Life Is Strange: After The Storm (Chasefield)(Discontinued)

5

I walk with Abigail through the woods with almost clear skies of blue and pink. The weekend has been pretty great with David, he's like an uncle now and really wants me to be safe from any teacher in my school. He's now the security chief their which I'm glad about. The woods were a mix of clothed and unclothed trees, pine being the common type. The air smelled great, better than the seaside air. The breeze was gentle and when I look to Abigail I noticed her hair was going to poke her left eye out. Being the considerate friend I am, I brush that strand behind her ear. She smiles to me before nudging my arm.

"You go on these walks often?" I ask. "More than you think. Sometimes with Val. Bet you've never done this before. I don't see a rich girl like you appreciating life." I chuckle slightly and shrug. "Yeah, you're right. But I appreciate it now. I've got a great friend, parents are giving me the right attention, and I'm living in a place that I'm starting to feel comfortable in." I reply with a smile. The birds fly around and chirp with joy and squirrels jump from tree to tree. Rabbits hop away from us and I assume any other wildlife does. Meaning no good photo with my phone which sucks.

"Who's the great friend?" She asks. "You, stupid." I say, giggling like a tween. "Totally. You're a great friend too, Tori. Just sucks that Val's blinded by jealously. I mean, I don't even find you anywhere near attractive. I mean, I do. You're beautiful but I don't find you attractive in that way." She's nervous now, probably trying not to offend me. "Thanks, Misty. That was a nice save too." I reply. "How's the band doing? Any gigs coming up?" She asks. "Yeah, actually. One at the end of this month. We still need to come up with my nickname to hide my real name. Security reasons and I don't want people seeing my face either." I reply.

"Hey, Victoria!" Val calls from ahead, causing the two of use to look at her and her two goombas. "Come on, what now?" I whisper. "You thought I was done with you? Huh? Got that security freak of yours to protect you in school. He won't stop watching me everywhere I go! I can't even have a cigarette without him calling me a fucking drug addict or something!" She shoves me aggressively but I don't fall. "It's not his fault he's like that, he's a paranoid veteran. You are aware of what else went down in Arcadia, right? The missing students of Blackwell?" I ask anxiously.

"I don't give a shit about your dead ass friends, bitch. I want him to stop being a creep in school so I can beat the shit out of you in front of everyone. Embarrass you that way and so your parents can see what their scared ass whore of a daughter really looks like." She says, shoving me again with a single hand. "Come on, Val. Stop it already. You're drunk. Leave her alone." Abigail says, trying to step between us, only Val wouldn't allow it. "Stay out of this, Abby. This is between me and this whore of a friend you have." She says sternly. "If anyone's a whore here it's you because I'm still a damn virgin." I shove her back, causing her to snap her eyes to mine and with a heavy sounding crack, I was on the floor holding my jaw.

"Victoria!" Abigail exclaimed. I rise to my feet but thrown against a board that housed a map of the trails. "I'm not a fucking whore!" She yells as she beats me again. "Stop! Please, I've done nothing to you!" I cry as I try shielding myself but she was smart enough to attack my belly, being quick enough to shove my weak arms down and throw two jabs to my face. "Stop it, Valerie! Stop it!" Abigail tries yanking her away from me but gets hurt in the process and even restrained by the other two. "Please stop!" I had no choice but to try fighting back or at least try pushing her away, slapping my left hand onto her cheek and gripping it.

I was then blinded by a burning white light that lasted a split second and I was somewhere warm, reeking with alcohol of all kinds, glass being thrown about the place like no tomorrow. Another flash and I was now being beaten by an older man who looked drunk and in a blind rage. I scream and beg him to stop but it's not my voice. He screams abuse while a woman tries with all her might to throw him off me. Another flash later and I was in a quite room, a different man on top of me with his hand around my wrists held above me. I'm crying quietly and the noises were a little more muffled but I hear rattling of something small. After a longer lasting white light, I'm back in the woods with the others. Valerie shoves me away, now looking incredibly frightened and about to stumble back.

