I walk to Josie and sit beside her and pat her back. She looks up, face covered in tears. Her black hair is sticking to her face. Her blue eyes were slightly more Grey than usual. She was wearing a black sweatshirt and some Grey sweatpants. I grab her wrist and she winces. " Josie." I say. "Can you let go?" She asks. I let go of her wrists. "Why?" I ask. I tempt to pull up her sleeve. She tenses and brings her arm back. "Josie what's wrong?" I asks, my voice beginning to sound dry. Panic seeps through me as I try to keep calm. Why is she acting this way?

I pull her sleeves and bruises going up her arm. Her arm was practically blue. I bring my hand back and gasp. "Who did this to you?" I whisper, in disbelief. "Lana, don't let me go back there. Please don't." She pleads. Her blue eyes have fear in them. "Where?" I ask. "My dad's." She replies. "Your dad?" I ask, confusion swepts over me like a wave. Josie never talked or mentioned her dad ever. I never knew she had one, I was to scared to ask too. "Lana, please don't be angry at me, I was going to tell you so many times. I ... Im sorry."s she cries. Tears slide down her cheeks. "I told you everything about me and you keep this from me?" I ask. Anger boils through me. Betrayal. I try to keep calm. "Why?" I ask. "Lana! Let me explain." She says. "No. I get it. What happened to best friends who don't keep anything from each other?" I ask. "I was going to tell you!" She screams. "When? When your in the hospital? When he hurts you more than he has now!?" I yell. I pick up her arm to show proof. "Does your mom know?" I ask. She shakes her head. "Only you. Now." She says, quietly.

I push my anger, the betrayal back inside. She needs me right now. I replace my emotions to sympathy. I hug her and then help her up. I take her to her bathroom and she washes her face and combs her hair. I try not to bring it up and I act like any other day. We laughed and talked about the memories we had.

It become dark and I left home. When I got home I walked in and Annabel grabbed my shirt and took me to the piano. "Chopsticks?" She asked. I nod. We play and I think about Josie. I hope she'll be okay. Her bruises on her arm was visually clear in my mind. I pushed the image out of my mind and focused on the notes of the song. I looked over at Annabel, her eyes were closed and she looked peaceful. Allison was standing behind her watching with envy yet again. I smile at them two. My aunt comes in the room and watches a smile is on her face. My uncle is at work so he doesn't get to see this.

*******

When we finish playing, I go upstairs to my room and text Josie. I lay in my bed.

Me: hi Jo
Josie: hi Lana wyd?
Me: laying down.
Josie: me too. I'm going to stay at my brothers for a week.
Me: that's fun!
Josie: he's a pain though :-)
Me: well I'm going to bed night
Josie: gn

As soon as I stopped texting, I charged my phone and went to take a shower. When I was done I went to bed.

********

In the morning, I got up to Annabel sitting on my bed. "Hi." I say. "Chopsticks?" She asks. "Sure. Let me go get ready first." I say. She smiles and runs down stairs. I comb my brown hair and change into some black jeans and a pink shirt with black and Grey hearts covering it. I walk downstairs and get some coffee and go sit beside Annabel on the piano bench. Before I begin Annabel is staring at me. "You didn't panic yesterday. " she said. I smile. "Your right Annabel." I say. She smiles. We play chopsticks once again. Thirty minutes later, we get up and she runs to wake Allison up who is oddly still asleep.

My aunt comes beside me on the couch. "I'm so proud! No panics yesterday!" She says, squeezing my shoulder. I smile. "Today is Christmas eve." She says. "I need you to help me wrap some more presents for Annabel and Allison." She says. I smile and nod. "Sure!" I reply.

Me and my aunt wrap presents and put them under the tree. The presents trigger a memory, a painful memory.

**********

Twelve Years ago... Christmas eve.

I look under the tree at all the presents I had. Excitement burst through me. My mom comes up behind me and laughs. "Lana Christmas is such a great time, awe Lana are you ready for Santa?" She asks. I nod and jump up and down. My dad is sitting on the couch beside the Christmas tree and laughs at my excitement. 
   Christmas day.... 12 years ago...
I woke up and ran to the tree. Toys were everywhere and I squealed . my mom and dad came in the room and watch me opens all my presents. After the presents were done being unwrapped I played with everything .

The day after Christmas .... 12,years ago...

I fell asleep that night, full with joy. Sometime in the middle of the night I heard something downstairs So I walked slowly down the stairs. Thinking maybe Santa came again. I saw my parents and my dad was in front of my mom and my mom was crying. My dad was trying to talk to the guy in a black outfit with a knife pointed towards my dad. "Look, we gave you the money. We did the deal can you leave our family alone now?" My dad asked the guy. My mom's sobs were getting worse as she clung to my dads shirt. "Please we did what you asked." My mom pleads him. "You didn't give me the full amount. I want your daughter." He said. "Why?!" My dad asked. "I ask the questions here!" The guy says. His voice was hoarse like he smoked two packs of cigarettes everyday. "Give me your daughter and I will leave." He said. "No!" My dad yells falling to his knees. I hid behind the wall on the stairs and listened. "Give me Lana or you die?" The guys says. "Then I rather die than I give you my daughter willingly." My dad says. "Fine. You asked for this Dan." The guy tells my dad. My mom begins to cry harder and I hear my dad's last breath, quick and struggling. Tears begin to go down my cheeks. He died for me. Its my fault. "Now Lisa, tell me can you give me Lana or die?" He asks my mom. I appear out and see my mom. My mom sees me and her face turns to horror. "Lana run!" She screams. "Mom what's happening?!" I asks. "Lana run please!" She yells. "I take that as a no." The guys says and he stabs the knife through my moms stomach. I scream and run into my room. I hide in the closet, silent tears fill my face. After what seems as hours, I  get out of the closet and downstairs.  I walk slowly and see my dad and my mom. My dad had been gone but my moms eyes were moving. "Mommy?" I asks. "Lana." She says and then the light in her eyes fade she was gone. Tears cover my face and sobs rack my body. "Come my Lana." He says. I turn around and see the guy. I can't see his face. "Leave me alone you hurt my mommy and daddy." I say. "I guess I have no choice. ",he says. He then hits me on thebhead and I pass out .

*********

My aunt breaks my memory away and looks at me. "You okay?" She asks. "Yes." I say. I give her a small smile. Annabel and Allison run to me and squeal with joy. PRESENTS!" they say. I laugh. "Let's go color." I say. I needed  Anything to distract my mind.