Jason's hands were shaking as he stared at the mirror in the bathroom, the memory of Clara's lifeless body flashing through his mind. His face was pale, sweat clinging to his skin as if he had been running. But there was no escape from this—not from the guilt that gnawed at him every second since that night.

It had been a mistake. A terrible, irreversible mistake.

He had never imagined that the party at the farmhouse would end this way. It was supposed to be a celebration, a fun night out with friends after their exams. But now, everything was tainted by the secret they had to carry—the secret of Clara’s death.

Mark’s voice echoed in his head, calm and steady, even in the midst of chaos: “We need to leave her here. It’s the only way.”

Jason had gone along with it at the time, too shocked, too terrified to think of any other option. They couldn’t call the police—it would look like murder. And they couldn’t go to Clara’s parents; they were too powerful, too connected. No one would believe it was an accident, not after what had happened between Clara and Mark.

But every time Jason closed his eyes, he saw her face—her accusing eyes staring at him from the shadows, as if she were still there, waiting for him to confess.

He splashed cold water on his face, trying to shake the feeling, but it wouldn’t go away. It followed him everywhere, a weight pressing down on his chest, suffocating him. How long could they keep this up? How long before someone found out?

---

At the same time, Mark sat in his car, parked on a deserted street, staring out at the dark sky. He hadn’t been able to sleep since that night. Every time he tried, the events of the party replayed in his mind, over and over again.

Samantha had told him to stay calm, to keep it together. But even she couldn’t hide the fear in her eyes when they talked about it. They all knew how dangerous this was—how quickly everything could fall apart if they slipped up even once.

Mark rubbed his temples, the tension building inside him. He had always been able to handle pressure, to stay level-headed no matter what. But this... this was different. This wasn’t just some exam or a problem that could be fixed with a few smart decisions. This was life or death. And one wrong move could destroy everything.

He thought about Clara’s parents, about how they had already started asking questions at the college, how the police were starting to poke around, trying to figure out where Clara had gone after the party.

Mark clenched his fists. He couldn’t let this go on. He had to do something, to make sure they stayed one step ahead. But the longer they waited, the more the walls seemed to close in.

He pulled out his phone and texted Samantha.

We need to talk. Tonight.

---

The farmhouse was quiet, abandoned like it had been for weeks now. Mark had chosen this place carefully—far from the city, far from anyone who might accidentally stumble upon their secret. He and Jason stood in the front yard, staring at the house, neither of them saying a word.

Jason shifted uncomfortably, his eyes darting around as if expecting someone to jump out of the shadows. “What do you think Sam wants to talk about?”

Mark didn’t answer immediately. He had a feeling he knew what it was, but he didn’t want to say it out loud. Not yet.

Finally, he sighed. “I think she’s worried. Just like we are.”

Jason frowned, his voice tinged with panic. “Do you think she’s going to crack? I mean, what if she—”

“She won’t,” Mark interrupted, though he wasn’t entirely sure. “She knows what’s at stake.”

Jason bit his lip, his hands twitching nervously. “I just... I can’t do this anymore, Mark. I can’t keep pretending like everything’s normal. It’s driving me crazy.”

Mark looked at his friend, seeing the fear etched on his face. He understood. They were all scared. But they didn’t have a choice—not if they wanted to survive this.