Bleach|h.s.»AU

Chapter 4

"Piper, c'mon. Now. We've gotta get out of here." I grabbed the redhead's hand and began pulling her out of the crowd. She didn't fight me, whatsoever, as I led her away from the morbid scene. It was like her mind was still trying to process everything going on, and her face held this blank expression.

I, on the other hand, was in fight-or-flight mode. The adrenaline was coursing through my veins and my only objective was to get us out of here and back home alive. 

Everything was just so fucked up. None of it made sense!

Who could've done that to Malcolm?

I might not have known him for more than a couple hours, but he seemed like a good kid. I mean, regardless of whether or not he was good, he wouldn't deserve to be pushed to his death. So much of the story was missing.

If Harry hadn't been urging me to get out of here with such worry in his features, then I might've stayed behind and waited for the cops to give us some more information. 

Harry.

Why the hell did he look like that?

And where did he go for so long if it wasn't to get his phone back?

I quickly swallowed the bile that was starting to rise in my throat as Piper and me reached her mom's minivan.

"Kennedy, what the fuck is going on?" Piper finally began to react, the shock evident in her tone.

Her face lacked color and her eyes were dilated. She is in no position to drive...

I ignored her question as I reached into her back pocket and pulled out the keys. After loading her up in the passenger side, I started toward the drivers side, but stopped when I saw I wasn't the only person ready to book it out of here.

There were about 20 cars full of people racing out of here to escape the scene. Some people were on foot. Others were begging people with cars to get them out of there, tears streaming down their faces.

My focus was only broken from the groups of people when the sound of a siren in the distance broke through the commotion.

Shit.

I quickly jumped in the driver's seat and sped out of there, careful not to hit any of the people frantically looking for an escape. 

I pretty much held my breath until I made it to the interstate. My knuckles were white as they gripped the steering wheel, and my shirt was stuck to my back due to the fact that it was slick with sweat.

I glanced over at Piper, who was now back to her blank, shocked expression.

"Calm down, Kennedy. Calm down..." I spoke aloud, attempting to breath deeply.

"The police are probably there now, so I'm sure everyone is safe and they're figuring out what happened." I reassured myself again.

Wait, if the police are there then why did Harry have Piper and me leave?

Obviously, we'd be a lot safer with law enforcement on the premises than trying to book it out of there in a cloud of confusion and fear. Wouldn't he be looking out for our best interest? He looked so distressed himself and ready to get out of there after warning us to leave. He also had been rambling about me not saying anything to anyone...

Oh my God.

I gasped aloud as the thought entered my mind. I tried to fight it back, but it kept resurfacing, forcing me to ponder it.

Could he have been the one who pushed Malcolm?

'No, that's impossible...' A voice wanted to tell me; it wanted me to brush it off as corrupt thoughts that resulted from the trauma I had just experienced.

But that would explain where he was for so long, and the dirt on his clothes...

 Could Malcolm have tried to fight back and hit him in the mouth?

I immediately felt the tears start to brim in my eyes as it all began to make sense.

It was the only explanation.

I shouldn't have left the scene of the crime. And I was probably the only person who saw Harry before and after it happened. That's why he told me to leave. He didn't want me to tell the fucking cops!

My blood began to boil in my veins, and I gritted my teeth as I realized I was most likely just flirting with the murderer. And now I've fled the scene of a crime with valuable information.

I have to tell the police. 

I can't just sit here and protect someone I barely know. Especially considering someone has died, and the killer is most likely walking around free right now.

As all of these thoughts flood my mind, my skin begins to burn everywhere I know he had touched me when we're hanging out. This overwhelming disgust suddenly replaces the crush I had on the English guitar player. I can't believe I sat there infatuated with someone who most likely just ended another human being's life.

'You didn't know, Kennedy...it's not your fault.' My mind begins to repeat over and over to calm the guilt that's overflowing within me.

I start to reach for my phone that's sat in the cup holder when Piper's suddenly buzzes in her lap.

I drop my hand back down, and it's quiet as we both glance at the device that's lighting up with a new text message.

I swallow the lump in my throat as she picks it up, unlocking the screen.

I find myself glancing back and forth between her and the road with an exasperating eagerness as I wait to see who the text could be from at this hour. More importantly, what it could be about at 4am.

Piper's eyes scan the screen, but she doesn't react or say anything.

"What? Piper, what is it?" I urge her to tell me. I'm suddenly sitting straighter in my seat as I await an answer.

She takes a breath, looks out the window, and then back at the message.

"Its from Denise. The police have taken a suspect into custody." Her voice comes out as barely a whisper.

"Who? Who did they take?" My voice breaks.

Her eyes meet mine, and I expect her to say Harry's name. 

But that's not what she says.

She squeezes her eyes shut and sucks in a breath before breathing out a reply.

"Its Luke."