𝙂𝙡𝙞𝙢𝙥𝙨𝙚 𝙤𝙛 𝙃𝙚𝙧 - ᴍᴀx ᴍᴀʏꜰɪᴇʟᴅ

Chapter Twenty-Four: Secrets

After class, Ava was hanging out with the cheerleaders in the hallways, most girls blabbering about the championship game, some about hot boys, but Ava just zoned out and played with her thumbs, leaning on the locker beside her.

Madison close by, taking Ava's hand into hers. Ava saw Max walking past her, the two making eye contact, but Max continued to walk right into the counselors room.

Chrissy walked past the cheerleader group, bringing Ava with her. Chrissy and Ava were probably the closest in that group, well, apart from Ava and Madison.

Chrissy brings Ava into the girls bathroom and shuts the door. Chrissy had teary eyes, and it was obvious she needed to talk to someone. "Hey, is everything alright?" Ava asks, gently grabbing Chrissy's hand.

"I-I think there's something wrong with me." Chrissy admits weakly. "If you need to talk, i'm always here." Ava reassures with a slight smile, "I know, i know. That's why i brought you here actually." Chrissy responds.

Ava nods in response, patiently waiting for the girl to speak. "I'm.. Seeing these weird things.. Like, memories, but they're only bad, and they never end." Chrissy speaks through tears, "And theres this.. Menacing voice, it speaks to me in those.. Nightmares." Chrissy says, squeezing Ava's hand as she speaks.

"And it's like.. A creature, shaped as a human sort of, but just.. Gross looking." Chrissy says. Ava nods, trying not to act confused, but try's to act understanding and comforting. "And it's really.. Really bad nightmares." Chrissy says, sobbing. Ava pulls Chrissy into a gentle hug, the other girl tightly holding Ava.

"It's only nightmares.. Right?" Ava asks softly, letting Chrissy hug her for as long as she wants. "It feels so real." Chrissy says weakly, "And it never stops. It's just the same thing over and over but it gets worse and worse every time." She finishes, sobbing slightly.

"It's okay, i'm here for you, alright?" Ava says, gently stroking the girls hair. "You're a really good friend." Chrissy says, finally breaking the hug. Ava nods, and hears voices outside the bathroom door.

"It's.. It's like you're a ghost or something." Ava hears Lucas say, but doesn't know who he's speaking to yet. "A ghost?" The girl, Max, responds. Why the hell was Lucas talking to Max?

Chrissy then gags and runs over to the stall, throwing up into the toilet. Ava gulps and walks over to her, "Uh.. You alright?" Ava asks, "I-I'm okay." Chrissy says, shutting the stall door. "I'll be out here if you need me." Ava says, gesturing over to the door to leave.

"Please, just, come to the game." Ava hears Lucas say through the door, "Ava would want you there." He continues, "Please. Don't bring Ava into this." Max mumbles, making Ava's heart sink. Did Max seriously hate the girl?

"Good luck." Max says, before waking into the girls bathroom, Ava ran and hid into the stall next to Chrissy. Ava could hear Max breathing shakily, and peeked through the stall crack, looking at the redhead.

Ava could hear pills rattling. She manages to read the bottle through the crack, it was Tylenol. At least it wasn't anything bad. Max took some of the Tylenol, and then Chrissy started gagging and coughing.

"Shit, are you okay, Chrissy?" Ava mumbles, making Max well aware that Ava was in the stall next to Chrissy. Chrissy just retches, throwing up in the toilet. "Hey, are you alright?" Max asks, ignoring Ava's presence.