"Are you sure you're okay?" Taylor asks for the tenth time within the span of lunch. I raise an eyebrow at her as she gives a tight lipped smile. "You're just really quiet today. That's all."

I nod and swallow the mouthful of sushi I was eating. "I'm always quiet. What's the difference?"

"The difference is you're not commenting sarcastically," I furrow my eyebrows and look down at the Californian roll in my hand. "You haven't been pestered by Brian today, have you?"

I shake my head as the bell rings. "Nope. I don't know whether that's a good thing or not. But I'm not going to complain."

"Well Ben fixed your locker so it'll be as if it never happened," She packs up in a hurry, slinging her bag on her shoulder. "I'll see you History?"

Nodding I watch her rush off into the cafeteria with the students dragging themselves back to class. I turn back around and shove the last mouthful while working on the wrapper of my next roll. By the time I've eaten I'll have to go to my session with Mrs Hale which will be excellent - not.

I can almost guarantee she will question me about the fight followed by the locker incident. Although I didn't report it, I think someone else did which is why I'm being temporarily left alone by Brian. Until he finds a way for me and anyone else to keep their mouths shut.

I unwrap the plastic and pick up the small fish filled with soy sauce, using my teeth to twist the cap. "You could ruin your teeth like that."

Looking up I stop for a moment when Rhys dumps his bag on top of the picnic table. I continue to twist two more times before dropping the cap into the plastic container. He sits down and I squirt the sauce on top of my roll before acknowledging him.

"But my teeth are still in tact," I flashed my teeth, momentarily forgetting who is sitting opposite me. "What do you want?"

He raises his eyebrows and nods. "Straight to the point, what if I wanted to talk to you?"

"Shouldn't you be heading to class?" I question, taking a bite and covering my mouth with my hand. "Or hanging out with your friends, something else probably . . ."

"Firstly I have a free period," He grins which makes me furrow my eyebrows. "And my friends have class which leaves me here with you. I figured it would be good to know the girl my brother has this weird fascination over."

I swallow abruptly. "Your brother doesn't have a fascination over me."

"Not in a creepy way. More of a he's asked around about you and he's intrigued," He leans on the table and shrugs. "I have to say, so am I . . . your quite odd considering your past."

"I'm odd?" I question with confusion, he chuckled in amusement. "I don't think I even want to know but you don't have to feel obligated to talk to me. Brian's left me alone-"

"For today maybe," He clicks his tongue. "He's an asshole. Just because he's on good behavior for the fight and your locker doesn't mean he won't find a way to harass you."

"I'll be fine."

My voice raises on instinct, feeling my heart rate picked up in the slightest. I don't need someone to protect me. I can handle things myself although half the time it feels like I can't. But I don't need Rhys thinking he owes me or something because of what I've done for his brother.

It was a common courtesy act. Anyone - well maybe not exactly - but someone with a heart would have stepped in. Then again, I don't think many people would have considering most don't have a death wish. It was impulsive and honestly a stupid move.

Rhys clasps his hands together over his mouth while narrowing his eyes at me. I look at the sushi in my hands and feel slightly less hungry at the fact I raised my voice at him. He doesn't seem like a guy to hit a girl but I don't want to push it. Not when I already have one asshole on wreaking havoc on me.

"How can you eat that?" Hesitantly I look up after taking a bite, a look of disgust pulled on his features. "It's seaweed and raw fish."

I chew with a hand over my mouth. "Actually. I have spicy chicken and cucumber, you can get it wrapped in rice paper if you don't like nori."

"Are you trying to convince me to eat that cat food?" He shakes his head while I roll my eyes. "Don't roll your eyes at me."

"What are you going to do about it?"

He raises his eyebrows in shock but slowly a smile pulls on his lips. I crack a smile, looking away for a moment when I notice a few people watching on out of curiosity. However they look away when Rhys looks over his shoulder a scoff leaving his lips.

"Some people don't know how to mind their own business," He faces me again and exhales. "But it should spread around the school by next period that you're a no go zone."

"Why are you so intimidating?" I mumble, although it was quiet he obviously heard it.

"I thought you would know," The smile that was on his lips fades and his eyes darken in the slightest. "It's because I hospitalized Blair's ex boyfriend. Nobody wants to risk being the next target."

I feel my heart race while holding eye contact with him. Now I see the intimidation. His eyes have darkened to burn a scornful look into me while I try not to squirm underneath it. My phone buzzes against the table telling me that I have to start towards the counselors.

"I have to go." I swipe the alarm and grab my bag from the ground.

