Chapter 56

The morning after our plan was executed, I woke to a headline that sent a chill down my spine: **" Louis Johnson, Reported Missing."** The police were already searching for him, and I felt a mix of guilt and fear. I tried to keep my composure, but the feeling of dread was overwhelming.

Two days later, Austin and I met again to discuss the situation. "The police are getting closer," Austin said, his voice low and serious. "We need to figure out our next move."

"Should we move him?" I asked, anxiety creeping into my voice.

"No, it's too risky. We need to stay calm and let this blow over," he replied, trying to reassure me.

That evening, Max called me. I answered, trying to sound normal. "Hey, Max."

"Hey, Kenzy. How are you holding up? You seem a bit off lately," he said, concern evident in his voice.

"I'm okay, just stressed about graduation," I lied.

"Don't worry, we'll get through it together," he said soothingly. "I miss you. Can't wait to see you."

"Me too," I said, forcing a smile. "I'll see you soon."

The days leading up to graduation were tense. Each day, I went through the motions, trying to keep myself distracted from the looming threat of Louis's escape. Two days before graduation, my worst fear came true. Louis managed to escape from the warehouse. I received a frantic call from Austin.

"Kenzy, Louis is on the run! He's heading towards the city," Austin yelled.

Panicking, I grabbed my keys and jumped into my car, racing through the streets to find him. I spotted him running through an alleyway and sped towards him. The city was a blur of neon lights and honking horns. I chased him for what felt like hours, weaving through traffic and narrowly avoiding pedestrians. But Louis was quick and knew the city better than I did. He slipped away into the night, leaving me frustrated and terrified.

When I finally returned to Max's apartment, I was exhausted and shaken. Max was already there, waiting for me. As soon as I saw him, I broke down, running into his arms.

"What's wrong, Kenzy?" he asked, holding me tight.

"I just... I lost something important," I lied again, the weight of everything threatening to crush me.

Max didn't push for more. He just held me, offering silent comfort. The next morning, I decided to make breakfast to keep myself occupied. The smell of eggs and bacon filled the apartment, but I couldn't shake the feeling of dread.

As we sat down to eat, Max's phone rang. He answered it, his expression quickly changing to one of confusion. "Diana's parents want us to meet them at the park. They said it's urgent."

We drove to the park, the tension in the car palpable. When we arrived, we saw Diana's parents standing with a group of police officers. My heart sank. Max squeezed my hand, trying to reassure me, but I could see the worry in his eyes.

"What's going on?" Max asked as we approached.

Diana's parents looked at me with a mixture of anger and sorrow. "We're disappointed in you, Max," Diana's mother said. "We thought you were better than this."

Before I could process what was happening, an officer stepped forward. "Kenzy, you're under arrest for the death of Diana."

Max's grip on my hand tightened. "What? This must be a mistake!" he shouted.

Tears streamed down my face as the officer read me my rights. "No, Max, I didn't kill her! It was an accident!" I pleaded.

But the betrayal in Max's eyes was too much to bear. "How could you, Kenzy? How could you keep this from me?" he said, his voice breaking.

"I didn't mean to," I cried. "I was trying to protect you!"

Max stepped back, shaking his head. "I can't do this anymore. We're done."

As the officers handcuffed me, I felt my world shatter. The last thing I saw before being dragged to the police car was Max, standing alone, his face a mask of pain and betrayal.

At the police station, I was led to an interrogation room. The cold, sterile environment only amplified my despair. An officer sat across from me, a stern look on his face.

"Tell us everything," he demanded.

"I went to confront Diana on the mountaintop," I began, my voice shaking. "We argued, and she tried to push me. She grabbed a vine to swing herself at me, but she lost her grip and fell."

The officer listened, his expression unreadable. "Why didn't you report this?"

"I was scared," I admitted. "I thought no one would believe me."

As the interrogation continued, I could feel the walls closing in. The reality of my situation was suffocating. I had lost Max, my freedom, and perhaps any chance at redemption. The weight of my actions pressed down on me, and I realized that no matter how hard I tried to escape my past, it always found a way to catch up to me.

I spent the night in the cold, hard cell, the reality of my situation settling in. The silence was deafening, broken only by the distant sounds of the police station. The metal bars felt like they were closing in on me, and I couldn't shake the image of Max's betrayed face from my mind.

The morning of the graduation ceremony, I was woken by the sound of footsteps approaching. Max stood outside my cell, his expression a mixture of anger and hurt. "How could you, Kenzy?" he said, his voice cold. "I don't even know you anymore. How could you kill Diana?"

"Max, please, it was an accident. I never meant for this to happen," I pleaded, tears streaming down my face.

He shook his head. "I loved you, Kenzy. But you're deceptive. I've sensed something was off for a while now. After today, I'm leaving for Germany."

I felt my heart drop. "Germany? But we were supposed to go to Washington together. Please, Max, don't leave."

"It's like I never knew you," he said, turning away and walking out, leaving me feeling more alone than ever.

As I sat in my cell, trying to catch my breath, the call I had been dreading finally came. It was my dad. "Kenzy, I'm very disappointed in you," he said, his voice heavy with anger. "I'm not coming to your graduation. You're on your own. How could you kill someone?"

"Dad, it was an accident. Please, you have to believe me," I begged, but he had already hung up.

I cried, feeling utterly abandoned. My dad, the one person I thought I could always count on, had turned his back on me. The weight of everything crushed me, and I felt like I couldn't breathe.

Just when I thought things couldn't get any worse, Cherry showed up. She had come to bail me out before the graduation. When I saw her, I broke down completely. "Cherry, I don't know what to do. Everything is falling apart," I sobbed.

"It's okay, Kenzy. We'll figure this out together," she said, trying to comfort me.

But I felt like I was drowning in my despair. As we walked out of the station, I spotted a bottle of painkillers. Desperate to numb the pain, I grabbed them and took more than I should have.

The world around me started to blur, and I felt myself slipping away. The last thing I remembered was Cherry's panicked voice calling my name as everything went dark.