The Broken Ones

Chapter Twenty-Six

"So how did your essay go?' Alesia asked

"Good," Valeriana told her. "Is it too cheesy that the do over I choose was not to kiss Johnny?"

"Considering what has happened in the last week between you two, not at all," Alesia pointed out. "So how are things now?"

"Awkward," Valeriana answered truthfully. "I try not to think about it."

"Have you talked to him about it at least?" Alesia asked.

Valeriana nodded. "He just wants to be friends."

"I'm sorry," Alesia told her.

"Don't be," Valeriana told her. "There's nothing to be sorry about."

"That kind of is," Alesia reminded her. "I honestly thought he liked you, and that's why I kept pushing you to make a move."

"Can we talk about something other than my failed love life?" Valeriana asked.

"Next essay?" Alesia asked.

"Yep that works," Valeriana said.

Alesia opened up her laptop as Valeriana looked over her shoulders to see the screen. Alesia's previous essay was still open. A name stood out to Valeriana.

"Who is Maya?' she asked Alesia.

"Just someone I used to know," Alesia answer as she quickly closed the word document.

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Valeriana fiddled with a sheet music. She had come to her music school for some extra practice. Valeriana had wanted to get away from the distractions of home so she booked a room. She set the music sheets on the piano stand. Once she had finished with the sheets, Valeriana rested her fingers on the keys of the piano and started to play. Her hands moved effortlessly across the piano. It didn't take Valeriana long to get lost in playing.

The door to the music room opened causing Valeriana to leave her trance-like state.

"Oh my god I'm so sorry," Renate told her, from where she stood by the door. "I didn't want you to stop playing I just wanted to see who it was."

"See I told you, they would want to be disturbed," Jude pointed out. He stood awkwardly next to Renate.

Renate glared at her boyfriend before turning back to Valeriana. "Your music sounded beautiful, and we are going to leave now so you can get back to it," Renate informed her as she began to shut the door.

"R-renate wait-t," Valeriana called out as she quickly rose to her feet. "W-who is-s M-maya?"

Renate froze suddenly. "Where did you hear that name?" she asked softly. The girl stared at the open door like it was an impressive piece of artwork.

"Renate," Jude said comforting as he rested his a hand of the girl's shoulder. Renate pushed his hand away.

"It-t was-s in an essay-y t-that-t Al-Alesia w-wrote," Valeriana explained.

Renate looked about from the door to the girl. "Remember how I told you that because of Angelica a lot of people got hurt."

Valeriana nodded. "D-did M-maya get-t hurt-t?" she asked.

"Maya died," Renate told her. "Because of what we did to her, she killed herself."

"Oh," Valeriana mumbled. She didn't know what to say.

Renate wiped away a tear that fell from her left eye. "I wish I could go back and change what happened but I can't."

"Renate," Jude said. "It isn't your fault."

"I let it happen, Jude," Renate reminded him. "Maya was your friend. Why don't you hate me?" Renate didn't wait for an answer. She left the room quickly, leaving Jude and Valeriana alone.

"I'm sorry," Valeriana told him. "I didn't mean to upset her."

"It's not your fault," Jude told her. "What was Alesia's essay about?"

"If you could have a re-do what would it be and why?" Valeriana said as she repeated the question. "What happen to her? Why did she commit suicide?"

"A lot of things happened," Jude told Valeriana. "A lot of horrible things."

"L-like what?" Valeriana asked.

"It's a long story," Jude said.

"I have t-time," Valeriana told him firmly.

Jude walked over to her and sat beside her on the piano stool. "When Angelica first stopped being friends with Amelia and Katarina, Maya was one of her new friends," Jude explained. "After a while, Maya got cold feet and left the group. After that, she became friends with Aiden, Jonah, Blake, and me." As Jude told the story, he refused to look at Valeriana. "Angelica never forgave Maya for walking away. She treated her like crap. Eventually, it got too much for Maya, and she killed herself."

"Poor thing," Valeriana mumbled.

"She was an amazing person," Jude told Valeriana, using the same expressionless tone he always spoke in. "She was kind and intelligent. She always looked out for those who ask."

"Y-you must miss h-her," Valeriana commented.

Jude nodded. Still not looking at Valeriana. That in itself wasn't that unusual. Jude rarely made eye contact. "I do, I miss her a lot."

"What does Alesia have to do with this?' Valeriana asked.

"Alesia and Maya were best friends before Angelica came along," Jude explained. "Alesia stuck around in Angelica's group of friends after Maya left. Alesia was one of the people that tormented Maya. I guess she never forgave herself for that."

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"Alesia, can I talk you?" Valeriana asked Alesia as the two left their philosophy seminar together.

"Sure, what do you want to talk about?" Alesia asked.

"I know who Maya is," Valeriana told Alesia.

Alesia stopped walking and turned to her friend. "How?"

"I asked Jude and Renate," Valeriana explained. "What happened to her wasn't your fault."

"No," Alesia mumbled as she shook her head. "That is where you were wrong. It is my fault. It is all my fault."

"No, it's not," Valeriana reassured her. "It is not your fault."

"I saw her the night she died, Valeriana," Alesia admitted. "She came to me because she wanted to see if I would talk her out of it." Alesia voice broke on the last sentence as she began to cry.

Valeriana rose up onto the tips of her toes and hugged Alesia. "It is still not your fault," Valeriana repeated. "She was sick and wasn't getting the help that she needed."

"I should have known that she was sick," Alesia told Valeriana. "I loved her. She was like my sister and I couldn't save her. I couldn't save Maya, or Grace."

"It wasn't your job to save her, Alesia," Valeriana told me. "What happened to Maya was tragic, but it isn't your fault."

"Then why does it feel like it is?" Alesia asked.