Going back to college after the Christmas period is always soul-crushing. January consists of cold weather, constant rain and gloomy days. It's the first day back and I try to hold onto the knowledge of knowing it's my final year before graduation. It's hard to concentrate on school when life requires so much attention elsewhere. I want to keep the news of my pregnancy a secret for as long as I can. When I first started to date Jake, the stares and constant gossip surrounding me spread through the college like wildfire. I figure the other students would have a field day if they discovered I'm now pregnant with the local troublemakers baby.

"It feels so weird being back after everything that happened last year," I say quietly to Jake as we head toward our first class. His hand is securely intertwined with mine and Ivory and Trish follow behind us.

"I feel the same way. It feels trivial to come to class when we've dealt with so much in our personal lives," Jake responds.

I hum in agreement. Jake glances down before shooting me a handsome smile.

"On the plus side, it's our final year before we get to spend the rest of our lives together."

His smile ignites butterflies in my stomach and I blush in response. I like the sound of spending the rest of my life wrapped up in him and his craziness.

"Bring it on, I'm ready for it," I tell him.

He grins before leaning down to plant a quick kiss on the tip of my nose.

Behind me, Ivory groans before gently shoving Jake in the shoulder.

"Do you have to continue the PDA at school? I see enough of it at home. Your love is sickening," she teases us.

I laugh before glancing back at her from over my shoulder.

"Is it considered PDA if it's inside our own house? Besides, I'm sure you do way worse with Ben."

My comment causes her to blush because she knows I'm right. Ivory is one of my closest friends... I know all about her relationship with Ben.

"That's not true, Wentworth. Ivory is going to stay a virgin for a very long time," Jake tells me firmly.

Trish snorts with amusement and Ivory releases a loud laugh that catches the attention of students around us.

"Oh, please. That ship sailed a long time ago, Jakey Boy."

She pats Jake's arms before sauntering past him and entering the classroom. Jake stops walking before glaring at her back. I stifle my laugh at the pain and disgust flashing through his eyes.

"Let it go, Jake." I tell him before dragging him into class.

As soon as we step inside, we both pause and freeze as we notice a familiar face sitting directly in front of the classroom... Violet.

"What the fuck is she doing here?" Jake repeats with frustration lining his voice.

Upon noticing Jake enter, Violet sits up straighter in her seat and flashes him a flirtatious smile. The frustration that flows through me makes me want to lunge forward and wipe the smile from her face. Jake grabs my hand before leading me toward the back of the classroom where Ivory and Trish are seated. Ivory's eyes are wide with shock and she looks at me with concern.

"Did you see –"

"Violet? Yep. I guess she's enrolled at the same college as us," I mutter unhappily.

I drop down in my seat before releasing a deep sigh. My intuition regarding Violet was right. There's more drama heading my way, even if I want nothing to do with it. All four of us glare in Violet's direction as she talks at an obnoxiously loud octave and flirts with everyone around her. If looks could kill, Violet would already be six feet under.

"What is she doing here? I can't help feeling like she's doing this to get under your skin," Ivory mutters under her breath.

Jake shrugs before wrapping his hand around one of my chair legs. He pulls it toward him effortlessly until the space between our desks disappears.

"I don't know and I don't care. I have everything I want right here," Jake says before looking at me like he's seeing me for the first time all over again.

I stare back into his eyes and feel everyone else around me float away until it's just me and him. He's always had the ability to melt away the chaos around me with a single look. He doesn't have to say anything to speak to me. It's a single look we share that makes me feel connected to him. I never thought it existed until he walked into my life.

"Good God. Here comes the PDA again..." Ivory comments but there's a hint of fondness in her voice.

She might cringe every time Jake expresses his love for me, but deep down, she's our biggest supporter.

*

I'm washing up in the bathrooms before lunch when the door opens and Violet walks in. I notice her through the reflection in the mirror and my posture immediately tenses. I don't know if I'm going to survive the entire school year seeing Violet every day. She walks beside me before rifling through her purse. Her sickly sweet perfume hits me and I turn away to take a deep breath. A strong wave of nausea hits me and I can't decide whether it's from the pregnancy or her scent. Violet begins applying lip gloss in the mirror before turning her attention to me.

"Let's have a conversation," she says bluntly.

I stop walking away before lifting my brow.

"Is that how you were taught to engage with people? That's rude," I respond before whirling around to glare at her.

