Eternal Love - Uncover the Secret Part 1

"Alexis, shall we go shopping at the newly-opened shopping mall located just a few streets away from Kalton? I know this is kind of impromptu, but I can lend you cash if you want to accompany me. Window-shopping could be an alternative, if you prefer to look at things rather than possessing them," Jasmine asked.

Both Jasmine and Alexis are classmates but with contrasting personalities. Jasmine is a girl who idles her time away at shopping malls, nail parlours or salons instead of spending the time at home studying. Although she is just a plain Jane, with no exceptional good looks that the opposite gender will stare and admire at, she claims to be the belle of the school, much to the disgust of her classmates. On the other hand, Alexis is an industrious student who will pay attention and pen down whatever the teacher has said during lessons. She may appear quiet in class, but Alexis has earned the respect of her fellow peers through her commitment and dedication to be an excellent student and friend who will not hesitate to help those in need. That could be the main reason as to why Jasmine is languishing at the bottom of the performance charts while Alexis continues to stamp her dominance at the top of the charts.

"Sorry, Jasmine. My schedule is packed. Some other time, hopefully," Alexis answered as she concentrated on packing her bag. Shrugging her shoulders and mumbling under her breath, Jasmine walked away and out of the classroom.

Grabbing her bag, Alexis dashed out of the classroom.

"She is queer. Going home straight after school everyday," some classmates who had witnessed her quick exit murmured.

"Let us tail her," a curious yet suspicious classmate suggested as a few nodded in agreement. Grabbing their belongings, they rushed out of the classroom and followed Alexis secretly. Alexis could sense her classmates following her, but decided not to shake them off as that would make her more suspicious.

"Come on, I know where you guys are hiding. Your tailing skills are incredibly lousy that you will be fired on your first day as a private investigator," Alexis exclaimed as she stared at a lamp post a few feet from where she was at.

Her classmates knew their attempt at tailing Alexis had failed. Instead of showing their faces, they scootered off in various directions but was stopped in their tracks by Alexis who promised to tell them the reason behind her quick disappearance from school everyday.

Eternal Love - Uncover the Secret Part 2

"Here we are, at the entrance of the world-famous Kalton Library which is known for their wide collection of history books. More importantly, I hope the museum has information that I want and I am certain it does have what I want," a confident and optimistic Alexis said.

"Alexis, before we enter, could you at least provide us with an explanation? Firstly, we are all confused as to why we are having an outing to the library. Secondly, you have not told us the reason behind your quick disappearance from school everyday. In fact, both questions are the same," a classmate asked on behalf of the rest of the classmates as they nodded in unison.

"My apologies to all. I know the class has been talking behind my back because I am reticent and quiet in class. I am new to Kalton College and a complete stranger to all of you. I have my own set of reasons as to why I refuse to interact with classmates during and after school hours. I do not want history to repeat itself. I transferred to Kalton because I was unable to tolerate the constant teasing by my so-called friends. They gave me nicknames like "Bootlicker" and "Big Mouth". It seemed that their teasing had a negative impact on me as I went into isolation and became part of this phenomenon called hikikomori. I quit school and stayed at home to receive counselling. Well, the counselling seemed to have paid off as I was finally persuaded to step out of my room after an unexpected 6 months. My parents relinquished their positions as managers of their respective companies as they accompanied me to a new location where I am supposed to start afresh. So, Kalton, here I come but with a tinge of hesitation and reluctance because I heard rumours about a shooting incident that occurred at Kalton College 30 years ago. I have to locate the truth in order to clear the uneasiness in my heart," Alexis explained as her classmates listened intently.

"Well, we have wasted much time here," Alexis reminded as Alexis and her classmates scurried into the library, towards the history books section.

"This is insane. This is inhuman. This is like searching a needle from a haystack. No, it should be haystacks. Look at that," a classmate exclaimed as he pointed to the shelves of books which were neatly arranged in chronological order.

"Stop complaining and whining and start cracking," Alexis retorted.

With that, her classmates assisted her reluctantly. Little did they knew that things would be much easier if they had just approached a senior librarian who was monitoring them as they rampaged through the materials.

Eternal Love - The Old Man

As the senior librarian was unwilling to see her library converted into a pig sty, she approached Alexis and demanded an explanation as to what they were doing.

"Sorry Madam, but we are looking for books related to the Kalton Shooting. I wonder if......"

"No, the Kalton Library does not possess the books that you want," the senior librarian interrupted as she ushered Alexis and her classmates out of the library.

The optimism and confidence that Alexis possessed before the bunch of them entered the library vanished as they walked away from the library dejectedly.

"Hey, the whole lot of you! I am able to provide you with the details regarding the Kalton Shooting."

