𝐍𝐎𝐓 𝐀𝐋𝐋𝐎𝐖𝐄𝐃| Max Mayfield [COMPLETED UNTIL SEASON FIVE]

xxx. ms. kelly

Max let out a heavy sigh. "You know, with all the murders going on, it's just making everything even more difficult," she confessed to Josie and Ms. Kelly, who looked at her with confusion. What could Max be hiding?

Ms. Kelly leaned in, her voice serious. "You've experienced trauma, Max, same goes for you Josie," she said, gesturing towards them. Max's confusion mirrored Josie's. Were they both dealing with similar challenges?

Ms. Kelly went on, her tone serious. "And when you keep your feelings, maybe even one another, bottled up the way you do, it doesn't take much to trigger them again." she hinted, implying that she knows about Max and Josie's past relationship. Josie's eyebrows furrowed in confusion, her mouth dropping open. Did she accidentally reveal their dating history to Ms. Kelly?

Max avoided eye contact with Josie. She looked down at her lap before looking up at Ms. Kelly's, not daring to look at Josie. She knew that Josie put two and two together. Max nodded, "That's not why we are here..." she murmured. Once Max said that, it confirmed Josie's suspicions, letting out a light scoff.

With a self-conscious gesture of pushing her hair behind her ears, Josie looked at Ms. Kelly, who nodded understandingly. "Alright then... if that's not why we're here, do you think we're ready to discuss what happened that night? I know you both witnessed it. You both lost someone important," Ms. Kelly acknowledged, her tone compassionate.

Josie didn't wanna remember back to that night, but she remembered. She remembered walking outside and there was no Charlotte to be seen.

As Josie's sobs subsided, she became aware of another presence in the room. She turned her head, her eyes locking onto Max, who was huddled in El's arms. The sight that met her gaze sent a shiver down her spine. There, lifeless on the ground, lay Billy's body, a tragic reminder of the horrors they had endured. Max's cries punctuated the air, a heartbreaking expression of grief and loss.

In that moment, the weight of the situation settled upon them all, intertwining their fates and forging a bond that could never be broken.

As Josie's tear-filled eyes scanned the chaotic room, her gaze shifted upwards towards the balcony. There, she saw Will, Lucas, Steve, and Robin, their expressions a mix of relief and concern as they surveyed the aftermath of the ordeal. However, one face was noticeably absent. Josie's heart sank as she realized Charlotte was nowhere to be seen.

Turning to El, her voice quivering, Josie asked, "Where's Charlotte?" El's response was simple yet devastating. "Gone," she whispered softly. The weight of those words crashed down upon Josie, overwhelming her with a fresh wave of grief. The floodgates of her emotions burst open once again, tears streaming down her face as she mourned the loss of her dear friend. The room was filled with a heavy silence, each person grappling with their own emotions and the harsh reality of their situation.

Josie snapped back to reality, tears welling up in her eyes. She felt a gentle touch, and when she looked down, she saw Max holding her hand. A wave of butterflies fluttered in Josie's stomach, making her heart race with excitement.

Josie's head throbbed instantly, causing her to tightly shut her eyes. She had been dealing with these headaches for weeks now, and despite feeling fine earlier, the pain had returned once again.

Ignoring Ms. Kelly's words, Max acknowledged the shared trauma of that night. "I actually live right next door to where it happened," Max blurted out, unable to contain the information any longer.

Ms. Kelly tilted her head to the side, "I'm sorry?"

Max hesitated for a moment before backtracking. "I mean, the place where Chrissy was murdered. The police questioned me a lot," Max leaned forward, her voice filled with curiosity. "Did they talk to you too?"