Episode 10 Chapter 2 The Last Day of Freedom

McKenzie walked up to the stand. "I am devastated over losing my mother. She was amazing. She loved me and my sister and my dad with all that she was. She was on her way home. We hadn't seen her in over two weeks. She was doing some traveling. I was so excited about her coming home to us." McKenzie tried to stop her tears. "At least the last thing I told her was that I love her…I truly loved her. And some days I don't know how to breathe without her…If things would have been different my best friend would probably be helping me through this. But my best friend was the one that was involved in the accident. The worst part about all of this is that I not only lost my mom but my best friend. It isn't fair, but it happened and we can't take it back." McKenzie took a breath. "I wish we could but we can't. Now I have to listen to people telling me how sorry they are for my loss….I wish I could blame Ellie. It would be easier that way, but I can't. The truth is Ellie is an amazing person. She has been a great friend to me. I couldn't have asked for better. Things between us will probably never be the same but sending her jail is a waste of time. Jail is a place for bad people. Ellie is not a bad person. Truth is, she made a mistake that any of us could have made…It just happened to be her." McKenzie stepped down.

Everyone in the courtroom was crying.

"Miss Wolfe, you may speak now."

"I am so sorry for what I have done. I knew better. I knew what I was doing was wrong, but I thought I could handle it. I thought everything would be okay. I didn't think that I was that drunk, but I was. I was way too drunk to be driving. I can't take back what I did, but I can be an upstanding citizen and a mentor to kids my age and younger. I can show them that bad things happen even if you don't think it could happen to you it can…I really am sorry."

The judge sighs, "I am glad that you know what you did was wrong. I am glad that all of your friends and family think that you are a wonderful young woman. I am also glad that Miss Sawyer forgives you…But the fact of the matter is that you did something wrong. You committed a crime and for that you have to be punished."

Ellie nodded.

"The appropriate sentence for something like this is twenty years."

Ellie took a deep breath.

"But with your record I think twenty years is excessive. I could just give you community service and a slap on the wrist. But I have to set an example. Like you said something like this could happen to anyone. You made a decision to drink and you made a decision to drive…I am making the decision to sentence you to six years in prison."

"No," Ellie collapsed into the chair.

"NO," Riley screamed. "You can't do this to her."

"You can have a few minutes with your family and then you will be taken away. I hope that all of you have learned a valuable lesson here…One mistake can change many lives."

Ellie hugged Riley.

"We're going to get you out some way. We will figure it out."

"I love you," she had tears falling down her face.

McKenzie looked over at Ellie and walked out of the courtroom.

Riley didn't want to let her go.

Mick hugged her. "It'll be okay sweetheart. I will visit you every chance that I get."

Ellie couldn't believe what was happening to her.

Jason was shocked. "This should be me…I should be the one going to jail."

Ellie didn't know what to say.

"It's time Miss Wolf."

She shook her head and kissed Riley one last time. Her life was about to change forever.

…..

Lily walked into the kitchen.

"Hey gorgeous," he kissed her cheek. "Why do you look so sad?"

"Lucas just texted me…Ellie was sentenced to six years."

"Six years," Spencer was shocked.

"Yeah," Lily hugged him. "I keep thinking that it could have been me. I always drove drunk."

"But you were lucky."

"Yeah…I know, but I'm just amazed at how stupid I was….I didn't care about anyone but myself."

Spencer hugged her tighter. "Yeah but look at you now. You are an amazing mother…and you are a pretty awesome wife….I love you."

"You saved me…Thank you." She kissed him.

…..

Jamie walks into Summer's house. "Summer," he calls out for her.

"Hey you left early this morning…I missed you."

"I have a surprise for you."

"What kind of surprise?"

"I want to go on a vacation with you and the boys."

"Really? Why?"

"Because you only live once and I want to spend every waking moment with my beautiful girlfriend and our amazing kids…I mean your two kids whom I love with all my heart, and my awesome little kid whom I also love." He kissed her. "Please…it'll be fun."

"Okay…how can I resist?"

"I was hoping you would say that." He kissed her. "It is going to be perfect. I promise."

….

Peyton and Mick walk outside of the courtroom.

"She was so scared."

"I'm so sorry," was all that Peyton could say.

"She'll never make it in there. It isn't fair. She is a good girl."

"She'll get out on good behavior….It won't be six years."

"I hope you're right."

…

McKenzie, Larry, and Julie walk into their house. "McKenzie, do you want to talk about it?"

"No…I'm just going to go upstairs."

"McKenzie…"

"Dad, I just want to be alone." She walked upstairs.

"We're losing her Julie."

"No…I think after what I saw today she's coming back to us. She's going to be okay."

"You don't know that."

"I have a feeling." Julie hugged her dad. "We're all going to be okay. Somehow…someway we will get through this."

"That's what your mom would want."

…..

Lucas walks into Riley's room to see him packing.

"What are you doing?"

"I can't live here with you. My girlfriend is in jail, and it is your fault."

"Riley…I wish I could take it back but I can't. You should have told me that you weren't drunk."

"You wouldn't have listened."

"I'm not letting you leave."

"I'm eighteen…I'm not really giving you a choice in the matter. I'm getting the hell out of here." He grabs his bag. Lucas tries to stop him but he can't.

Lucas sits on Riley's bed and cries.

It really was all his fault.

…..

Alright so please…please…please let me know what you thought! I really want to know.