Kylie Burklin's Killer [1st Draft: UNEDITED]

10,Number 3 Jersey.

I could feel the adrenaline from the pitch to the stands coursing through my veins. I could feel the stares and intense judgement coming my way, like a cold rusty knife piercing through my skin. My breath was heavy and my arms were shaking, palms sweaty, knees weak. I don't remember the last time I kicked a soccer ball.

I know for a fact that my skills are going to be compared to my sisters. And, although I'm used to it, I'm used to being second to my older sister, it's more pressure because now that she's gone, I'm no longer second. People are going to expect me. Actually, people already expect me to be number one.

Oh gosh, I think I'm gonna be sick.

"Okay Burklin!", shouted the girl at the goal. She stood firm and ready. More ready than me. "Whenever you're ready. Take your time"

Hell, even the man mowing the grass on the other side of the pitch looked more ready than me. Remind me again why I even agreed to this in the first place?

A breath entered me as I inhaled and with the closing of my eyes in preparation of my attempt to score a goal came with an exhale from my lips.The heel of my foot touched the ball as I kicked it as best I could with my eyes still closed.

Cheers we're all around me. I guess that means I scored. Thank God.

My eyes opened and all the girls clapped.

"Wanna try a couple more? That could have just been beginners luck", the goalkeeper says

I score six more goals until everyone on the team was satisfied.

"No doubt about it Kelsie Burklin. You have officially made the team!", Sophia tells me

I smile.

"In honor of making the team, me and the girls would like to award you with this", Sophia shows me a jersey with the number 3 on it, as well as the name 'Burklin' written over it in white font.

"It's Ky's Jersey", Sophia says, "We all want you to have it"

"Thank you", I say and take the jersey. For the first time in a long while, I actually felt close to Kylie.

***

Sophia invited me over to her house after school today. The whole week has gone by relatively quickly, mostly because I haven't been able to do any more investigating since our next step to finding my sisters Killer is me going to Echo Creek and talking to Ciara. Luckily, I leave tonight and get a step closer to figuring out my sisters murderer.

I still can't believe I'm even saying those words.

"Is this some kind of team initiation or something?", I joke as I try to balance on the ledge of the roof of Sophia's house. It's cold and dark out but still, Sophia insisted we sit up here to enjoy the stars.

"No. Actually, I wanted to talk to you about something". She sits down gently besides me and looks up to face the stars. "It's about...About your sister"

"Oh. This seems serious.", I say, "What is it?"

A pause.

"....Kylie was the only person I have ever met that genuinely understood me. She had my back and she defended me and looked out for me when no one else did", Sophia cried, "she was the only person that made me feel less lonely and-"

She stops.

"...And I betrayed her"

"What do you mean?", I ask and she doesn't respond. Instead she looks away.

"Sophia?", I ask again, "What do you mean?"

"... I betrayed my only one true friend", she continues

"How did you betray her?"

"I...I....I was secretly seeing Mason"

A sigh of relief escape my lips. To be honest, I thought she was going to say something much worse.

"That's it? It's okay Sophia, people mess up all the time", I comfort, "I promise you it is not a big deal"

"Yeah but I mean, not like that"

"Trust me, Kylie should have been the last person to judge you for what you did. You are a human being. You're allowed to mess up sometimes. Atleast you acknowledge the fact that you were wrong"

"..thanks", she says and wipes her tears. "I just really miss her"

"Yeah well, join the club"

"You know, at the party that Friday night, it's almost like she knew."

"What do you mean?"

"Well, I was pretty drunk but, I remember her telling me she was gonna leave half way through the party. Like, she was kind of weird about it too", she sniffs. "Kylie was always one of the last people to leave not the first"

"Do you think something could have been wrong?", I ask

"I don't know", she murmurs, "She told me she wasn't feeling like herself and she wanted to go home. She asked me to go with her Kelsie...but, I was a bad friend and I said no. I feel like if I went with her and paid more attention maybe I could have helped her, you know? Like, maybe she would still be here if I just...went with her"

"You think she drowned herself? Like on purpose? Like a suicide?", I ask

"She was so shaken up. You should have seen her. I looked in her eyes, and I almost didn't recognize her. She was scared I think or lost. Either way, she seemed ready to end it all that night"

"Do you have any idea what might have made her feel like that?", I asked

"Normally I would but, after last summer, she was a whole different Kylie.", she says, "She stopped sharing stuff with me, she didn't tell me any stories from her visit, she stopped showing up for practice, she would have the most shady conversations over the phone. I don't know, she was just...distant"

"I don't know what it is", Sophia continues, "but something happened that summer and...it wasn't something good. I know that much"

__________

Chapters Question's: What do you guys think so far? Any main suspects on who you think the killer is?

Also, what do you think is going on with the whole autopsy situation? What's your theory on the real autopsy and what it says?

Please comment and vote! I miss discussing chapters with you guys!❣️

Xoxo, Lakish'a

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