Negative Space (Calum Hood A.U.)

Chapter 43 - Who Set the Fire?

Calum's POV

"What do you mean you helped her? L-like you help burn the house down?" I was in total surprise. He knew all along. Better yet, he was an accomplice.

Eric looked frustrated. He rubbed his face with his hands before speaking, "I know, I'm terrible for keeping this from you guys and for actually helping her but desperate times call for desperate measures, right? Elliot was out of control. I had to do something."

He told us before that he tried telling the cops about their situation but since he was only a kid, they didn't believe him.

"How'd you do it?" I had to ask.

Maya kept hearing her sister scream from the but what can she do? Her father's right there and one move to the door will get her caught.

"Will you shut the fuck up?!" Elliot yelled at Malia, sick of hearing her whines and cries as he chugged another bottle of alcohol down his throat.

Maya had lost it. She knew she and her sister won't be able to leave their father anytime soon so she had to find a way, so a few weeks ago, she approached her bestfriend, Eric.

Eric didn't agree to what she wanted to happen, saying that it's mental but he knew exactly why she wants to do it. He thought there was any other way, but there wasn't.

The chubby kid went to the police that day after hearing screams from the Johanssen household. He couldn't take it anymore. However, him being only a kid, the police didn't believe him so he took matters in his own hands.

Maya's eyes lit up upon seeing the discarded cellphone about three feet away from her. Her father didn't seem to notice so she slowly moved her legs to reach it.

After a couple of tries, she finally got the phone and saw the text from Eric himself.

Eric J: What do you need me to do?

"I went to their house and when I knocked, Elliot was the one who greeted me. I said I was just dropping off some books for the twins like I always do and when he was too preoccupied by me, Maya snuck into his things and got his lighter." So Maya did start the fire. I was close to believing it was an accident because how can a 12-year old girl even think of doing that?

Wait. "There wasn't a lighter found in the house. That couldn't have been the reason of fire. Didn't they say it was a neglected candle and a gas leakage?"

Eric became pale, "Uh that's because I took the evidence. I told Maya to throw out the lighter after and she did. I found it by the bushes. I did what I did and I saw what I saw. I felt so guilty, I stayed inside my house the whole night, hearing those cries, those screams outside. It broke my heart."

Maybe he was scared which is why he didn't say anything, I'd be scared shitless, too.

"I didn't know it would go that far. Maya said she had it all planned. After that, I blamed myself. The reason I lost weight was not because of diet, but because I wouldn't eat. I was so guilty, my conscience was eating me alive." I hated Eric. Yes, we were friends, but more like frenemies. I didn't know he was feeling this way. Most probably why he acted that way.

"I only acted jerk to you so that you would hate me for being that not because of the fire." Yup. I was right. But there's no point in hiding now.

I sighed and looked up at Eric. "You did what you had to do. I don't blame you for that, we were kids." I moved a little closer and patted him on his shoulder.

Eric sat up straight and wiped the tears that started to fall from his eyes. He's not an emotional guy, especially after the fire. He's a tough one but sometimes tough people break.