Upon hearing that, Alexis and company stopped dead in their tracks. Alexis turned her head and saw an old man standing at the entrance of the library waving and calling out to them. Alexis and her classmates hesitated and consulted each other for opinions. For all they knew, that old man may be a pervert preying on teenagers. On the other hand, that old man may know something about the Kalton Shooting. After a brief consultation with each other, they had a consensus. The decision on whether to trust that old man would lie on Alexis. After all, she was the one who was interested with the Kalton Shooting.

After much consideration, Alexis decided to trust the old man and returned to the library. As for her classmates, they provided Alexis with ridiculous excuses before dashing off, much to the dismay of Alexis.

"Good riddance, I cannot believe you have such friends," the old man exclaimed as Alexis forced a grin.

"I am Joshua Rey. The staff here all call me Uncle Rey and you shall be of no exception. Anyway, you are..."

"Alexis," Alexis replied.

"Well then Alexis, let us begin our journey to Kalton College, 30 years ago," Uncle Rey exclaimed as he led Alexis back into the library and into a room.

"Come on Uncle Rey. Stop pacing back and forth. You are making me giddy, and I do not want to be unconscious without hearing the story from you. So please, tell me about the Kalton Shooting now," Alexis pleaded.

"Alright. I just want a little suspense to make you feel agitated. That will prove how much you want to know about the Kalton Shooting." Uncle Rey replied with a laugh as Alexis stared at him in disbelief.

"I see you are rather impatient, young lady. I think I should begin the story about the Kalton Shooting now, so as to prevent you from leaving the library frustrated and irritated," Uncle Rey continued

Eternal Love - The Talented Sophomore Part 1

17-8-77:

"What a view! Look at the silhouette of the clocktower against the moonlight, for that will be the last time you will get to enjoy such a magnificent sight, you sickening liar," a mysterious person exclaimed as she approached a drunkard while brandishing a baseball bat.

"Hold on. You got the wrong person. I think you should...."

It was too late. His screams pierced through the silence of the night as she bludgeoned him to death.

***

"Morning Ken. I would like to extend my..."

"Hi Jamie, you look kind of flustered. Is anything the matter?" Ken asked, who totally ignored a female classmate who was trying to engage a conversation with him.

Jamie looked at Ken, with no emotions whatsoever. Instead of answering Ken's question, she wished Ken all the best for his performance which would be held later in the day before proceeding to the washroom. Despite her cold attitude towards him, Ken pumped his fist into the air and shouted "Congratulate me" as his classmates clapped reluctantly. It was of no surprise that Ken lost his composure at that time. After all, this was the first time Jamie had talked to Ken ever since she was transferred to Kalton College one month ago.

His radiant smile in class caught the attention of teachers who had lessons with Ken that day. Instead of the usual nagging and scoldings which Ken was used to, the teachers praised Ken for his sudden change in behaviour and attentiveness in class. The teachers thought Ken had changed for the better as he would usually doze off in class or come up with some ridiculous excuses in order to skip lessons. In fact, Ken was pretending to be a role model, only for that day.

The principal of Kalton College granted all students and teachers permission to end their day early so as to give them ample time to prepare for the Open House which would be held later in the day. As the rest of the school was busy carrying out their respective duties, Ken was idling and slacking around. An ignoramus, who saw Ken walking about and not contributing to the Open House, complained to his friend who stared at him in disbelief.

"Are you from Kalton College? Don't you recognise him? He is Ken, America's brightest talent who has a penchant for composing romantic pieces. He is also quite skilled on the saxophone. I heard him played once at last year's Open House and the performance that he had put up was simply enthralling. Well, I guess the only things you know about are boring facts found in books. Update yourself, my dear friend," his friend said sarcastically.

"Oh well, at least I am enlightened now," the ignoramus replied.

Eternal Love - The Talented Sophomore Part 2

"Hello Uncle. I am instructed by my teacher to collect some chairs," a polite Jamie asked before the janitor disappeared into the darkness of the room before emerging with a stack of chairs.

Jamie gasped in horror when the chairs were brought out. She had expected the janitor to bring out one or at most two chairs, not five chairs. As Jamie had not carried such heavy loads before, she must come up with a plan to carry these chairs.

"Young lady, it is a chore to see you circling the stack of chairs with no idea as to how you are going to carry them. Let Uncle assist you," the janitor offered.

"No. I will not let you Male Chauvinistic Pigs think that females are inferior to you males. I will prove to you that I can carry them," Jamie retorted as the janitor stared at her in disbelief. The janitor did not expect himself to be scolded as he thought he was being gentlemanly.

"Girl, I think you misunderstood. I am just trying to...."

