The Broken Ones

Chapter Twenty-Three

"So have you talked to Johnny?" Frankie asked curiously as she and Valeriana sat together in the library.

Valeriana shook her head. "Sadly no," she told Frankie. "I have tried talking to him but he keeps avoiding me."

Frankie placed a comforting hand on the girl shoulder. "It will be alright," Frankie informed the girl. "He will come around."

"How can you sound so sure?" Valeriana asked hopelessly.

Frankie shrugged. "It's easier to get through the get through the day when you smile and convince yourself that everything is going to be alright."

"Frankie!" A voice yelled.

Frankie turned towards the direction of the sound. "Oh hey Elliot!" she yelled back as she waved.

Elliot walked towards the two. "Who's your friend?" he asked.

"Elliot this is Valeriana, Valeriana this is Elliot," Frankie introduced them.

"N-nice t-to m-m-meet y-you," Valeriana uttered.

Elliot turned back to look at Frankie. "I saw that you are Facebook friends with Jonathon Singhe."

"Johnny?" Frankie asked. "He and I are close."

"H-how d-do y-you kno-know John-Johnny?" Valeriana asked.

"We went to school together," Elliot acknowledged. "He had quite the reputation."

"What are you talking about?" Frankie demanded.

"Jonathon joined the school in year nine and there was a rumour that went around school that he slept with a teacher at his old school." Elliot informed them.

"That is the most stupid thing I have ever heard in my life," Frankie replied. "There is no way that is true. Don't you agree Valeriana?" The quiet girl didn't answer. Frankie turned to face her. "Valeriana, you can't seriously think that is true."

"Y-you n-never k-know," Valeriana commented.

"Valeriana, it is just some stupid high school rumour." Frankie reminded her.

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"Johnny!" Valeriana screamed out as she run after the boy.

"What do you want?" Johnny asked. He had stopped walking and turn to look at the girl.

Valeriana stopped once she was beside him. "Why are you avoiding me?" she asked.

"You wouldn't understand," Johnny told her as he refused to look her in the eye.

"Try me," Valeriana said firmly.

"It doesn't matter," Johnny reassured her.

"If it doesn't matter why won't you tell me?" Valeriana asked as she pressed for more answers.

"Just stay out of it Valeriana," Johnny told her.

"I meet on of the people you used to go to school with," Valeriana told him.

Johnny turned pale. "Who?" he asked.

"Does it matter?" Valeriana questioned him.

"Who did you meet Valeriana?" Johnny asked again.

"Elliot," Valeriana replied.

"Did he say anything to you about me?" Johnny asked nervously.

"He told Frankie and me about a rumour that spend around your high school," Valeriana told him. Johnny looked down at his feet. "You know what I'm talking about? Don't you?" Valeriana asked. Johnny didn't answer. He just kept his eyes down. "Is it true?"

Johnny shook his head. "It's not true," he mumbled, just loud enough for Valeriana to make out the words.

"What would make Elliot think it was real?" Valeriana questioned.

"Stop," Johnny said firmly as he looked up to face her. "Please stop!"

"Johnny."

"No! Stop!" Johnny yelled. "Just stay out of things you don't understand." He turned around from Valeriana and run away.

"Johnny!" Valeriana screamed after him but it was too late. He was too far away

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Alesia walked slowly into the church. Four years later and St Francis' Church was still able to leave her speechless. She walked down the aisle her left arm brushing against the pews as she pushed them. Alesia looked around as she walked, from the large stain glass windows, to the statues of religious figures.

There may have not been a mass happening but the church was far from empty.

Alesia stopped when she reached the alter. She bowed towards it before moving into the large open room on her left. She kept walking until she reached the candles. The lit candles had been attached to a wire frame. The frame had five selves. When the candles burned out their wax will fall into the basin below and another candle would take their place.

She had known what the candles were immediately the first time she saw them. They were memorial candles.

Alesia picked up three unlit candles before looking back at the wire frame. The last time she was here she had only lit one candle.

Alesia lift the first candle. She used one of the candles in the frame to light it. She searched for a stop along the wire that had not be filled. She found a gap on the third row. "Maya Khalsa," she said out loud as she placed the candle down. "I know that we have be taunted to believe that people that commit suicide go to hell but I hope you have taken mercy on Maya. She was a troubled and broken spirited little girl. I hope she is in your care."

Alesia took the second candle. She used the candle she had lit for Maya to light it. "Grace Todd," Alesia said as she put it down on the wire. "She had a hard life. She was angry and bitter. I hope she has found peace with you."

Alesia took her final candle. As before she used Maya's candle to light this candle as well. "Mackenzie Floros," she said as she placed it down. "My twin sister, a child in your care forever."