As winter went by, things almost started to feel normal once again. But, I wasn't so stupid to start living normally again. I would always contact officer Alkaline to ask about new details in the case. If we were any close to catching that psychopath, threatening my peaceful life. I would lay in bed, unable to sleep, thinking what could it be that I have done to that guy. What made him hate me that much? I wouldn't even hurt a fly.

My writing assignment was going to the gutter. I wasn't able to write anything since my last accident. My anxiety would strike and I wouldn't be able to do anything. Kylie was so far away. She wouldn't even look at me, when we pass each other in the cafeteria. She stopped coming to any of the football's sorority house parties, since she knew I moved there.

It almost seemed that she didn't care about that case anymore, like she wasn't a target anymore. Like she wasn't my friend, anymore.

Zack said something. "What?" His voice seemed so far away. "I asked if you were okay." He said. "I am alright." I nodded. "You seem so distant these days." He complained. "I am just..not getting enough sleep." I said. "Do you wanna move out? Are you not comfortable here?" He asked. "It's wonderful here, with you. I am just nervous about this..this" I lose my voice. "Hey, no one is going to hurt you." He held my hands into his warm ones. "How can you be sure?" I asked.

"I will make sure of it." He gave me a soft smile. I couldn't help but smile back. "I really like you." I said. "Oh, I like you even more, Jane Brown." He chuckled. I chuckled along with my cheeks burning red.

I didn't get anything out of Zack that day, when Mike warned me about him. The question was still roaming around my head. Why would Mike accuse his brother of being the reason to kill himself? I decided that Zack wasn't going to give me any answers, so I went to the only person who could, Mike.

I knocked softly upon the hard wood. It was a spare room in the house. The door opened revealing his face. "Jane?" He frowned. "Hey." I gave him an awkward little wave. "What are you doing here?" He asked. "I was wondering if we could talk?" My hands were sweating, behind my back. "Talk?" He frowned once again. "About Zack." I made it clear. "Does he know you're here?" He nervously looked out around the hall. "No." I said.

He gulped. "You can come in." He opened the door. I stepped into the clean room. It was really clean, it even smelled fresh. I stood beside the bed as he turned to me. "Sit down if you want." He pointed at the bed. I sat at the side. He sat away beside the pillows. "I just.." The words lost their way out of my mouth. "You're here because of last time, aren't you?" He said, his eyes looking at his hands, picking at his nails.

I cleared my throat, nervously. "Look, I wasn't supposed to say anything. Just forget everything I said." He spoke so fast. "But, you did say something!" I said. He looked at me. "Look, Zack doesn't want to talk. I am nervous enough because of this god damned attacker at my trail! I need to at least feel safe with Zack!" I said, my voice shaking. He let out a sight. I think he felt pity, that's why he told me.

"When our parents got a divorce, Zack started to become a whole different person. He was incredibly mean to me. I wasn't happy either. My mental health was getting worse by the day. I am not very good with people, you see. So, I didn't have any friends. Zack was the only person close to me. When he became so different, we barley talked. He would stay out a lot, while mom went back to her job. I was spending most of my days alone."

"What was left of my mental health was gone. I fell into depression. I thought a lot about ending my life." He took a breath. I felt quite bad for Mike. "What about your dad?" I blurted out. "Let's just say, he wasn't there for any of us, anymore. That broke Zack." He shrugged. "It broke you too, right?" I felt really bad about Mike and Zack for all that matters.

His gaze fell to his hands. "It just angers me how he seems so nice to you when in reality he's just so bad." He said. "Traumas change people, Mike. It changes who we are on the inside before the outside." I explained. You see, I had experience with traumas. Living in my friend's toxic household , both my parents barley having time to raise me, let alone love me. But, when I saw how Kylie's life was, I guess it made me feel a little better.

"That's not an excuse. He embarrassed me, everyone knew how badly fucked up I was because of him!" He said with both pain and fury. I could see the tears building in his eyes. "I am so sorry, Mike. But, Zack really changed. He's not so bad anymore." I said, barley believing myself. He laughed sarcastically. "Just know that he's not the saint he claims to be, Jane. You seem like a nice person." He said.

