14: Upcoming Trial
THE DAY of the Debutante Ball had arrived and Via was terrified. She had already made a mental list of all the things that could go wrong: she could trip, her dress straps could break, she could fall over, spill drink on the dress.
Susannah entered her room, "Good morn- Via, what are you already doing up?"
"Uh, I couldn't sleep." Via replied, as her mom perched on the side of her bed.
Susannah frowned, "Is everything okay? Did I push you into this? You can be honest."
"No, uh, maybe a little at first." Via chuckled, before replying, "But I wanted to make you happy."
"Look, honestly, we don't even need to go tonight if you don't want to, okay?" Susannah reassured, "I don't want you freaking out or having a-"
"I'm not gonna freak out, mom." Via reassured, though she was doubting herself, "I want to go. Belly and I are going as friends so, uh, I'm happy now."
Susannah smiled, cupping her daughter's face, "I love you so much, beautiful girl."
***
Belly and Via sat in the changing room helping each other get ready with the other Debs. Olivia did Belly's hair into a low bun, leaving her own down to decorate with a small white flower crown.
Olivia put big earrings in her ears, looking at herself in the mirror, not realising how worried she looked. Her anxiety furrowed her eyebrows, as her eyes darted at herself: her dress, her makeup, her hair, her dress, her makeup, her hair...
"You look really pretty, Livy." Belly smiled, "Hey, can you help me do up this necklace?"
Via nodded, standing up to clip her mom's pearl necklace up at the back, her hands accidentally touching Belly's soft skin.
"Are you okay?" Belly questioned, turning around, "Your hands are shaking."
Via smiled slightly, "I'm fine, Belles."
"It's gonna be okay." Belly reassured, holding both of her hands, "I'll be with you every step of the way, unless I fall."
Via chuckled, "Don't say that."
"I'm serious, Liv." Belly repeated, "You look really pretty."
"You look pretty, too." Olivia smiled, and for the first time since the beginning of summer, she swore she saw that look in Belly's eyes.
After a while of waiting, Belly and Via finally walked down the stairs whilst Paige read out their names and how much they raised for the women's shelter in Volleyball. Belly held Via's arm tightly, before they walked to their table to stand in front of their families.
Via smiled at her mother who had tears in her eyes, and a feeling of happiness washed over her. She was living her summer wish- Via wished Evie was here to live it with her.
Unexpectedly, Laurel got up, tears filling her eyes as her voice broke, "I'll be right back."
Belly frowned in worry, "Where's she going?"
Via handed her mother the bouquet of red roses, before secretly taking her mother's phone from the table.
Via glanced at Conrad, a look of knowing filled his features as he looked down sadly. She had a feeling he knew something that Jeremiah and herself didn't. She looked at Belly, "Stay here, I'll back, I promise."
"Livy." Belly frowned, "What about the dance?"
"I'll be back in time for it." Via replied, "Just wait for me."
Via rushed out of the hall quickly, unlocking Susannah's phone and searching for answers before bumping into Laurel and her ex-husband, John. They were talking in another room, Laurel was crying before wiping her tears away,
"Hi, Via." She smiled, "What are you doing out here?"
"Uh, Belly doesn't want you to miss the dance." Via explained, hiding Susannah's phone behind her back, "Its about to start."
John spoke, leading Laurel back into the hall, "Thank you."
Via watched them leave the room, before continuing to search Susannah's emails. She squinted at the words which were moving on the screen, trying to make out anything that made sense. Her heart froze as she tried to read a title: Upmocing Cnacer Tairl. She kept trying to read it, yet she knew what it was suppose to say. She didn't want to read it just in case it became a reality. Tears swelled in her eyes, as her chest tightened. She couldn't breathe. She kept trying to read the rest of the email, but the tears in her eyes made it impossible to make out anything.
'Upcoming cancer trial:...'
"1...2..." Via tried to count out loud, as she held her chest in pain, "3..." She gasped, trying to breathe but it felt like all the oxygen had left the earth. Via began sobbing, but she tried so hard to keep it together. She repeatedly tapped her finger pads against the tip of her thumb in a '1,2,3,4' pattern, before wiping the tears streaming down her face.