It was now quiet and we're all looking confused. "The fuck did you do to me?" She asks quietly, voice shaking and eyes watering. I just stare not knowing what I did. "Did you... I..." She looks to her hands before returning to me, now crying quietly. "No one was meant to know." She says as she takes a step back. "Val, you good?" The guy on Abigail's left asks. It wasn't me being hurt in that memory. They weren't people I know. So... Was it her parents? Shit, that's why she's so aggressive all the time. Should I speak out about it? "You stay the fuck away from me." She shakes her head and begins to march off in tears. The back pain spiked again, this time it was worse, literally forcing me on my hands and knees. "Come on, dude. Let's get outta here." A guy says.

"Victoria, are you okay?!" Abigail frantically scans my body with her hands before gently taking me in her arms. I groan in pain while trying to control my breathing. The comfort I got from Abigail helped, though. "I'm fine... I swear." I reply. "Don't lie to me, Victoria. God, what is her fucking deal?" The redhead helps me to my feet and we begin to leave this area for good. "I can't believe you just take it like that. Why?" She asks. "I don't know. Maybe I just don't want to hurt anyone anymore."

If only I could fight back and win with a single hit or stare. If only she knew what happened in Arcadia to all those victims of Jefferson's psycho Photography. Later in the night, Abigail and I lay in bed, she's got her back to me while I stare at the ceiling thinking about her. I hate to think about it but I think I'm falling for her. I don't want to but I am and it's a scary thought. What if the media finds out? What if my parents don't accept me and her parents are the same? "Is something on your mind?" She asks, looking to me when I turn my gaze to hers. I didn't even notice she turned to me. "I- a lot is. Why?" I ask quietly. "It's two in the morning and you didn't sleep last night... Wanna tell me what you're thinking about?" She asks softly, shifting closer leaving only a small gap between us.

The light shower on the window makes this so much more relaxing but more depressing at the same time. However, it gives me confidence that her soothing voice only added to. "Sick trauma from Arcadia. The dark room, the suicide, the storm... But there's one good thing that equally weighs them all." I reply quietly. "And what would that be?" She asks. I gaze into her dimly lit eyes for a moment and cracked the smallest smile. "You." I whispered before taking a deep breath. Her brows narrow slightly and her eyes leave mine. "What's the Dark Room?" She asks. "Is the change of subject a rejection?" I ask with a sore growing voice.

"No, I'm being serious here. Dark rooms are for Photography, how are they able to cause trauma?" She asks, looking back into my eyes. I sigh and frown, not saying a word about it. She has no right to know right now. I can't say anything about it without crying, I don't want to wake the others. "Okay, fine. Just tell me soon, okay? About the rejection... I'm not rejecting." I look to her and suck in my lips, allowing a few tears to escape before pulling the heavy weight back in. "So, what? You like me too in that way?" I ask. She nods shortly as she got close enough to peck my cheek, this causes me to blush heavily.

"I've had these feelings growing for you since we met but... I sorta just clicked with you and now I don't want you to leave me. And I've been scared to open up to my parents for the past four years because I don't know what they'll do if I tell them. Like how I feared telling you. It's not something I'm proud of, Victoria." She takes my hands, eyes off mine again. "I'll be there when you tell them and if they hate, I can buy a house for us both. We can live there and be happy together but I'm sure they'll accept you... So what title do you want to give us?" I ask hesitantly. "We're girlfriends, silly. What else? I love you, Tori."

She leans in and presses her lips against mine and keeps them there for as long as she could last before slowly pulling out of it. I don't think I've ever felt so alive just from a kiss but it's her kiss after all. "I love you too, Misty. Maybe I'll be able to sleep now." I joke lightly as she snuggled up to me. "Maybe... You make a great pillow for me, though. Goodnight, Victoria. Sweet dreams." She says softly. So, I'm no longer single and I managed to open up to someone I love, something I've never done before. Crushes I've done, but loves have been impossible... Well, I've only ever had one and now they're gone thanks to Jefferson. I'd love to capture him in a moment of innocence and fear then drug him to death. Sick fuck will pay for what he did.