Never, I thought. But I was wrong.
****

The room was warm, maybe even abit hot. I was way too high to even notice if I'm being honest with you. I looked over to my right and saw my bestfriend, Ryder letting out a thick cloud of smoke from both her nostrils. We don't usually do weed but when we do, we make it count.

"Are you high?", Ryder chuckles

"Nah. I'm just sooo groovey", I respond. I'm very high

We stared at each other for a good twenty minutes then laughed to the point of tears.

My mom had left home early yesterday and didn't show up this morning. I assumed she ended up sleeping over at whatever stranger she had slept with last night's house. No judgement there though.

It was a crispy Friday evening, the sun was setting much slower than usual. Tomorrow night was supposed to be me and Trip's first time but, you already know what happened with that situation. Ryder said she'd sleepover at my house for the night to ease me into going to stay with my dad tomorrow. Also, she always has weed and well, I like weed.

"I wonder where the sun goes when it's night time", I commented

"Duh, it goes home"

"But how does it know where it lives?"

Ryder and I look at each other. "Woah", we both laugh.

"I need to go take a piss", Ryder stated freely while putting her perfectly rolled blunt down on my dresser and then walking out to go to the bathroom.

I took in another puff of the blunt and layed my head on the bedroom carpet. Taking in two deep breaths, I got into that place. You know it right? That little place in your head, the one where that voice lives. The little voice that you think with, the one you hear when you're reading. Yeah, that place.

I don't blame people for taking drugs. I don't blame them for getting addicted either. Drugs can be like the gentlest kiss from a cloud. I mean, usually the climax lasts about 5 seconds before the actual high. The climax is my favourite because for that 5 seconds, you go completely numb. You hear nothing, feel nothing, think nothing.

For that 5 seconds, there's this untradeable sence of utter tranquillity.

I think that's why people abuse. They probably just want to feel those 5 seconds over and over and over again. They'd probably give anything for those 5 seconds.

I love those 5 seconds too.

I turned my head aimlessly and was face to face with Kylie's Diary. I sat up hurriedly and stared at it for a moment. I could picture Kylie sitting on her bed, listening to her daily dose of Lana Del Rey in her air pods and writing away in that thing. She never let ANYONE see it. Not even me.

Of course my curiosity took over and led me to pick it up. I stood up, wobbling towards the bound set of pages laying far under Kylie's bed. I stretched my hand out to the book and pulled it out.

I stared at the diary and traced my thumb along the spine of the cold and dusty book. Tears started to swell up my eyes as memories of Kylie swam all through my mind. I still can't believe she's....gone.

I opened up the book all the way down to the last page.

------
It's a Thursday... I
barely know what date it is.
Lately, it's getting harder and harder to pretend that everything is okay. I don't know what else to say except that I'm trapped in a web of lies that I created for myself. The worst part is, I have no idea what to do to fix things. I can't fix things.
If I don't make a decision...if I don't do what Mr. M is telling me to do. I'm afraid that this might be my last entry. I'm afraid that he's going to kill me. Or even worse, I'm afraid that he's going to kill Ash and if he does, it would be entirely my fault.
------

"Hey, Do you think if I drink a bunch of blue ice tea, my pee would be orange?", Ryder asked me while walking in.

I hurriedly shut the diary closed and faced Ryder. A single salty tear dropped from my eye.

"What is it?", Ryder asked.

I shook my head and handed Ryder the diary so she could read for herself. Ryder blinked rapidly in shock and sat down next to me. "Did Kylie write this?"

I nod my head slowly. "She's the only one who ever wrote in that thing"

Ryder gulped. "Woah. Who the hell is Ash?"

"I...I don't know"

We stay quiet for a while. Both trying to somewhat analyse things. What would you do if you found this? Was my sister....Was Kylie Murdered?

"Do you think...", I start

"Do I think what?"

"Do you think...I mean, do you think she knew this would happen?", I whisper. I could tell that she thought I was crazy.

"What? Like, you think she was-"

"Murdered", I finish. Scaring us both

"Kelsie. No. Thats insane", she tried to comfort

I stood up. "Look at this. Look at her diary, she was afraid someone was gonna kill her"

"Okay? So?", Ryder argues, "maybe she was just paranoid or something. That doesn't prove squat"

"Ryder! Are you kidding me right now? This could be a huge thing", I muttered.

"Listen to me", she slams the diary in the cupboard. "Kylie wasn't murdered. She was drunk and she fell in the pool and drowned okay. Stop it"

I stared at Ryder in disappointment. I mean, you'd think she would be abit more...expectant.

"What if that didn't actually happen?", I asked, "What if she was killed?"

"I know you miss her. I do too, but this is insane Kelsie. You really need to let it go before it even gets in your head"

Too late.

"Are you serious right now?"

"I'm going to bed, alright? Goodnight Kelsie"

I sighed in frustration and watched Ryder get into her sleeping bag. I made my way to my bed and started to read through Kylie's diary. I read the very first page.

------
Friday, June 21st...
It's the first day of Summer today and I have to admit, I'm super excited. Well, I always am. For one thing, this is my first time writing in this new diary and for another, I'm going back to Echo Creek this afternoon. It's gonna be my last summer here cause next year, I'll be in college.
Dad offered to come pick me up but I told him not to. I know how emotional Kelsie gets when she sees him. My favorite thing about Echo Creek is definitely hanging out with everyone I don't get to see each day. Kiara and her mom, Maya, Noah. Okay okay, my favorite thing about Echo Creek is Noah. Gosh, I can't wait to see him.
I know one things for sure though, It's gonna be one hell of a summer.
------

TODAY is Saturday. It's time for me to go to Echo Creek. I'm nervous and scared and anxious but most importantly, I'm ready to find out who killed Kylie Burklin.

****

Chapter's Question: Are You ready for Echo Creek?😏

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