Chapter 108

Casey sat beside Mariana on the bed, her thoughts were filled with what she'd heard Mrs Wilson say when she'd visited, Ariana's health and what she could have being doing in their house.

" Casey, what's on your mind? You look worried" Mariana broke the silence.

" That's because I am worried. Ariana tried to end her life" 

" What? Ariana? How come? There's no way she'd do that" 

" I also thought so but when I saw her, I knew she wasn't as strong as she claimed to be" Casey got off the bed.

" What happened to her? What prompted her into making such a cowardly decision?" Mariana asked.

" I don't know Marie but I'm sure of one thing, it couldn't be because of her expulsion. I'm sure that memories of her past must have prompted her into making such a drastic decision" Casey said, curtly.

" Memories of her past? What has happened in her past that would make her......." She suddenly remembered something " Ariana was expelled? How!!"

" It's a long story but all you need to know is that your sister is a fool" Casey said in tears.

" What are you saying Cassandra? You are not a fool" Mariana assured her.

" I am, I couldn't even stop my best friend from killing herself. I'm so terrible" Casey said whilst in tears. She still couldn't rid herself of the guilt that she couldn't stop Ariana from jumping off the cliff.

FLASHBACK..........

Ariana took a step forward as she looked down in fear, she wasn't sure of her decision but one thing she was sure of was that she couldn't live with the pain anymore.

She moved closer to the edge of the cliff but halted when she heard her name.

" Ariana!!" Casey screamed as she ran to her.

Ariana turned, " stay back Casey. Don't come closer" she said.

" What are you doing? Don't tell me you're trying to kill yourself"

" I am. What is there to live for?" She sobbed ," I have being defiled. Eighteen years, eighteen years Cassandra. I kept myself a virgin for eighteen long years and what did I get? Defilement. I got defiled and I don't even have memory of it" Ariana sobbed 

" That's not enough reason to kill yourself Ariana. Listen, move away from the edge of the cliff and we can talk this out please" Casey begged.

Ariana stepped backwards, much towards the edge of the cliff, " I'm sorry Casey, it's not gonna work. I've being betrayed far too many times to live." She sobbed " everyone in my life has betrayed me. Every single person has betrayed me so what's the point of living?" She asked in tears

" Everyone? Ari, not everyone has betrayed you. Have I betrayed you? Mum, Mariana, Santiago,.......what of Raymond? Have we betrayed you?" Casey asked. " So you're just gonna kill yourself because people who don't like you are jealous?"

Ariana saw reason with what Casey had said but she still wasn't sure about wanting to stay alive.

Seeing that Ariana was slowly having a change of mind, Casey started moving closer to Ariana in a bid to drag her from that dangerous spot.

Ariana was still confused, she still didn't know what choice to make, whether to stay alive or kill herself so nature decided make a choice for her.

The rocks at the edge of the cliff gave way and she fell but Casey ran to her in time and grabbed her.

" Ari!" Casey screamed as she held on to her. " Hold on, I'll get you up" 

" There's no need. Just leave me to die, I don't wanna live" Ariana begged in tears.

" Just shut up alright, shut up and let me get you up" Casey said as she tried to pull her best friend out of harm's way but Ariana had already made her decision. She used her other hand and released herself from Casey's grip.

" I'm sorry Casey!" She screamed as she fell down the cliff into the valley.

" Ariana!!" Casey screamed.