"You MCPs better shut up. Females can do whatever males can do. Just wait and see," Jamie snapped as she struggled to carry the stack of chairs before staggering away.

The janitor, who was at the receiving end of her mood swing, had no choice but to remain silent. Jamie was infuriated by what the janitor said, even though it was a misunderstanding on her part. Although her vision was restricted into a small rectangle and was made blurred when beads of perspiration started to trickle down her face, Jamie refused to take a break. Instead, she was storming up flights of stairs and along corridors, totally ignoring the pain and numbness that was building up in her arms. Her mind was overwhelmed with anger that she failed to notice a young man in front of her as she crashed into him. What followed were the noises of falling chairs as they made contact with the ground and the screams of girls who were startled by the noise made when the chairs crashed onto the ground.

"Are you hurt? Do you need any medical assistance?" the young man asked as he extended his hand to Jamie who was grimacing in pain.

"Are you blind? Can't you see that I have trouble standing up? Try having chairs crashing on your legs," Jamie retorted.

"Well, if you are able to scold me, I guess you are fine. So I shall proceed towards the auditorium to watch Ken perform. Oh man, look at the time. Look at how much time I have wasted on you," the young man remarked before showing a 'L' sign to Jamie using his fingers.

Several Kalton College schoolmates who have heard the commotion rushed to the injured Jamie and offered to help her. Instead, Jamie pushed them aside and labelled them as busybodies before limping away without taking the chairs with her.

"Hey, schoolmate. Your chairs," a fellow schoolmate shouted but his shouts were of no use as Jamie chose to ignore him, much to the bewilderment of Jamie's schoolmates who offered their help.

Eternal Love - The Talented Sophomore Part 3

Jamie's mind was filled with anger as she limped towards the auditorium where Ken was performing. She was not bothered by the fact that the young man did not apologise to her, but was annoyed by the way the young man had treated her. Jamie hated to be called a loser, and she would not hesitate to confront the person who called her a loser.

The melodious and mesmerising tunes produced from the saxophone as well as the unwavering support by his fans in the form of screaming and shouting allowed Jamie to confirm, without doubt, that she was standing directly outside the auditorium.

The people in the auditorium were busy indulging themselves in romantic love ballads that they did not notice Jamie limping into the auditorium.

"Thanks for coming. I hope that all of you here will be my juniors at Kalton College. My performance has ended, but I would like to have someone, preferably a girl, to play this newly-composed love duet with me before you and I leave the auditorium. So I wonder who will have the privilege of playing this piece of music with me," Ken asked.

Everyone quietened down within a split second. After all, the majority of the people there do not know how to play the saxophone, and those who knew how to were indecisive. They were willing to seize the once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to play with Ken, but on the other hand, they were worried that they would become a victim of jealous fans.

Jamie had spotted that young man and was approaching him when that young man suddenly exclaimed.

"Ken, I found a saxophonist who is able to play that piece romantically and would certainly complement your style of playing," exclaimed that young man as he pointed his finger to Jamie.

"You! What are you up to now?"

"Oh my, I guess you are being cynical here. Why? You doubt my intentions? I would not recommend you to play with him unless you are really that skilled on the saxophone," that young man said with a tinge of sarcasm as Jamie stared at him with blood-shot eyes.

"I will play with him, and I will show you what I am capable of with that saxophone."

"I am so scared. No point bragging, prove that you can play. If you are able to play the saxophone, I will go down on my knees and beg for your forgiveness. If you are not able to do so, you will go down on your knees and lick my shoe."

A calm and collected Jamie walked up on to the stage as Ken awaited the person who would muster the courage to come up on stage to play with him.

"Here you are," Ken said as he passed a soprano saxophone and a brand-new reed to Jamie. Jamie received the saxophone and reed from Ken and went into a soundproof room to warm-up.

Ken followed suit as the audience now faced an empty stage.

"Do not act as if you know how to play! I rather you lick my shoes now than play terribly on an instrument that you are not familiar with. Do not let these people here leave Kalton College with headaches," that young man mocked.

There were mixed reactions to that remark. The majority of the audience kept silent while the minority either chuckled, burst out laughing or mocked Jamie.

Eternal Love - The Talented Sophomore Part 4

"Jamie, are you certain you want to do this? As your classmate and friend, I do not wish to see you humiliated by others. I...."

"I will not do things that I have no confidence in," Jamie interrupted. "Let's go, your fans are waiting for you."

"But, I have no score."

"It is all right. I hate scores. They restrict my playing."

Grabbing a chair, she proceeded towards the stage and prepared herself as a disappointed Ken looked on. Sighing and mumbling a prayer under his breath, Ken grabbed a chair and sat beside Jamie as he prepared himself for the duet.

