What I Wouldn't Give

Chapter 1

West Braunston is a small town right outside of Huntington, in West Virginia. Outside the small town in the big boarding house, Caleb and Noah Armani had sat in the living room, each with a glass of scotch in their hands. The two brothers had sat in front of the fireplace, thankful for the silence of the night after the day had gone its own way.

"Caleb! Noah!"

Noah had exhaled placing his glass against his head as he had heard his younger sister calling out their names. Caleb had watched as Ella entered the living room, her face in shock.

"Ella, what's wrong?" Caleb asked, instantly worried about his sister.

"Aria is about to jump off the bridge," Ella said.

"I've never heard of an Aria. She's..."

"The old passenger bridge?" Caleb asked as he had put his glass down.

"She'll do it. We..."

"Don't have time to waste. Come on," Caleb said as he grabbed his car keys and both of them had rushed out of the house.

Driving at a fast speed Ella had exhaled, scared that her best friend might do what she has wanted to for years now, but she hadn't known how desperate her best friend was.

"It's okay, Ella. We'll save her. We'll save her," Caleb said, as he had driven faster.

~

Aria Carter had stood outside of her car looking at the photos in her hands of her and her family. She exhaled as the tears had ran across her face while her emotions were all over the place.

After her parents accident two years ago, her life had stopped making sense. She had helped her aunt to raise her two younger sisters while her brother had gone on with his life. Feeling like her life was in a box, Aria didn't see a point in it anymore. She had placed the pictures back in the car as she had moved closer to the edge of the bridge.

Seeing a person as the edge of the bridge, Caleb had stopped the car, and Ella got out instantly.

"Aria! No!" Ella said stopping a few feet in front of her best friend.

"Aria, don't do it. It won't..." Ella said as Aria had leaned forward.

"Aria!"

Caleb had quickly rushed over to the young girl as he had grabbed her and pulled her away from the edge looking into her eyes.

"Aria. Aria, look at me. Look at me," Caleb said, cupping her cheeks, as Aria looked into his blue eyes.

"This is not the way to go. Think about your parents. Think of how they will feel once they realize their daughter is gone. If not them, think about your family. Your siblings, the people looking after you. Your friends, Ella. Think of Ella. This is not a solutions," Caleb said as Ella had looked at her brother and best friend.

"Think about the people you love," Caleb said as Aria had looked at Caleb, her eyes instantly changing.

"What am I doing?" Aria asked as Caleb exhaled and pulled her closer into his body, holding her tight.

"It's okay. It's okay. I'm going to help you. I'll help you," Caleb said, holding her tight against him.

"Ella, drive her car back to our place. Come on. Let's get you home," Caleb said as he had helped Aria into his car.

Driving through the streets, Caleb had arrived back at their house as he saw how Ella had stopped the car next to his. He had gotten out and looked at his little sister while he saw as the young girl had sat still in the car.

"Is this the girl who lost her parents?" Caleb asked as Ella had nodded.

"Go inside, tell Noah to prepare one of the rooms upstairs," Caleb said.

Ella had gone inside as Caleb exhaled and opened the car door, kneeling doen in front of Aria.

"Aria, hey. Do you know where you are?" Caleb asked as Aria shook her head looking at him.

"You're at my place. You're staying here the night. I'll take you home in the morning. It's late. You'll be safe here," Caleb said as Aria looked at her hand afraid of the consequences of her deeds.

"Hey," Caleb said, laying his hand on hers.

"I promise you, you will get through this. I promise you that," Caleb said as Aria had nodded.

"Come on. Let's get you inside," Caleb said as he helped Aria out of the car.

As they had entered the house, Caleb saw as Ella and Noah were waiting aside. Caleb had nodded as Ella took Aria upstairs and Caleb called his brother aside.

"We need to keep a close eye on her. Not Ella. Aria. Something bigger is going on. Something a lot bigger," Caleb said.

"How do you know her?" Noah asked.

"I don't. But I know the story. The family that went off the passenger bridge and the girl was the only survivor? It's her. But something else is going on," Caleb said, looking at the stairs, as he couldn't help but wonder about the girl's sadness and what was driving her to it.