If she wants a conversation, we can have a conversation. I refuse to run away or be intimidated by her. She inhales a deep breath before throwing her gloss into her bag and turning to face me. Her eyes narrow into steel slits and she switches up her voice in an attempt to rattle me.

"I know you think you're better than me because Jake is with you, but it won't be for long. He's always had a soft spot for me," Violet snaps with fury.

I don't know whether to laugh or wring her neck with my bare hands. My lips tug upward with amusement and I don't respond to her. Violet throws her long hair over her shoulder before taking a dangerously close step toward me. My eyes roam down her body and back up again.

"Is that supposed to be intimidating?" I question her with a tilt of my head.

I lost my father as a child, grew up with an abusive step-father, was kidnapped by my biological father and held hostage, survived a gunshot wound that put me in a coma and I killed the town's most dangerous man. Does Violet think I can't handle a little petty schoolgirl drama surrounding a boy? Girl, please. If only she knew what I was capable of. Maybe she'd think twice before attempting to intimidate me. My unrattled demeanor begins to cause uncertainty within Violet. If she was expecting me to cower away and hide, she's mistaken. I won't try to convince her of Jake's love for me either... I have nothing to prove.

"This is boring me. Find a hobby that doesn't involve trying to fuck my boyfriend, Violet." I say before whirling around to leave the bathroom.

"You won't be around for long, Emily. Now I'm back, Jake is going to realize how badly he wants me. He can't resist me," Violet yells in my direction.

I stiffen up before whirling around and shooting daggers in her direction.

"Resist you? He's disgusted by you. You're the reason he doesn't want you anymore! You screwed up. I have to thank you for that, Violet... Without your stupidity, I never would have crossed paths with Jake Melvin," I say fiercely.

I watch as rage followed by jealousy swirls around in her green eyes. I didn't want to stoop down to her level but she's left me with no choice. I take a bold step forward before holding my composure. She's angered me, but I won't allow her to know how deeply she gets under my skin. I saw first hand the aftermath of her actions unfold in the Melvin household. I will never understand how she could hurt Jake so deeply.

"I'm sure you've asked around about me which means you know I was hospitalized not long ago. Do you know who spent every waking minute by my bedside? Jake Melvin. Do you know who wished he'd taken the bullet instead of me? Jake Melvin. My boyfriend would literally take a bullet for me, Violet. That man is in love with me more than I ever thought was possible. Do with that information what you will, but just know one thing... You don't have a chance in hell to steal him from me," I say confidently.

She tries to act unbothered by my words but I don't miss the subtle opening of her mouth due to her shock. I smile sweetly at her before heading for the door. Before I leave, I throw my final comment over my shoulder...

"Close your mouth before you catch a fly, Violet. It's not a cute look for you."

*

I'm studying in my room when there's a knock on my door. "Come in," I yell while pushing aside my textbooks.

It's the first day back... Why am I already drowning in work? The door swings open and Tobias enters. He walks over to my bed before dropping down at it and staring up at the ceiling. I look back at him with amusement.

"Hello to you too?"

He releases a deep sigh filled with troubled thoughts.

"Sorry, I came to you because I need advice."

"Advice with what?" I ask him. He turns his head so his dark eyes lock with mine.

"I think Jane is cheating on me," Tobias reveals in a monotone voice.

My brows shoot up in surprise. Wow, I wasn't expecting him to say that. Jane is quiet, shy and positively glows whenever she's around Tobias. I struggle to picture her cheating on him.

"Why do you think that? Jane is obsessed with you in a good way," I reassure him.

He pushes himself up on his elbows before releasing another dramatic sigh.

"She's been avoiding me since Christmas. She doesn't answer my calls and her text messages are... short. It's like she has no interest in me anymore. I sound like a confused chick, don't I?" Tobias mutters unhappily.

I stifle a laugh before shaking my head in protest.

"No. You sound like you like her and you're confused about her recent behavior toward you."

"Exactly! What did I do wrong? I got her Christmas flowers. I take her out on cute dates. I give her good sex... Where am I messing up?"

Tobias wails like a teenage boy with his first crush.

"First of all, ew. I don't want to know about your sex life with Jane. Second of all, have you tried to talk to her?"

Tobias groans at my response before slapping his hand against his forehead repeatedly.

"No. I don't know how to approach the conversation."

I lean forward before grabbing hold of his wrist.

