Just A Thought

29

VALERI

I stare down at my shaky hands. The room is silent. Alex and Zach are sitting on either side of me, my brother on my right and Zach on my left. They're both reading the letters I left them.

Will they believe me? Will they think I'm making it all up?

I guess Alex finishes reading it first because he puts the paper down and wraps my body with his arms. He doesn't say anything, he just simply pulls me into his embrace.

"I'm so sorry, Val." He kisses my forehead and hugs me again.

It looks like Zachary came to an end as well because he stares at me over Alex's shoulder. But I can't look at him. The tears are threatening to fall down my cheeks because of how unfair it was what happened to me. I didn't deserve it. No one does.

Alex pulls away and sits back. I stare at my hands not wanting to meet their eyes. I'm ashamed of what happened to me. They're probably disgusted too.

"I'm sorry." I whisper.

"Don't be sorry, Valeri. You've done nothing wrong, okay?"

"I hurt you." I look at Zach.

"It's okay. You didn't have a choice." He pulls me onto his chest. I close my eyes and breathe in.

"I don't think I can make it." I mutter but they both hear me.

"We'll help you, okay?" Zach kisses my forehead. Then he looks up and nods at Alex.

My brother stands up to leave the room. "Where are you going?"

"I want to talk to you." Zach responds.

Its only us two now.

"You don't remember, do you?"

I sit up and curiously look at him. "Remember what?"

Context?

"How do I tell you this?" He sighs. "You had a friend when you were younger back at home. The one named Zachary."

Huh? How the hell does he know that?

Except if...

"Yeah?"

I need him to confirm it.

"He taught you how to swim." He whispers.

I can see his face clearly now. I can see a boy in it. The one I knew a few years ago.

The fuck?

ZACHARY

Valeri's arms are suddenly around my neck and her body on mine. I hug her waist and pull her closer. She sobs in my shoulder and I kiss her cheek.

"Why didn't you tell me?" She asks. Her face still buried in the crook of my neck.

"You were doing great when you came here and I didn't want to bring you back in the past." I whisper.

"Maybe none of this would happen if you told me in the beginning." She says quietly.

"I know, gorgeous, and I will regret it for the rest of my life. I wanted the best for you and I fucked up."

"It's not your fault." She sighs. "I don't blame you."

"Why did you leave?" I hear her asking.

"I had to. I'm sorry, but you know how it is with my parents. They came here because of Cade."

She sits up straight. "Cade?" Her voice shakes.