Cured. I still can't fully wrap my head around it. Everyone is expecting me to be in full celebration mode, but the cause of the cure kind of puts a damper on any feelings of joy I might have.

I still haven't given Lucas an answer. I mean, how the hell are you meant to answer something like that? It doesn't have to be the end... does it? Those words keep echoing in my mind like a broken record player. I thought about telling Lainie and Paige about how we were cured, but I knew how they would both react. They were both big believers of true love, and finding happy ever after's. They'd be shoving me at Lucas every opportunity they got.

Fortunately Lucas hasn't told anyone either, and hasn't had a chance to bring it back up. He isn't making it easy on me though. Everyday he comes in to visit, or sit and talk with Emily. Sometimes I catch him sneaking glances my way. Luckily Paige and Lainie have been mother henning me, so it doesn't leave him any opportunities to catch me alone. His presence alone however is enough to keep me on edge. I can feel my heart doing stupid tricks whenever he's in the room. The scar twinges sometimes when that happens but I don't feel the urge to hit it anymore.

Oh, speaking of Paige – yesterday she dropped a bomb on me.

"I left home three weeks ago," she said casually, dropping a bag of cookies on my lap.

"You what?" I exclaimed. "Did Dad kick you out?"

"Nope." Munching on a cookie, she explained everything. Once I'd returned to England after Grandpa's funeral, Dad had turned tyrant. He forced her into that slime balls arms every chance he got. She wasn't sure what it was that tipped her over the edge, but she finally had enough of it and with no real friends to turn to, she had called Lainie.

"Lainie?" I had asked.

"Yeah. I still had her number in my phone, and I just needed someone to talk to and vent to, you know?"

"You could've called me."

"You were already dealing with enough," she said gently. "I know you pretend not to care, but if I'd come to you with my problems you would've worried."

She was right; begrudgingly I let her continue.

She started meeting up with Lainie on a regular basis, and it took some time, but Lainie finally convinced her that there was more to life than doing our father's bidding. Lainie had moved into a share house after high school, and she had taken Paige in. She helped her pack her belongings, leave a note for Dad, telling him in a polite but firm way to get stuffed, and Paige was now crashing on Lainie's couch while she looked for a job.

"I have no experience in anything," she smiled weakly. "But I'll try anything right now and in February I'll try to look for a traineeship or something once I have a little bit of money saved."

"Have you heard from Dad?"

"Just the lawyers." She shrugged. "Apparently he wants nothing to do with either of us. Our trust funds are still safe, but don't kick in until we're twenty-five. I think when I get mine I'm going to donate it some charity he hates."

"Sounds like a good plan." I didn't know how much was in my trust fund, but I didn't care anymore either. I'd rather make my own way without any connections to our jerk Dad. Maybe I can donate mine to the Doc or something. That would tick Dad off for sure.

"I think you should do something like even planning," I told her suddenly. "You always helped plan all those shindigs Dad threw. You were good at that, even if they did suck."

She grinned. "Yeah, they did suck. It was fun planning them though. I'll keep it in mind. Thanks, Ariel."

Lainie told me later she didn't mind helping Paige out. She'd been drowning, and she'd always hated our Dad, so pissing him off was an added bonus for her.

They had snuck back in before the locks were changed and packed up my room. A lot of it was in storage, and they thought Amelia could help me sneak back in if there was anything I still wanted.

To be honest, I couldn't really think of anything I wanted. Paige had grabbed the photo albums of Mum and our Grandparents. The rest was just clothes, makeup, and other things that didn't hold value anymore.

Dad could do what he liked with them. As far as I was concerned, Paige and I were done with him and that life. It was time to figure out who we were without the status and money. I know a lot of people would be angry or upset at the loss of financial support, but all I felt was relief. Knowing I don't have to go back to that place in a couple of days took a weight off my shoulders I didn't know was sitting there.

I felt even more relieved this morning when Ben came to visit. I half expected him to look sickly and unwell, but there was no change, perhaps a little taller.

"Have you seen your old room?" He exclaimed, bouncing on my bed. "Your curse put a hole in the house!"

