Please listen to this song above while reading.

Enjoy!

__________

-Past-

❝December 21nd, 2019❞

It was finally the day we'd been waiting for so long. Everything was all set, ready that day for our match. Banners were hanging in the corridor, tickets had been sold in minutes as we announced that the money would be going to the orphanage.

Over all, all the preparations were done.

Just as I was about to step in Max blocked my way, outside the arena gate. The hallway was empty, cleared as students were inside the arena, making it boom with the chants.

"Hey! Aria, umm...thank God I found you here actually I wanted to talk to you," He urged making me frown at his words of choice cause there was nothing we had to talk about.

"We have nothing to talk about Max. So f*ck off before I punch you so hard in the face that you won't recognize yourself."

"I know I know I've been an asshole to you and beth and I apologized to her yesterday but I wanted to apologize to you too. I admit what I did was shameful and I don't deserve forgiveness but still I deeply apologize for that," He mumbled the last part with his mouth turned in straight line.

"What you did is unforgivable Max. Do you have any idea what she went through because of you? What every girl you must have assaulted must be fighting her nightmares and sleepless nights. What you did is pathetic."

"Aria I know that. I don't know what made me do that and I feel awful now. Please I'm trying to start a new life but until and unless you won't forgive me, I wouldn't get through it," He insisted with begging eyes.

I bit my lips and thought deeply before sighed.

"Okay than If beth forgave you than I do too but stay away from us from now on." I warned and opened the door but he shut the door again with his hand making me stumbled back.

"Wait...umm I bought something for you. It's not something big but I can do that right? I'm cheering for you guys today, please accept it. I will take it as a sign that we are on good terms," He smiled ear to ear, passing the ice americano cup my way.

I eyed the cup before raised my head to him. Nothing was unusual but this drink was from Max, Max Michaels. What more could be weird than that?

Declining his treat I shook my head."I can't take-

He sighed deeply and hung his head low.

"Please Aria I'm sorry and I really mean it, please," He begged with pleading eyes so I took it from him as my time was ticking for the match.

Without getting his reply I stepped in but he didn't come in with me. He was gone from there somewhere. That day was so weird. I woke up with headache, I didn't had an appetite, I just couldn't put my finger on it but even the sunlight in my room felt wrong.

My thoughts broke off when my body collided with someone. Beth balanced herself before cutely glared at me. She was beautifully dressed in our team's jersey and a high long ponytail with a wing eyeliner making her look queen of badass.

"God Aria! Where were you? I was looking for you everywhere. Game is about to start and girl we didn't even take a picture together," She gave me those annoyed but obvious eyes.

"Relax we still have five minutes left. I was just here outside-

"Is this ice americano? Oh my God!" She snatched it from my hand before I could stop her, the cup was empty."Ah I was so thirsty."

She gulped and wiped her mouth with the back of her hand.

"Beth that-

"Thanks for that Aria. Now I'm fresh to kick their asses."

"So you bought her this and nothing for me, I've been thirsty too?" Ethan joined feigning a puppy dog pout which made me roll my eyes as I pecked him slightly and in return he kissed the hell out of me, not caring if anyone's watching or not.

Douche bag but my douche bag.

The fact that I'd have never drink that nor I'd have my friends have it. It was just my gut feeling but beth snatched it from me before I could dumped it in the trash.

It wouldn't be something bad.

That was the lie I told myself.

What I didn't know was in some minutes beth would be lying on the rink unmoving. Her pulse were so weak to almost nothing but we still tried our best and rushed her the hospital.

Everyone was there; me, dad, my friends, John & Sofia. We all waited outside impatiently and could hear the panick voices inside the emergency room. All I could feel is,

Fear.

That's what I felt that night. Fear of losing my friend.

After a couple of minutes when doctor came out and sighed while removing his mask, everyone gathered around him to ask him but his expressions were my answer. The answer I never wanted to hear in my life.

"We tried our best but...we couldn't save her. I'm sorry," He stated emotionlessly and gazed down unable to meet ours.

That was it.

Like someone dumped a bucket of cold water over my head. My blood ran cold. I stumbled back until my back hit the wall before slid down helplessly. No matter how many times I tried to sink in with my unsteady breathes, it kept choking me.

