Chance24 hours earlier"Want to explain why the fuck we're all meeting at your place Austin?" Bone shouts when we all pile up in Austin's living room. He doesn't have the largest house, and even though we have moved all the furniture back, it's still a tight squeeze in here."Everyone here?" Austin asks ignoring Bone's question with irritation. Glad I'm not the only one."Everyone's here except Ghost and the prospect watchin' over Lyla's mom." Max says to his brother. Making my skin feel like it's on fire. When Austin had told me that Ghost was going to be the one that stayed with Abby I wanted to punch something. Austin stared at me for a few moments until I got head back. I knew he had done it on purpose. Partly to test me and see if I would honor his rule, and partially to test my affection for Abby. I don't know what we are right now, but something about having her lay alongside me all night, the way she took control, I need more of that and soon."Alright let's get start

Chance Ten years agoPacing back and forth I play what the police captain said to me earlier today over and over again in my head. "We're sorry Mr. Malone, but we still don't have a suspect."It has been months since the shooting, and they aren't even close to identifying anyone. I have tried telling them over and over again who it is, but the same words they repeat haunt me.Alibi.Those fuckers that had the audacity to end lives that dreadful day, have a fucking alibi.Anger boils in my belly knowing those assholes are out there, free to do whatever they choose, while parents of those kids have to suffer nearly every day.I squeeze my phone in my palm tighter and bring it up to my forehead trembling as I do so. I have tried calling Sean over 40 times since I have been home and still no answer. Only one with the power to bring all of this to a conclusion, a simple phone call separates the truth from all the lies that were given to those who lost their children that day. I fe

Chance I watch as Abby disappears into Max's room. My heart burns to go to her, hold her in my arms and beg and plead for her forgiveness but I don't deserve that. I deserve to wallow in self-pity feeling like my world is standing still, but in actuality everything around me is moving at the speed of light. When Austin came out and told us what happened and that Abby and Ghost were on their way here, my heart stopped. Knowing I wasn't there for her when she needed me the most, knowing I was here getting shitfaced all while she was fending off an attack that almost ended her life, kills me. If it weren't for Ghost and Swatch, she would have been dead, and it would have been all my fault. I am no better than her father, the same man that not too long ago, I fought for putting her in this same situation."Church in five." Austin shouts walking over to our newest guest. Leaving this morning after saying horrible things to Abby, I realized I had nowhere to go. No place I called home, n

Chance Ten years agoI can still see the blood. Still see their bodies lying around. Still see the look in my wife's eyes as she tells me what happened to eleven of my students. Still recall the faces of every parent as they pass me at the funerals. I can still see it all, and I deserve every single ounce of it.I sit cross legged on the cold cement floor, trash and debris flow around me as a small gust of wind circles them around a few seconds and reluctantly lets go. Movement behind me causes me to stand up and walk towards the very person that could have saved them all."Mr. Malone?""Tell me what you know Sean.""What's going on?" He asks looking around then turns into a panic. "Why did you bring me here?"I look around with him and take in the condemned place that destroyed everything. The students desks and chairs still lie scattered and pushed over. There is trash and paperwork from my class all over the place, and the small broken air conditioner portable still sits in

ChanceNine Years Ago"Need another?" I look up from my empty glass and nod at the bartender. The liquid pours into the tumbler and I quickly down it, signaling him for another. I could have made a dangerous mistake tonight. That's all I can think of as the next shot of bourbon fills the glass. I recall the night of mistakes I had as I down this one.The gun in my handWatching the minivan appear, lurking in the shadows directly across the streetWatching as Detective Alberts family got out of their car, happy and care free without worryI was going to do it. I was going to end the lives of every single one of them. Alberts was not there, but I didn't need him to be, I was going to seek the revenge I was due. An eye for an eye, family for family.But as I neared the house, gun ready in my hand while my face was covered by a scarf, I stopped.AvaShe was what crossed my mind the moment I crossed the threshold. She wouldn't want me to do this. I couldn't do this in honor of