"Why?" He questions and I stand up, slinging the bag on my shoulder. "You don't need to leave because I'm here. It's not like I bite or leave a disease."

I slow down my movements of getting out from the table at his words. He's getting angry and I don't know why. Well, actually I can guess and it was in his words. He thinks I'm leaving because he's here. But that's not the case.

"I'm not leaving because I'm scared," I deadpan, taking my phone and rubbish. "Or whatever reason you may think. I have to go somewhere."

"Where?" He challenges and I suck my cheeks in.

"It doesn't matter," I snap out of annoyance. "It shouldn't matter to you at least. Bye Rhys, enjoy the rest of your day."

I give a faint smile before turning to leave. "You too Kira."

I almost stopped but only look over my shoulder to see him wave slightly. Nodding I continue with a quick pace as a million questions run through my mind. But one stands out above all others.

If he was only being around me for his brother's sake, why would he willing to talk to me during a free period when I'm clearly not at harms risk?

I don't understand Rhys. Then again the same could be said about myself. I'm still trying to figure out who the hell I am and what I want to be. I'm not smart, definitely not athletic and I have the creativity of a toddler. I'm just there taking up oxygen and not really contributing to society.

That's why I saw Mrs Hale before everything turned upside down. It was one of the issues I was working through while occasionally touching on my mother's death. But I shut down when that's brought up because if I don't change the subject I'll break down.

I can't afford to have a breakdown now.

I need to keep my sanity otherwise senior year is going to be next to impossible to survive. So far, it doesn't seem as simplistic as it sounds. It's actually proving a lot more difficult and this arranged meeting is putting an unnecessary pit of anxiety in my stomach.

Knocking against the door Mrs Hale looks up from writing something. However my eyes fall on the person sitting opposite her, almost wishing I could sink into the ground. Brian. He looks to me with a small smile although I know it's the furthest thing from friendly.

"What's he doing here?" She puts down her pen, leaning on her table and gesturing to the empty chair.

"We're going to settle things between you to avoid any other incidents happening," I try to speak but she continues. "Brian has some things he wants to say to you that I think you should hear."

I hesitantly walk in, slipping my hands inside my hoodie pockets when I feel them shake in the slightest. "I don't think this is a good idea."

"Please. I want to apologize for what I did," I look to Mrs Hale who seems fooled by his fake innocence. Reluctantly I take the seat beside him while keeping my bag on incase I need to make a quick exit. "I'm sorry for what I did. I was channelling some anger I was experiencing because my parents were fighting."

I nod slowly. "Over what?"

"You don't need to-"

"It's fine Mrs Hale," Brian intervenes and faces me with a smile that is less than friendly. "My dad started drinking again, coming home to the point he would barely be able to identify anything around him. He actually broke a family photo in his drunken state because my mother left-"

"Brian I don't think this is the way to be talking-"

Once again he cuts her off. "He actually started screaming at me that it was my fault-"

"You're a freaking asshole." I scoff, getting to my feet.

"Kira! You need to-"

"No! What he just said happened a month after my mother's death," I shriek, not caring that others could possibly hear. "Swap the roles and I'm pretty sure you can connect the dots. He isn't sorry and he never will be. Once again, you've stuck your nose into something you know nothing about and caused more drama then what I needed. As for you, I hate you."

I storm out without a care when I knock into an office lady. Papers fly everywhere and I grumble under my breath before crouching down to help. I can see my hands visibly shaking as I roughly gather them into a bundle.

"Kira you should come back in here-" I hand over the papers and stand, shaking my head with a laugh.

"No chance. Not while he's in there." I readjust my bag on my shoulder when I feel something nudge my calf.

Looking down I trail the converse clad foot up to a face. They meet with dark blue eyes that stand out against the messy blond hair on top of his head. He holds out a small card that I recognize as my school ID.

"You dropped this."

I take it about to thank him when I notice the cuts lining his knuckles and hear a door open. "Alright Lachlan, let's get this over with." The deputy looks around in confusion. "What's going on out here?"

A boy slips out holding an ice pack to his nose when Lachlan stands up, heading into the office. Why does he look familiar? I ignore my thoughts and focus on my main priority at the moment. Without missing a beat I rush out despite Mrs Hale calling out to me.

I can't believe Brian would stoop that low but I guess Rhys was right. Even though he can't physically harm me he can do it in other ways. Like bringing up things that have scarred me emotionally, the main ones being mom's death and dad's attempt to drown himself in alcohol to deal with it.

Either way he's going to hurt me but one will have more effect than the other. I just need to toughen up or fight fire with fire. I'm just hoping I won't have to resort to the latter.