After a moment, she walked back into the hall, her breathing still unbalanced due to the panic attack she was compressing. She opened the doors, before seeing the Debs dancing. Her eyes darted around for Belly, before finding her dancing with Conrad. She let out a breath, lowering her eyeline as she found herself counting again.
Conrad. Belly. Belly with Conrad. Belly dancing with her brother. Her brother. Why couldn't it be her? Why did she have to leave? Why is her mother sick again?
"Hey, Ollie." Jeremiah rushed towards her, "Ollie? Look at me, what's wrong?"
Via continued staring at the floor, her body in a state of shock as her breathing increased.
Jeremiah held her hands before guiding her outside of the building to get some fresh air. He sat her down on a bench, crouching down in front of her, "Whoa, you're okay." He reassured, "Can you tell me what happened?"
Via passed him the phone with her shaking hands, watching as he read the email. His blue eyes filled with tears, before he began crying too. He tried to keep it together, to show to his sister that everything would be okay- but they both knew what was going to happen.
Via leaned forward, wrapping her arms around Jeremiah and letting herself sob into his shoulder. Her muffled cries were loud as she occasionally gasped for air, as Jere's shoulders shook from crying silently.
"I-It's going to be okay." Jeremiah reassured, pulling out of the hug, "We just need to tell Connie, okay?"
Via nodded, as Jeremiah helped her stand up.
The two walked into the hall again, walking up to their table, trying to act like nothing happened. Susannah breathed with relief, "There you both are! Are you okay?"
Jeremiah lied, "I-I ate something. I think maybe the shrimp was bad."
"Oh, honey, I'm so sorry." Susannah sympathised, before looking at Laurel, "You know, the caterer is gonna be hearing from me." She looked at Jere, before walking to the bar, "I'll get you some ginger ale."
Laurel looked at Via, who was standing behind Jere, staring at the floor. She questioned, "Via? Where did you go? Belly was waiting for you."
"I, uh..." Via could feel herself breaking down, as she shook her head slightly, "I-I don't know."
Laurel stood up quickly, hugging the girl who cried into her chest. Laurel held her head, "It's okay, Vi. Breathe." She looked at Jere, before whispering, "What happened?"
Jere hesitated, "The, uh, the nerves got to her."
Jeremiah held Via's hand, and when the dance ended, they both rushed up to the dance floor to meet with Conrad and Belly.
Jere whispered, his voice breaking, "Hey."
"Livy, where were you?" Belly questioned, her smile fading as she recognised the panicked look on the girl's face, "Whoa, hey, what's wrong?"
Jeremiah insisted, "Conrad, we need to talk, alright? It's important. It's about mom. We found something out."
Conrad glanced at Via, before looking at Jere, "We'll talk about this later, okay?"
Jere repeated, "It's important."
Conrad gently placed his hand on Jere's chest, "No, it's okay."
Via looked at Jeremiah, then at Conrad, her eyes flickering in between the silence and tension they had created. Via's blue eyes filled with tears again, as her voice shook, "You-You've known this whole fucking time and you didn't tell us?"
Belly frowned, "Hey, tell you what?"
Suddenly, Jeremiah punched Conrad, as he stumbled to the floor. Jere straddling over him as they bundled each other on the dance floor. Belly grabbed Via out of the way, as Susannah and Laurel rushed over.
"Stop it!" Susannah insisted, "What is going on?"
The boys stood up, as Jere spoke first, "We know, mom."
Belly questioned, "Know what?"
The Debutante Ball was cut short for the Fisher and Conklin family as they traveled back to the house. The two families split to either side of the house, explaining what had happened.
Susannah sighed, "I'm sorry the night ended like this. It's not how I wanted you both to find out."
"Mom, you're gonna do the trial, right?" Jeremiah questioned, leaning onto his mother's shoulder.
"Uh, no, honey." Susannah's voice broke, "I'm not. I can't. The chances are very slight. I just can't go through that again. It was too hard the first time."
Via sobbed into her chest, "Mom, please."
"I just want to be me, when I go." Susannah explained, stroking the hair out of her daughter's face, "And I'll always be here, honey. Right here." Susannah placed a hand on the girl's heart.
"You have to try. You have to." Jeremiah pleaded, "Come on, tell her, Conrad."
Conrad paused, "Please come, can't you just try... for us?"
a/n:
how is season 1 over already?
pookie via will be missed.
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