The night terrors woke Alexis again. It was a full event of that day, the one that involved her. Night terrors were different from nightmares, that's what her mom told her. Mom always suggested writing about it to deal with it.

She hurried to her desk, looking briefly at the mini statue of the temple with the curious girl. Alexis sat down, gasping for air as choked tears rained down. She grabbed her pen and a journal.

It feels as if I can't breathe. I can't think clearly when I think of her, and I don't know why I can't bring myself to say her name. Maybe it's because I know I'm guilty, that I could have saved her. I know the Maks rejected me, and kicked me out of their life, after what happened.

I don't blame them, but I wish that it didn't sting. That Mrs. Mak's words didn't hurt me, that they didn't drown me in my sorrows. Mom and Dad told me that she died because she got too drunk in the pool, losing her grasp. She died on her own and I couldn't have done anything.

I hate drinking, I hate swimming, I hate drowning, and I hate myself.

I hate myself for not saving anyone. Not her, or Penny.

I just want to be free and love myself...

I sound stupid.

Alexis went to bed again, sniffling. She tried to sleep again, but no peace came to mind. She laid in bed, staring at the ceiling. Alexis never felt so alone, not even when she died. Okay, that was a lie. She was always her best friend, but after she was gone, no one wanted to hang out with her.

So when Penny, Odetta, and Tellie befriended her, Alexis snatched up the chance. It sounds greedy and selfish, but she wanted to be happy for once. She was so relieved that they didn't know about what happened at that house party.

Not too many students in her school believed the event, which irritated Alexis. She was dead and people still made excuses. Finally, she found some sort of bliss by falling asleep.

If only she knew what kind of horror would wait for her in the morning.

There was a knock on the door which startled Alexis. She stirred, sitting up while yawning. "Come in."

It was Lypsie who looked terrified. "Alexis, do you know where Tellie is?"

Alexis remembered her argument with her last night, frowning. "No, the last time I saw her was last night. She went to her bedroom after that. Why...did something happen?"

"She's not in her room," Lypsie fretted, inviting herself into the room. "God, I keep thinking that the same thing will happen to Tellie..."

Suddenly, Alexis became alert and alarmed. She remembered the incident with the Aigles and Penny, what if Lypsie killed Penny for revenge for Hespa Aigle? But she also couldn't let Odetta go so easily.

"I'm sure Tellie's fine," Alexis said firmly, though she was lying to herself.

Lypsie sighed. "I hope so."

"What time is it?" she muttered, getting out of bed. She eyed her carry-on, hoping that Lypsie wouldn't look through it and find Penelope's diary. Alexis glanced at the clock—11: 46 AM. She must have slept in late.

"Odetta's making breakfast," Lypsie offered a small smile. "Well, brunch."

"Great," Alexis said, yawning. "I'm so exhausted."

"Same," Lypsie agreed. "The whole Penny thing is keeping everyone awake. At least Odetta got the smell out."

"Where did she even get the stuff from?"

"The garage," she replied back. "There's a bunch of weird junk shoved there."

Huh, Alexis thought. Weird junk.

Lypsie went out of her room as Alexis changed. She wore a skirt that fell to her knees and a lavender top. Is this skirt too short? She tugged on it, but frowned when it made her waist show off. Penelope Goode is dead and you're worried about your outfit.

She groaned and just went to change into sweatpants. She tied the string as she went down the stairs. The smell of dry cereal met her and Odetta poured milk into a bowl. There was an abandoned glass of water on the counter, making the kitchen look like a ghost town.

"I thought Lypsie said you were making brunch."

"Got too lazy last minute," Odetta shrugged, tossing her a spoon.

"Sounds a lot like you," Alexis snorted. "Where's Lypsie?"

"She's in the bathroom," she replied, munching on Cheerios.

Alexis played with the cereal in her bowl of milk. "So...do you know where Tellie is?"

"I think she went on a run around the island," she said, looking slightly worried.

"But wouldn't she tell us?" Alexis persisted. "It's so weird!"

Lypsie came out of the bathroom, taking a seat at the dinner table. She chewed on her cereal, glancing at Odetta and Alexis. "So...what are we doing today?"

"Well, are we completely sure that there's no cell service?"

"Yeah, Penny said there's nothing connecting us to the mainland," Odetta said, looking agitated. She dropped her spoon on the table, stuffing her head in her hands. She muttered and grumbled. "Sorry...I'm just so stressed out and tired..."

"We all can't sleep well," Lypsie nodded.

Alexis also nodded, but her thoughts wandered back to Tellie Hollows. Where was she? Was she okay? It was unlikely that Tellie would just run off. "So...when's Lukas coming back with the Midén?

"Sunday or Monday," Lypsie said, nodding. "Just a few more days."

Alexis did some quick math, it was Wednesday. The day was supposed to be full of woe, and she could sense something bad was going to happen. It was her gut feeling.

Dear diary,

Everything is supposed to be going my way, except it's not! Ugh, Tellie is getting too clingy and Alexis is such a joy-kill.

Such a joy-kill. Alexis gripped onto the page, wanting to tear it up.

And Odetta, my first friend, is drifting away, I know it. We've been getting into more fights, though I usually win because Tellie sides with me. "You're controlling us! You're controlling me!" she yelled at the top of her lungs. "We're supposed to be BFFs!"

"I'm always here for you!" I retorted.

"Yeah, when it benefits you," Odetta snorted, sloppy tears falling down her cheeks. "You always try to take control! You make words twist into something it isn't! You play tricks on our minds!"

"Oh yeah? And who's us?"

"Tellie and Alexis, Penelope!" Odetta screamed loudly.

"Like you care," I scoffed. "Because I care, not you. Do you have ignorant parents? Is your mom dead? Are you stereotyped as a bratty and rich girl?! No, you're not! You're normal and perfect! You're bashing us for being imperfect."

"Penny..."

"Speak up if you have something to say!" I growled, crossing my arms like a shield.

Odetta didn't speak and just stood silently.

"We're broken, all of us," I said proudly. "That's how it is."

"You could be fixed, Penelope!" Odetta blurted, throwing up her hands. "We don't need to be 'broken' or whatever that means to you."

"You mean you don't need to be broken," I shot back. I knew how to get on Odetta's nerves, mainly speaking in Greek. Odetta was born in Greece but moved to Canada shortly after. I knew our mother tongue and she didn't, one of her peeves. "Den chreiázetai na me ftiáxoun. You hear that?"

I do not need to be fixed.

That made Odetta angry. She stormed out, crying. She didn't understand, that's all. I know so. Couldn't she tell I was trying to save our friendship? I wasn't controlling, I just took command.

Odetta doesn't understand, no one does.

Alexis frowned, rereading it. You're controlling us. That's what Odetta told Penny, but was she? Alexis never thought about it, mainly because she didn't like to think about it. She heard of toxic friends and there was often a time where she thought Penny was one.

But Penny was the glue that held them together. She was the leader of the group, she took command. It was impossible to imagine that Penny was just there to control their lives like a thick and stormy cloud dangling over them.

It wasn't like that.

Was it?