Beth was gone. She left us.

Beth was-

No, no she couldn't be.

John grabbed the doctors collars crying his eyes out as Gwen held Sofia who was shocked to the core. Her eyes were wide open with no voice to hear.

"WHAT ARE YOU SAYING, HOW CAN SHE DIE ALL OF A SUDDEN? SHE WAS COMPLETELY FINE!" John fought before helplessly sunk to the floor but dad held him.

My heart was silent. Like there was no pulse. Like I died with her.

"We tried out best but we found strychnine in her body. It's a strong poison to work in minutes. Her pulse was almost to nothing when she was brought here," The words that left doctor's mouth sucked my every breathed away.

Poison?

My mind didn't waste a second before I connected the dots. My blood boiled as if it'd burst out any second. Ethan kneeled there beside John with glistened eyes and let his shoulder to cry on. At this point Sofia almost fainted but Nate pulled her in his arms and took her for checkup with Gwen by his side.

Stress.

Beth was her only sibling, only sister. After beth's mother died, sofia grew up by her sister mostly. They had the most beautiful bond which was so fragile yet so strong in secret ways. Beth was like her mother and she lost her too.

I reluctantly stood up somehow by placing my palm on the wall for support before stumbled backwards and slipped out from there and went around the corner away from this one.

My legs felt dull but I somehow heaved my body away from there.

She couldn't leave me. No, we've been together since we were so young, we learned how to skate. We grew up by each others side. We promised we'd never leave one alone, then how could she leave now?

Cries of more people reached my ear as I cut my dead, swollen blood shot eyes and looked over to see an old couple hugging and crying their heart out. It made me think how incapable, weak and helpless everyone could be in this situation.

Life could be so unexpected in various ways but dead would be sudden. Uninvited. More tears dwelled in my eyes with a storm swirling inside my chest.

The couple looked familiar to me. Squinted my eyes I peeked through the glass. What I saw inside the room that day still gives me chills at night. The horror of the death and pain shrinks my skin.

Grace was lying on bed covered in blood. Her eyes shut closed and two doctors with nurses were cleaning her up for what it looks like surgery. Her whole face was unrecognizable with only red liquid.

That day was the worst day of my life. Muffling a sob I walked out to the main door of the hospital. I needed air even I knew it wouldn't help me breathing.

Nothing would.

That's when I found him.

The Devil.

He stood there probably heard everything cause his expressions were clear of rage but he still stood there shamelessly. I gritted my teeth and marched towards him as more tears streamed out of my eyes.

"YOU BASTARD-

Clamping my mouth with his hands he dragged me out the hospital to dark backyard before anyone could see and held my jaw tightly.

"Listen to me bitch, you say one word and I'll make you see evil in me," He warned deadly. "It was supposed to be you but I don't know how she drank it and you killed her!"

Silence.

So I was right, it was that f*cking drink. A hard angered sob left my mouth as I bit his clamped hand hard that I even taste metal and kicked him in shin and freed myself from his grip.

"YOU ASSHOLE!! HOW CAN YOU DO THAT!" I shouted before attacked with my nails and digged them deeply in his neck. But it didn't take him seconds to throw me hard against the floor.

I stood up with wobbly legs and put my hands on my head, ran them through my hairs, still weeping loud as it was hard to believe.

Beth was gone.

Wiping the blood off his neck with his fingers he cursed before sauntered to me and twisted my arm so my back was against his chest."Yeah I did, I killed her, I assaulted your so called best friend but you and I both know she liked your pussy boyfriend and it was making you hell lot of jealous. Am I wrong miss Aria?"

I paused resisting his hold. It was like he spilled the truth. Yeah beth liked Ethan but Ethan never did more than friends. It was only one sided and it ended before it could mess things between out friendship. It was for a mere time I was jealous of her.

Who wouldn't be?

"You know what Aria. I've had my eyes on you first but your boyfriend never let me taste you. So it was your fault I went for your friend. If only you'd have given me yourself. None of this would have happened," His deep voice made me shut my eyes tight.

It wasn't my fault. It wasn't.

"To be honest I loved how bad ass you act. I knew I never had a thing for weak girls like her but you."

