Amy's POV

My smile fell as though someone stabbed me with a poison filled, hot blade.

I looked around.

My chest got tight.

My palms felt sweaty.

Beads of sweat formed on my forehead and Winter could always tell. Yet again.

She sighed, as though she was disappointed in me. She relaxed back into the couch.

"The fact that you're not denying..." She murmured to herself.

"You don't know that for sure." I tried to defend. My last resort. She sighed again.

"You have to stop seeing him, Amy. He's not good for you. Anyone else but him." She said.

"Then why not him?" She rolled her eyes. But I agree that my question was stupid.

"He's been a jerk for all the time we've known him and he is greedy. Just like his parents." She said. My shoulders softly when I realized I could use her words against her.

"So you're only judging him because he has terrible, greedy parents? What about your parents?"

No...no!

In hindsight, I should've never brought that topic up.

The way her brows furrowed and the way she looked at me, as if she was disgusted by me, didn't recognise me anymore — it broke something in me.

Was I going to lose another friendship?

"I'm gonna have to tell Dane—"

Winter was about to get up when I grabbed her wrist and forced her back down.

"No you're not!" I hissed.

Again. In retrospect — stupid.

"I don't like the person you've become, Amy. He changed you, didn't he." Now, her eyes narrowed at me. It was no longer a guessing game for her. She was pressing accusations straight up. I scoffed in her face.

"So he's a bad guy and you're not. Sometimes its nice to look at the brighter side, Winter. The good in people. Not everyone's a jerk like your— forget it. I'm only making this worse for us both."

At once, I let go of her wrist. She gazed at me, and glanced back to her freedom.

"You're going to risk on getting homeschooled for this?" She asked, her tone slightly condescending, but more concerned.

"I might. If it means I get to stay home locked up like they own me." It was my bitterness speaking.

"I...don't recognise you anymore. Take care of yourself." Her words repeated. But I wasn't in the right mind to make sense of it.

She left.

I mean, she called the day off and promised to deliver the gifts in 2 days for Christmas.

It was weird for them.

But I almost wished she was gone from the mansion.

...What was happening to me?

Three hours passed since.

I was locked in my bedroom and refused to come out. My brothers were trying to figure out why I didn't want to celebrate Christmas. In their defense, I loved the festivities of Christmas.

I was the one making elaborate plans, family time games and baking treats. It has been like that since I was eleven.

They must be quite worried. But I didn't want to engage myself with Christmas celebrations when my head was somewhere else. Just as good as avoiding it.

For the umpteenth time, I heard the rapping on my door. I put on headphones and cancelled out the knocking. Would that have cancelled out my thoughts too? I was kinda desperate it would.

Suddenly, the door knob started dancing and I immediately knew what was going to happen.

"Shit—" I rushed towards it, almost tripping in my blankets.

Too late.

I jumped back when Dane jumped in.

Just him.

"What did you say to Winter?" He asked in a whisper, barging into my room anyway and closing the door behind.

"Nothing." I tried being nonchalant.

But Dane was the worst person at the moment — he could read right through.

His eyes relaxed and I shook my head.

"You're gonna doubt me for no reason. And no, I'm not sick. I just don't wanna celebrate Christmas this time." I said, sounding like an absolute teenager. Can't run away from my real identity I guess.

"Amy. I won't be mad at you just because you said something to Winter."

"You're concerned about her over me? When did you grow so shallow?" I attacked him back without being prompted. I'm a different person when I'm frustrated, huh.

"You're changing the topic." He sighed.

"Yes I am! What have I become for you!? Just a rag doll you could use and throw aside!?" I was screaming at that point.

At once, fear entangled with my frustration when Dane held my arms. It was quite rough. To the point I felt uncomfortable and...unsafe.

"Give it up, Amy. You and I both know you're yelling out of your fucking mind." His frustration manifested into hurting me. Tears roamed in my eyes. The gloominess was amplified tenfold.

I hated this.

"I hate you!"

That...was my manifestation.

Before Dane could catch me even though he was athletic enough, I dashed out of my door, out of the house.

I heard Dane yelling at Alex and Nick to come out of their rooms to catch me. He yelled that I was running away.

I wasn't running away from them.

That would be stupid.

I was running away because no one was trying to understand me.

And those devious eyes since yesterday, the moment they got to know about Cynric and my unexpected proximity, I couldn't bear it anymore.

I lost them at a street corner, after running for God knows how long.

My body was on fire from the rush. It almost felt like my lungs were melting and my throat was seizing up.

At one street, where my legs were giving out, I did a stupid mistake.

I crossed the road without looking...

"OOMPH!!!"

A big truck-car hit me.

I stumbled a few feet away. Gathered attention. People surrounded me but none came to help.

Except for a familiar voice screaming to move aside.

The feminine voice...The thick Asian accent...

I dreaded the worst and it was manifesting, too.

Aria Chen was driving the car.