Fear of Isaac held me captive all day at school as I constantly looked over my shoulder, waiting for him to find me and cause a scene. But he was MIA, which caused my anxiety to soar.

My phone buzzed with a message saying my summer job had accepted my leave until next summer. They took my request so easily; it made me believe that maybe it wasn't too hard to voice my opinions.

I stuffed my phone away as a high-pitched voice rang out from behind me. It caused me to jump as I spun to face my best friend, Zoe.

"Come on, Isla, just join us!" Zoe said as her curly brown hair bounced from side to side. For her small frame and killer fashion sense, you wouldn't think she was such a tomboy. But I was one of few that knew she loved running around until her knees were skinned.

Even though I already told her no, she wouldn't take it as an answer. "You know, I don't skateboard anymore."

"Please! I don't want to be alone. Besides, I know you like to watch." she said with a small smile.

Zoe and I hadn't hung out in almost a month. Summer was busy for both of us. But now with work over, it was my turn to take a 'me day'.

Skateboarding was not the first thing on my list of things I wanted to do. In fact, it was probably the last thing on my list. Just the thought caused my lungs to tighten. But the thought of Zoe's panicked tear-stained face from one of my breakdowns a few months ago was enough to convince me.

Maybe it would be beneficial for the both of us if I just went. I could at least fake it for an hour, couldn't I?

"Fine, let's go," I sighed, slamming my locker door shut.

She cheered, then hugged me tightly.

Her boyfriend, Camden, was waiting for us as we made our way to the car. I held back a frown as I glared at the back of his styled hair. I should have known he would come. "Hey Camden," I muttered as I took a seat in the back of her car.

"Hey Isla." He stared at his phone as if there was anything he would rather do than talk to me. The only reason we tried to communicate was because we had Zoe in common.

"So, you have the map to the park, right, Cam?" Zoe asked as she turned the car on, allowing some pop music to play at full volume.

It was upbeat and exciting, but at the same time, boring. There was no dimension to the song that the man sang, causing me to cringe the longer I listened to it.

"Sure do, babe. Turn right after the parking lot."

She nodded as she followed his commands.

Seconds passed until I couldn't block out the terrible song any longer. "Can we change the music?"

Zoe laughed as she got onto the main road. "You don't like Kit?"

I didn't even know who Kit was. "Is this him singing?"

Zoe and I had been friends since grade school, and we had been through a lot together. However, Zoe would never understand my music taste. There was no one living that could understand it.

She quickly changed to a channel, bringing a smile to my face as an alternative song popped onto the radio. "Better?" she chuckled as she got onto the freeway, driving downtown.

At least this song didn't make me want to gag.

"You know Isla, maybe some pop music would do you some good. Who knows, maybe it could get you more friends," Camden mentioned casually.

My cheeks turned hot. That was a low blow, even for him. It was such a shame the people were so quick to judge based on one's music taste.

"Camden, that was rude," Zoe snapped.

"Sorry." Although he didn't look sorry. He didn't understand how a popular girl like Zoe could be friends with lonely me. But it was because we were fifth grade science project partners. That one project forged a bond and we have been inseparable since.

"I didn't think it was this far away," Zoe said as she merged into traffic.

"It's a great location. You won't be disappointed," Camden said, looking at his phone again. "Oh, you needed that exit." He pointed toward the exit we just missed.

Zoe swore under her breath, getting irritated.

At least that made two of us.

"No big deal, we'll go to another one," Camden said, as he typed in a new address. "Ok, take exit 105 in two miles."

Zoe got into the lane and exited the freeway in silence.

"Turn right."

The skate park appeared before us. It was once familiar to me but now like so many other things, it had turned into a stranger. Images of Dad and I coming here on Saturday mornings pushed tears to my eyes. Being here with Dad, we were happy, not knowing what would happen in just a few months. This place only had reminders of him. Reminders I refused to face.

I couldn't do it.

My muscles tensed as my hands started to sweat. I couldn't breathe. Tears blurred my vision as I tried to fight them back. I had to keep it together. I didn't need another reason for Camden to hate me.