"YOU HARASSED HER, YOU KILLED HER FUCKING RAPIST!! I WON'T SIT STILL. I WON'T-

"Oh really? Well I would love to see you try baby girl but if we think about it who would believe you? Let's see, who was the one who entered that Arena holding that cup. Who gave Beth that poisoned drink? It was You," He whispered in a devilish manner. "The jealous factor will work in my favour Aria williams. Who would believe your truth. No one. Not to add my father is the sheriff of this town."

He snickered as I cried out when he twisted my arm more. It was so dark and abandoned place no one would hear my screams.

I still resisted. His touch made me nauseous and dirty. Pushing me away roughly he stepped back, winked my way before smirked and left the alley.

There were no cameras in the arena. They'd been stop working since so long and it made him take it's advantage. That's why he planned it all but my heart shrank thinking about something.

Ethan.

Would he believe me? Would he help me get justice to beth? He saw me there and beth taking the drink from me and he'd definitely think I-

"No, he'd believe you Aria, he has to," I shook my head to clear my blurry vision with this mantra in my head.

What I never imagined was that night would never end in my life. That time was still passing in me somewhere, making me feel all the guilt all over again.

°°°°°°

--

"Depression and stress, her weak body couldn't take it that much though the hit from the car didn't hurt that much luckily, just a scratch on her forehead," Doctor sighed deeply as he stood outside the room Aria was in.

What made me lost in the deepness of my mind was, what'd be so stressing for her to take such a big step? I had known her all my life and I knew she'd never try doing something this awful. Uncle told me everything on our way and it made my heart pounced inside my chest.

She did it before too? It infuriated me so much that he hid it from me.

'What were you fighting alone wee-one' I thought as I glanced at her fragile body resting on the bed with some pipes connected to her, piercing through her skin.

"When can we take her home?" I asked the doctor without taking my eyes off her.

"She'll be under sedation, it will take some time for her to wake up, nothing to worry about. Just once she wake up, keep her away from whatever is stressing her. Take care," With that doctor gave me a pat on shoulder and disappeared in the corridor.

You're stronger than this wee-one.

The scent of antiseptic was filled in air. My expressions were harder than stones. Whoever did this has to pay. I knew from the updates Uncle gave me that her therapist was helping her from her loss and she was recovering but today proved otherwise.

She was still alone.

Turning around my eyes roamed around on the kids who were constantly praying like a mantra for their friend.

Rachel was standing beside Nate holding his upper arm who had his back against the wall with his eyes closed. Gwen was hugging Leo, completely. Her tear drained face was hidden in Leo's chest who was patting her head while I went and sat there with Uncle after doctor assured us about her condition.

Still he was looking at the door.

"It's late y'all should go home, I'm here. Your parents must be worried." They didn't move an inch from their places and as expected they all shook their heads, making me sigh.

"She'll be fine, I know Aria isn't weak. She's stronger than anyone I have ever known. She'll be fine," Gwen whispered closing her eyes as Leo nodded looking at Rachel and Nate who agreed.

I loved how much they adored their friendship in this time, when even blood related could deceive by stabbing your back. All I wanted was this Ethan guy. Aria told me about him and to be honest I loved how happy she sounded after so long. Whoever he was, surely was the reason of her happy times.

But he wasn't here? We didn't hear from him too. Weird.

I checked my watch again. I had to leave tomorrow at any cost. I took this leave so I could return the next day but this dark fate didn't give me a chance to see those precious diamond eyes of my little wee-one but this nineteen year old, who was there inside, unable to call be her Blakey flakey wasn't my baby sister.

My hands curled in fist and jaw hardened. The night went along with silence outside leaving a mess inside of everyone but not before the warden came and told the kids to leave and after insisting so much they did, declaring they'd come tomorrow. Uncle and I were the only ones who sat under the sealed beam over our heads.

Been in his forties, it was extremely hard for him to see his child fighting for their life. Fighting her fears, nightmares, loneliness.

Who knew this euphoria we were dancing in some hours ago would make this night end with epiphany. A night which wasn't ending, like as time was stuck with it's cruelty but deep down new day would come with rays of hope for sure.

Or I hoped.

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