"Oh man, I better leave. My ears are not suited to hear garbage. Do not spoil the beauty of Ken's self-composed pieces," that young man mocked.

That young man was wrong and was feeling regretful when Jamie started playing. Even though there was no score in front of her, Jamie was able to play as if there was a score. Moreover, she was able to translate various scenarios that she was thinking about into notes as she played the scoreless piece of music emotionally. It was a piece of music that was played from the bottom of the heart. The notes which constituted the melody and rhythm of the piece of music were used and played correctly. Jamie played as if she was an experienced saxophonist. Her tone was excellent and each note that was produced from the saxophone was round and beautiful. The audience, including the young man, was completely mesmerized by her music that their minds and souls had unknowingly, trapped themselves in scenarios that they had interpreted it to be. Ken intended to accompany Jamie in a duet, but decided not to as he did not have the heart to disrupt Jamie and the audience who were in their own world.

***

The audience were brought back to reality moments after Jamie had completed the piece. Ken, who did not play, picked up a microphone and requested the audience to show their appreciation by giving Jamie a round of applause. Instead, the audience gave Jamie a standing ovation which caused her to be stunned momentarily. She did not expect the audience to love her music, and needless to say, the showers of appreciation that she received from them.

"Thank you people. Anyway, I guess someone here has to do something," Jamie hinted as Ken and a few girls started to snigger.

Without hesitation, that young man left his seat immediately and hurried up the stage to offer his apologies to Jamie.

"Well senior, you have earned my respect for being such a great saxophonist. I am sorry for humiliating and embarrassing you in front of all these people. I would also like to apologise for my attitude. I am wrong. You are a great musician, not an amateur who pretends to be a professional," that young man apologised.

"Apology accepted," Jamie smiled as she shook hands with that young man before introducing herself.

Eternal Love - Secret Part 1

"I am really impressed by the way you expressed yourself on the saxophone just now. In fact, I think I am more shocked than impressed. I did not expect myself to have a classmate of such high calibre. Well Jamie, I am not trying to be modest here but I really think, from the bottom of my heart, that my saxophone skills are incomparable to yours," Ken confessed as Jamie looked at him embarrassingly.

"Well, I think you are a great saxophonist too. If you are a nobody, not a single soul will be willing to spend their time on you. If you are not talented, why were you crowned "America's Brightest Talent" on national television? Voters and judges do not confer the title to any Tom, Dick and Harry. In other words, you are a special individual," praised Jamie as Ken looked at her sheepishly.

"Let us not fight for honours here. My stomach is grumbling and I need to replenish the energy lost during the Open House. Dinner will be on me," Ken offered.

***

"Here you are. Do you mind if you brew a cup of coffee for me? It is perfectly fine if you do not wish to," asked Ken.

Jamie hesitated for a moment before inviting Ken into the house.

"Oh my, what a beautiful house. Look at the chandeliers. I presume you have to waste a large proportion of your time maintaining that ball of crystals over there," Ken said as he pointed to the 2 chandeliers hanging from the ceiling.

"Jamie, what is in this room? There are...."

"Sorry Ken, that room is out of bounds to guests. And I guess you should go home now," Jamie interrupted Ken as she ushered Ken out of the house.

"But...but..."

"Shut up and get lost!"

Jamie slammed the door shut on Ken as a puzzled Ken jumped. Ken had no clue as to why Jamie reacted in that manner.

"Jamie, I did not know you are such an inhospitable girl. I was just exploring the house, and I did not know that exploring the interior of your house would leave you fuming and incensed. Your fiery attitude that you had shown me just now is a total contrast to the attitude that you have shown to the class, or even to the teachers in school," Ken shouted across the door as Jamie, who was on the other side of the door, rolled her eyes before storming away.

"How dare he lecture me! Who is he to explore my house. Does he not know that it is rude, impolite and disrespectful to explore the house without the owner's permission? Well, he thinks that he can do whatever he wants since he is famous now," mumbled Jamie under her breath as she entered that secretive room.

Eternal Love - Secret Part 2

"That was a close shave. If Ken had walked into the room, he would have discovered my secret."

Jamie held a photograph of a teenager in her hands and wept uncontrollably. The person in the photograph was Jamie's sister, Kaitlin. Kaitlin would be the ideal girlfriend of love-seeking boys who placed looks as their priority. She had snowy-white teeth which seemed to glisten under the scorching sun. Her beautiful teeth, coupled with dimples on both cheeks would generate a smile so radiant and enticing that the hearts of boys who favoured pretty girls would melt instantaneously. Her face appeared smooth and her cheeks were of a healthy pink. Kaitlin was also blessed with untangled straight blond hair and a complexion that most girls would envy and be jealous with. Kaitlin resembled those art pieces which would drew nothing but praises from those who had seen them, except that she was a walking masterpiece.