We pulled into the parking lot, and I quickly wiped my eyes, careful not to let Camden notice. We were here and there was no going back, so I had to pull myself together.

Air struggled to fill my lungs. I then released it, but it was labored and tight.

I could do this. I had to.

Maybe if I told myself this wasn't the same park Dad and I spent our weekends in, it would be fine. Another breath filled my lungs as I disconnected those memories from this place. This was a different place, somewhere else.

Breathe.

Zoe turned to face me, reading me instantly. She knew what this park meant. "Hey Cam, why don't we go to a different park."

He shook his head as he got out of the car. "No way. I want to stay here." He got his board out of the trunk.

She threw a sympathetic look my way as she got out of the car. She at least tried.

"See you later, babe. Watch me out there, will you?" Camden asked, then slapped Zoe's butt.

She jumped slightly. "Cam, not in public," she hissed before he ran off with his board in hand.

With shaky legs, I got out of the car. This was not our place.

Breathe.

Think of something else.

Think of anything else. I took a deep breath as I trained my eyes on Camden. Think of him.

"I'm sorry Zoe, but Camden's a dick," I muttered the first thing that came to my mind.

I ran my shaking hands through my hair.

Breathe.

She frowned. "He has some wonderful qualities to him. Isla, are you alright?"

A tear escaped my eye. "I can't breathe," I whispered as I stumbled to the first seat I found.

Zoe was by my side instantly. "I can take you home."

I shook my hands as I tried to fill my lungs with air. It felt like I was breathing through a straw. "It'll pass."

She nodded as she silently sat beside me. She had seen these moments before. This was no different than others.

Moments passed silently until finally my hands weren't shaking anymore. I rubbed my eyes, careful not to smudge my mascara. This was just a place. It was just a memory. I could live through them. I would have to at some point.

"How long has it been since you were here?" Zoe asked as a skater passed us.

Her question knocked the air from my lungs. But before I allowed it to consume me, I took a deep breath.

I stopped coming here when we realized Dad would not get better. I thought it was too selfish to take time for myself while Dad suffered. Then when he died, the memories I had here with him were too painful to relive. "Maybe a year and a bit."

There was a time when I always wanted to come here. That was a different Isla, one that laughed and enjoyed her life. Now this place was another painful reminder that I had changed too much, no more than a haunted house with empty rooms and ghosts.

Distracting me from my horrific flashbacks was a group of boys that looked around our age. They spoke loudly and laughed just as loud. One of them pretended to fall, then laughed again. I followed their gaze as they continued to laugh at a guy struggling on a board.

Sadness was replaced with anger as I stared at the scene. This place should be a safe place for people of all levels. Laughing didn't make them any better at the sport.

"Hey Isla, I'm going to get a soda. Want one?" Zoe asked as she pointed to a soda shack across the street.

"Nah, trying to stay away from sugar to get ready for soccer."

"You're too healthy. Come on, live a little. I am sure all the other girls on the team are not as devoted as you are," she joked as she stood up from the bench to get her drink.

Maybe that was the case, but none of them had to fall back into good graces after the last season. Not only did I need to be in tip top shape, but I needed to be mentally put together. I couldn't snap again like I did at the championship games.

My attention turned to the boys again. One of them with wavy brown hair put on his helmet, then got on his board. He did a quick kick flip then smiled at the group of friends as if that was the best trick anyone had seen before.

I rolled my eyes. I thought Camden and Isaac were the worst, maybe I was wrong.

The wavy-haired kid laughed again.

He had an air of confidence that rubbed me the wrong way. He commanded attention as if he deserved it, but he wasn't anything special.

"Have you ever seen those guys?" I asked Zoe as she walked back up to me with a soda in her hands.

Zoe squinted at the group. "Never."

Of course they were acting like this, they weren't planning on coming back. Redding, California was a fairly small town. Almost everyone knew each other, but these people were unknown. "Think they're out-of-towners?"

"Wouldn't be surprised. This place has been getting more popular. People from neighboring cities come here to skate."

The wavy-haired guy locked eyes with me and smiled before riding a rail. He stopped to look at me again.

I glared. That was it, I had to take him down a level.

"Zoe, can I borrow your skateboard?"

