[DISCONTINUED] ❝Ante Mortem❞ 【Sally Face】

【li ; a few thoughts】

【Author's Note : I didn't have that much modules for this week that I managed to finish the harder ones pretty fast :00 so I took a break and decided to type the next chapter! Hope y'all enjoy!!】

It took a while for the others to calm down.

Well, Gab was the first to do so, he's currently breathing heavily as Liam silently cries on his shoulder.

"Where to start," He says, his voice bitter. You flinch from his tone, causing him to look apologetic, "I didn't mean to sound.. I'm just-"

"Gab, it's alright, you don't need to explain." You tell him, smiling kindly. He gives you a doubting look, before nodding and continuing.

"I mentioned it one time that I'm scared of open water, like.. at the beach or the ocean, either of those," He explains, staring down at the table. You could see his eyes becoming glassy with tears, but he doesn't really acknowledge it, "I was really young back then, but we were at Spain.. and we went swimming.."

He didn't really need to explain what happened next, by the way he seemed to be trembling had all of you worried. He smiles, however, saying, "It was traumatising, sure, but.. I'm alright now. I just don't like the beach."

"I'm really sorry, I didn't mean to see that." You whisper, not wanting to speak louder in fear that you might just start sobbing. Sal rubs circles into your shoulder, trying to comfort you as much as he can in the situation.

"You don't need to apologise, Y/N." Liam says, now having recovered from crying so much. He takes a deep breath, chuckling shakily as he exhales, "My dad hates me, and he tried to suffocate me with dirt. The shittiest memory of my life."

You all sort of react to him cursing, and he only smiles apologetically, "It wasn't intentional."

"You gotta start cursing more, dude, you sound cool." Larry says, trying to lighten up the mood. It works, with the few of you chuckling about it. You glance at Mina, who seems to be staring off into space. Her eyebrows are furrowed together as if she were in deep thought.

Selene whimpers, looking so small despite her being one of the tallest of the group. Ashley had been the one comforting her, running her fingers through the albino's soft hair.

"I don't re-remember much, but I remember being burned a-at stake," She says, tearing up as she starts to tremble, "It hurt my feet so much.. I remember just.. le-letting loose.."

She couldn't continue as she just bursts into tears, hiding her face into her sleeves.

"Oh poor deary, what happened to the lot of you?"

Out the kitchen door comes Mrs. Brean, frowning as she walks over to the group, "Did something happen? Is it school?"

You all glance at each other, not knowing how to respond.

"Or is it about poor ol' Mrs. Packerton? I passed by Rosenburg's a while ago and I heard the horrid news!" She comes over, refilling the glasses on your table, "I won't be lingering, I must be bothering you."

"Oh no, it's fine, m'am." Liam says, smiling kindly. "It's a shame she died.."

"If you were to ask me, I was never fond of the woman myself," Mrs. Brean chuckles, "Call me rude, but something is just so fishy about them church goers! Too much worshipping, I guess. Bah! Never really believed in those religions thingamajig. Anyway, you kids enjoy your evening, I'll head back."

"D-Do you need my help?" Selene calls out, only for the old lady to wave her hand passively and head back into the kitchen.

The woman's intervention seems to have sobered most of you up, since the tears have stopped leaking and instead you all were looking at each other with suspicion in your eyes.