I'm so, so, so, so sorry that I haven't updated in so long! This is a really short chapter, because the next one is going to be long. Suuuper long. Anyways, enjoy!

o-O-o

My eyes flew open.

What the heck just happened?

I was in a corner...just like the one where Axel-

I screwed my eyes shut again and shivered. No. No. No. I never experienced such a strong flashback to those days. Usually it was only a second, and never carried such intense emotions. This was...new.

The flashback had lasted for nearly two minutes, but then someone-

Keefe!

He had snapped me out of it. He was there.

He was there.

I thought back to the minutes before my flashback, which was difficult given that my thoughts were still a past-present jumble. He pulled me aside...we argued. But argued over what?

...Biana. I cringed as shame and horror slammed into me. The pranks...the bullyings. I had done that. I had become as bad as Axel.

Granted, my friends were in it too, but I was the one they were 'avenging.'

It was all my fault.

"No. Don't say that, Sophie!" A voice protested. Keefe protested.

I jerked my eyes open, squinting in the bright midday sun. I was still in the corner that I'd first seen, but this time I knew the location.

I was huddled on the side of the grand staircase that led up to the main school. Trash cans blocked my view of the campus green, but I could hear the loud swell of student voices, some not even ten feet from me. It was obviously a free period, which would explain why I was crouching ankle-deep in compost instead sitting in class.

"It's not your fau- Sophie? Sophie, how...how are you feeling?" I heard Keefe ask worriedly.

My heart fluttered. He was concerned about me. And he didn't say 'are you ok.' He asked how I was feeling. Of course he did, you idiot! He's your friend! And asking how your feeling is what every concerned friend would do! A voice screamed in my head. But Marella and my other friends don't do that! I argued back. Because the only time you opened up to Marella, you told her you parents died in a fire and that's why you were living with Grady and Edaline and you were terrified of fire! The subject of feelings never came up at all!

Well it didn't need to come up now, either!

You just had a panic attack! Of course he would ask how you're doing! That's what friends do!

He could've just asked if I was ok! But he didn't!

He simply rephrased the question! You're making a big deal out of nothing!

Ugh, just- just go away, you stupid voice!

You realize you're talking to yourself, right? Technically, I am part of you.

I growled in frustration.

"Huh, I didn't know you had a thing against worms." My head snapped up. Keefe was crouched before me. His blue eyes were dull with concern, but he had a slight smirk on his face. "You realize you've been staring at that worm for over five minutes, right?"

I blushed. "Well...um..."

He laughed. "Nah, I get it." His smile faded, and mine soon faded too as we remembered what had happened. He probably wanted an explanation. An excuse for why I freaked out like I did. Anything at all. "Listen, Sophie...I don't want to pry. If you're not ready to tell me, I'm ok with that. I just...I want to help you in any way. If you need someone to talk to, or a shoulder to cry on, or a bunch of bad jokes to lift your spirits, I'm here. I know you don't know me that well. You have no reason to trust me. But...I'll always be there for you. Promise."

My eyes filled with tears. Keefe wasn't going to push me. He wasn't going to demand an explanation. He was just going to...blindly trust me. And somehow, I knew I could trust him too.

The only person I had ever opened up to was Tiergan, my therapist (I'll explain this next chapter). And that was nearly five years ago. I had never told anyone else the entire story. I thought I had put it behind me, but by the way I just fell apart ten minutes ago, I still had some demons to face. Big ones.

"Keefe, I want to tell you my story."

o-O-o