I lied and said I hadn't, because I was meant to be on bed rest, but last night Emily and I had snuck out so she could show me the damage.

"Amelia put up a magical wall so no one accidently falls out," Emily had whispered. "It's going to take a few months to repair, they said."

I could see what she meant. There was only a small square of coloring left by the door and Emily's side of the room. The outer wall was completely gone and the other two walls were filled with large holes and cracks snaking their way up to the ceiling, which was surprisingly intact.

Emily explained it was some form of old magic that protected the top floor, so the Grimm's living area was a safe zone. Amelia had never covered the entire house with it, because the magic cost was so high and it would take years to cover such a large space.

It was sad, looking at the remains of our room. I hadn't exactly enjoyed my time there, but it had become my home. I thought of all of Emily's pictures and seashells hanging from the walls and felt guilty. I tried to apologise but she wouldn't let me.

"You're curse is broken," she simply said as we crept back into our new room. "I think that's more important than a few seashells and pictures, don't you think?"

So yeah, Em is pretty amazing.

Anyway, it was good to see Ben again. He tried for ages to get it out of me how Lucas and I broke our curses, but there was no way in hell I was telling that kid. Children – no offense to them – are the biggest snitches. As much as I like Ben, I can't tell him Lucas and I are essentially soul mates.

Ah crap. Can't believe I just wrote that.

Moving on.

Ben grew quiet at the end of his visit with me, his smile fading and a familiar childish pout started to form around his mouth and I had a feeling I knew why.

"So," I said, nudging his leg with my foot. "Your Mum said when she visited yesterday that you might still get to go to public school or something. That's pretty cool."

"Yeah," he mumbled. "I don't think it will happen though. Mum doesn't like to admit it but she's still pretty freaked out about what happened to me."

"Ah, bummer. Well I guess I'll have to come back and visit so you don't get into too much trouble with your new tutor."

He looked away. "You're just saying that. No one ever comes back."

"Ben," I waited until he turned back to look at me. "I am not 'no one'. I'm the girl who helped you with Math and to sneak out of the house to avoid doing schoolwork. You're my friend, and I've recently learned that it's important to keep in touch with your friends, old and new. So whether you like it or not, I'll be coming back to visit, alright?"

He smiled. "That would be cool, I guess."

I'd definitely be back to visit. I didn't want to be one of those people that disappeared from Ben's life. I know his life will be difficult with his curse, and thinking of how his Uncle took his life from it, I didn't want that to happen to Ben. I want him to know there are people here for him, even if I won't always be close by.

I have my final session with the Doc tomorrow. He hasn't really had time to sit down with me since he's been dealing with the house, Michael (which he won't divulge about), Lucas and of course Ben and Zeke. The most he'd had time to do was assure me that my heart was back in my chest and in one piece. The scar remained, and always would, but I didn't mind.

Once we had our final chat Paige, Lainie and I would be heading home the next day. A part of me doesn't want to leave so soon. I kind of created this mess and I feel obligated to stick around help clean it up, but everyone keeps pushing me to go home. Most of the work has been done while I was recovering. I don't know why I'm annoyed they won't let me help, but whatever. I think maybe I'm just using it as an excuse to not leave and face reality.

Once I'm home, just like Paige, I have to figure out what do with my own life now. I don't think I want to be a teacher anymore. It was fun, but after Ben's episode, my insides still freeze up thinking of the weight of such a responsibility.

Amelia is still keen to take me on as some sort of witch's apprentice. After her first visit, I found a small book beside my pillow; Runes and the Elements – A beginners guide to the world of Witches. I knew she'd put it there. It didn't take long to read; it was pretty interesting, and I had a tonne of questions I wanted to ask but I still wasn't sure it was what I wanted. How do people decide so easily what they want to do for the rest of their life?

Career choices, soulmates (why do I keep writing that!?), finding somewhere new to live – if this is what it means to be an adult...

This sucks.

I know it's not very long, but here is the last (that's right, I said last XD) Journal Entry. The next chapter should be the last one <3 eep!