Chapter 24
Chapter 24
Sophie’s pov
I stared at the casket. The casket that confined Carson’s corpse inside.
My throat burned and every word the priest let out seemed to go on deaf ears.
The only sounds I can focus on was the sound of the pattering rain that fell on the umbre Ingrid held
over my head so I’d not get wet
I think I deserve to get wet. I deserve to feel the cold of the rain. Maybe then I’d start to feel again.
Since Carson’s death a week and a few days ago, I had be numb. I could not feel anymore
except for the eating guilt
Ingrid wrapped one of her arms around my midsection and held me close as Carson’s parents wept
loudly Their cries were louder than the pattering rain and that did not surprise me.
M looks over at me and looks at me in sorrow. She stood beside me and grabbed a hold of my hand.
She squeezes it in reassurance
She knew everything. I told her everything. And she knew how fucking messed up I was now after what
happened
She was the only one who knew why the two boys were fighting that day.
“Wait. No don’t put my baby in the dirt. Wait no! He’s not dead! He can’t be. I saw himst night. He’s
not dead. Don’t put him down yet!” Carson’s mother screamed and started to thrash in her husband’s
hold.
My stomach churns and I feel disgusted to even be in their presence knowing I was the main reason
they lost their son.
I didn’t deserve to be here. I didn’t deserve to recieve everyone’s sympathy while Aiden got nothing but
pitchforks thrown at him. They med him. They called him the devil.
Everyone turned their backs on him.
But me, everyone was way too sweet, way too nice to me. I didn’t like it. I hated it. I didn’t deserve their
words, I didn’t deserve their sympathy. I was the main reason Carson was dead.
If I hadn’t
“No my baby boy! Don’t leave us! Please you can’t leave us! You were supposed to grow old Carson,
give us grandchildren. How can you just leave us so soon?!” His mother screamed, tugging forward but
her husband who was still visibly crying held her back.
Her words had my heart pinching and my eyes began to water again. I have been crying for so many
days, for so many hours that I didn’t know i had any tears left to let out.
But feeling them trail down my cheeks showed me that I still had more than I thought. I wasn’t done
crying and I didn’t think I would ever stop
The casket was now being ced down in the hole they had dug up for where he would rest. I felt sick
to my stomach.
“Noi Please no Don’t put him down’ He’s okay! He’s here with us! Carson babye out and stop
ying! Carson please stop giving moma anael Carson! Pleasel Carson!’ Hie inom screamed louder,
thrashing harder in her husband’s hold.
“Marge he’s gone Carson’s dad cried, hugging his wife tightly
Her bottom hip wobble as she looks down at the casket that wos now her son’s bed. She cried louder. I
promise I’ll make that devil pay for what he did to you Carson I’ll make that bastard pay
Her words were like a blow to my heart even though they were not directed at me They were directed
at Aiden but I felt it I felt their force
And suddenly I couldn’t breathe. I looked up at Ingrid and said shakily with panic “I need to go ” I didn’t
wait for her to respond, I just turned around and aimlessly made my way through the people around us
“Sorry.” I gasped out when I shouldered someone by ident
“Sophie!” I heard M’s voice call out behind me
I needed to get out of here. I didn’t deserve to be here
If Aiden was a devil then I was a demon.
I shook my head, my hair quickly stering to my face and ck dress as the rain shower over me
The heavens felt my sorrow. They felt my guilt. They felt my pain. The rain….. were my tears
Oh Carson. If only you had not spoken to me that day. If only you had not called me pretty girl. You
would’ve still been here
You would still be in your mother’s arms. Your parents would still have their son
This was my fault. All of it.
Not only was one boy dead because of me but another was behind bars and would be going for a
hearing tomorrow. One that would seal Aiden’s fate.
They found a lot of evidence that showed that Aiden was always malicious to Carson. And on the
surveince camera they saw the two boys engaging into a fight.
They couldn’t hear what they were yelling about but apparently from the angle of the camera, it showed
Aiden had either punched or pushed Carson down the stairs.
That was enough to put him behind bars and hold him until his hearing. What made it even worst was
that Rena recalled Aiden threatening to kill Carson in the diner when they were fighting.
His friends denied it but the owner of the diner also showed the footage from the surveince camera
where you could hear loud and clear what Aiden had said to Carson that day. Which did include him
saying he’d kill him.
I knew he hadn’t meant it in that kind of way, but with all the evidence and othersing forward to
speak on how much of an asshole he was 10 Carson, Aiden stood no chance.
Had I really just ruined two boys future because of my selfish heart and actions?
I shook my head. Aiden wasn’t the devil. I was
My legs feltjello and weak and I found myself falling on my bottom beside someone’s tomb.
I was a good distance away from the funeral but I knew someone had followed me.
An umbre hovers over my head to block the rain from seeping to my bones. M sat beside me and
one of her arms hugged me.
“Everything is going to be okay Soph. I’ll always be here for you no matter what.” M whispered,
kissing my cold cheek
I stared at the trees off into the distance. I knew the mud was creating a mess behind my dress and I
knew that I might catch a cold. But I didn’t care
I could sit here forever. The cold, I wish it could freeze my heart so I’d not feel so much pain.
“I don’t think so M. I’m a monster a huge one for making Aiden take all the fall for what happened.”
My lower lip tremble as I started to cry.
M shook her head. “Don’t you say that Sophie. You were not the one who pushed or punched
Carson and had him tumbling down the stairs. This was Aiden’s doing, he made that choice. Not you.
Don’t you dare me yourself.
I don’t respond to her knowing that she’d always try to make me feel better. But I knew that I was the
biggest cause for what happened.
I sighed shakily and just stared off at the trees in the distance. Tomorrow was his hearing and I was
supposed to take the stand as one of the witnesses.
I had to say the truth. Even if the truth will hurt Aiden or me.
*Day of the hearing
“Would Sophie Bell please take to the stand.”
Hearing my name had my heart dropping in my stomach and a heavy feeling weighing on my chest.
I rose from the chair and walked up to the stand. When I sat down and took the oath, I felt his eyes on
me.
He had been silent as expected to. Bull could tell by his rigid form that he was afraid.
I took a quick peek at him and my breath catches in my lungs. He looked like he hadn’t slept for days.
Carson’s familywyer walked up to the stand and started asking me questions that made me feel light
headed.
“Miss Bell? It came to our attention that you and Mr. Xavier had a sexual rtionship going on between
the two of you?”
Her question had me quickly snapping my gaze to Aiden’s. No one knew about our rtionship except
for Aiden’s grandfather, M, and Aiden himself. Carson did too, but he was no longer here.
? 2024 N?v/el/Dram/a.Org.
Who told
“Don’t try to deny it. We saw the footage when we went through the surveince cameras.’ She
continued.
Ashamed to look at anyone in the crowd of people listening intently, I kept my gaze on the wooden
parts of the stand.
I didn’t want to see the look on Marge’s face.
“Yes We were in a sexual rtionship