Loose Change~ Montgomery De La Cruz / Zach Dempsey/Scott Reed

Part 3 Chapter 13b

tw: mentions of abuse, mentions of rape, mentions of parental abuse

"Why the fuck are you crying this time, O?"

Ophelia's head snapped up at the voice. It was harsh and sudden.

Her eyes focused immediately on the sight in front of her. The sight that should have been impossible.

Montgomery De La Cruz sitting on her bed.

Ophelia stood to her feet immediately. Her body now in shock. He was there. He was sitting right in front of her. Ophelia turned her head just once, just to look around the rest of the room. And then, when she looked back, he was gone.

The bed was empty. No trace of anyone being in the room in days.

Ophelia fell back to her spot on the floor.

He looked so vivid, and so real. She could see his taunting smile, his clear eyes.

He looked exactly the same as before he was arrested, before he went to prison and the light left his eyes.

It was terrifying how real he looked. How could her mind trick her into seeing something so real? Just like the day Montgomery died, and Ophelia swore she saw him outside.

Yeah. She must have been going crazy.

A few days passed.

She went back to school. She didn't have any more hallucinations. But that didn't mean she was feeling any better.

In fact, the more time that went by, the worse she felt. Because everyone seemed to be getting better, and she just stayed the same.

Grieving. Lost. Unwanted.

Ophelia was living the next few days beyond confused.

Estella hadn't returned to school. Ophelia wished she had. She was the only person who grieved like her. Of course Montgomery's friends were sad, but they didn't hold the same internal crisis as Ophelia.

She knew the real evil he was, his friends wouldn't be able to comprehend it if they tried.

They still thought Montgomery was not the person who killed Bryce. Ophelia didn't bother correcting them. They could believe what they wanted if it helped them grieve. Again, Ophelia was the one forced to know the entire truth.

Montgomery hurt her. And then he told Bryce. And then he killed Bryce.

There would always be a shame in Ophelia, and a guilt. Not only did she feel partially responsible for her own assault, she now knew it was her fault Bryce was dead as well.

She could do so much harm. She didn't even mean to.

Montgomery was buried two days after his funeral. Ophelia hadn't gone to the grave sight, she didn't feel comfortable. She wanted to at least once. Hopefully.

It was hard enough just visiting Hannah's grave.

School seemed harder. But only when it came to grades. Socially, it was so much easier.

No one was there to bother her.

No one messed with her. No one teased her.

Montgomery had always been the one to go out of his way to find her, to talk to her, to make her angry. Now he didn't.

She was left alone.

And being left alone never felt lonely until now.

Ophelia received condolences from friends at Hillcrest.