She nodded as she sipped on her soda, obviously too busy with watching her boyfriend. If she was paying attention, she would know how big of a deal this was.

'Isla Maas steps on a skateboard for the first time in over a year.' Yeah, this was world stopping.

"Sure." She handed me the board without looking at me.

Camden swore loudly causing both of us to stare at him.

He got up from the ground as blood gushed down his leg. "I need your help, Zoe."

And this was why some people needed knee pads.

Zoe looked at me then at him. We both knew he would go home after this.

"I think I'm going to stay for a little longer. I can get home on my own. Don't worry about me," I said to her as I tried to bury my racing heart.

Her eyebrows rose. "Are you sure?"

"As long as I can use this to get home." I held up her board. I only lived a few miles from here, so riding home would be a simple task.

"Fine with me," she said as she stood up from the bench, then ran over to Camden.

As I waved one last goodbye to her, I put the board on the ground and stepped on to it. It shook slightly, causing me to fear my skating ability. After so long, I was not used to wheels under my feet.

Maybe this wasn't a smart idea.

But before I talked myself out of it, I pushed off the ground and skated forward, bending my knees for balance. Seconds later, the board felt natural under my feet.

I took the half pike and smiled as I successfully went down it. My eyes locked onto the wavy hair man and smiled.

See, you aren't the best person in the park.

I pushed again as the stairs came closer. No one could ride the stairs like me.

I readied myself until I felt my board come to a halt, throwing me to the ground. I fell onto my hand forcing a small cry to escape my lips. Searing pain shot up my right arm as tears came almost instantly.

"Shit, I'm so sorry," the wavy hair boy said as he ran up to me.

He picked up his board close to me and realized I fell because of him. It was his board I tripped on. This was his fault. He wanted me to fall because I was making him look bad in front of his friends. "You son of a banshee," I seethed.

He paid little attention to my anger as he knelt beside me. "Are you ok?" He looked concerned but I knew he faked it by the way he glanced at his friends before talking to me.

I held my hand close to me as I quickly wiped away my tears. No, I wasn't ok. Couldn't he see I was in pain?

"Can I see?" he pointed towards my hand.

I shook my head, not wanting him to be anywhere near me.

"Please?"

He wasn't going to stop until I caved. Not wanting to be in this situation any longer than I had to, I held out my hand for him to look at.

He frowned as he took my hand with his calloused fingers. For a second, I wanted to know what he did to get hands like that. He moved my hand gently, causing another fresh wave of hot pain to shoot up my arm.

"Ouch! Knock it off," I shouted, ripping my hand away from him.

"I want to take you to the ER. This doesn't look good."

The ER.

A lump came to my throat but not because of the pain.

No.

Not going to happen.

I had a strict no hospital rule. Hospitals were supposed to heal people, but they didn't do that. I saw that firsthand. All they did was make people suffer. "No."

"Please. I'll cover all expenses."

"And that makes it all better," I snapped, taking it as an insult.

"I'm sorry, I'm just trying to make it right."

Life wasn't right and it wasn't fair. Why did he care so much to fix it? "Want to make it right? Leave me the hell alone."

He flinched as hurt appeared in his eyes. I didn't understand how he could be so affected by my words. We didn't know each other, so why did he care that he pissed me off?

"I'm really concerned about your wrist. I want you to get it checked out."

I looked at my hand again as it swelled. It did look bad and with the medical bills Mom was still paying off, this was probably the best option. "Ok. Fine. Let's go."

He stood up and offered his hand to me.

I peeled myself off the ground without his help then looked at my bloody knees. Looks like I should have been wearing knee pads too. I made a rookie mistake, just like Camden.

"My car's over there," he said, pointing to a rust orange colored Subaru. He waved at his friends. "I'll catch you later," he shouted to them as we walked to the car.

They protested but he ignored their calls. He seemed like the life of the party. Unlike me, people wanted to be around him. However, I didn't care if he was Mr. Popular. I just wanted this to be over so I wouldn't have to see him again.

"My name's Miles, by the way," he said as he opened the car door for me.

"Isla," I said, forcing the word from my mouth.