I'm Sorry, Stefan

Chapter 12

Dedicated to Lancelot777 for always commenting! :D

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“We’re almost done…” Darcie whispered, quietly.  “The story’s almost over.” She said comfortingly.

“What else is there?” Said Stefan, glad that it would be over soon. “He followed her home. He was calling her, he was threatening her. What else could he do?”  He said sarcastically.

“You really can’t see it coming?” Darcie asked. Stefan waited for her to continue, not bothering to answer.

“It was only two days before she killed herself, in the evening.” Darcie stared.

“It seems like years ago…” Stefan whispered... “But It’s only been a couple of weeks hasn’t it?” he said, shaking his head.  Darcie gave a hollow, sarcastic laugh.

“Time flies when you’re having fun,” she muttered sarcastically. Stefan managed half a smile. After a pause, Darcie continued. “We had a band concert that evening, so she was heading home late. Taking two buses, as usual.” Stefan could see it in his head. He could feel his muscles tensing, as if preparing for an impact. Darcie didn’t seem to notice.

“She made it through downtown all right, she never went into that alley again, after the …” Darcie paused, not sure of what to say. “Incident. She took the long way instead. She made it on to the second bus, and it was empty. Her ride home was peaceful.” Darcie breathed in, slowly. “She only had to walk a couple of blocks to her house, but I guess that was long enough.”

“Was he waiting for her?” asked Stefan, fearing the answer. Darcie just nodded.

“She kept hearing noises, she was paranoid about going outside alone, especially at night.” Darcie started again.

“With good reason.” Stefan muttered under his breath. Darcie didn’t seem to hear, and simply continued talking.

“He snuck up of her, from behind, one hand on her mouth to keep her from yelling. She says she saw the knife, but he didn’t have time to cut her before she kicked back her heel and canned him. He stepped back, and she took off running.”

“How did she get out of that?” Stefan wondered aloud.

“Pure luck.” Darcie answered.  “He came tearing after her, but just before he could reach her, a car pulled up, and he had to hide in the bushes. It happened to be her neighbors, they saw her running, and offered her a ride home. She made it safely to her doorstep, where she locked down her house and hid in her bedroom. “

“And that scared her enough to make her want to…” Stefan drifted off, unable to say it. Darcie nodded, understanding.

“She was terrified.  So scared that she didn’t leave her house all the next day, just stayed hidden in her room, too afraid to leave. The day after that, she called me from her bedroom, and spilled everything. The only time she left, other than to actually kill herself, was when she went to see you” Darcie said, quietly.

To Stefan, it felt like he had just been punched in the chest. He couldn’t breathe. He couldn’t move. Darcie words echoed through his head, she went to see you… he could see her face, feel her lips on his own. I had to do that, she had said, her eyes full of tears. Just the once, she had whispered. He had seen the pain in her eyes, saw his friend Maya slip away, and he hadn’t done anything about it. I’m sorry, she had told him, before she ran away.

I’m sorry too, Maya. He thought now. I really am. He would have stayed like that, lost in his own memories, had Darcie not stepped up to him, and laid a hand on his shoulder.