teardrops || nathan prescott

senior year, pt. 2

friday, october 11th, 2013

you were standing in the cemetery with max, joyce, david, principal wells, and a handful of other blackwell students. the sun was shining, but it was anything but warm. you never thought you'd be standing in front of chloe's coffin. this couldn't be real, and yet, it was. the tears streaming down numerous faces, yours included, were very much real.

once the ceremony finished, you said your final words to chloe's body, nodded at david, hugged max and joyce, and took your leave. you knew they'd need their time alone, and you didn't want to intrude.

after discovering nathan had shot chloe, he'd been taken in for questioning. whatever he said had prompted the police to arrest mark jefferson, and once you heard about everything he'd done, you were disgusted. part of you was shocked at nathan for his role in the deaths of rachel and chloe, but you were mostly angry and horrified that someone so many of you trusted could do such a vicious thing, and without remorse.

jefferson had been sentenced to life as there had been enough evidence to indict him for his crimes, but nathan's fate was still to be determined. they'd found rachel's body in the junkyard, and he had confessed his part in her death. and as he had shot and killed chloe, you had a feeling he would be behind bars for a while, though his lawyer was trying to plead mental instability and coercion in jefferson's plot. for his sake, you hoped he would get proper help without the influence of his deadbeat father and jefferson. for rachel and chloe's sakes, you hoped they got justice.

the rest of the day was sombre. you sat in your room for a good part of it with the window open. you were huddled on top of your desk as you smoked a cigarette. you didn't know what you were supposed to do now. chloe was dead. nathan would be going to his preliminary hearing soon.

you didn't call up max because you wanted to give her some more space, especially after the funeral. but you needed to be with someone or else you'd lose your mind. you dialled dana's number instead, hoping she'd be around.

"hey, how are you doing?" she asked.

"i'm...not really sure."

"do you want to come over? we don't have to talk about anything, but it might be nice to have some company."

"you read my mind. but are you sure that's okay?"

"yeah, of course! let me know when you're on your way."

"thanks. give me ten minutes and i'll be over."

you finished your cigarette and put the butt in your tin. you left the window ajar and grabbed a few belongings before leaving your room.

in the hallway, you saw kate, and you were suddenly walking towards her as if you were magnets. "hey," you said. now that you were here, you didn't know what to say.

"oh. hi."

"look..." you began, trying to find something. anything. "i'm sorry about everything that happened to you." it didn't feel like enough.

"it wasn't your fault." she tried to step around you.

"kate, hold on. i'm glad you've had max around. she's been there for you when no one else has. i feel bad about never doing more to reach out. regardless of whose idea any of this was, nathan still took part in it, and he hurt you. i know it probably doesn't mean much coming from me, and nothing we say will make it go away, but i'm truly sorry."

she gave you a long, hard stare. "do you want to know the reason why i never answered you? why i avoided you?" you nodded, though you were afraid of what she might say. "it was because you were associated with him. and the vortex club as a whole. they tormented me, and you didn't do anything about it. max was the only one who cared. after nathan drugged and kidnapped me, after those awful photos of me were taken, you didn't say or do a thing!"