HER SECRET DIARY

Episode 7

SUSPECT III : MARK LOWRY

"I heard that she joined a cult and went down south."

"She's definitely hiding in the woods just sucking up the attention she's getting."

"Olivia told me she saw her yesterday eating from the neighbourhood dumpster."

"I bet Ron James locked her up in his dungeon."

"She's dead alright I can just feel it."

The rumours had begun, spreading like wildfire with literally everyone having their own different take on Kayla's disappearance. It was now the third day since Kayla was last seen and the search was kicked into high gear, the school held an emergency meeting for the entire student body this morning from the lower grades to the high school level and officially announced her missing with a crying Nancy and a broken Frank in attendance. A search party had already been formed a day earlier and we were encouraged to join in after school and over the weekend. All anyone could talk about today was Kayla and speculate what really happened to her. I got alot of sad looks and sympathetic stares since the announcement, it was no secret that me and Kayla were almost inseparable. I didnt like it at all it only made it worse off me making every second a remainder that my best friend was not there for me and I could do nothing about it.

"I swear if that dirt bag did anything to her I will personally hire assassins to take him out."

I chuckled at Anita's statement, sometimes she was unintentionally funny it was one of the reasons I kept her as a friend. It was lunch hour and we sat at our usual table in the senior territory of the cafeteria by the giant plexi glass wall that overlooked the academy gardens and forest beyond. It was a cool view and I credited the school for laying out a fantastic design, it made lunch hour all the more bearable.

"Woow boo that's taking it to far don't you think," Jordan replied. Today it was just the three of us. Paula, the final piece of our friend group, was held up in her music recital. It was always the four of us with Jordan or Ron joining in from time to time.

"Our friend is missing nothing is off the books until we find her."

"You crazy sometimes."

"f**k you Jay."

I rolled my eyes, Anita and Jordan were always at each other's throats every time I blinked.

Jordan frowned raising his arms, "what did I do?"

"Seriously do you even care you're friend could have done some horrible nasty s**t to my friend and you're siding with him."

He did.

"I ain't siding with anyone I'm a neutral party here."

Anita was boiling over, I hated it when she went on one of her temper tantrums it would last days as all she go on about was how she was wronged and planning her revenge, a lot to handle but at least it was more of a personal vendetta than an attention seeking stunt. Jordan once again was on the 'enemy I cant stop loving' list maybe for the weekend. Anita was a complicated puzzle that Jordan was yet to figure out even after a year of dating.

"You should be siding with me you know what just go I dont want to see you right now."

Jordan was confused as he looked at me for support but I was not ready to get on her bad side and instead looked at my food.

"Go already you idiot."

Jordan sighed in defeat, picked his tray and left. He was smart enough not to sit at Ron's table and went to sit with his other basketball pals.

"He's so annoying sometimes."

"Mmmhhh," I ran along with her.

"So after classes were going out with the search party right?"

"Of course."

"Great I needed to tell you something I have to get it off my chest before...."

The cafeteria's announcement speaker rang out cutting off Anita.

"KIMBERLEY WERNER YOU'RE REQUIRED AT THE GUIDANCE COUNSELLOR'S OFFICE!"

I groaned and hit my head on the table, what did Lowry want now.

"Tough luck I guess I'll see you later on," she got up to leave.

"Wait you were saying something."

Her mood seemed to drop down further as she took a few seconds to answer.

"I'll tell you later on,"

She took off without her usual 'bye see you later honey' attitude. It was strange but I wasnt in the right mind set to psycho analyze her behaviour.

The guidance and counselling offices of the academy was one of the most highly funded departments the school had. It had an upswing in fortune thanks to a rise in importance of mental health issues worldwide in the past ten years as well as a high number of drug and alcohol addicted s*x crazed teenagers with bad attitudes roaming around Edgewood. Mark Lowry was now the proud overseer of one classroom, two compulsory semester units, four offices, ten staff members and fifty student counsellors including Kayla.

She decided to become a student counsellor halfway through our junior year thanks to the Eric drama and Jasmine overdosing on percocet and trying to commit suicide. She did mainly because she thought she could help the students open up about their problems and get the help they needed. Kayla was good at it, thanks to her popularity and friendly attitude more students gravitated towards attending her counselling sessions and focus groups. She skyrocketed to senior student counsellor the only one of her rank, given to her by Lowry who was a great admirer of hers even if he tried to hide it.

I made it to his office stopping by his secretary's desk first.

"Mr. Lowry asked for me?"

"Kimberley oh yes go right in," the secretary ushered me in.

I had never once been in Lowry's office, I tended to keep to myself especially at school the heat from the counsellors office was not something you wanted.

Dull and boring was the word I would have used to describe Lowry's office had I imagined it in my head but it was totally different in reality. The walls were a mixture of radiant colours, a sky blue background with different flower shapes of red, yellow and orange were painted on it brought a vibrant feel to the room. It was rather spacious with two couches by the door and a bean bag chair at a far corner next to a large drawer with hundreds of files on top of it. His desk was by the window and was small than most I had seen with nothing on it, not even a computer or laptop.

"You like the paint job it was Kayla's idea said if the room was hip and cool students would feel more comfortable during counselling sessions," Lowry said like he knew what I was thinking. He was weirdly standing in the corner of the room doing nothing in particular, strange.

"Kimberley can I call you Kim," he said with a smile that looked more routine than genuine.

"My friends call me that so no."

He didnt seem surprised.

"Have a seat."

I sat down in the rotating chair next to the desk that was so comfy I could sleep in it. He followed suit sitting behind his desk.

"How you faring on with the current situation."

"My best friend is missing so obviously not good."

"I know it was a shock to me as well Kayla was an exceptional student but I hope she is still alive and we find her in time."

"We will I know it."

"You have her determination and spirit I see why you were close."

He was studying me like a lab rat with his eyes, it was creepy and off putting and his responses were obviously meant to build my ego, why did he really want me here.

"Why am I here I dont recall being in trouble or anything," I skipped all the small talk trying to make our interaction as short as possible so I could leave.

"Oh no no no it's not about that I'm just checking in on the most affected by Kayla's disappearance, standard counselling protocol your friend Anita will be coming in as well later on."

His words were smooth and calm without a hint of doubt or deception, wherever he got his training he really got his money's worth.

He continued, "I'm just offering grievance training incase of the worst scenario occurring so as to help cope with reality."

I wasnt ready to go there yet, Kayla was not dead I needed to believe that.

"I think I'll skip the negativity trip but thanks for offering can I go now."

He gave a robotic laugh, everything about his behaviour seemed fake, a performance. He smiled at me once more, "Fine then I understand but our doors are always open if you need to talk who knows maybe you can become a counsellor just like Kayla."

I immediately stood up to leave but as i was about to exit he stopped me again.

"Ooh and Kimberley one last thing Kayla had a diary, she used for her counselling sessions, if you see it among her things I'll be glad to have it, has some important notes I need."

That was definitely a weird request.