Chapter 14

"Melanie, why are you doing this?!" Selina asked, holding her head in agony.

"SHUT UP!" Melanie screamed through her tears. "YOU ARE THE REASON ME AND JEROME CAN'T GET BACK TOGETHER ANYMORE!"

"That's not true!"

Melanie hit Selina's head with the small rock again.

"I THOUGHT I TOLD YOU TO SHUT UP!" Melanie continued screaming.

Selina started to cry. It was not because she was scared, but because she was in pain.

"Just look at you cry!" Melanie snarled. "It's absolutely pathetic!"

As Melanie went to hit Selina again, Jerome happened to see it.

"Stop right now!" Jerome shouted out.

Melanie dropped the rock once she saw Jerome.

"Jerome, it's not what you think..." Melanie sobbed.

"You're even more crazy than I thought." Jerome said in disbelief.

"That is not true!"

"Melanie, you need to learn to let go." Jerome said softly. "I don't love you anymore. I love Selina."

"Don't say that!" Melanie wailed.

"I'm sorry, but I don't love you anymore."

Melanie became inconsolable when Jerome said that to her.

"Are you okay, babe?" Jerome asked Selina.

"My head is throbbing." Selina replied, wincing in pain.

Jerome took Selina inside the house, leaving Melanie to continue sobbing.

"What on earth's happening out there?" Irene asked them.

Selina told Irene what went down with Melanie.

"Right." Irene said before going over to the phone.

"What are you doing?" Selina asked her.

"Ringing the cops." Irene replied.

Jerome sat Selina down on the couch before giving her a hug.

Meanwhile, Stephanie and Tiegan were with Louis and Corey walking along George Street. After the beach, the four friends went back into the city and saw a couple of old school friends before going to Timezone and playing some of the games. Now, Stephanie and Tiegan were on their way to Central station to catch a train back to Yabbie Creek.

"I had a really great day." Stephanie said.

"Me too." Louis said.

"The beach was awesome though." Tiegan said.

"You said it." Corey said.

"What are your plans for tonight?" Louis asked the girls.

"I'm staying the night at Steph's house." Tiegan replied.

"What are your plans?" Stephanie asked the boys.

"Corey and I are going to a party tonight." Louis responded.

"Really?" Stephanie remarked.

"Yeah." Louis told her.

"Louis and I went to school with him. The party is over at Campsie." Corey said.

"Wow." Tiegan said.

Once Stephanie and Tiegan arrived on the platform, the train to Yabbie Creek arrived.

"Bye, boys." Stephanie said, hugging Louis.

"Later, girls." Corey said.

"We should catch up again soon." Tiegan said.

"Sounds good." Louis said.

Stephanie and Tiegan boarded the train before waving goodbye to Louis and Corey. Both guys continued waving as the train left.

"They're so sweet." Stephanie said.

"Can I tell you something, sister from another mister?" Tiegan asked.

"Sure." Stephanie replied.

"Corey told me he has feelings for me."

Stephanie looked shocked.

"Really?"

"That's correct." Tiegan said.

"I think Louis likes me too." Stephanie told her. "When I told him that he was a nice guy, he blushed."

"Oh, that's so sweet." Tiegan gushed.

"What's the time?" Stephanie asked.

Tiegan checked her watch before replying, "It's ten to five."

"We have to get that six o'clock bus back to Summer Bay." Stephanie said.

"I don't think we'll make it before six." Tiegan told her.

"I hope we do." Stephanie said. "Otherwise, we'll have to get Melissa to take us home again."

Luckily, the girls arrived at Yabbie Creek just before six o'clock. However, they saw Melissa's car parked over at the waiting bay.

"I think Melissa's taking us home." Stephanie said.

"Get in." Melissa called out to them.

Stephanie and Tiegan jumped into the car.

"Straight to your house, Steph?" Melissa asked.

"Yeah." Stephanie replied.

After Melissa dropped the girls off at Travis and Kelly's house, Stephanie got out the fold away bed for Tiegan to sleep on.

"I hope the boys have fun at the party tonight." Stephanie said.

"Same." Tiegan responded.

At the beach house, Selina was resting on the couch when Irene came downstairs.

"How are you feeling, love?" Irene asked her.

"My head's still throbbing." Selina replied.

"We'll get it checked out tomorrow with Dr. Kelly." Irene said.

"What's going to happen with Melanie?" Selina asked.

"The police took her to the hospital for a psychiatric assessment. Her parents think she needs a guidance counsellor." Irene replied.

"I hope Melanie gets all the help that she needs." Selina said.

"Me too, love." Irene said.

"I feel sorry for her." Selina said. "I know I had a go at her for pestering Jerome, but seeing her so upset was actually heartbreaking to watch."

"That's what I love about you, darl. You have a good heart." Irene said, putting her arm around Selina.

Selina managed to let out a smile.

The next morning, Stephanie woke up and heard Tiegan talking on the phone.

"It can't be true!"

Is Tiegan crying? Stephanie thought as she got out of bed and got dressed.

"I just can't believe it. Steph and I only saw them yesterday." Tiegan said through her tears.

Did something happen to Louis and Corey? Stephanie thought. I hope nothing bad has happened.

"Thanks for calling me, Kate. I really-" Tiegan started to say before collapsing onto the ground and crying hysterically.

Stephanie picked up the phone. "What's going on?" she asked.

"Stephanie?"

"Yes, it's me." Stephanie replied.

"It's Kate Martin." said the voice on the other end. "I just told Tiegan the tragic news."

"What?" Stephanie asked.

"Louis and Corey were in a car crash early this morning." Kate said. "They were coming back from the party when the car crashed into a pole."

"No..."

"Stephanie, I'm really sorry but they didn't survive."

Stephanie looked as though someone ripped her heart out of her chest.

NEXT TIME...
- Tiegan and Stephanie are left to pick up the pieces over hearing the tragic news