Scars

Chapter 28

I trace the rim of my mug, my thoughts wandering to the Sarah and how things ended with her.

I think of her laugh, her quirky attitude and her liveliness. And then the incident... The accident. I remember her scream that gets cut off, the blood on and around her, drops of it splashed on me. I remember the odd angle her torso had bent, the lifeless blue eyes that had stared at me as I stood there in shock.

And then my mind goes to Abby.

Her shy smiles, her nerdy personality and her mindful, knowledge filled talks. Followed by the look of absolute horror when I told her about Kane's death being through my hands.

I force my brain to stop right there.

I can't bring myself to think about the worst, not ready to accept it as I look at my phone again, hoping to get a call from Ryker that denies all my fears.

"Stop looking at your phone every five minutes Princess. He will call as soon as he can." Jayden speaks from next to me, rubbing my back in hope of giving me comfort.

"It's eight Jay! How much mo-"

I get cut off by my phone, Ryker's name flashing on the screen. I immediately pick it, putting it on speaker before finally speaking.

"Ry?"

"Alright. So from what she has told me, they had talked to the secretary in HMO about two days ago about getting a meeting for her cousin. They got a call yesterday that they can come today to talk personally."

"They had met with the College Head and other HODs for an hour meeting today. Then they did the whole official paper work and then because the counsellor was absent they got some psychology professor to get Camille's councelli-"

I cut him off, "Which professor?"

I hear him sigh in annoyance, "Ash, I have been asking her about her fucking movement today as subtly as I can, trying to get to you her every moment today but she is getting suspicious now an-"

He gets interrupted again, but this time it is not me who does it. It's Abby as she speaks, probably not even realizing we can hear her.

"So this was it Ryker?"

She sounds hurt, sad and disappointed. But mostly hurt as she continues bitterly.

"You ask me to come out with you, and like the stupid, dumb little girl I put on a dress and hurry behind you. The dress that you complimented me once a few months ago on."

"Abby, I didn't. I never wanted to-"

Ryker sounds genuinely upset while I look up to see Jayden already looking at me with the same thoughts going through our minds.

Ryker must've unknowingly used her feelings for him and Abby hearing his words must be heartbroken.

"Don't Ryker. Obviously you didn't want to hurt me, after all I am the baby of the group so how can I get anything but a shielded and guarded life. You all, each and every one of you try to shelter me, forgetting I am as old as you all."

Her words come out angry, yet I can hear the tears in it.

I try to speak, "Abb-"

But she cuts me off as well, laughing bitterly, "Don't you start Ashlyn. You lived with me, you knew me, hell you knew what I felt for Ryker. Yet here we are. You know what, I am done."