𝗨𝗚𝗟𝗬 // 𝗦𝘁𝗲𝘃𝗲 𝗛𝗮𝗿𝗿𝗶𝗻𝗴𝘁𝗼𝗻

041

It's almost morning, snoring running through the basement as the group stays asleep, my eyes tired and body drained as I watch max continue to scribble.
I spent most of the night scrubbing blood from my nose and cupids bow, staring in the mirror and contemplating what I could've done to deserve a massive target on my back.

I was afraid to fall asleep, afraid that in my dreams the other symptoms will arise.

I find my ears drawn to that scribbling in the corner as I lift myself off of my uncomfortable position on the couch to walk towards max, who is still hunched over and deadly focused.
"Whatcha writing?" I smile down at her, but her head doesn't move from her current position, "letters," she mumbles, "for after I'm gone." She says it so casually, but something in her voice strains like she's screaming for help.

I notice she's written one for all of us, labelled them with our names and stacked them neatly into the corner of the desk. Curiosity fills me, I barely know the girl, what on earth could she have to say about me?
So I decide to tease her to lighten the mood, "well what does mine say?"

She scoffs lightly at me, "that's not the point of the letter Ruby White." I didn't even know she knew my last name, but I chuckle lightly anyways at how her shoulders seem to loosen at my teasing, she's feeling better.

"Well, hopefully you won't have to send them, so might as well get all sentimental and tell me now huh!" I poke the side of her cheek lightly and she brushes me off, I don't actually wish to know, and I think she knows that, but it's something to laugh about right now.

However, instead of laughing she becomes silent all of a sudden and continues writing. After a while i figure it's a lost cause and begin to walk away, stopping in my tracks when I hear a muttered, "I'm sorry."

I look over once more, "why?"

She doesn't make eye contact, simply stays staring at the parchment, despite not writing anymore, "I'm not stupid Ruby," her words are sharp, but her tone is soft, "I know every single one of my brothers victims."

Oh.

I never expected to have this conversation with her, let alone for her to know my past history with Billy.

"I don't fully know what happened between you two, but I'm sorry, sorry for how he treated you. How he treated everyone."
I try to speak but I find myself mute.

Why does this poor girl have to carry a dead man's burden?

Why should she apologise to a victim who wasn't even her own?

She coughs awkwardly and starts to write again, "anyways that's basically what the letter says.." she rolls her eyes playfully, "since you wanted to know so bad."

I acknowledge her attempt to make light of the situation, finding it sadly ironic she feels she has to when I was just trying a moment ago. So I laugh along, "hey, do you want a grilled cheese?"

Max finally meets my eye, raising a brow in confusion.

"No use facing certain death on an empty stomach."

The ginger girl stifles a laugh and nods, clearly appreciating my casual approach to the situation. "Yeh I could eat."

****

"Max?!" Lucas's voice echoes through the house as they come storming up the basement stairs, Steve's own following behind him as he shouts, "Ruby?!"

The pair stop in their tracks at the site of us, sat on the dining room table eating the rest of our grilled cheeses.
"You- you made food?" Steve is comedically shocked, chest breathing up and down as if calming his panic, "YOU MADE FOOD?"