Burned By The Pages

Chapter thirteen: A crime and A suicide

FLASHBACK: NIGHT OF APRIL 25th - Danielle's birthday party

"Tim, what's wrong?"
She asked when he was done taking the call.

He didn't look back at her but his face still showed a sense of burden and impatience.

"It's the admin.  Something was posted in our website..."
he explained as he kept his eyes down on the floor.
"under our Org's name."
He finished.

"Wait. What? What was posted?"
Danielle asked. "is it serious?"

"It's gone viral. It's already getting lots of hate comments, Tim." Nancy interrupted. She put down her tablet on the table then swept back her wavy red hear. "That's it. Our org might have to shut down." she continued as she crossed her arms.

"Aren't we given the right to decide on what to do with our website?"
Jake cut in. He laughed before sipping on a glass in his hands. 
Nancy looked at him with annoyance.

"There are restrictions, dumbass. Promoting suicide is not our prerogative."
She emphasized in a sarcastic tone as she rolled her eyes.

"What? Is it some sort of a suicide story?"
Danielle asked. Her voice was unsteady. She gulped then turned her head towards the direction where Tracy was standing at.

"It seems like it but it's not entirely a story. More like a suicide note."
Tim said as he raised his head to look at Danielle.

"Then take it down!"
Jake enthused. His tone was trying to piss of Nancy.

"It's not gonna be easy. Even if we take it down, the school's gonna have to take actions. Our organization may really have to shut down."
Tim said. When he saw Tracy waving at Danielle, He interrupted Nancy from giving more complaints.
"Look, guys. We can figure this out tomorrow. It's Danielle's day today." He ended optimistically.

Before he could walk past them, Nancy walked out first and went to talk to Tracy.  She was pissed. Tim noticed but ignored it. He didn't want to make it a big deal yet, it can't ruin Danielle's celebration. He just knew the celebration was important for Danielle.

After an hour, Danielle went looking for Tracy until she found her crying in the balcony at the fourth floor.

"Trace, What's wrong?"
she inquired as she held Tracy's hands.

Tracy raised her head and wore a serious face. She suddenly shoved Danielle and wiped out the tears flooding in her eyes.
She looked miserable.
Danielle was gob smacked.

"You let him near you when you knew I could get hurt..."
Tracy was choking on her words.
"I can't believe you could do this, Elle. I trusted you!" She cried.

Danielle was speechless. Words won't come out of her mouth. She felt guilty even when she's really not.

"Tracy, calm down! Please. If this is about Jake, you don't have to worry. There is nothing going on between us, Trace. Nothing."
She assured as she tried to keep her voice calm.

The cold breeze of the wind started howling. Tracy's messy hair kept blowing across her face.

"Stop lying!" 
She yelled as she threw the wine glass she was holding to the floor.

It made a disturbing sound as it shattered. Danielle felt fear and sadness growing strong in her.

"I'm not lying, Trace! I can't and I would never! Please just... stay away from there."

Danielle started moving towards Tracy who was now leaning on the edge of the balcony. She seemed drunk but her mind was sober enough to counter Danielle's words.

"Nancy told me. No, she showed me!"
Tracy tried to keep her balance as she ran her hand across her head.
"I saw photos of Jake holding your hands, Elle." She added. She was now gripping her hair as she let out tears.

Danielle was dumbfounded. She tried to recall if that really happened and remembered the time when Jake talked to her, days prior to her birthday. It was true that he held her hands that time but it was unintentional and somewhat forceful. He was asking Danielle for an advice to let Tracy understand him more because they kept arguing over unnecessary issues. But that time, Jake must've gone beyond the line. Nothing happened after that as Danielle gave him a piece of her mind. She thought it was all Jake's fault.

"No, no, no, Trace. Listen to me. That was nothing. He was just..."
Danielle trailed off when Tracy cut her off.

"Stop it. I don't wanna hear anymore! I'm so tired of this, Elle."
Tracy said as she shook her head. "All of this!"
She looked at Danielle then started climbing up the balustrade.

"Trace! Please, stop! I beg you! Please, please."
Danielle cried. Her knees weakened and she could no longer move. She didn't know what to say or do.

The wind wailed at them as it blew the leaves from the large tree in front of the Mansion.

"You know, it feels better. Standing here, I can feel nothing but the cold embrace of the wind."
Tracy's voice sounded calmer but in Danielle's mind, she was rather out of her mind.

"Elle, it's calling out to me."
She turned her head towards Danielle who was now curled up on the floor, she was not moving but her eyes were pooling with tears.

"Trace, stop! Don't do this! I'll stay away from Jake or you or from anyone! Just don't..."
Danielle cried. Before she could bring herself to stand up, Tracy said her final words.

"Thank you, Elle, and I'm sorry." she uttered then jumped off.

It all happened so fast that Danielle ran to grab her and didn't even feel the shattered glasses on the floor piercing through her feet. But it was too late. Tracy was gone, forever.

"No!"
Danielle cried and didn't look down. She could not.

Nancy suddenly came into the room, she screamed when she saw blood splattered on the floor. She approached Danielle then looked down from the balcony to the ground floor. The others downstairs were already in commotion and the girls were screaming as they witnessed Tracy's body lying dead on the ground.

Everything happened so fast. The cops came, and when Danielle's family, her mom, came, it appeared that that night ended as if nothing has happened. It was a suicide, and no one was held responsible. Not even Danielle.

*******

AUTHOR'S NOTE:

So that's what happened one year ago.
A few questions:
Who do you think posted the suicide note? Is Nancy involved?
Do you think Danielle's mom has something to do with the incident being cleared off easily as a suicide?
Tell me your thoughts in the comment section and Don't forget to vote as well if you liked the chapter!❤ tysm for reading!