'The police are coming'

Shock traveled through my body like electricity. Everything jumped back to life. The studio was dark, but I saw a small torch of hope lighting inside it.

Nova had the phone in her hands, which was likely connecting the location to the police. 

 Charter's brown eyes were glazed up in anger. But he made no move to hurt Nova or come at her.

"Fucking traitor" he spat at her. I could've never imagined Charter to say something like that. But then, some things are hardly what you ever expect.

Nova's green eyes glazed with the same furious energy.

" I wasn't until I found out you decided to give my best friend away for him to kill. He was supposed to find the money and then let her go." she retorted.

My breathing hitched. I was still on my knees, as if grasping for the air around me.

How was this happening?

She knew. She was involved in all of this.

And apparently, not on the right side. Not on my side.

" What did you do to him?" Charter hissed.

" I knocked him unconscious and left his blood splattered on the stone floor."

A small smirk came on Nova's face. The malice inside her orbs made me feel like I was a hundred miles away from her. 

I felt that I did not know her that well after all.

Charter shook his head almost pitifully.

" You foolish foolish girl." he said.

I heard her exhale hard.

" Yes. I am."

There was silence, and at the moment, I decided not to be in the dark anymore.

I stood up and brushed my dirty hands on my dress. The silver dress I still had on after so many things happened.

With a deep breath, I said,

" Can someone tell me what the hell is happening here?"

It seemed like the most bland statement a girl can make after being kidnapped, almost killed, and betrayed by her boss.

Nova faced me. The anger in her eyes was instantly replaced with regret and extreme sadness. 

There was something in them that made me want to back the heck away from her.

"I'm so sorry Sylvia." she said and tears welled up in her eyes, "I thought I could make up for what I had done to you. But I don't think I ever can."

She shook her head and glanced away. My stomach turned with some kind of sick feeling.

But I had enough of this.

Too much. Too much I had to hear.

" What did you do to me?" I asked, impatience crawling into me now. Charter also growled with the same impatience I was feeling. His black boots tapped against the wooden floor.

" Ugh. Get on with it." he said shortly. Nova gave him another glower.

" The guy--Dane I mean-- he's been a family friend since forever." she paused, finding her voice again. I command myself not to drop to my knees all over again with just one statement.

" He and my father-" she threw a pointed glance at Charter and I suddenly realized she had never talked about her dad.

I had thought maybe it was some kind of dark secret she couldn't bear to tell anyone.

Well, It did turn out to be something like that.

"-- They had been working together. The money that we all had was from working for that psychopath. I thought it was a job, when I was young and naive. I thought it was necessary, and that's why--that's why I gave everything about you away. I told him about you and -" She choked, " Amelia."

My body arched inward as if it had been a physical blow that hit me. Hard.

Nova's cheeks were streaming down with tears as she stared at me.

" I'm so sorry Lia. I'm so--I'm the reason your mother died, and oh god Lia I--"

" Don't call me Lia." I said, My voice was trembling, as if it was about to fall apart at this very moment. The world was crumbling apart all over again. It was like each revelation was another shattering of the glass.

I wish I just had time to piece it up as well. If I could.

" You let him know didn't you? You let him come there." I said, My hands were shaking, my head wanting to burst with the amount of pain that was going in.

My best friend was the reason she died.

The dots started to connect in my head. Nova being absent from my mother's funeral, Nova not talking to me days after that. After I came to LA, Nova was talking with something in her voice I couldn't recognize.

I found out today, It was regret.

I was glad she repented all that she did. But she was the reason I broke.

She was the reason so many things happened that a little girl shouldn't have gone through.

My Nova was gone. The best friend I shared all my feelings to, was gone.

I could no longer see her as the same person anymore.

Even though I wanted to sob my heart out, all over again, my eyes were too empty. There was nothing left in them anymore.

" Yes. I told him all about you and Amelia. But then dad decided to take over the part when you came to LA." said Nova. Her voice was shaking too, but the tears had stopped.

" I know you'll never be able to forgive me." she laughed a little.

" Hell no, I haven't been able to forgive myself." She stepped closer to me. " But this was the least I could do for you."

Sirens started ringing all around us. Blue and red light flashed through the entire studio. I heard loudspeakers and voices coming closer and closer. The afternoon had darkened to a slight orangish color.

The police were here.

And I would be safe now, within seconds.

My ears tingled.

There was a particular voice I could hear and place. My heart tugged.

I didn't even feel the slightest embarrassed at the fact that I would face him after my letter had most probably reached him.

Brady.

Of course he was here. He would never not come get me.

He would be the one to bring me home.

Forever.

Nova backed away with a small smile full of regret but deep love on her face.

For a moment, I could see a last glimpse of my best friend in her.

When I shut my eyes and opened them, my Nova was gone. In her place, was a stranger with red hair.