Kaitlin was a gorgeous and talented individual who had the ability to play a C-major scale on the saxophone without anyone teaching her how to do so. Her father discovered her innate ability to play the saxophone at her aunt's house when she took her aunt's saxophone and began playing on it. Even though it was a C-major scale, her brief moment of brilliance caught her father and her aunt by surprise. Kaitlin was a music prodigy and her father was determined to not let her talent go to waste. As a result, Kaitlin was enrolled into Keyler Music School, an institution made famous by her founder Mark Keyler. Keyler Music School was a prestigious music school which possessed a reputation of grooming the best musical talents that America ever had. Kaitlin spent a large proportion of her time playing the saxophone at Keyler's before she demanded to leave as she was unable to tolerate the constant pressure given to her by those who wanted her to master the instrument well. Several high schools approached and tried to coax Kaitlin into joining their institutions, but Kaitlin was not moved. She had her sights set on Kalton College for there was one thing that Kalton offered that other institutions did not, and that was the music competition that would be held annually. Kaitlin was born to be a champion, and the place for her to be crowned champion would be Kalton College.

True enough, Kaitlin was crowned champion in the music competition held annually by Kalton College during her first year there. Not only was Kaitlin the first first-year student to win the competition, she was also the first to win the competition by playing on the saxophone. As Kaitlin won the competition by a huge margin, several participants, or rather sore losers, began to speculate that Kaitlin used her looks to cheat in the competition, a claim that Kaitlin vehemently denied. Kaitlin maintained her innocence by claiming that it was her true talent in the art of playing the saxophone which brought her the title. The rumours and speculations about her cheating in the competition began to subside when they began to recognise and acknowledge her talent as the days crept away stealthily.

Time passed really quickly and in a flash, Kaitlin was a sophomore at Kalton College. Students at Kalton College were eagerly anticipating the arrival of the music competition as it would feature two top saxophonists pitting their saxophone skills with each other. Kaitlin was clueless as to who Ken was and what his achievements were, resulting in her underestimating his capabilities. In the end, Kaitlin was dethroned as Ken clinched the title. A distraught and devastated Kaitlin was unable to accept the result and attempted to assault Ken, but was immediately pulled away from alert teachers and students who attended the prize ceremony.

Kaitlin became mentally unstable after the incident. After all, she perceived herself to be the Princess of Saxophone who would win any competition she participated in. Kaitlin was an egotistical and indolent individual, who would refuse to listen to any advice to improve or to acknowledge the fact that there were better saxophonists than her. Due to her condition, Kaitlin was forced to stop schooling and to receive medical treatment and counselling. As the days went by, her condition deteriorated as she refused to take her medication and be counselled. The memories of her being crowned runner-up to a junior who was obviously much better than her could not be erased from her mind and that proved to be fatal as she committed suicide.

"Sis, do not worry. I will avenge your death and make sure the person responsible for your death be killed without him knowing who and what killed him," Jamie mumbled under her breath as she clenched her fist and in the process, crushed the photograph.

Eternal Love - Countdown Part 1

18-8-77:

"Oh my! Ken, look at the picture of this man who was brutally murdered yesterday," a classmate exclaimed while poking Ken at his hips.

Ken swiped his classmate's finger away before turning his attention to the photograph. What greeted him was a bloodied corpse who seemed to have his eyes fixed on Ken as Ken stared at the photograph in disbelief.

"Who in the world will commit a crime so heinous? I can barely see his body and limbs. All I could see was blood! Oh my. What is the newspaper agency doing? Fancy them publishing such grotesque photographs on newspapers! The murderer is simply pervetic and it is quite worrying to have someone in my country on a killing spree," Ken said in disgust.

The brutal murder involving a man being battered to death was one of the many murder cases which had occurred over the past month.

"Ken, I think you better be wary of your surroundings. This serial murderer enjoys eliminating musicians from this Earth, and his or her next target could be you, my friend. Think twice, before you even place your foot out of your house," his classmate warned before patting Ken on his back.

Ken rolled his eyes and pushed his classmate's arm away before returning to his seat.

"Morning Ja..."

"Shut up, trespasser. That is my house and I have the right to chase you out for invading my privacy. You are the guest, and there you are, behaving as if you are the owner of the house. You said that I was an inhospitable and obnoxious host. I allowed you to step into my house, I offered you a cup of coffee and you said that I am inhospitable. You invaded my privacy and you dare say I am obnoxious?"

