Chapter 20: The Scandal That Killed Lulu

 

Lulu was tired. She had been feeling stressed and overwhelmed for weeks. One night, she decided to go to the club to clear her mind and have some fun. The music was loud. People were dancing. Lulu stood by the bar, just trying to relax. That’s when a handsome man walked up to her. He smiled and started talking to her. He was charming and funny. They flirted for a while, and he offered to buy her a drink. Lulu accepted. After a few minutes, she told him she was going to the toilet. While she was gone, the man quickly spiked her drink. When she came back, she sipped her drink without knowing anything was wrong. Soon, things became blurry. Her head felt heavy. The man helped her outside and told her he would take her home. But instead, he took her to his fancy penthouse apartment. That night, he made a sex tape with Lulu while she was intoxicated.

The next morning, Lulu woke up alone in a strange room. Her head was spinning, and her clothes were messy. On the table next to the bed, there was a note. It said: “Thanks for last night. I had fun.” Lulu panicked. She searched the apartment, calling out, but the man was gone. The place was empty. Shaking with fear, she called her brother and gave him the address. He came quickly and took her home. Lulu didn’t tell anyone else what had happened. She felt ashamed and scared. But that afternoon, things got worse. The sex tape was uploaded online. It spread quickly. People at work and former class mate saw it. It was on social media. Everyone was talking about it. Lulu couldn’t take the pain. She felt broken and humiliated. That same night, she ended her life. Later, the truth came out. The man from the club hadn’t met Lulu by accident. He was sent by Themba. This was part of his revenge. And Lulu paid the price. Zinhle, Amogelang, Kea, and Bonolo were all sitting in silence when the message came through. It was from Lulu’s brother. His voice was broken, full of pain. He simply said, “Lulu is gone. She took her own life.” The girls were frozen. No one said a word for a while. The air around them felt cold and heavy. Kea started crying. “This can’t be real,” she whispered. Zinhle stood up suddenly. “This is not a coincidence,” she said, her voice shaking. “Our stalker set Lulu up. And now… we’re next.” Fear filled the room. They all knew what she meant. The messages, the threats, the countdown clock, and now… Lulu’s death. It couldn’t be random. Someone was playing a cruel and dangerous game.

They agreed to attend Lulu’s funeral together. It was planned for the weekend. Her family was heartbroken. Her father didn’t speak much. His eyes were filled with quiet rage. At the funeral, something strange happened. As they stood near Lulu’s coffin, they felt someone watching them. Every time they turned, they saw a man standing far behind the crowd. He wore a black cap, and his face was hard to see. But each time they looked, he quickly turned away or disappeared behind a tree or building. Amogelang whispered, “He’s following us.” “He’s here,” Bonolo said softly. “He’s watching every move we make.” They left the funeral feeling more afraid than before.