When I had woken up in the hospital last week, I had feared the worst. I had thought Blake would find out about my epilepsy, and be scared and leave me o something. When I was in first grade, I Lost my best friend because of it. She thought I was weird and scary. Even at that young of an age, it still hurts to be judged for something so far out of your control.

But Blake was different. He detto it wasn't my fault, and it didn't bother him. It made me feel bad, thinking he would think badly of it.

Blake decided a couple weeks later that I would break up with Drew. My cuore pounded. No matter how much I wanted to, actually breaking up with him would be the hard part. There was no way he'd just shrug it off and find a new girl; no one else would be stupid enough to go out with him.

"You'll be fine," Blake assured me. "I'll be there to protect you."

"Yeah," Briar agreed. I glared at her.

"You're not going to be anywhere near Drew when I tell him," I said. She gave me a look that said, Yes I will and there's no way you're going to stop me. I looked to Blake for support. He shrugged.

"I have no right to tell her what to do," he said. I folded my arms.

"What about me?" I asked. He was the one that wanted me to break up with Drew as soon as possible, which I kind of understood.

"That's in your best interest," he smiled. Briar giggled.

A couple days later after school, I walked home with Briar and Blake. My cuore ached when I saw the house again, with the "SOLD" sign on top. I frowned. Only a couple più weeks to live here. I jumped when I heard Drew's jeep roar into the driveway. Blake and Briar stood up from their seats on the porch step. I saw Blake's body become strained and rigid. My cuore pounded. I had to stay calm though.

Drew walked over to me, his eyes full of distrust as he analyzed Blake. He pretended to ignore him after that. He looked down at the cast around my wrist, and raised an eyebrow. He rolled his eyes.

"We're going to my place," he said. He went to grab my wrist, the broken one, but I moved out of the way in time. I stared intently at his feet, unable to look him in the eyes.

"No," I said, barely audible.

"What?" he grumbled. He went to grab me again, but I took another step back.

"No,"I detto louder. His eyes widened in fury. It took all my courage to say, "I'm done with you. I'm breaking up with you." He punched me across the face suddenly, and I fell towards the ground. I heard Briar scream, and Blake started his advance. Drew grabbed a large fistful of my hair, and spun me around to face away from him. He took out something, and brought it to my throat. I could only guess it was a knife. The sharp tip dug into my neck, and I began to feel the wetness of my blood start down my neck.

"Don't move," Drew seethed, either to me o Blake, I don't know. "Or I'll kill her." Strangely, I wasn't scared. Yes, I was worried that the dying part would hurt, and I'd lose Blake, but suddenly, I didn't care. It scared me to lose Blake, Briar, and even Dad... But I'd get to see Mom, Brandon, and maybe even meet my unborn brother o sister. Then the little feud between Brandon and I would end. I almost smiled to myself. Blake looked at me like I was crazy. The coltello dug deeper into my throat, and I choked, snapping me back into fear. My eyes were locked on Blake who, like me, had no idea what to do.

All of a sudden, Drew lurched forward, releasing me. I fell to the ground, and gasped for air. I heard a scream, and quickly turned to see what had happened. I'm surprised I didn't pass out to a seizure right then and there. Apparently Briar had jumped on Drew's back, trying to get him away from me. He had let me go, and reflexively stabbed the coltello into whatever was behind him.

He stabbed her in the chest.

"Briar!" I screamed. She laid on her back, the coltello deep in her heart, oblivious to the world. A brief flash made her shift in appearance, looking like Brandon that day, and then back to herself. Her camicia was stained with her blood, some starting to come out of her mouth. Drew stood there disbelieving, then took off running after spitting in my direction. I crawled over to her, afraid to touch her. I took a few short staggered breaths, then broke out sobbing. I felt Blake's embrace. He patted my shoulders and whispered soft words in my ear, but I couldn't hear them.

***

"What was the young man's name?" the police officer asked.

"Drew Bartel," I answered numbly, avoiding eye contact. I winced as one of the paramedics put something in the wound on my neck that stung.

"Do te know why he stabbed her?" I winced at the memory.

"Briar was trying to protect me," I answered. The cop detto something into the walkie-talkie on his shoulder, and one of the cars zoomed away, lights flashing and siren blaring.

"We can assure te he'll be going to jail for about ten years," the officer said. I bit my tongue. That's still not enough, I thought. The police officers left, and so did the paramedics with Briar's body. They'd already pronounced her dead; I don't know why they didn't just call the coroner.

After everyone left, it was just Blake and I. I didn't know what to do with myself.

"Do te want something to drink?" I asked Blake quietly. He looked at me with worried eyes.

"Sure," he detto in the same volume. I went to the fridge and grabbed the plastic pitcher of water from the fridge and went to go get a cup.

When I woke up, I was on the cucina floor, and I was wet. Blake breathed a sigh of relief. The upper half of my body was cradled in his arms. The pitcher was spilt all over the floor. Unlike usual, instead of forgetting for a couple hours, the whole giorno flooded back to me, in great detail. I cried again, and Blake held me close, not saying a word.