Chapter 70: Trip To The Station

Chapter 70: Trip To The Station


Melissa stepped down from the bus and walked toward Lydia and Julia who were standing a short distance from the bus stop, their jackets pulled tightly around them. The wind was sharp, cutting through their layers like little needles of cold. Still, they managed a faint smile as Melissa approached.

“Hey,” Melissa greeted, rubbing her hands together. “It’s freezing.”

“Tell me about it,” Julia replied, chuckling as she stepped in for a quick hug.

Lydia offered a small wave, her lips barely parting. “Hey,” she said softly.

The three girls stood for a while waiting for the next bus that would take them to the police station. But the cold made it unbearable. After just a few minutes of standing and trying to warm their hands by blowing into them, Melissa groaned, "We might as well just take a cab. I'm not freezing to death just to wait for a bus."

Julia agreed. Lydia nodded silently.

Melissa waved down a passing cab, and within moments, the girls were inside the warm vehicle, their breath visible on the windows as the heat began to work.

Melissa and Julia chatted about everything from random TikTok videos to school rumours. They both made a conscious effort to avoid any mention of what had been going on. No Brian, no attackers, no hospital visits—just normal talk for once.

But Lydia wasn’t really listening. She sat by the window, her gaze fixed on the passing streets. Her thoughts had a will of their own today.

What if Dennis was involved?

It was a thought that had been creeping into her mind repeatedly over the past few days. She had tried to dismiss it. She had told herself it was just stress, just paranoia. But now, on their way to the station to identify suspects, the fear was starting to grip her tighter.

She hadn’t told Melissa or Julia. Not because she didn’t trust them, but because saying it out loud might make it real. She couldn’t deal with that yet.

What if I see his face among those photos?

The closer they got to the station, the harder it became for her to breathe. Her hands were starting to sweat despite the cold.

“Lydia!” Julia called, nudging her shoulder. “Hey, Lydia!”

Melissa leaned forward from the front seat. “We're at the station. Time to come back to planet Earth.”

Lydia blinked and looked around. The cab had already pulled over in front of the station, and the engine had been shut off.

“Oh—sorry,” Lydia said quickly, fumbling for the door handle.

They stepped out into the crisp air, the police station looming quietly ahead of them. It was the same one Lydia had come to after the attack, the same cold walls and quiet halls.

Inside, the atmosphere was no different—still quiet, still sterile. A few officers moved about quietly, some on phones, some writing reports.

The kind female officer they had met the last time—an officer with a soft voice and warm eyes—noticed them as they stepped in.

“Hello girls,” she said, standing behind the desk. “You’re here to see Detective Philip, right?”

“Yes,” Julia replied. “We had an appointment.”

“Yes, I know,” the officer smiled. “But unfortunately, he just stepped out with the team. There was an emergency that needed their immediate attention. He might be a little while. Please have a seat over there.”

She pointed to a small waiting area and then added, “Would you like some water?”

The girls nodded, and soon each had a small plastic bottle in hand.

As they sat, trying to fill the silence, Lydia’s phone began to buzz. It was her mom.

“Give me a second,” she told the others and picked up the call.

“Hi, Mom.”

“Lydia,” her mother’s voice came through immediately. “We’ve just been to the airport. There’s a terrible storm, and flights have been grounded. The earliest we can come back is in three days.”

Lydia sighed but kept her voice steady. “It’s okay, Mom. I understand. We’re actually at the police station now.”

“Oh, alright. Please be careful. Is Melissa with you?”

“Yes, she is. And Julia too.”

“Please let me speak to Melissa.”

Lydia handed the phone to Melissa. “My mom wants to talk to you.”

Melissa took the phone and held it to her ear.

“Hello, Ma.”

“Melissa, dear, how are you feeling now? Lydia told me a little bit about what’s been happening.”

“I’m better now, ma. I’m really sorry we didn’t let you know earlier.”

“It’s fine, dear. I’m just glad you’re okay. Please take care of yourselves and look out for one another.”

“I will, ma.”

Melissa handed the phone back to Lydia.

“Take care of yourselves,” her mother repeated before ending the call.

Lydia tucked her phone back into her bag and leaned back in her chair. The girls continued chatting, but the atmosphere was quieter now.

They had waited for over forty minutes when the station phone rang. The female officer picked it up and spoke in a hushed tone.

After a few moments, she walked over to the girls with an apologetic expression.

“I’m really sorry, girls. Detective Philip is going to be held up much longer than expected. He’s asked to reschedule the appointment. He’ll contact you personally to fix another time.”

They nodded slowly.

“It’s okay,” Julia said, trying to smile.

“We understand,” Melissa added.

They were disappointed, but in a strange way, Lydia also felt a small wave of relief. She wasn’t ready—not yet. She needed more time.

The girls stood and made their way to the entrance of the station. As they stepped outside, Lydia’s phone rang again.

She checked the screen. Dennis.

She hesitated. Her heart skipped a beat.

Should she pick up?

She hadn’t spoken to him since the fear started growing in her chest. Since the thought that maybe—just maybe—he had something to do with what happened.

But curiosity won.

“Hello?” she answered.

“Hello, is this Miss Lydia?” a voice asked, not Dennis’.

“Yes?”

“This is Dr. Peter from General Memorial Hospital. I’m calling regarding a patient named Dennis. You were the first contact to pick up.”

Lydia’s blood ran cold. “What happened?”

“He’s been in a car accident. He’s stable for now, but we need someone to come in as soon as possible.”

Lydia didn’t respond immediately.

“Hello?”

“I’m coming,” she whispered. “Send me the address.”

The doctor gave her the location.

Lydia hung up and looked at her friends, her face pale.

“Dennis has been in an accident,” she said. “The hospital just called.”

Melissa immediately stepped forward. “What? Is he okay?”

“They said he’s stable, but they need someone to come in.”

Julia was already hailing a cab. “Come on, let’s go now.”

The cab pulled up quickly, and the girls climbed in, giving the driver the address of the hospital.

None of them said much on the way. Each was lost in their thoughts.

And just like that, their day took another sharp turn.