Chapter 1
Mackenzie finished washing her face and stepped back to look at someone she couldn't recognize. She had washed the make-up almost completely off, the running mascara from her tears now gone. The blood was wiped away as well, but she could still feel the spot where it had been like a burning sensation. The female officer that had accompanied her to the bathroom looked impatient, like she could care less how much pain she was in.
"You ready yet Aims?" the officer asked.
"Yeah let's go." Mackenzie stated.
She turns to the officer and is lead out the bathroom door. Soon she hears the eerie silence of the Las Vegas Crime Lab. As she passes by each office she feels as if all eyes are on her. They all wonder, How could a good girl like her do such dirty things? Why couldn't she be like her brother, Nick? Once she gets to the Interrogation Room she sits in the small uncomfortable chair in a room with the only man she has ever loved, who now hates her.
"Greg… I-"She stops when she hears the door open. Her brother walks in the door.
"Nick!" she cries.
Mackenzie runs to her brother and embraces a hug. She starts crying and Nick holds her tighter. At least he believes her when no one else does.
"Nicky… I want to go home."
"You know I can't let you do that… you were found with blood all over you clothes, passed out next to the body, and a hammer in your hand."
"I didn't do it and you know it!" she cried out. "What's the point of doing this? No one is going to believe me! No one cares about some whore."
"Come on Kenzie," Nick said softly. "You are not a whore and you know everyone here has an open mind. Remember, innocent until proven guilty."
"Yeah, I guess."
She looked over to Greg. He hadn't moved. Not one inch since she walked in the door. His head was down, no emotion on his face. She had not seen him in a week and she was already regretting her decision. They were together for so long and now… nothing. She didn't want to break it off. She wanted to live happy with him, but things got in the way and she had to provide for her little brother, Steven. Plus after Greg found out what she had done he didn't even want to look at her, just like now.
"Ok well go ahead and sit down and tell us what happened." Nick said as he let her to the chair.
"Where do you want me to start?" she asked weakly.
"How about from a week ago?"
"Okay."
Chapter 2
-One week ago-
"Why do you have to leave for the weekend?" Greg pouted.
He sat up from the bed he and Mackenzie shared. He had just come home from his nightshift at work. It was our 2 year anniversary the weekend she had to leave.
"I have to go see my little brother," she said. "There is some bull about the money at the boarding school. I have to go down there and straighten it out."
"But babe-"
"I know. I'm sorry."
He kisses her on the forehead and says it's alright. If only he knew what she was really going for. The next day she grabbed her usual duffel bag for my trip to see her brother about money. She leaves early in the morning while Greg was still asleep. If he had woken up she would have not been able to keep her secret from him. She didn't want him to know that to keep her brother in school she had to do things she could never forgive herself for.
When she had first enrolled Steven in boarding school she fell in love. It wasn't even love, more like infatuation. He was a professor, the French teacher to be exact. He had moved to America in his teens to become a teacher. His name was Damon; to the students he was Mister F. She was only 2 years younger than him, but still a little girl at heart. He was sweet, always told her how beautiful every time he would see her. She lost everything to him, her virginity, her first love, and almost her life.
The love soon ended sour when she told him she was leaving him. He was alright at first, or that's what she thought, then he got promoted to principal. He called her house every weekend and demanded she come over. At first he wanted money for Steven, but then after she ran low on money he wanted something else… her body. He told her that if she didn't do want he said he would expel Steven. She didn't want her brother to lose out on education so she agreed.
It wasn't long after until she met Greg. He was unlike any other guy. He was the exact opposite of Damon. Greg was never smooth, was clumsy, and treated her like a human being, not a toy to play with. She knew that if she wanted to be with Greg, Damon had to go. When Greg had officially asked her to be his girlfriend she could only say yes. The day after she went to the bank and emptied out her account, brought it to Damon and told him to leave her alone. He took the money and gave her a simple nod. A year and a half had passed by.
"That money was supposed to go to Stevens's college fund," she said in broken sobs. "But it was the only way he would leave me alone."
"Skipping to the night Damon was murdered, what happened?" Nick asked.
"He called me one day, told me he was out of money," She said. "I said I didn't have anything for him. He said it was okay, that I- I could pay in other ways. S- So I went there and confronted him. I told him I didn't want to do anything with him. I was happy. I told him I was in love. He laughed in my face and told me I was a whore and no one could love me. So then he moved closer, pushed me against the wall, and started to bite my neck."
She looked down and started to cry harder. She didn't want to go on, it was too hard.
"Did he rape you Kenzie?" Nick put his hand on her shoulder.
"I didn't let that bastard touch me anymore. I kneed him in his balls, grabbed something, and pounded it into his head with so much force. Then he fell and he was still. He just... laid there. Then I blacked out."
She looked up to see Greg staring straight at her. He had been cry silently to himself, she looked into his blood shot eyes. He opened his mouth like he was going to speak but quickly closed it again. Mackenzie looked down again, not wanting to see him hurt.
"Did you ever cheat on me?" Greg asked in almost a whisper.
"No," I said. "But thanks for caring that I almost got raped!"
And with that I got up and stormed out the door. I don't care if they arrest me. I won't even care if they kill me. Its okay, I already lost the only man I truly loved. She thought to herself as she went into Nick's office in search of his gun.
Chapter 3
She walked carefully down the halls and turned right. Well here I go, She thought. Mackenzie opened the door slowly and locked it behind her. She slowly made her way to the desk in the back of the room and started rummaging through it.
"It has to be here somewhere." She said to herself
Found it.
She held the gun in her hand. She could feel the cold steel on her fingertips. Then she heard a bang on the door.
"Kenzie," Nick yelled. "What are you doing in there?"
She pointed the gun to the ceiling and shot. It was silent for a minute, then more banging. She slid down in front of the desk and held the gun tight.
"NO!" She heard someone yell, Greg. It was Greg, he was yelling for her. "No… Mackenzie!"
The door squeaked and then it bust open. There were five police officers with a RAM. Greg pushed them aside and ran to her. She had her head down, her knees brought close to her chest. She lifted up her head and dropped the gun to the floor.
"I couldn't do it… I- I wanted to end everything. I lost my innocence and my boyfriend. My life is useless now." She whispered.
"Your life is not useless. You are important to everyone one works here. Where's the bright girl that sneaks her way past the front desk just to give her brother a hug? Where's the girl that brings me lunch and leaves a pink cupcake in the bag so everyone would laugh at me? We all miss that girl and no matter what your past is, you will still be her… But you can't be her if your dea-," Greg choked on the last word. He could bring himself to say it.
"I'm so sorry. I was only thinking about myself. I never thought what kind of effect it would have on you."
"Just as long as I have you I'm fine. Don't ever do that again though, okay?"
"Yeah, I promise."
Her knees fells and she grabbed Greg into a hug. He held her tight and stroked her hair.
It feels nice to be in his arms again. I've wanted that for what seems like forever, she thought.