Jamie stared at Ken with blood-shot eyes before demanding that Ken vanished right before her. The commotion had left the entire class startled as they had not seen Jamie so angry before. Some tried to calm the situation by persuading Jamie to control her anger while some urged Ken to apologise.

"I am just exploring the interior of the house, admiring the designs, the layout that is all. I only peered into rooms, not even walking in and flipping through documents as if I am a secret agent searching for clues. I think your anger is simply unjustifiable, especially today. You need not humiliate me in front of them, and furthermore, why are you harping on this minor issue? Just forgive and forget, like how you forgave that punk, lad or rascal whatever you call him yesterday."

Ken and Jamie exchanged glares and a fight seemed inevitable before a teacher rushed into the classroom which prompted Jamie and Ken to behave.

"The principal would like to have a word with Ken Cartson. May that young man please go see the principal now. Do not keep him waiting," the teacher announced before leaving the classroom as the entire class heaved a sigh of relief.

Eternal Love - Countdown Part 2

"Good morning Mr Watson. May I know the reason.."

"Well, well. Good morning to you too, Ken. Before you start questioning me about why you are being called here, I would like to assure you that you are not being called into my office for a scolding or a reprimand. The Open House which was being held yesterday had drawn hundreds of teenagers and I believed that you were the one responsible for the record-breaking turn-out yesterday. Kalton College is honoured and privileged to have someone of your calibre. Your future is bright, my boy," the principal interrupted before smiling at Ken.

"Mr Watson, please do not praise me. I will be embarrassed," Ken said embarrassingly.

Mr Watson looked at Ken and laughed as Ken produced a bemused expression on his face.

"All right Ken. I shall not beat about the bush. Tomorrow is a special day for one of the most-respected principals of Kalton College. It is her 80th birthday tomorrow and I had cordially invited her to Kalton College where some teachers, students and I will put up performances that I hope, will remain in her heart forever. As a result, I want you, America's brightest talent, to play one of your self-composed music. I know this is a little too sudden, but I hope you will consider," Mr Watson said in a serious manner.

"There is no need for me to consider as it will be rude of me to reject the principal's request. Moreover, I am glad to be given the opportunity to display and showcase my talent to one of the most-respected people Kalton College ever had," Ken agreed without hesitation.

***

The incessant ringing of the school bell for about 5 seconds signalled the end of a dreary and lethargic day in school. Instead of going about their usual routine of packing their bags and leave for the arcade or skating park, Ken's classmates gathered around his table and began questioning him.

"Hey hey! You are not the police, and I am not a suspect. So stop interrogating me. I hate it when people question my honesty. A trip to the principal's office does not necessarily mean that I had broken any school rules or got into trouble. The principal requested me to help him and I see no reason why I should reject his request," Ken exclaimed before pushing his classmates aside as he stormed out of the classroom.

"Tomorrow shall be the day that Ken Cartson be carried out of Kalton College by an undertaker. And he shall be banished to Hell and be burnt alive by flames in a purgatory. A person like him deserves to be in a casket than on a stage harming people," Jamie cursed under her breath as she stood outside the classroom with her eyes fixed on Ken as he disappeared from her view.

Eternal Love - Countdown Part 3

The alarm clock positioned by Ken's bedside reflected the time that he dreaded the most. It was 8 o'clock, and he knew exactly the events that would occur when the minute hand struck twelve and the hour hand struck eight.

"Ken, time to tuck in. I know it is demanding of me for you to sleep at this time everyday, but this is for your own good. Yawning and sleeping in front of your teachers are unacceptable behaviours which should not be portrayed by our future leaders," Ken's mother nagged as Ken mumbled the exact same words simultaneously.

Ken was lying down on his bed as he recalled the incident in which Jamie humiliated him in front of his classmates earlier in the day. Ken admitted that it was wrong of him to invade Jamie's privacy by treating Jamie's house as his own. With an intention to apologise, Ken got out of bed and searched his bag for a piece of paper and a pen. He managed to locate a crumpled piece of paper from his bag, but he decided against using that piece of paper because it was too creased. With that, he searched for another piece of paper but to no avail. Feeling frustrated and irritated, Ken opted to sleep as his mind wandered into Dreamland.

***

"Sis, the boy who drove you to insanity and suicide shall enjoy the luxury of his home and freedom on Earth till tomorrow, for tomorrow, the 19th of August, shall be the date of his death."

