Deborah Angevin
21:56 Aug 26, 2020

Thank you for enjoying it, Lonnie!

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John K Adams
23:00 Aug 25, 2020

I would make it 'turned the wheel...' and 'crashed into the truck'. That said, I suspect you are writing a novel. This event which appears in all the stories of yours I've read changed many lives. I don't know if it is fiction but the many perspectives presented show promise. So, what happened to the argumentative Bella?

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Deborah Angevin
22:00 Aug 26, 2020

This is more like a series, John, hence the same event throughout the stories :D Keep an eye on the next one up for Bella's story!

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22:51 Aug 25, 2020

P.S. would you mind reading my latest stories, "How's Breakfast Faring?" And "Strange Inmate 2" ? THANKS!!!

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Deborah Angevin
22:00 Aug 26, 2020

Sure, will do! :D

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22:11 Aug 26, 2020

:D

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22:31 Aug 25, 2020

WOW Deborah!!! I loved this Gucci ending! This is how I relayed to the narrator: 😎😎 😂 I know she's meant to be wicked too and all but....😎 "The same boy that made me dive and swam against the flow..." I think the 'swam' should be 'swim' instead. 🙃 And at the beginning, when you were describing the red light, I felt kind of off, like the instance you used to describe Bella's red-lightness wasn't quit suitable, if you get what I mean; it seemed quite subtle, quite usual, you know, being teenage and all, not exactly red-lightey.... Bu...

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Deborah Angevin
22:02 Aug 26, 2020

Hahaha, I know some people would think like you (as in the example of Bella's bad behaviour in the opening part isn't bad/mean/ill-natured enough). But you have to keep an eye on the next submission to see why I chose that ;).

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22:13 Aug 26, 2020

Okayyy, can't wait! :D

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Barbara Eustace
14:36 Aug 25, 2020

Deborah, secrets safe with me. Love how you serialize this story. Well done.

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Deborah Angevin
22:03 Aug 26, 2020

Thank you for reading and enjoying it, Barbara! :D

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