"You?" the bruised, beaten girl, close to death asks, incredulous. She peers through the dark into my eyes. "How could you?"

"I told you," I growl, gently tracing my knife against her face, "you would regret what you did."

(ง •̀_•́)ง

It all started early in the summer before Freshman year. I was at my best friend's birthday party. Her name is Phoenix. All my closest friends were there, but Phoenix wasn't on the best terms with one of them, Aaron. She snapped at him that day, telling him to stop hogging all the attention and all her friends because this day was about her, and no one else. Well, except for one of our friends that shares the same birthday as Phoenix. Nothing was the same after that.

(ง •̀_•́)ง

"You are unsupportive, insensitive, immature, and so annoying!" Phoenix yells at me, jabbing her finger into my chest. "You are so cruel!" I stand there, eyes cast downward, trying my best not to cry. Not here, not in front of everyone, not in front of the whole school. My best friend can't be turning on me. No way.

"I'm sorry," I whisper, not quite sure what else to say. By now most of the people within hearing distance are staring at us.

"Ha! Like you mean that!" I flinch and twist my fingers nervously. Why is this happening? Why won't she listen? "You were always such a liar!"

"I'm not lying!" I shout, defending myself, tears threatening to fall. "Why don't you believe me?"

"Because you brag about how much better everything is for you and you never tell me anything! You make fun of me and hate on me for no reason!" Phoenix yells, saliva hitting my face, causing me to flinch. She's never been like this, why now? "You never listen to my opinion! You never treat me well! You always have to be the center of attention!"

"That's not true! I hate when people put me in the spotlight!" She scoffs at me. A dark grin forms on her face.

"What a liar." Phoenix walks away, leaving me shaking. I run to the bathroom and hide in a stall, the tears spilling out of my eyes. I bury my face in my hands and sob.

It feels like hours before I come out of the stall, and my eyes are red and puffy. I press a cold, damp cloth to my eyes before going to class. I'm late. I don't care. I sit down next to Aaron, who wraps his arm around my shoulders. A comforting gesture, that's all.

(ง •̀_•́)ง

The next couple of months is relatively the same. By finals, tensions are high, all of our friends are siding with me, because they know that she doesn't have any good reason to be fighting with me.

"Phoenix isn't worth it," one of my newer friends tells me, Karina. "You should just tell her how you feel." Well, it isn't a bad idea. "Maybe punch her a little bit, but don't like go kill her or anything."