The windows slammed shut with a ferocious bang and the resultant force created extinguished the flame on a candle as the entire room blackened. An eerie silence followed before a flash of lightning brightened the room momentarily. The ghostly silence was interrupted seconds later by claps of thunder sufficient to jolt a heavy sleeper out of his bed. The leaves from an old oak tree nearby rustled and swayed in the direction of the gale. The clattering of drink cans against the pavements, roads and lamp posts could be distinctly heard from Jamie's room as she reached for her music player. It did not take long before the rain began to pour and the noise generated from the rain as it came into contact with the ground further aggravated the noise pollution problem. With the music at full blast, Jamie cupped her ears and headed to bed as the bad weather prompted her to sleep.

Eternal Love - Love-generated Hatred Part 1

19-8-77:

The thought of truancy and feigning illness had without doubt, crossed the minds of most of the students as they dragged their lethargic bodies into Kalton College. Ken was of no exception as he 'sleep-walked' into school and knocked into an individual whom he should not had offended or messed with at that point of time.

"Jamie. I...."

"Ken, I apologise for my rude behaviour yesterday. I did not know what hit me, but you were right. That was a minor issue which should not be harped upon and with that, I apologise. I apologise for the humiliation you had suffered yesterday and I hope we can bury the hatchet and be friends again," Jamie requested before extending her hand out to Ken who was feeling apprehensive.

Ken's mind was in a whirl as he hesitated for a moment. Sensing Ken's hesitation, Jamie grabbed Ken's hand and shook it as Ken made no attempt to pull his hand away from Jamie's grasp.

"I know what you are thinking of. I admit I can be temperamental at times, and because of that, I will hurt those around me without even sparing a thought for their feelings. As the anger in me starts to subside, regret will start to overwhelm me. That was how I felt yesterday when I reflected upon my behaviour and attitude..."

"Mr Cartson and Miss Macen, I have the obligation to inform you that the bell may ring any minute now. If you are not in class by the time the bell rings, I am afraid you would have wasted the time bringing that saxophone of yours to school," the headmistress warned as she pointed to the saxophone case that Ken was carrying.

"I rather listen to my teachers speaking monotonously than waste my time attending detention class," Ken exclaimed before dashing up the stairs with Jamie.

"Teenagers...," the headmistress mumbled and shook her head before resuming her daily inspection of the school grounds.

Eternal Love - Love-generated Hatred Part 2

"Ken, what is the occasion? Why did you bring...."

"Both of you are late by a minute and according to the school rules, latecomers will be welcomed and embraced by the headmistress for they will have to spend 2 hours of quality time in detention class. However, today is a special day and you two shall be spared from the agony of attending detention class. I am sure Ken was briefed by the principal yesterday regarding the celebrations today and as for you Jamie, catch your breath," the form teacher of both Ken and Jamie said before ushering Ken and Jamie into the classroom.

"There will not be any lessons today as the school will be celebrating the birthday of one of Kalton College's most loved principals. Her name is Geraldine Lowe, and you people better register that name into the brain of yours, for without her, you people will not be here. Kalton College was a private institution managed and controlled by a property tycoon by the name of Tommy Brown some 50-odd years ago. Brown led a lavish lifestyle and often indulged in alcohol, drugs, stocks and women. Despite cautions, warnings and concerns about the way his money was spent, Brown preferred to retain his bad habits by leading his life frivolously. Thinking that he had unlimited supply of cash, he......," the form teacher explained before an announcement requesting the entire school, including the janitors, to proceed towards the hall interrupted her lecture.

"Madam, please excuse me for I have to make my way to the hall now," Ken informed his form teacher before disappearing from the classroom.

"Madam, please grant me permission to visit the bathroom. My bladder will burst if you refuse to grant me permission," Jamie requested as her form teacher stared at her in amusement.

"Please wipe that constipated look off your face for you have been granted permission to visit the bathroom. I do not want my classroom reeking of ammonia. You know how pungent and intoxicating ammonia can be," the form teacher said jokingly as Jamie dashed towards the nearest bathroom to relieve herself.

Oblivious to the entire school, Jamie was armed with 2 pistols and 20 bullets as she intended to gun Ken down at a particular secluded spot in school. However, the joyous occasion and celebrations proved to be of no obstruction as she was determined to pump Ken's body with bullets. Relieving herself was a lie as Jamie needed the privacy to prepare her weapons before executing the plan. Cries of vengeance and thoughts of Ken being murdered began to overwhelm Jamie as she loaded each pistol forcefully before placing the pistols carefully into the pockets of the pair of bermudas she was wearing. With her target locked and her pockets filled with weapons, Jamie walked out of the bathroom calmly as she inched towards her target. Not a single soul could save Ken now as his death seemed imminent.

