Arabella Graham liked to think of herself as a calm person. Someone who would rather remain silent that encourage any violence or arguments. She didn't like those, no matter who it was between and always tried her best to be the voice of reason betw...
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A SHOCK BURNED UNDER MAX'S SKIN ON THE DRIVE TO THE CEMETERY, not exactly uncomfortable but giving a similar feel to pins and needles that would not fade away. With the coldness seeping through her body, filling the cracks that were growing with the year of Bella's disappearance, she happened to like the shock in her hand, providing a warmth she had long forgotten. One she knew would always come back though.
"Turn here."
"Here?" Max stayed silent to Dustin's question and Steve complied, turning the corner leading to the cemetery where she was planning on reading the last letter aloud since she could no longer give it to the person to who it was addressed.
Max left the car as soon as Steve parked, slamming the door shut as she held the letter between her fingers, careful to not crease it. "Max?" She stopped walking, turning around to see Lucas cautiously making his way toward her. She hadn't even heard him leave the car. She sighed as he kept on walking, doing the same.
"Lucas, please, just wait in the car."
"Max, just wait." She kept on walking. He kept on following. "Max, please."
Max spun around to face him, exhaling heavily. She couldn't explain it if asked but it hurt her that it was Lucas who followed behind her and not Bella who, while looking back at the car, was watching through the window. "Lucas, just wait―"
"Just listen to me," Lucas interrupted and Max looked away from Bella, looking up at him instead. "I know something happened with your mom. Was it Vecna?"
"I told you, I'm fine. Okay?" Max wasn't sure when she lied more than she told the truth. The look of disbelief she got from Lucas made her sigh. "I mean, as fine as someone who's hurtling towards a gruesome death can be."
"Max..." She didn't like the pity he was watching her with. She was getting tired of being pitied. "You know you can talk to me. Right?"
"Yeah, I know that."
"Okay, then why do you keep pushing me away?" Max didn't answer, her tongue pressed to her inner cheek as her eyes flickered to the letter in her hands, avoiding Lucas' gaze the same way she did every session with Ms Kelly. "Okay, look, I don't need a letter. I don't want a letter. Just talk to me. To your friends. We're right here. I'm right here. Okay? I'm here." Max didn't like the pain and desperation in his voice. She didn't think she deserved it.
"Bella is here." Max finally looked up from the letter, meeting his gaze. His voice was strained when saying her name, the same way it had been all year whenever he tried to talk about Bella but could never go more than three lines without breaking down until he stopped bringing her up. Bella once told Max she didn't have a favourite among the boys when Max had asked, that she loved them all and couldn't pick one from them, but Max believed she was closest with Lucas even if she didn't admit it. That she loved him most. That belief was solidified when a tear rolled down his cheek from just one mention of her name. "She's here. If you don't want to talk to me, talk to her because she's here. She's here, Max."
