After the group told Max what Felicity had told them nearly a week earlier; Max was saddended, but understanding of what secret had been held onto for so long. Crying now, Max said, ‘I am so heartbroken for you all that this happened. I knew my dad was murdered, but we didn’t know who did it.’ Jennifer asked him, ‘Does this bring you closure?’ Max replied to her, ‘Yes, it does. But that doesn’t take the pain of losing him away. I was only 5 when he died.’

He then added, ‘But please do tell the police of the full story. Felicity too needs to tell them what happened.’ The group agreed and then went down to the police station and informed Officer Macy Hale of what had transpired nearly twenty years earlier. Officer Hale was concerned that this was what inspired all the text messages from the last few weeks, but was eager to help close this case once more.

After the group and Felicity left the police station, they split up into two groups. Willa and Felicity went home, whereas the others went to the coffee shop to discuss with each other what they had told the police.

Upon getting home, Felicity hugged Willa and apologized, telling her daughter, ‘I am so, so sorry that I’ve kept this from you your whole life. I’ve lived with fear and regret every day since that tragic night.’ Willa replied, ‘It’s okay, Mom. We can finally have closure that Max and his family now have too. Dad did something shitty, but we can never take that back.’

At the same time that Felicity and Willa got home, the others got to the coffee shop and went inside to discuss. ‘We finally can give Max and his family peace and closure after all this time,’ said Dominic. Noemi added, ‘It sucks knowing that our parents did something so bad and never felt much remorse about it.’ The group continued their conversation as the day went on. For nearly 4 hours, the group conversed about the case and what it could mean for the future of the texts from Z. 

‘I truly wonder if we’re still safe from Z,’ said Jonah. He continued, ‘You never know if Z is truly gone now that we’ve figured things out.’ Jennifer then said, ‘In the grand scheme of things, this might be the beginning of the end.’

As soon as Jennifer said that, Anna walked in the door. Anna then said to them, ‘Did you see the news? They finally cracked the case about Xavier Tulum!’ Dominic told her, ‘We know, because we gave them information that Willa’s mother had told us.’ Anna replied, ‘You did? I’m surprised that she’d know anything about a 20-year-old cold case.’

Anna then sauntered off to the upstairs bar to get her special coffee, when the group then continued their suspicions of her. ‘Dom, do you think she’s Z?’ asked Noemi. Dominic replied, ‘It’s possible still, but I’d rather keep the door open for any other suspects.’ Jennifer added, ‘He’s right, anyone could be Z.’ Willa then walked through the door, asking the others, ‘Do you want to go back to the barn? Max is planning a pizza party for some odd reason.’ Jonah said, ‘I don’t see why not. It’s not like we’ve got much to do today.’

The group began to head back to the house when Dominic’s phone made a bird tweet. Then, the floodgates of notification sounds from the phones of the others chimed. ONE NEW MESSAGE, showed up on Jennifer’s new keyboard phone. The group opened the text message on each of their phones, when Dominic gasped at the sender, which now read as ‘Z’.

Don’t think the game is over yet. I’m just getting started.

-Z

The group was now looking at each other with terrified looks. ‘What do we do now?’ asked Noemi. Dominic then replied, ‘We keep these messages between us. It’s too dangerous now that Z’s just getting things started with this.’ Jennifer added, ‘The fact that they’re treating this as a game is horrifying.’

The group continued back to the barn where Max and Felicity were waiting for them. Max looked confused seeing the worried looks on the others’ faces. ‘What happened?’ he asked, to which Dominic replied, ‘This...’ Dominic then showed him the text message. Max said, ‘Eek. Sounds like you’ve got a stalker.’ ‘No shit, sherlock,’ said Willa. The group continued to discuss the text messages with Max and Felicity when the pizza finally arrived. The dread of Z’s latest message lingered upon the group when Dominic opened one of the boxes to find a pleasant smell of pepperoni pizza. The group now having some comfort in each other, now ate the pizza and had a good time just discussing the events of the day, minus the text messages.

Sitting outside the barn, whistling a random tune, was a hoodied figure, who then walked away into the darkness; giggling as they vanished into the deep, dark of night. But overall, this day would never be the same for the little town of Fairlake, who would soon be terrorized by the acts of Z. Someone who stops at nothing to play the game they devised.

WHAT HAPPENS NEXT?

Just because they think it’s over doesn’t mean it truly is.

The group still has many secrets to unravel, and lots of lies to tell. So scandalous!

As I watch from the sidelines, knowing everything they’ve ever done, I know that Dominic, Jennifer, Jonah, Noemi, and Willa will cringe when everything they’ve kept under wraps comes undone.

Dominic and Jonah think they’ve got their relationship saved, but I know that it’s easier said than done.

Noemi has a hard life now caring for her brother, but soon, she’ll have to start caring for herself, a little too much for comfort.

Willa and Jennifer started their friendship on an easy note, but only I know how much harder that will get when a new woman gets in the way.

The only way is up, and the secrets are out. Have fun, but know that I’ll bite back when they least expect it. –Z