ATOMS (THE SOCIETY)

xv . the peculiar case of jasper beckett

chapter fifteen.  🥀 episode three.
the peculiar case of jasper beckett

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JULY 28 . ' SUMMER  ' — 07 : 23
* trigger warning: death, sadness *

Phoebe's hopes were high. Having been adopted as a baby and being raised by two loving parents, the first sixteen years of her life were fairly normal, the kind of petulant mundanity that had her boiling with anger. Phoebe wanted adventure, she wanted something new and interesting to happen every day. It seemed that she hadn't been careful with what she wished for. Everyday Phoebe begged whoever would listen that something interesting would happen, something that could define her, something that she could revel in. Then Jasper's incident happened. It was why she always blames herself for his death. There wasn't anything she wouldn't do to be able to reverse it. She could've done some other very real stuff too, like told him not to drive so late, to sleep more. There was nothing she could do now, all she knows is that whatever answer she may find will do nothing to alleviate the guilt that has been consuming her heart.

These thoughts were all raging in her mind, along with ten thousand other questions as she sat in the office chair in front of a desk that previously belonged to Edward Keswick, as the silver nameplate informed her. Phoebe wasn't overly familiar with the Keswicks, Edward Keswick the second or Ted as he preferred to be called, was in the year above Jasper and had played on the football team with him. The second eldest out of the Keswick children, Victoria was in Jasper's year and had once worked on a science project with him. She and Jasper were the only one who looked like they cared out of all the Keswicks during Jasper's funeral. The youngest, Beatrice Keswick was West Ham's rebel without a cause. Phoebe only ever talked to Betty when she was selling cookies for a charity and Betty Kez just happened to be the one that opened the door. And surprisingly, Betty Kez had been quiet since their arrival at New Ham.

"Found anything?" Grizz asked as he stepped into the room.

"Nope." Phoebe shook her head. She closed the file she was reading and sat up, leaning her elbows on the mahogany desk of West Ham's sheriff. "You?"

"Only that Mrs. Wilson sued Rosalie for overpriced soft serve ice cream." Grizz informed her, a small laugh falling from his lips as he sat on one of the armchairs in front of the desk.

Phoebe joined in with a laugh of her own. "Oh man, I miss Rosalie's ice cream. I do agree with Mrs. Wilson, five bucks seems a bit much for soft serve ice cream."

"All this ice cream talk is making me crave ice cream." Grizz said, patting his stomach. "I would do anything for a scoop of salted caramel right now."