Alissa

TONIGHT, THEY GRIEVE

If Holly's message wasn't enough, HEL responds. A grey text bubble pops below her message with a link to the local news website—The Telluride Journal. Alissa lifts her head, almost automatically when she sees 'Marshall Sterling' written in blue, between various numbers and arithmetic signs. Her eyes appalled, she looks at Kevin. Unaware that the news article is about his father, he nods his head, gesturing her to tap on it.

She sucks in her breath as she presses the blue link, the phone's screen switching to the browser.

'Marshall Sterling Arrested at His Estate for Money Laundering. Sources Say His Son Has Fled with a Large Sum of Money.'

Everybody moves out, opening the circle that had gathered to read the message. Alissa quietly hands the phone to Kevin. Derek steps closer, putting his arm across his shoulder, trying to console him before he even breaks down. Without a sound, Kevin slides his arm off of him, as he goes to the other side of the stage and lowers himself against the wall. He's awfully quiet, Alissa thinks. The calm before the storm. Phone clenched in one hand, he moves his other across his face, pulling his knees up to his chest.

"I think you should go talk to him," Derek whispers to Alissa, his voice rough and almost reluctant. As if he had to put his ego aside to speak to her.

Alissa approaches Kevin, sliding down right beside him as she slowly puts her hand on his.

"You know," she says, carefully, her voice soft and compassionate. "You can talk to me, right?"

Kevin looks up at Alissa, his brown eyes glistening as they start to redden. His lips tremble as he begins to speak but then he chokes.

"Hey," she places her hand on the side of his face. She can feel his entire body shivering as if it's about to explode. "You were saying something."

Alissa can barely get herself to speak. The sight of the boy shattering right in front of her, is forming a lump in her throat. The boy who has led the entire team, stood up for her multiple times, is breaking right in front of her. And there's nothing she can do to take his pain away. She can, however, she reminds herself, stay strong for him. He needs someone to hold him and tell him that everything will be alright just like he's done for her. She needs to stay strong for him.

"They've...they've—" he hiccups. Teardrops steadily move down his face, falling off of his sharp chin.

"I know you're hurting Kevin," she swallows, "and I really wish I could do something about it. Maybe I can't, but I'm here; by your side and I always will." Kevin, this is the first time she has ever taken his name, a name that hasn't meant anything for her before, has made a pulse run across her spine. Kevin, a boy who she hadn't seen until a few hours ago; her heart is crying for him tonight.

"They arrested my father," he finally breaks down. His cry echos the hall, bouncing off the walls and making their way back to Alissa, piercing her heart. He sinks his face in her chest as she wraps her arms around his head. She kisses the back of his head, then rests her chin against it, her eyes closed. She can feel the warm tears wanting to escape under her eyelids. Finally, they slowly start seeping their way out. Pulling him closer, she whispers a prayer in latin, as he wraps his hands around her.

Tonight, they grieve.

Before their tears even dried, Alissa's phone rings again. Kevin jerks his hand back, dropping her phone as if the phone sent a shockwave through his veins. Pulling back from her embrace—though it killed him on the inside—he scrambles back to his feet, picking the phone up as he stretches his hand towards Alissa. He pulls her up, passing the phone to her.