LEARNING TO FORGIVE YOU

15.

["May we meet again."]

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A loud bang echoed through the air, and seconds later, Chris and Alicia came running up to the scene. "MOM!" Chris yelled when he saw Liza lying on the ground with a bullet hole through her head.

"WHAT DID YOU DO?" Chris shouted at Alex, who sat next to the dead woman with her head in her hands. "Chris, I—I'm so sorry." she said, looking up at the crying boy. "I had to, she was bit."

"I had no choice, you have to believe me." Alex said, tears rolling down her face as she switched her attention to Alicia.

"I know." the brunette said, kneeling down beside the older girl, hugging her tight, letting Alex cry in her arms, while Chris hugged his mother's lifeless body.

After a few minutes, Alicia spoke up. "C'mon, let's give him some space." she said to Alex, referring to Chris, who was still sobbing as he caressed his mom's hair.

Alex nodded before she and Alicia stood up. "I'm really sorry." she said to Chris before they headed back to Strand's house.

"I wanna go to sleep." Alex said when they were close to the villa. "In my own house." She added. Alicia nodded in understanding helping the girl walk to her gouse.

Once they reached the gate, Alex sighed deeply, her hands still shaking before she finally typed in he code. When the gate opened, she nervously stepped inside her breath slightly shaking.

"I wanna go to sleep." Alex said when they were close to the villa. "In my own house." she added. Alicia nodded in understanding, helping the girl walk to her house.

Once they reached the gate, Alex sighed deeply, her hands still shaking as she finally typed in the code. When the gate opened, she nervously stepped inside, her breath slightly trembling.

Alicia gently closed the gate, trying not to move Alex too much, before reaching down to grab the spare key under the doormat when the older girl told her to. She then handed the key to Alex, who quickly unlocked the door, gulping hard before hesitantly taking a step inside.

"Wow." she breathed out with a relieved smile. "It's just how I left it."

"This place is amazing." Alicia said, full of admiration, looking around with amazement. "This is really yours?"

Alex nodded in confirmation with a small smirk when she looked slightly down at the younger girl. She heard the younger girl ask where her bedroom was, so Alex pointed towards a door upstairs, to which they quickly started walking.

Soon the light-skinned girl was opening the door to her old bedroom. When they entered the room, Alex quickly released herself from Alicia's hold and walked to her closet, pulling of th ripped and bloody shirt, winching as she stretched her woud when she pulled he fabric over her head. She then grabbed a fresh shirt and walked to the bathroom, Alicia following right behind her.

Soon, the light-skinned girl was opening the door to her old bedroom. When they entered the room, Alex quickly released herself from Alicia's hold and walked to her closet, pulling off the ripped and bloody shirt, wincing as she stretched her wound when she pulled the fabric over her head. She then grabbed a fresh shirt and walked to the bathroom, Alicia following right behind her.

Alex stepped into the bathroom, her hand trembling slightly as she reached for the first aid kit on the counter. Alicia stood by the doorway, watching her with concern and a hint of something else. The room was filled with the soft hum of the overhead light and the scent of antiseptic.