"Chaos' payment"
[Author's POV]
"Olivia, I just don't think we should call him." Dennis said, "I mean, Sonya will tear him apart."
"They must know everything about the kid, right?" Andy asked, "And we don't."
"Lainie did rescue herself, but that's--"
"Somehow, I'm not concerned about a mother knowing her son's secrets." Olivia interrupted and got herself a seat, "That tends not to be the case these days, it seems, with mothers."
"Liv." Andy called her.
"Our daughter... I mean, she... becomes a woman, and we missed it? And Vanessa got herself in a toxic relationship and we didn't even notice? I don't get it, but I don't think I wanna--"
"But is this the right response? We put another kid on the stand and hope for the best?"
"There's a reason why we kept him off the list and try the better shot with Vanessa." Dennis clarified.
"Clay was devastated when Hannah died, okay? He was in love with her. He thought she was perfect. The jury needs to hear that."
"All right, we'll have to prep him tonight."
"Go ahead and fill out the paperwork. I'll talk to him first."
[...]
[Vanessa Baker's POV]
"I don't know, Tatiana." I sighed, trying to focus on the little chat I was having with my friend.
"How come you don't know?" She asked.
"That lawyer messed with my mind and turned every single one of my words to clown shit."
"And what did your lawyer say?"
"Nothing."
"How about that shitty school you go to?"
"I need to hand over the real papers later, maybe tomorrow."
"And what about M.S.A?"
At this point, I knew I fucked up everything. I acknowledged the fact that I might never belong in Liberty High. At this point, did I ever belong there? I don't have the strength to face reality. Plus, my parents don't have enough money to invest in sending me back to Europe.
"I don't know." I finally answered.
"You don't know? Why?"
"I wanna go back to Moldova but--"
"There are no but's!" Tatiana screamed, with her thick accent and demanding voice. Thank God I was in my phone and not in front of her.
"Of course there are!" I argued.
"Tell me one reasonable reason why you would want to stay in that shithole."
Zach Dempsey. Clay Jensen. Jessica Davis. Alex Standall...
"Nothing, forget it." I sighed, "I gotta go, Tati. My mom's done with her meeting."
"I'll talk to Mrs. Monteanu, then. See you soon." She hung up and I sighed again.
I needed I timeout. I have to get away and grab some coffee, then go to school. Take a deep breath, meditate, and hopefully come out clean. This is way out of hand.
"Mom!" I screamed while opening the door and walking down the stairs.
"Yes, honey?" She asked.
"I'm going out to Monet's and come back real quick."
"Remember to be safe, sweetheart!" She smiled and I left.
Walking to Monet's was a really good trail to work out. The cars were passing by, but one got my eye. It was a black van, which was basically going in a really low speed. I started to jog and cross the path, redirecting my route to school, but it was late. I tried to run as fast as I could, but the black van caught up with me. Some guys got out of it and chased me for a few blocks until they grabbed me.
"Let go of me!" I tried to get away from them, until I noticed a tattoo on her wrists.
"I told you that your hours were counted, darling," I recognized that voice instantly.
"Let go of me, Flynn!" I screamed, but they threw me into the car. They sped up and Flynn came up to me.
"You are such a little bitch!" He began to pull my hair, dragging me everywhere and kicking me in the abdomen, "You cost me months in that stupid jail!"
"Let go of me, please!" I begged him.
"I told you that you would pay dearly, Vanessa," he said with each kick, "And I hope your dead sister accepts you in hell."
He hit me in the face as hard as he could and I tripped in the empty van's floor. I felt the blood spurt from my lip, but that did not stop the beating they were giving me. The car stopped and another man got into the compartment. Between the two of them they began to beat me more and more. I'd fall to the hard floor of the car, but they would pick me up with my hair and keep hitting me. And I couldn't defend myself in any way. Little by little my strength was lost and I fainted for a moment. I couldn't feel my body and, with what little energy I had left, I tried to regain any possible breath.
"I forgot to tell you," he tried to say with a very strange accent, "Give my thanks to Montgomery, he was the one who told me where you were."
How had it gotten to this point?
"Stop it, Flynn!" I screamed and began to cry.
"Shut up!" And with one blow he knocked me out.
When I opened my eyes, I was standing in a white area, where there was only light and things of the same color. I couldn't tell if it was heaven or a madhouse, but a shadow began to become more and more visible. It was a girl, with short curly hair and a long white dress. Hannah ...
"I didn't know you would come in such a short time, Nessa," she blurted out.
"Hannah..." I ran towards her, but she was stuck in a kind of invisible box, "Hannah, what's going on?"
"You're dying," she replied, "You shouldn't be here, sissy..."
"How do you know?"
"It's not your time, Nessa. Not yet, at least."
"Hannah, I'm so sorry. I didn't want this to happen. Why didn't you ever tell me?"
"I did, but you didn't figure it out in time," she said and I started to feel as if someone was scratching my legs with a knife. Blood began to flow from between my legs and I lifted my skirt a little.
"Enjoy hell." I uttered and began to feel my body as if it were spaghetti. "Hannah, what is happening to me?"
"They've found you," she answered, "You have to be strong for me, sister. Be strong for both of us, okay?"
"I can't," I cried, "Hannah, I can't even be happy right now."
"If you can, I know Zach will help you," she approached. "Be happy with him, Vanessa." Just ... give it a try."
And disappeared.
"Hannah? Banana?" I looked desperately everywhere, but there was only white, "Hannah!"
[...]
[Two days later]
[Author's POV]
The atmosphere now at Liberty High was chaos. No one had found Vanessa Baker anywhere since she was seen reaching the school's premises. Jessica, Alex and Zach were looking for her like crazy, even knowing that all three were part of the girl's web of lies. Clay kept looking for her on the streets until he crossed the Baker Street, where they continued to go to court, believing that their daughter had escaped to think. But it wasn't like that, not that day.
A black van had thrown her unconscious daughter in front of her house, causing the loud, desperate cry of her mother. Coincidentally she was leaving her home to go to her business. He yelled for Jackie and she came out. They called 9-1-1 and arrived almost immediately. Meanwhile at school, Zach and Clay were in class. Neither spoke until they heard the director's voice over the communicator.
"Dear students..." he said, "We know that some have been dismayed by the sudden disappearance of a member of our student body, Miss Vanessa... Baker..."
"It's also difficult for him to accept it, " someone from the class said "The hottest chick in school turned out to be the suicidal girl's sister."
"Shut your mouth or I'll beat you up, Reed," Zach growled.
"We regret to inform you that a few hours ago our beloved cheerleader was found ... unconscious, at the door of your house. They inform us that she's in serious conditions at the hospital and they will be informed of her condition."
Zach didn't hesitate long to rush out of class, stuff in hand, to his car and drive to the hospital. He bequeathed and ran to reception.
"I'm here for Vanessa Baker, is she here?" He asked nervously.
"Vanessa Baker?" He searched.
"Yes, Vanessa Baker. V-A-N-E-S..."
"Zach?" Olivia called him, who was as emaciated as the first time she was in that hospital.
"Mrs. Baker..." the boy said, "How's Vanessa?"
"They took her out of intensive care, thank heaven, "she answered and the boy exhaled the knot of air that had crossed, "But she still hasn't awakened."
"Can I see her?" He asked.
"We are waiting in her room, come," she started walking and they entered the living room, where Andrew, her father, and Jackie were.
"Oh my gosh," he sighed as he looked at her.
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A little bit of drama (or karma to others)...
Consider this your very, very late holiday gift lol