Calm Before The Storm (A River's Edge Fanfic)

The Aftermath

Me and Matt went to the river after school, as we got to where Jamie's body was, we saw Layne, he was on the ground rocking back and forth. His face has dirt on it, like he's been here all day.

"Layne?" I asked.

His head shot up to look at us, he stood up. He looked so jittery, like he either drank ten cups of coffee this morning or he's suffering substance withdrawal. I never knew Layne as a coffee person, so it's withdrawal, poor guy.

"You...both of you, you broke your promise, you betrayed John, you finked on him, you fucking traitors, I thought we were friends!"

"Layne, calm down, let us explain in a calm matter ok," Matt said.

"How can I be calm!? John's dead, my friend is dead, I have no idea who the fuck shot him, but it's because you betrayed us!"

"You need to calm down or someone's gonna be seriously hurt."

"Are gonna fight each other, as in punching, kicking, blood, bruises, and stuff?"

"Maybe."

I restrained Matt.

"We can't do it in front of Sky, she's been through enough already!" Matt said.

"Then tell her to go as far from us as possible, I don't know if we'll make it out alive."

"Tell her yourself Layne!"

"Guys, neither one of you are gonna fight," I butted in still restraining Matt.

Layne looked at me.

"Sky, could you go somewhere-"

"No Layne, Matt's my boyfriend and you...after what we've been through the past few days, I have mixed feelings about you right now."

Layne had a look on his face that made me wanna give him a big hug, his eyes were glossy like he was about to sob as hard as possible.

"We did the right thing Layne, we did what was right whether or not we lose our friends, you may have thought that keeping it to ourselves was the right thing, you thought you meant well because John was a friend. We reported the body, she was brought back to her family and the funeral is being prepared. John got shot this morning, I have no idea who but it sure as Hell not my fault, or Matt's. Look at you Layne, you're jittery, I bet you ran out of your vice of choice, a vice that nubs your pain, alcohol...joints. Am I right Layne?"

He just stared at me, I continued as I let go of Matt.

"I'm protecting both of you this very moment, it's what friends are supposed to do, look out for each other."

Tears were forming in my eyes.

"It's ok Layne, it's over now, it's all over, we can move on with our lives, continue being friends, we could all go to Portland and live with my dad for as long as we want to, his house s big enough for all of us, it's like a mansion, like we won the lottery or something. It's ok Layne."

Then, he broke, he was sobbing, he ran to the edge of the river.

"Layne-"

I felt a hand on my shoulder.

"Let him go, he'll be ok," Matt said.

I started to cry, Matt hugged me.

"I will be so happy when we all hang out again."

"Me too, let's leave him be."

As we turned around, we saw Tim with a gun, I gasped.

"Tim!"

He took a few steps forward and pointed the gun.

"You shouldn't have hit me."

"Don't be stupid Tim," Matt said.

"You finked on John!"

"I'm your brother, give me the gun."

Matt started walking to his little brother, Tim cocked the gun, Matt stopped.

"Look, I'm sorry I hurt you ok, I was upset, now give me the gun ok."

We all stood in silence for a few seconds.

"Goddamn it Tim, I'm your brother!" Matt yelled.

Tim put the gun down slowly with tears in his eyes, Matt walked to him and calmly took the gun, he gave him a side hug. I walked to them still crying.

"Where did you get the gun?" I asked.

"I stole it from Feck last night."

"Did you actually shoot anyone with it?"

"No. Matt, Skylar, can I confess something?"

"Yeah," Matt said.

"Don't be mad."

"I won't buddy."

"The morning I threw the doll in the river, I saw John with Jamie's naked dead body, he was sitting by her like she was still alive."

"You saw it and you didn't tell me?"

"I'm sorry Matt, I was so scared."

Tim started to cry, Matt gave him a big hug.

"Oh my God Tim, I knew you looked like you saw something disturbing that morning on the way to school, you kept saying you were fine, you should've said something to us," I said.

"I'm sorry Skylar, I should've told you."

I placed my hand on Tim's shoulder.

"It's ok now, it's over."

I turned to Matt.

"I'm gonna go talk to Layne while you comfort Tim."

"Ok."

I walked to Layne at the edge of the river, he was laying on the ground crying in a fetal position. I squat down right behind him.

"Layne...Layne."

He rolled over to looked at me.

"Sky...I...I'm sorry."

"For what? We've all been through a lot, there's really nothing to be sorry about."

"I was such a dick to you last night at the arcade, even after the arcade, I called you a stupid bitch, I kicked you out of my car."

"I forgive you Layne, Matt does too."

"I don't think I can forgive myself."

"Layne, you can forgive yourself, we all make mistakes, we learn from them. I want all of us to be friends again."

"We are friends, you and Matt are dating."

"I know. You were jealous weren't you, you wanted to date me?"

"...Yes," he whispered.

"Me and you are still friends, let's not make what happened change that."

He sat up and held his arms out.

"Stand up," I said.

We both stood up and hugged.

"We're cool ok Layne?"

"Ok."

We continued to hug.