I woke up the next morning to Ross's voice in my head. It was the same spiel over and over: "She died because of you." It took a monumental effort to get my arms and legs moving, much less up and walking. The residue of the magic was like a dying ember from a fire, the barest hint of electricity zipping through my veins.

My phone buzzed and I flinched, almost dropping it. I smiled at the screen as I saw a text from Adrian. 'Hey, sleeping beauty. Hope I didn't wake you. Come outside. I've got a surprise for you.' I couldn't stop the smile that spread across my face.

My heart was beating wildly in my chest as I got dressed and walked outside. My smile widened as I saw Adrian outside, holding a large bouquet of red roses. Tears filled my eyes and spilled down my cheeks, but they were tears of joy. I laughed, smiling through my tears, and hoped my expression would convey what words couldn't: Thank you. This is exactly what I needed.

From the look on his face, I could tell he recieved my message loud and clear. He grinned as he handed me the roses, slinging his free arm around my shoulder. "Where are we going?" I asked when I could speak again.

He shook his head, a knowing smile on his face. "Guess you'll have to wait to find out." We walked for a while until we stopped at a local park. That wasn't what took my breath away. It was the picnic lunch sitting on the grass, the landscape free of any leaves or tree branches, like something out of a painting.

Everything looked amazing. He took my hand as we sat down, opening the picnic basket with his free one. Inside was a simple array of sandwiches, nothing fancy. I selected a turkey sandwich while he chose roast beef. The whispers came and went as we ate. I tried my hardest to ignore them, focusing all my energy on Adrian and what he was saying.

By the time we finished eating, the sun had set. I hadn't realised how long we'd been out here. We walked home in silence, his hand gripping mine. My mind, however, was full of noise. Ross's voice stood out, taunting me. I couldn't help my wince as his voice became grating and harsh. Then something weird happened.

The other voices rose, quickly drowning Ross out. All the colour drained from my face, a cry escaping my lips as I recognised the voices. Zach, Tara, Adrian, and... Dad? My entire body turned to jelly as my legs gave out from under me. Adrian caught me before I hit the ground.

A worried expression was on his face as he grabbed his phone and quickly dialed a number. His voice was far-away and faint as he spoke. I squeezed my eyes shut, tears leaking from under my eyelids. A few minutes later, hurried footsteps reached my ears, followed by a familiar voice. "We'll take her to my house. I know what to do."

I felt Adrian sweep me into his arms, my head resting on his chest. All I wanted was for those whispers to go away. "Sleep, Bella. Help is coming." I was asleep before his words fully registered in my head.

I awoke hours later to vaguely familiar surroundings. I knew where I was, but I couldn't quite place it. The first thing I noticed, however, was the silence. Blissful, glorious silence. I almost cried out in relief. As if I'd summoned him, Adrian appeared in the doorway, a relieved smile on his face as he saw me awake.

He walked towards me, taking a seat across from me. "How are you feeling?" He asked, gently taking my hand. I opened my mouth to answer, but before I could, I heard a familiar voice, one I never thought I'd hear again.

"Bella," Mrs. Briar said, a relieved expression on her face. "I'm so glad you're okay." Her voice was just as soothing and calming as it had been when I'd heard it the first time. Questions filled my head, almost spilling out of my mouth. She shook her head, grabbing a glass of murky-looking liquid.

Adrian grimaced as he handed it to me. "I'm sorry, Bella." He lifted the glass to my lips and I drank greedily, not tasting it until I had drained the glass. By that point, I was too out of it to notice. My vision blurred, then faded to black as whatever drug that was in the drink took over.

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