Eternal Love - Love-generated Hatred Part 3

The sound created when Jamie's shoes made contact with the concrete floor echoed through the silent corridor as Jamie neared the site where Ken would be killed. Everyone in the hall was too engrossed with the performances on stage that they failed to notice an armed Jamie entering the hall resonating with laughter, applause and blaring music. Jamie had a serious look on her face, which was a stark contrast to the exuberance being displayed by both students and teachers. No form of entertainment going on on stage had the capability of producing a smile on her face, as Jamie waited patiently for her prey.

"Now, let us welcome Ken Cartson on stage. A talented saxophonist, he will take this opportunity to showcase his talent in front of Miss Lowe by playing one of his self-composed pieces and I am certain he is able to bring the house down with that one piece of notes which till now, I have yet to figure out how to read them. Ken Cartson please," a teacher announced as Ken made his way to the centre of the stage with a saxophone in hand.

The students and teachers sitted in the hall should be more vigilant with their surroundings as they failed to notice Jamie taking aim at the back of the hall. Their lack of vigilance proved fatal as Jamie pulled the trigger not once, but four times in a row, resulting in an exodus of panicked students and teachers from the hall. The situation in the hall was extremely chaotic. People were screaming and shouting as they desperately tried to escape from the gunfire. Despite the shoving and pushing, Jamie managed to squeeze past the chaotic crowd with the help of the pistol as she eased her way towards a dying Ken.

"Why...did...you.....d..do...t..t..that for?"

"Does the name Kaitlin Macen ring a bell? If it does not, I will tell you who she is. Kaitlin Macen was the girl whom you had defeated last year in the annual music competition held by Kalton College. She was an individual who had zero tolerance for defeat and it was because of that defeat and the subsequent events which followed that culminated in her death. I do not care if she was a stranger, but she was not for she was my SISTER! You robbed me of my sister, the sister whom I loved and respected dearly. She was the one who imparted her saxophone skills to me and she would always be there to protect me when the need arose. When I went to collect her body at the mortuary, I vowed to kill you and to make things easier, I enrolled into Kalton College so as to get close to you. I created the impression that we were friends by playing a duet with you and apologising to you for that incident yesterday, but you were wrong. I have no intention of being friends with a murderer, and especially with one who is responsible for the death of an individual whom I will love eternally," Jamie explained before placing the pistol at Ken's head.

"I am wondering how your brain will look like if I pull the trigger now," Jamie asked as Ken struggled to catch his breath.

"Jamie, are....you...the...se...ser..serial...ki..ki..killer....t...t...?"

"So what if I am? My hobby is to kill people. The more people I kill, the greater is the satisfaction that I receive. My sister told me through a dream that she wanted to be the best musician in the country, and I offered to help her. Nothing beats helping my sister achieve her dream," a sadistic Jamie continued before driving another bullet into Ken as blood oozed out from another gunshot wound.

It did not take long before Jamie accompanied Ken to Heaven as she drove a bullet into her head.

Eternal Love - Conclusion

"It is depressing for us Americans to mourn the loss of 3 talented and young musicians over the span of 2 years. I personally believed that Jamie and Ken were not responsible for their deaths. After all, Ken competed because he desired to win the competition. As for Jamie, she was dealt with a psychological blow due to her sister's death. The blow was a little too much for her as she became mentally unstable. Although no one had sensed anything wrong with her mental health, Jamie had shown signs of being mentally unstable through her attitude and behaviour towards the janitor, the young man as well as Ken. Some said she committed the rash act of killing Ken because of the ardent love she had for the sister, while some said it was her medical condition which prompted her to commit that heinous act. No one knew the answer, except for Jamie and Jamie alone. However, I can be definite about the fact that Jamie truly loved her sister wholeheartedly," Uncle Rey explained as Alexis scribbled notes onto her notebook.

"That is the Kalton College shooting incident which you wanted to know about, and I hope I have enlightened you," Uncle Rey continued before flashing a grin which Alexis shuddered at the sight of it.

"Well, Uncle Rey. I am indeed enlightened, but I have one last question to ask. How did you know so much?"

"That is for me to know and for you to find out Alexis," Uncle Rey whispered into Alexis's ear before making an exit out of the room.

"But Uncle Rey....."

Uncle Rey had disappeared from Alexis's sight as Alexis dragged herself out of the room. The sudden transition from darkness to brightness prompted Alexis to squint her eyes as she made her way slowly towards the counter.

"Hi, sorry to bother you, but do you know where Uncle Rey is?"

"Who in the world is Uncle Rey and who gave you permission to step into that room? Did you not read that sign? That room is forbidden to all students and....," the senior librarian shouted as Alexis backed away from the counter before making a quick dash out of the library.

What greeted her was a poster of Uncle Rey and a sign which read: This man by the name of Joshua Rey was killed in a hit-and-run accident. Any eyewitness please call 911.