Bedmates Soulmates

He licked his lips in anticipation.

Let the hunt begin.

Mosquito

Bites?

At the university.

Giana slipped into the classroom unnoticed.

The teacher's back was to her.

Her classmates had their eyes glued to their phone screens, hidden behind a raised book or in the cubbyhole of their desks

The room could be reduced to cinders before they realised it was on fire.

Giana sat down next to her friend. "Kira?"

Kira almost jumped out of her skin.

"Phew," she breathed out when she saw Glana. "I thought it was the teacher

"What are you doing? Giana frowned.

Her best friend was usually the only one awake during Mr Elliott's soporific lectures on Communication Research

But even she had joined the army of phone zombies.

Submitting my resume," Kira whispered.

'You're looking for a job?

Yup. Summer break's in a couple of weeks. I thought I'd give it a shot."

"Any luck?"

Kira pocketed her phone, rested an elbow on the desk and cupped her chin in her hand. I've just sent out a couple of resumes. Waiting for a call."

Her eyes were bright with hope.

Giana tousled her friend's hair and smiled. 'Good luck.

Kira rubbed her head against Giana's palm like a cat and almost purred.

Her head was tilted to one side.

Giana squinted her eyes. 'Kira, what's that on your neck?

She was about to tug on Kira's collar.

Kira shot out a hand and covered her collar.

She spent a long time in the morning picking out a blouse with tong sleeves and a collar that could be turned up.

"You should've seen the size of the mosquitoes that bit me,' she fibbed. 'Some of them are longer than my thumb"

Kira stuck out a thumb as a point of reference. "I have bites all over my body. They itch like hell."

"I didn't notice any mosquitoes last night,' said Glana.

'Oh, then you must have a mosquito net. Or one of those UV light mozzie killers. Me? I'm a church mouse. *Kira patted her empty pants pocket. I can't even afford a bottle of repellent. So I had to let the mozzies Mango Bites?

make a feast out of me.'

Giana's jaw dropped.

She had some knowledge of Kira's family situation, but not the full picture.

years

All she knew was that Kira's father was hospitalised after a car accident two years ago,

He remained in a coma.

The medical bills must have been monstrous.

Kira burned the candle at both ends for a year after the accident, shuttling between the hospital and the school.

Things must have looked up after that.

Kira resumed her normal schedule at school and could breathe.

But she continued to pinch pennies and put every dollar to work.

Despite her reduced circumstances, Kira never complained.

She greeted each day with a smile on her face and a gleam in her eyes.

Giana had always admired her friend for her optimism and can-do attitude.

She sighed after hearing Kira's answer and said nothing more on the subject.

Wiping a drop of cold sweat from her forehead, Kira looked away.

It weighed on her conscience to lie to Glana, but she had no choice.

There was no way she could tell her best friend that those red marks were the work of a man.

It would invariably lead to more questions.

Giana would hound her till she spilt everything.

Kira busied herself with notetaking.

Mr Elliott's lecture had once again worked its magic.

Giana soon grew heavy-eyed and forgot all about the suspicious marks on her friend's neck.

The pealing of the class bell shook everyone out of their coma.

Students sprang back to life and started talking.

Kira's phone rang.

The caller ID was unknown.

Kira beamed, thinking it must be one of the companies calling.

"Ooh, here comes my first job offer!' she shook Giana's arm, excited.

'Congrats. Pick up the call. What are you waiting for?

'Right.'

Kira cleared her throat before pressing Answer. "Hello."

Giana watched her friend with an amused smile and thought about taking Kira to a restaurant later to celebrate landing her first job.

But then Giana noticed Kira's body stiffen as she listened to whoever it was on the line.

'Really? That's... that's great. I'll be there soon."

Something in her voice made Giana pause.

She searched Kira's face.

"It's a call from the company,' Kira said after she hung up. They want me in their office for an interview right now. I have to dash. See you later! Kira hoofed it before Giana could say anything

Giana narrowed her eyes.

Something was definitely off.

Kira's smile looked artificial,

There was cheerfulness in her voice but not in her eyes.

Concerned, Giana chased after her friend.