AQUA

[13] - Remorseful Memories

Aqua pushed the door open and took a step in, locking it after her seeing as many people had started arriving. And she definitely, definitely didn't want other women to walk in on the scene in front of her.

Brooke laid unconscious on the floor, her belongings scattered all across, the necklace loosely intermingled with her fingers. It was clearer than ever that she'd tried ripping it off in a desperate attempt to rid herself of the pain. The pain that Aqua herself knew too well.

She regarded her with raw hatred in her eyes, bending down to grab the crystal and the dainty chain, which had been carelessly torn apart. "This is not for you."

Her fist tightened around the separate pieces, all the while her stare never faltered, and the healing magic within her veins began to glow. Slowly but surely, she felt the necklace meld itself into what it was. And with a rewarding feeling of satisfaction, she stretched her other arm out till her fingers hovered over Brooke's closed eyes, putting pressure between her brows.

A swirl of glittering light formed at the top of her head, slowly expanding till it exposed one of Brooke's most remorseful memories. A moving image that made Aqua absolutely delighted.

"God, Brooke, where is your sister? I've been trying to call her—"

The girl shivered, her body so frail to the point where a soft breeze was able to knock her off her feet. "She's- she's gone. I-" Her words came out as incomprehensible stutters, barely audible to her mother.

The air escaped her lungs in short breaths, her arms tightly wrapping around herself. "I wanted to save her but- I can't swim."

"Brooke? What is going on?" Her mother cried out, falling to her knees on the sand.

"She was... She was pulled under the water. I couldn't do anything. I was useless." She covered her mouth, shaking her head. In complete denial. "I couldn't even scream to get help."

As the scene faded, the last thing Aqua's ears could pick up were Brooke's unstoppable sobs. They lingered. Lingered around her in so many ways, almost reminding her of her own.

"Drowned, huh?" She smirked to herself, pushing her body off the ground. Her gaze remained glued to Brooke for a short moment in silence before she walked out. Leaving an immobile girl in her wake.

"Jayden, I'll see you later tonight." She called out, her hand pulling the book off the table she previously occupied.

He nodded his head in acknowledgement, nimbly looking up from his work to catch a glimpse of her, the bell chiming once more as she departed.

That was a first. Her not being with him side by side.

A few minutes passed and the café grew crowded. "Excuse me, can I please get—" The customer was cut off, everyone's chatter coming to an end along with his order.

A high-pitched scream had resonated through the café.

Jayden threw his notebook on the counter the second it was heard, rushing in its direction.

A couple of women stood frozen at the doorstep of the bathroom, two others crouching beside his best friend. He softly pushed past them.

"She isn't waking up! We tried shaking her awake, wetting her face, and even making her sniff some perfume. It's like she has no hold on reality," one spoke, handing Jayden Brooke's stuff, which they'd collected from the floor.

"Why didn't you call an ambulance right away?" He picked up Brooke's phone.

The girl put her hand above his, stopping him before he dialled in the number. "We already did," she said, sending a sympathetic smile his way. "She's gonna be okay."

"What happened?" Jayden looked calm on the outside, trying to remain so while his head swarmed with nothing but plaguing worries.

"We don't know," the other responded. "We came in and saw her like that. We tried helping her in private first but then those two came in and lost it."

Jayden frowned at what she said. Help her in private? He eyed the girls, highly skeptical of them before his eyes fell to Brooke's neck.

The necklace.

It was gone.

Her new favourite piece of jewellery was gone.

And only one person could've taken it.

"Aqua."