I sent her the letter, but I didn't think she'd truly come. I sent one to Xyla over a week ago so we could talk about our toxic friendship, but she never responded. Why did a girl I've hurt so much in the past come to my aid before my best friend?

Queen gave me a small smile and nodded. "Yeah, I came."

My eyes drifted to her pregnant belly and my heart stopped for a moment. When did she get pregnant? Was she pregnant when I kidnapped her? I stood up immediately and took a deep breath. "Here, sit down."

She nodded and walked towards the seat. "Thanks." I sat down in the seat across from her and nervously clasped my hands together while I avoided eye contact. She seemed to be doing the same because whenever I was looking at her she wasn't looking at me.

My eyes moved back to her when she tucked her hair behind her ear. The sunlight bounced off of something shiny on her hand and I moved toward her. I took her hand into mine and studied the ring as she froze. When I heard her racing heartbeat, I grimaced and let go of her.

"I'm sorry. You just have a really nice engagement ring. Congratulations," I said as I moved back to my seat.

She smiled and nodded as a look of relief passed her features. "Thanks, Mia."

I don't know if it was because I hated her that I didn't notice how truly gorgeous she was, or if it was because she somehow had some sort of pregnancy glow. But right now it sort of hurt to look at nice she looked. There was no rage or pain behind it, just regret.

Regret, because her showing up here for me today shows me a sliver of the kind of friend she would've been. The type of friend I needed. But now after everything I did, that wasn't happening.

"How are you doing, Mia?" Nobody besides my therapist truly asked me that so I had to think about how to answer it. Do I tell her the truth or do I tell her what everyone tells others when they ask?

"What do you mean?" I asked.

"How are you emotionally? Mentally? How's life?" She shot out with a comforting smile.

"Umm, emotionally? I'm getting there. Mentally? I'm getting there as well," I laughed and she let out a small laugh at my response. "And life? It's boring actually but...I need boring for a while."

She nodded in understanding and I sighed. "What about you?"

She blew out a breath and looked towards the ceiling. "Umm, mentally? I'm okay. Emotionally? Ehh. And life is cool."

I smiled and we sat in comfortable silence for a few minutes. I had one nagging question in my mind that was about to make me explode. I didn't know how I'd react to her answer, but I needed to know. This would be the final nail in my coffined feelings for Syn.

Syn

I didn't know why he was so hard to forget. I was still trying my best daily, but I'd be lying if I didn't say it was hard.

"Who are you getting married to, if I may ask?"

"Syn," she said quietly. She looked nervous and I understood why. If this was a few months ago, I would've attacked her, but right now I just remained in my seat and nodded. My therapist's words repeated through my mind and I closed my eyes, now believing them.

"It's not that he couldn't love you, Mia. He just couldn't love you or anyone else that wasn't her. There is a person for everyone and you just weren't his. But luckily, that also means he's not yours."

Taking a deep breath, I opened my eyes and looked back at Queen who was looking at me with concern. "I'm happy for you guys," I said.

"Then why are you crying?" She asked softly.

I laughed and wiped my tears. "It's nothing."

"You can tell me," she urged.

I used my fingers to gently wipe away tears and I kept a small smile on my face. "I don't know how to explain it, but I'll try the best way I can." She nodded and crossed her legs.

"It's like winning a pageant every single year and then one day, someone new comes along and you lose. You don't feel like you're good enough anymore and it's hard to compete again next year because you're known as the girl who HAD it but lost it. And like you're happy for the person who won, but there's still a lingering feeling..." I ranted. Her brows were furrowed and I smiled. "I probably confused you?"

"No, I think I get it," she said. "But it's like this. Pageants are subjective. If you lose, you get yourself together, stay strong and go to another one...not the same one," she said slowly and looked up again. "Yeah, I think that's what I mean."

We laughed and the receptionist came toward us. "Mia, Dr. Lewis is ready for you."

"She's coming in with me," I said as I stood up. Queen stood up beside me and I led the way to my therapist's office. When I pushed open the door the room was empty and I pursed my lips in thought. She was usually here before me.

"I guess we can sit while we wait?" I asked nervously. It felt different being in this room. This meant that there would be no more nice small talk. The conversation would be loaded.

"Yeah," Queen said as she took a seat on the couch. I sat beside her and a few moments later, the door opened and my therapist walked in. She closed the door and for some reason locked it behind her.

"Hi, I'm-," Queen's words were cut off with a gasp as she looked at Dr. Lewis. "You."

Dr. Lewis laughed out loud and walked to her chair. She muttered something under her breath and the room momentarily glowed with writing on the walls. I looked around in confusion and then back to them.

"What's going on?" I asked completely puzzled. What is she doing? How do they know one another?

Queen looked frazzled in her spot and I laid a hand on her, but she jumped. When she looked at me I saw tears streaming down her face and I shook my head. "What?"

"It's-"

"Don't worry, Queen," my therapist said. "I'm not going to hurt you, the Seers would like to meet the baby first. THEN I might kill you."

"Who the hell are you?" I asked. I was confused and lost but mostly...I was hurt. I had been coming to Dr. Lewis for over a month and she had become a sort of friend to me. My only one at that.

"Mia, this is your chance. Don't you want to get your revenge?" She teased. "There wouldn't be any witnesses."

"No," I said quickly. "No, what the hell is going on?" I turned to Queen who still seemed to be in shock and I pat her quickly. "Who is she?"

"She killed my dad," she whispered.

My eyes widened and I immediately stood up. "We're out of here." I took Queen's hand and tried to pull her up but she remained on the couch. "Queen, let's go."

"You can't leave," she whispered.

I walked to the door and reached out for the door but my hand got burned by something and I screamed out.

"As she said you can't leave, you'll leave when I give you permission," she said as she stood up from her seat. "I'll be calling the seers. Until then, phones."

She walked toward us and held her hand out. Queen placed her phone in her hand and I hesitated but did the same. Who would I call anyway?

She took the phones and walked out of the room, into a room behind her desk. I took the chance to immediately turn to Queen. "I'm so sorry, I had no idea. Please believe m-,"

I watched as the fear disappeared from Queen's eyes and the tears stopped falling. She had a smile on her face and I scoffed as I realized she was acting. She turned to me and nodded as she let out a deep breath.

"Don't worry, Mia. I've been waiting for this moment."