"I am sorry and you can talk to me, always. We're friends now, I guess." I smiled. "Thank you. You really don't deserve whatever is happening to you right now." He smiled back. I let out a sight. "I gotta go, you need anything?" I stood up. "Just take care." He said. I nodded with a smile and left the room.

                        ~~~~~~~~

I was constantly studying for the finals that were only a couple weeks away, and also to keep my head off the fact that we were getting no where to catching that creep. I knew nothing about Kylie. We didn't even see each other anymore. It was like she tried her best to avoid me. Mike was still staying with us. He said that he would return, when he felt better. We talked a lot when Zack was in practice. Mike was really nice, a bit funny. But, he was sad. Really sad.

I think we had a lot in common, which made it quite easy to talk to him. I think he felt the same way. Zack's coach was tiring them in practice. They had a lot of matches. I didn't have the time to go to all of them. The attacker seemed to be taking a break. It was giving me anxiety beyond anything. I was shaking most of the time. I hated it. I hated how weak I was. How I couldn't deal with the pain and the way it was controlling me.

I wanted it all to end. I wanted the constant feeling of worry to go away. I wanted to feel safe, again. "All good?" Mike asked. I looked up at him. "What are you doing here?" I asked offering him the chair next to me. "I come here a lot. Seems to be the only escape. Books, I mean." He sat down. "Yeah." I agreed. Books, they were filled with the fantasies, we all dreamed of having. The perfect love story, perfect family and the perfect life. At least those that had happy endings.

"You seem to stay here most of the time." He said. "I am studying for my finals." I shrugged. "You shouldn't really be alone, right now." He explained. I knew he was referring to my attacker easily getting to me, while I am alone. "You said it, sometimes we need to escape, get away, you know." I said. "You and Zack are okay?" He asked. It was rare that Mike would care about Zack in any way.

"Yeah, it's just he's busy with the matches and I am busy with studying. We barely talk, he's always tired." I shrugged. "Sorry." He said. "Don't worry." I smiled. "We could get a bite together. If you're free, to cheer you up a bit." He offered. "I don't want you spending your time with a boring one like me." I chuckled. "Oh, don't say that. You're cool." He said. "Oh no, I am a long way away from cool, Mike." I smiled. "Trust me, I think you're beyond cool." He smiled back.

I lay in bed after the day I spent with Mike. We talked about Paris. He said it isn't so bad. I liked the bond I had with Mike. The door opened getting my attention. Zack with his duffle bag on his shoulder, entered. "Hey." He looked at me, the room was dark. I didn't bother to turn on the lights. "Hi." I said. I heard the bag drop. He approached me. I felt a soft kiss upon my forehead.

"You had a game today, didn't you?" I asked. "Surprised you know." He answered. "Are you okay?" I asked. It was something about his tone, that made me ask. "I am just tired." He mumbled. He was always tired nowadays. The season was coming to an end and the coach was tiring the whole team with constant training when there wasn't a game to play. I slid out of my sneakers. I turned and he was sitting in my place on the side of the bed.

I walked up to him. His face was buried into his hands. I sat beside him. I heard his heavy sight. I leaned into him, touching my shoulder to his. "Did you guys win?" I asked. "No." He mumbled. I slid my fingers between his that left his face. "Is that what's bothering you?" I asked, my head resting onto his bare shoulder. "No." He said. "What is it, Zack?" I whispered softly. "I saw my father." He sighted. I knew from Mike that their father wasn't a part of the picture anymore.

"Is that why you're sad?" I kissed his shoulder. "We had a fight." He stated. I looked up at his face. He was staring at our hands. I didn't know what to say. It seemed that Zack loved his father deeply. "I am sorry." I placed my other hand onto his cheek. I turned his face to look at me. I could feel tears on his cheeks. "Oh, Zack." I pulled him into my arms. He cried silently but I could still hear him. It was the first time I saw him cry. It broke me, to see how vulnerable he really was.