𝗦𝗢𝗨𝗟𝗠𝗔𝗧𝗘𝗦 ᵐᵃˣ ᵐᵃʸᶠⁱᵉˡᵈ

xxxᴠɪɪ. ᴀʟᴏɴᴇ

The girl walked towards the middle and sat onto the shingles with another sob escaping her mouth as she twisted Savannah's ring around her finger. "Please." She whispered, pulling her legs to her chest. "Savannah, please!" She tugged on her hair as she yelled.

She didn't know what was happening. She was sad, angry, confused, frustrated, annoyed. Every emotion. Viola wanted this feeling to stop, to go away and never come back. But it only got stronger. "Stop." She whispered, tucking her head away as Robin climbed onto the roof. Viola shook her head as Robin tried to wrap an arm around her.

The Buckley girl just stayed quiet and sat there with Viola, waiting until she was ready to talk or even look at Robin. Steve climbed up after and sat on the other side of Viola, staying quiet.

'It couldn't have been true. She didn't die. It's not true.' Viola shook her head as she thought. "Stop." She croaked. Robin looked over at her worried.

'She's gone. For good. Suck it up.'

They sat there for the rest of the night until Viola cried herself to sleep on the roof, it had been a challenge getting a half-asleep Viola off the roof without getting hurt, but they managed to get her in her bed.

Robin walked into Savannah's room, collapsing onto her bed with a soft cry. "Savannah told me to give you this." Steve spoke up suddenly. The Buckley girl sat up again as Steve handed her the tree ring Savannah gave him.

Robin held back tears as she put the ring onto her finger, adjusting the size. "God, I always told her I loved this ring." She whispered as Steve sat besides her. "She never let me wear it though. Always said "They have too much emotional value, J don't want someone to ruin them."" Robin laughed as she imitated her best friend.

"I remember the day she walked into class and sat down next to me, we instantly clicked." She told Steve. "Like we were meant to be. Meant to meet." Robin said softly.

"Platonic soulmates if you will."

•••

JASPER STOOD IN FRONT of a quart room full of people, getting ready to lie her ass off for her own safety.

Even thought she's said so many lies before, this lie was going to hurt to say, but she had to be able to live freely. If this was the only resolution, so be it.

Jasper walked up onto the podium and took a big breath. "I did not kill Chrissy." She started. "I didn't lay my hands on her, I wasn't there when she died." Jasper lied. "My friend Savannah," Her voice cracked, "who sadly passed away in the earthquake yesterday, drove me home that night. I walked in and Chrissy, she was there.." The Munson girl quickly wiped a tear away from her face. "dead."

Her father, Wayne, sat in the crowd watching the scene unfold. "Eddie killed Chrissy, yes. It had been an accident but he told me not to tell anyone for his own safety and for mine." She lied once more. "But he didn't kill Fred or Patrick, I was with him during those events. It was not him." This was the first non-lie of the evening.

"You can believe me if you want, or not. But I did not kill anyone. I am no murder." Her voice was strong and determined. "I am only a girl who would like to like the rest of her life in peace, and not be on the run." Jasper eye'd every person in the room. "I shouldn't be hunted down for a crime I didn't commit."

Her eyes gave up and tears flowed from them. "And I do hope those who have died rest peacefully, for they didn't deserve what happened to them." Jasper played with the hem of her shirt. "Thank you for your time." With that she walked off the podium.

Now all she had to do was wait.

•••

THE PIZZA VAN DROVE past millions of cars which were driving the opposite way, leaving Hawkins.