Chapter 2 Betrayed

When I regained consciousness, the sterile scent of antiseptic filled my nostrils. Harsh white lights flickered above me, casting eerie shadows on the walls. I was in a hospital room, and my head pounded as if someone was hammering inside my skull. A dull ache radiated from my neck to the left side of my head, mingling with the general discomfort that enveloped my body.

A nurse entered, her expression a mix of surprise and relief. "You're awake," she said softly, adjusting the IV drip beside my bed.

"What happened?" I croaked, my throat dry and raw.

"You were found unconscious in the woods. The police have some questions for you," she replied, her voice calm but laced with an undercurrent of urgency.

The door opened, and two officers stepped in, their faces stern and unreadable. They began questioning me about Zane-about that day. Panic gripped me, and as I tried to explain, the words spilled out jumbled, like pieces of a puzzle that didn't fit together. My memories were hazy, scattered like leaves in the wind. I struggled to recall what had happened, but the more I pushed, the further away the memories slipped.

Tears threatened to fall as I thought of Zane. He was the only person who ever listened to me, who understood the chaos that swirled in my head. Now, all I could think was how I would survive this cruel life without him. Who else believed in me, if not Zane? Where was he to tell them the truth? All I could remember was Ella standing over Zane's lifeless body, a scene seared into my mind yet out of focus.

My thoughts were abruptly interrupted by a hard slap across my cheek.

"Ouch, that hurts!" I cried, my eyes clearing momentarily, but the sting lingered.

"It hurt? It didn't hurt when you took your friend's life," one of the officers said, their voice dripping with scorn.

Wait, what? What did I do?

"Of course not! I didn't do anything! My cousin said she didn't mean to hurt him, so what are you talking about?" I pleaded, confusion written all over my face.

"Oh, shut up with the lies already. Why would your cousin do that? She's even trembling right now. You hurt him, and when she confronted you, you tried to murder her, too? Pathetic of you to do that," the officer sneered, his words like daggers piercing my heart.

"I didn't do anything! I never touched her or hurt Zane! He's my best friend!" I sobbed, desperation flooding through me. He was all I had. Why would Ella do this to him? Why were they torturing me when I was the innocent one? The one who needed help was her, not me.

"Not when the guy witnessed everything, young lady. You can't lie again. Either you tell the truth or spend the rest of your life in a cell," the officer said, his demeanor as unyielding as the walls of the room.

What? No! I couldn't let that happen. I needed to do something, anything, to get out of this nightmare.

"Please, I need my dad. I need to call him now!" I pleaded with them, but they declined.

After what felt like hours of tears and desperate appeals, they finally relented, and my father stood before me, a towering figure in his crisp suit, but his expression was cold and unyielding.

"Dad, please talk to Ella. Tell her to tell the truth! I'm innocent! I can't go in for someone else's crime," I begged, my voice cracking.

Instead of offering comfort or expressing concern, all I saw on his face was disgust and disappointment. The only thing he uttered to the officers was, "I don't know her. I have no disgrace of a daughter like her. You can do whatever you want with her; I care less." With that, he turned and walked away.

I was left in shock, perplexed at what had just transpired. My father didn't listen. He looked at me as though I was a stranger, as if I was the very embodiment of everything he hated. It felt like a dagger plunged into my heart, twisting as I absorbed the betrayal. Ever since Mom left us after the divorce, Dad had been nothing more than a remote figure, distant and disengaged. I had long resigned myself to the fact that he was emotionally unavailable, but this? This felt like a death sentence.

The officer gripped my arms tightly, snapping me back to the present. He led me to a holding cell, the iron bars cold and unyielding. "This is where you'll be until we decide what to do with you," he stated bluntly, locking the door with a loud clang behind me.

I barely registered his words; my body was numb, and my mind was consumed by the hollow ache of betrayal from the man who was supposed to protect me. As the sound of his footsteps faded away, I felt the walls closing in, the reality of my situation settling heavily upon my shoulders.

"Why am I going through all this? All I wanted was a normal life like any other teenager," I whispered to myself, the tears finally spilling over as my chest constricted. There was no one to share my anguish with now. My mother had left me, and now the memory of Zane, the one piece of joy I clung to, was also stripped away from me.

I sank to the floor, wrapping my arms around my knees, feeling utterly defeated. Zane was gone, and I wished with every fiber of my being that there was a fairy tale ending, some magic to revive him so I could hug him once more. I had never imagined that an ordinary day could spiral into such chaos, leading me to this dark, desolate cell.

I will never forgive him. Ella and Daniel will pay for this if something happens to me.

" And don't ever think of trying your tricks on yourself, young lady. You'll even rot in hell if you try that . Pathetic bitch" the officer said before he took off the cuffs and locked the cells and left.

Why am I going through all this ? I just wanted a normal life like any other teen.

I couldn't hold the tears any longer. Now I have no one to share my tears with. My mom left me, and now the only memory that kept me going was also stolen from me. Zane , you were all I had . I wished there was a fairy to bring you back to life, so I hug you once more.

If wishes do truly come through , will mom ever find out and help me ?. I wish my mom would find me someday .