I sigh, and relax as the cool wind blows around me, slightly ruffling my hair and crumpling my clothes. The park bench feels cold against my legs, and I shift around slightly to get more comfortable. The laughter of the other visitors at the park reaches my ears, and a sense of loneliness overwhelms me, before I shut it down, and pull out my phone.

No messages, 2:13pm.

My thoughts drift as I watch the stream nearby flow into a small pond. Luna, Slime, Dorian, and Tammy, we all agreed to meet at 3pm. However, me being me, I'd rather be an hour early than a few minutes late. Especially since Dorian and Luna said they had something important to share with us...

A sudden crunch of gravel caught my attention. It couldn't be Luna, her relapse nap is normally around now. Slime and Tammy are at work...

"Dorian?" I ask, looking toward the sound. Since everyone knows my habits, it isn't weird for one or two of them to deliberately show up early.

However, it wasn't Dorian.

"Hey, Peachy. Having fun all by yourself?"

"... hi, Briar." I mutter, instantly tensing up. She flicks her long brown hair with a flourish and saunters up to me. Giggling slyly, she places a hand on my shoulder.

"It may have been a couple years since you left my school, but I'd never forget you. It was so fun watching you crumple more into yourself day after day. You're still doing it now - look at you, crying already."

With a gasp, I gingerly touch my face. I - I'm crying?!

"Look, Briar, please, leave me alone. You were so mean to me back then, and I-"

SLAP.

"My... my face burns." I whisper, clutching at the hot red mark on my cheek.

"I was never mean!" She says angrily. "Look, PEACHY, I'm trying to get into a proper University. If they even thought I was mean I couldn't get in. This is why I've come to find you."

"M - me?" I stammer, tears still staining my cheeks. I'm so upset with myself - Briar was my bully several years ago, and in my last year of school, it was... really bad. As in, so bad I fell into a deep depression that still pops up from time to time. She - Briar - was the main cause for that. She IS the main cause for it - I've only been talking to her for a few seconds and all those feelings and memories have just been brought up all over again.

Briar forcefully brings me out of my frustration by cupping my hurt cheek. I flinch and try to pull away, but she grabs my neck with her other hand, forcing me to stay still.

She smiles at me... too sweetly for whatever she says next to be genuine.

"Look dear - we've never had any sort of conflict, right?"

"I, uhh-"

"And even if we did, if it was ever brought up - especially to the wrong people, well... I might have to pay you another visit." She tightens her grip on my neck, and her nails dig into my cheek. My hands spring back up once again, trying to get her to loosen her grip, but it's just no use. She's too strong for me. Or at least - too strong of a mindset. I feel so... so weak.

"I - I just, umm-" I feel frantic, scared, stressed, upset. What... what can I do? Is this just... my fate?

BEEP. BEEP.

"M... My alarm..." I mutter, glancing down to the pocket my phone is in. It must have just turned 2:30pm - my final alarm to make sure I arrived at the park in time. "My friends..."

Briar scoffs at me. "Ha, like you have friends! You're pathetic, useless, a waste. Like anyone would want to be friends with a loser like you."

I look down, in shame. My hands on hers start Maybe she's ri-

"WE DO." A loud yell sounds from across the park. "AND GET YOUR FUCKING HANDS OFF PEACHY!"

"L - Luna!" I say, more tears springing to my eyes. I realise that earlier, I had accepted no one would come and save me, but here Luna is, early and here to fight for me.

"NOT JUST HER!" Another yell, but a different voice. "GET AWAY FROM PEACHY, YOU LITTLE PIECE OF SHIT!"

"... Dorian?"

"I'VE ALREADY TOLD TAMMY AND SLIME, THEY'RE ON THEIR WAY." Dorian shouts over, and she and Luna sprints to us.

"But their work-"

"They only had 30 minutes left anyway, and they don't have the same sort of shift-based job that you and I do." Dorian interrupts , finally reaching us.

"And besides, we'd happily leave our jobs if you needed help, regardless of whether we got fired or not. YOU ARE IMPORTANT TOO." Luna adds, glaring daggers at Briar. "Now who is this bitch?"

"This... this is Briar." I say, thanking whatever heavens praised me that Tammy isn't here right no-

"BRIAR?! YOU BISH!" I hear.

"Tammy......." I mutter under my breath, recognising Tammy's voice. Tammy is the only one out of all my friends who know how bad Briar is. I don't want Luna to kill her, even if she hadn't changed.

"Tammy, it's okay..." I say to her, as Briar's grip on my throat tightens further. Tammy sprints up to me, but skids to a halt when she sees what's actually going on.

"Peachy, your face... it's so pale, and slightly... blue..." She says, scared. "Briar, let her go, you're hurting her!"

"No I'm not! We're just having a... chat, right Peachy?"

I glance at Briar, and I feel so scared. She's so intimidating, and I don't want anyone to get hurt. I don't want to get hurt.

"I..."

"STOP!" Another voice shouts.

"Slime? You too?" I ask.

"She sprints over and then falls into a lowered hunch, clutching her stomach.

"Had... sprint... all way... park..." She heaves, taking a few seconds to recover. She glances at me.

"You... stop thinking... you'll... hurt. We - We're... here... for you... 'cause... we care..."

Tears suddenly fall down my face once again, however Briar lifts her leg and kicks Slime in the back, knocking her over.

"Shut up, none of you care about this brat!" She yells. "Now Peachy, be good and tell these morons to run along. We are having A. NICE. CHAT. Aren't we?"

She tilts my chin up and looks into my eyes. I hate her. I don't want her to hurt me, or anyone else, and following her demands is the best solution.

But...

I rip my head away and look to the left - at my friends.

Luna.

Slime.

Dorian.

I look to the right.

Tammy...

They all care.

I turn back to Briar, who smirks at me.

"Ready to tell them to go away? It's not like they care about you, who would?"

My eyes flash.

"They do." I say sternly. Briar jumps slightly at my defiance.

"And I WON'T tell them to go away." I say, ripping her hand away from my chin.

"Because they CARE." I grip tightly onto her other hand - the one on my neck.

"And I care about them!" With those words, I forcefully shove Briar away from me, my neck, and the people I care about.

"So... everyone." I say, turning my back on Briar, and facing them.

"Would you mind helping me take out some trash?"

Hey everyone! This chapter is now done, yay!!! I don't really have much else to say, but I'm hungry so who cares.

LET'S GO EAT FOOD!

I - I mean, I'll see you all next time!

But for now...

Peachy out! 😊