Chapter 10: You are Nothing

Carrying a secret for over a hundred years had become a weight hanging about her. Nothing could take the pain away. Nothing could change what had happened. The loneliness that accompanied not being able to tell them of the heinous crime became too much and one day Valerie decided that she had to tell Mary Louise and Nora everything. And if only she had chosen a different day to unburden herself, they might have reacted differently...

"Nora, you don't love me anymore," Mary Louise hissed at her lover.

"I can't stand the way that you hover. You will not allow me to breathe the same air as another being without thinking that I'm flirting with them," Nora shouted back. They were standing in a dorm room at Whitmore college. Nora had believed that they were having a perfectly fine time together, unpacking and making the room their home when Mary Lou noticed a flyer about a party that a girl jn the hallway had given Nora. That was what had begun this row. Some stupid girl, who should have been lunch.

"You were eyeing her like she was supper. Only you didn't try to bite her," Mary Louise hissed back, her teeth shining in the sunshine coming in through the blinds.

Nora would ordinarily kiss the insecurities away but she had had quite enough of Mary Lou's behavior. If they were going to have a life together, Mary Lou would have to learn to live with Nora talking to other people instead of this silly childish behavior of hers. "Mary Lou, I will not defend myself to you, again," Nora growled when there was a tap on the door.

"Go away," Mary Lou shouted. "If that is your little twit, I will rip her eyes out and feed them to you," she threatened Nora who smirked back.

"Mary Louise. Nora. It's me, Valerie… I need to speak with you. It's urgent. Please. Let me in," Valerie called through the door.

Nora's heart squeezed a tiny bit at the sound of the other heretic's voice. There was something wrong; she could hear it. However, it was Mary Louise who went to fetch her. "What do you want?" Mary Louise snapped when Valerie edged past her and into the room. Slamming the door closed, Mary Louise came to stand behind Valerie with Nora coming to stand in front of her.

"This isn't the best of times, Valerie," Nora said quietly, her tone a warning of the trouble Valerie had walked into.

"I know. But when is a good time? I don't think any of us know what that would be like," Valerie told them.

Mary Louise's lips quirked upward in the mirthless smile that she directed at Nora. "Yes, well, get on with it," she ordered.

"It's… It's about Julian," Valerie began, her voice quavering.

"What about him? Is he alright? Is he back?" Mary Louise moved around Valerie and took Nora's hand, gripping it tightly.

"No. I hope not. That's not what I'm here to…," Valerie looked away, toward the window and then back at Nora. "Before we were trapped… When I was with Stefan…"

"Out with it," Mary Louise snapped, dropping Nora's hand and placing her hands on her hips.

"I was pregnant. I was pregnant with Stefan's child. Julian. Julian found out and he beat me. He beat me until I lost my child. He knew Lily would not leave without me. He wanted to go. and he would not be stopped," Valerie said in a rush, wiping away at tears that were coursing down her cheeks.

"You little liar!" Mary Louise spat out.

"Why wouldn't you tell us?" Nora cried. She could not believe that Valerie would keep something like this from them. Were they not her sisters? Had they not shown to her that they would do anything for her. This story did not make sense. And why tell them now?

"You are a whore. A deceitful lying, little whore! You would do anything to keep Stefan, even make up a sad tale of woe of a lost baby. Lily will be disgusted when she finds out how you're trying to manipulate her son. She'll kill you for this," Mary Louise yelled, her blue eyes flashing with her rage. "I should kill you myself, save her the trouble."

"Nora?" Valerie looked to the brunette who looked to Mary Louise. She could tell that if she sided with Valerie that there would be a bigger price to pay then taking a bloody flyer.

"Go, Valerie, don't come back with your lies," Nora spat, not bothering to look to Valerie, already hearing the sobs that ripped through the other girl as she ran from their room. Sitting down, Nora looked out the window, feeling her heart constricting again. What if Mary Lou was wrong? What if Valerie was telling the truth?

"Shall we finish unpacking?" Mary Louise asked, turning to an unopened box. "When we get done, I suggest that we go talk to Lily about the trouble that Valerie is trying to stir up this time."

Continuing to stare out the window, Nora caught sight of Valerie hurrying away from their dorm, still sobbing. "Serves her right," Mary Louise commented, coming to stand beside Nora, folding a sweater.

"What have we done?" Nora muttered under her breath before getting up and walking out the door.

Thank you for reading, faving, following and reviewing.

Peace,

J