"You should stop hitting yourself. You need all the brain cells you can get," I tease him. He throws a hard glare at me before pulling his wrist out of my hold.

"Ha. You're so hilarious."

"Talk to her, Tobias. I don't think she's cheating on you but I do think something is bothering her. You'll never know unless you ask her. What are you waiting for?" I give him a gentle nudge to spring him into action. He releases another deep sigh before nodding in agreement.

"Okay, you're right. The only way I'll know what's really up with her is if I talk to her."

"It won't be as bad as you think. Uncomfortable conversations can bring two people closer together."

Tobias lifts himself up on his elbows before looking at me with an impressed expression.

"Okay, Doctor Wentworth. When did you get so wise?"

I shrug back at him. "Life experience... I have plenty of it," I tell him.

I've had to grow beyond my years if I had any chance of surviving. The obstacles I've overcome are beyond anything I ever imagined I was capable of doing. Tobias reaches out to place his hand over mine.

"I'm proud of you, Em."

There's a fondness to his voice that transports me back to a time where I was alone with him. I remember the way he closed the distance between us before kissing me as a desperate attempt to stop me from leaving. The memory causes uneasiness to stir inside me and I gently remove my hand from his. It's difficult having a relationship with him without knowing where it crosses the line. I never want Tobias to feel like my friendship toward him is anything more than that... a friendship.

"Did you open the Christmas present I got you?" Tobias asks me.

I shoot up off the bed before giving him an apologetic look.

"No! I totally forgot because of all the Violet drama. I'll open it now," I say, reaching for the present sitting on my dresser.

I'd prefer to open it without numerous sets of eyes watching me. I tear off the wrapping before lifting out a small jewelry box. My heart skips a beat and I look up at him with a questioning expression. He's watching me closely with his arms placed behind his head. There's a small smile on his face.

"Don't overthink it, okay? It's just a present," Tobias tells me.

I bite down on my bottom lip before lifting the lid of the box. Inside is a beaded bracelet with beautiful tones of the ocean and forest green mixed together. Every bead adorns a single letter and I turn each one over until I read the word 'survivor.' A tiny gasp slips through my lips.

"Survivor?" I whisper before running my fingers over the smooth beads.

Tobias clears his throat before standing from the bed. He walks toward me, carefully takes the box from my hands and removes the bracelet.

"You've been through so much, Em. I wanted you to have a reminder of your hardship so you know how strong you are. Capable. Inspirational," Tobias adds before reaching for my wrist.

My hand begins trembling as he slips the bracelet over my hand, turns my arm around and secures it tightly. My vision blurs as tears fill my eyes.

"Oh, Tobias. It's perfect," I breathe out.

He steps back and watches me admire the bracelet. I'm so glad we were alone for this.

"Do you like it?" He asks quietly.

I lift my head before giving him a passionate nod. The quick movement causes a wave of dizziness to wash over me and my hand shoots out to grab hold of the wall.

"Woah," I laugh while blinking away tears. Tobias' smile immediately transports to a frown.

"What's wrong?"

"Nothing, it's the pregnancy. I get dizzy and nauseous sometimes. I think it's normal," I say to him.

My legs weaken for a split second so I take a cautious step toward the bed. Tobias springs into action and rushes forward to aid me. His arm wraps around my waist and he keeps me securely pinned against him.

"Is it the baby? Is everything okay?" Tobias questions me with uncertainty.

I wave my free hand around to make out like it's no big deal.

"Yeah, I'm fine. It's normal –" my sentence is cut short when black spots enter my vision.

I release a soft groan before stiffening inside Tobias' hold. My heart begins to race, my mouth runs dry and I feel my room beginning to spin around me. This doesn't feel normal. This shouldn't be happening. Fear begins to consume me and I look up at Tobias with desperation in my eyes.

"Something is wrong, Tobias."

Another wave of dizziness washes over me and I gasp at the foreign feeling. He pauses for a brief second to scan over my body. When my skin begins to pale and a bead of sweat runs down my forehead, he curses under his breath and sweeps me off my feet.

"It's going to be okay, I've got you."

My body falls limp inside his hold. He drags me out of the bedroom before running down the stairs.

"Jake?! Start the car!" Tobias yells.

His voice echoes around the house with urgency but it sounds like a distant noise to me. By the time he gets to the bottom step, my eyes roll to the back of my head and I black out.