[[ NOTE: I'm slowly editing through this story. In case you come across something that has change, that is why. :) Depending on the direction, the story line in previous chapters may change some, as well! ]]
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Maria helped Raina onto her bed, gently. "Can I get you anything else Rae?" She asked Raina, her voice trembling slightly, finding it difficult to keep her emotions back. Raina looked out of the window in a daze, barely shaking her head in response. Maria felt the sting sensation at the back of her eyes. Blinking back the tears, Maria simply smiled at her little sister. "Just call for me, if you need anything," Maria stated while staring at Raina before closing the door.
"How is she?" Yasmin asked, her voice wavering and brows wrinkling with worry. Maria shook her head and rubbed her arms, mindlessly. Skylar rested his hands on her shoulders, giving it a squeeze and offering a smile. "You look exhausted, Mar. Please get some rest. I promise we'll take care of everything while you are sleeping," Maria nodded, reluctantly, but was very grateful for having great friends. Even though she was much older than them, she has always seen them as family, her younger siblings. "Thank you, Sky," with a smile, Maria headed up the stairs to her room. Meanwhile, Adriel rose from the couch. "I'll make us dinner," he said, then disappeared through the kitchen. Skylar glanced over to Niko sitting at the bay window, whom is looking outside.
"Niko…We need to talk abou—," Niko's head snapped toward Skylar with his brows furrowed. "There's nothing left to say, Sky!" He snapped, taking Skylar by surprise. Yasmin looked between her brother and Niko, nervously, hoping a fight wouldn't break out. Niko and her brother rarely saw eye to eye; however, it was never this intense. Skylar's jaw clenched and his hand balled into a fist. Taking a few deep breaths, his body began to relax. "I don't know what happened before we got there…" he trailed off. "But we are just trying to understand why she was so upset," Skylar explained, his voice very low, which could barely be heard. Niko sighed, dropping his head in defeat. He slowly looked up at the twins with eyes shimmering with tears.
Skylar understood, this has been very difficult for Niko, due to the close bond he and Raina shared. And Niko wasn't the type to show vulnerability to anyone. Skylar had always felt jealous of the friendship between Niko and Raina, even when they were younger. Compared to himself, Skylar, was never that close with Raina, no matter how much he wished for a deeper relationship with her. However, he could never open up—to the girl whose stolen his heart so many years ago. Loving her from a distance, staying very close but felt so far, was the best he could he could do. It's a contradicting way to love someone…but it's the only thing Skylar has known his entire life. "You didn't see the pain in her eyes," Niko whispered softly. "Hearing her cry out in complete despair…" he trailed off. "It felt like my heart was breaking, as the sadness in her eyes consuming her every being." Skylar swallowed, his throat suddenly felt dry.
Yasmin's lips trembled then tears began to fall from her eyes. She sank into the couch and covered her mouth but she couldn't contain the overwhelming sadness consuming her. Her heart ached for her dear friend. Adriel walked into the living room, feeling the tension in the atmosphere. "Why are you guys acting like she died?" he asked irritably, while setting down a plate of sandwiches on the coffee table. Skylar and Niko gave him pointed looks, their expression displayed distaste at his attempt of a joke. "Eat, you hangry babies. She is alive. There's no sense in moping around about what happened," Adriel looked at the boys with narrow eyes, which he has never given them before.
Adriel acted like a big brother towards Raina, out of them all, he is the most protective of the group but also, the level headed one when the others are overwhelmed. Niko tutted his tongue, then rose to his feet. "I'm just gonna get some fresh air," he muttered, leaving through the back door. Adriel watched Niko disappear behind the trees of the forest. "He's at it again," he sighed, shaking his head. Skylar collapsed onto the couch in exhaustion. "Why does he always put all of the blame upon himself?" He asked, to which no one answered. Silence filled the room, as neither of them knew the reasons to Niko's actions.
***
A couple of weeks has passed by since the incident. The investigation came up cold, thus dropping the case. Meanwhile, Raina continued to lock herself in her room—hardly speaking to anyone. Maria was concerned after a week had passed with no change in Raina's behavior, so she had discussed it with the doctor. To which they recommended to let her be for the time being, but to keep a close watch on her. It's still a possibility that she had been traumatized from the incident. Therefore, she may just needed some time to process the incident on her own terms.
To everyone's dismay, Yasmin, Skylar, Niko and Adriel were basically forced by Maria to go back to school due to their responsibilities as Student Council members. While everyone were at school, Maria promised to keep Raina company before switching off with one of them when she had to work. Skylar, Niko, Adriel, and Yasmin agreed to the arrangement, since no one felt comfortable leaving her all by herself. In case, the suspect were to come back…rather, it was more of a way to keep Raina within everyone's sights.
Raina sighed, feeling restless. The dream kept replaying night after night, breaking her heart over and over again. She must have cried for, what seemed like, the hundredth time that day. Shuffling out of bed, Raina turned the shower faucet on and stood underneath the hot water. What did it mean? What does it have to do with her? These were the questions that wracked her mind, no, haunting her all day and all night long. With all of these questions and no one to answer them, left Raina quite frustrated and angry.
If it weren't for her sister and best friends, Raina would have been consumed with obsessing over the dream. However, she still felt helpless and she wasn't getting the answers to the million of questions she had. Raina turned the faucet off, listening as the water slowed to a drip. The falls…Raina remembered overhearing one of the rescuers that had helped her friends when she was found at the waterfalls in the forest behind her house. Raina scrunched her brows, as a dull ache began to form at her temples.
Go to him, Rosalie…
Please save him…Save Astoria…
Raina gasped, a faint voice calling out to her. "The falls?" Raina hopped out of the shower, quickly threw on clothes before quietly heading out of her room. It seem that it was Adriel's turn to 'babysit' her for the night. Fortunately, it wasn't Yasmin's night to stay with Raina, or she would have never been able to sneak out. This was something Raina had to do by herself.
Adriel seemed to be out cold, so Raina was able to pass by him quietly. She closed the back door gently, gasping as the wind hit her skin bitterly, the cold covering her body with goosebumps. Pulling her hoodie up and tightening it, Raina headed for the forest in a hurry.
"Where do you think you're going?" Raina gasped, turning on her heels to come face to face with Niko. Her mouth opened and closed, gaping like a fish. "Please Niko, I have to do this," she pleaded, trying to sound confident but failed. "Do what?" He inquired, narrowing his eyes, suspicious of her actions. Raina clenched her fist tightly and took a deep breath before releasing it.
"I have to find out the truth," Raina whispered while looking away. She averted her eyes from his as not to be swayed from her decision. He was probably thinking of how crazy she must sound.
"Okay, let's go," Niko stated then walked past her with his hands in his pockets. Raina stared at him with wide eyes, shocked at his willingness to go along with her shenanigans. She had not expected for him to agree so quickly. Niko was usually the hardest to convince in doing anything irrational, which irritated her ever since they were children. "Are you coming?" Niko asked with his brows raised while looking over his shoulder. Raina nodded, jogging lightly to walk beside him.