Benedict and reader : Choir Girl

Maria

Hey there's my little hero." I pointed to Patch scampering over to us. Jules knelt down to pet him, "Whose a good little foxy? Jules said and Patch chirped and yipped happily. I looked down at the darling little fox, "Come on Patch, lets go hang out in the woods. You can invite us to your home."
Patch got up and barked, leading us the way.
"I swear, I think he knows what you said." Jules stated following me into the woods to keep up with Patch. He led us deep in the woods and the deeper we went, the more beautiful and enchanted it looked.
The roots from the trees snaked its way into the ground and the sunlight lit up the morning mist that rested on the grounds. We eventually came into a clearing with a creek and tree with an old tire swing tied to it. A tiny little bridge stretched over the water and a small little hole sat in a mound of land. Patch crawled in the hole and gave a little bark, "Oh." I chuckled. "What a lovely little home u have Patchy."
I sat next to him on the ground. Jules decided to try out the swing and the rope gave way with Jules' butt hitting the ground. I burst out laughing, "Haha!"
Patch came over to her, licking her face. "Ah! Patch..." Jules pet him to get him to stop.
"Aw, he's making sure you're okay."
"Good boy." she said petting him. Patch sniffed along the ground and started digging at the base of the tree, barking away."
"Looks like he found some breakfast." I said watching him. Jules looked down at the digging fox, "No I don't think its breakfast." Jules pulled out a piece of old paper, careful not to rip the fragile folds.
She opened it and started reading, each word opening her eyes a bit wider and tearing up, "Oh my God."
I looked at her concerned, "What is it?" I came to her side but she didn't let me see the letter. Jules looked up at me with huge, frightened eyes. "We have to get home. I have to call Uncle Ben."
"What does it say?"
Jules got up and started walking back to the streets to get home. I followed her, "Jules? Wait. What is going on?"
"Please, (y/n). This one...this one doesn't concern you." Jules folded up the paper and started walking. She was starting to scare me now...What was happening. Jules opened the door to the house and headed to the stairs, "Sit down." she demanded. "If I see you upstairs for any reason, I'm kicking you out."
My eyes widened and I sat down on the couch as she went upstairs to call Ben. I sat there silent hearing her argue with Ben over the phone, "I found it in the woods...Why would I joke about something like this?"
What did that letter say? And why was it causing such an uproar? Jules came down and I stood up, "What in the world was that about?"
Jules gave an apologetic look, "I can't tell you."
"No, I don't care about the letter anymore. Why did you talk to me like that?" I asked in a demanding tone. Jules sat down and looked up at me, "I'm sorry, okay. What I read in the letter scared me is all."
"What was so bad in that letter that you had to yell at me?" I asked.
"I cant tell you that...But if Ben wants to explain, he can. That is all I can say before he gets home alright. I'm really sorry but can we just drop it?"
"That letter looked ancient, how does this involve Ben?" I asked concerned. Jules stood up, "(y/n) I cannot tell you anything else. Believe me I want to tell you everything but I cant. Please respect that."
Her words silenced me, "Okay. I will." I sat back down and sighed. I took a nap on the sofa again, seems like I have been sleeping here more than the bed offered to me upstairs. The door opened and I stirred in my sleep but decided to keep my eyes closed as Jules and Ben talked, "Where is it?" he asked.
"Upstairs." Jules replied. I heard the rustling of bags and the light stamping of feet as they walked up.
Ben POV
I laid the bags down on (y/n)'s bed and Jules handed me the letter, I read it, "Benedict, Please do not think that my absence from this world has anything to do with you. You have been the one person that has held me up in this situation but I regret to tell you that I have decided. I love you very much and I thank you for being there when you could. I wish I could stop this urge to give up. I wish I could stop my parents from fighting and blaming me for things...but there are certain things I cannot change. I see that now.
Don't think of this letter when you think of me, think of our secret place. The stream and the bridge we built over it, pretending that the other side was a new world to start over" I smiled in the midst of forcing back the tears from my eyes. "Remember how special we were to each other. Remember me by that.
Maria."
I put a hand to my mouth and glanced at Jules, "Please tell me that letter isn't about you." Jules stated. I looked at her a little saddened, part of me wanted to say no to save her the devastation that would follow. Jules didn't need an answer, she only nodded, "Please tell me about her?" she asked.
I nodded, agreeing that I owed her an explanation, "Sit down, love." I took her hands and sat with her, "Maria was a student of mine. She had family problems and I did my best to help her...you know me, I don't care about my teacher job when it comes to someone hurting.." I trailed off biting back the angry tears fighting to escape. "Her...parents were drunks and they would beat her and scream at her..." Jules laid a comforting hand on my shoulder, "I saw the bruises and the way she flinched at every loud sound in class..."
"And you had to help her...I understand uncle."
"Her parents blamed me for her death, they knew that I was spending time with Maria and that made me a suspect...That is how I lost my last job. Even thought I was cleared the school didn't want any rumors flying around about the death...they ruled it as a suicide." Tears started to overflow my eyes and fall, Jules hugged me close "How did she do it?"
"They said that she ran in front of a car and it hit her head on...They never found the car."
"What kind of car was it?"
"What does it matter now?"
"She hid the letter from you, usually suicidal people let someone know before they go off and end it."
I heard a creak coming from the hallway, I looked to see (y/n) looking in, I gave her a look of defeat. What did she think of me now that she knew. She sat on the other side of me on the bed, "I'm so sorry Ben." those four words were so versatile in my mind, they could lead to heartache or acceptance.
"Anyway, still feel the guilt upon me after all these years. I wish I could've done something..."
(y/n) looked at me with strong compassion, "The only thing you are guilty of, is having a heart full of love."