"Wendy, can we talk in private?"

"Sure," I agree. Ally leads the way down the bleachers and I follow her. Mia is behind us. I leave my backpack with Vincent's things on the bleachers. Before turning the corner of the school building, I check on him. He's stretching on the grass, getting ready for his laps, oblivious to my absence so far.

Ally stops next to my usual lunch table. She picked an ideal spot. No one comes here. She turns around and sternly looks at me. Mia stands by her side, arms crossed.

"I try to be your friend and you go ahead and flirt with my boyfriend?" Ally accuses, cutting immediately to the point.

"What are you talking about?" I ask, trying to stay clam.

"Bryan told me all about it. You were trying to hook up with him in the diner bathroom."

]I purse my lips. "I'm not the least bit interested in Bryan."

"Don't lie. Otherwise, why were you taking so long in the bathroom?"

"Even if I explain it to you, would you believe me?"

Ally is silent and her eyes widen a bit from my words. She must've expected me to try to defend myself immediately.

"N-n-no," she stutters. "After all, you did the same thing to  Vivian. Ouch, salt on an opened wound.

"Whatever you may think, I'm not that type of girl. I couldn't give any less care about your boyfriend. I'm just trying to pass my classes and get out of here after next year."

"My boyfriend doesn't give a crap about you either. Why would he bother making this up?"

"Since you already don't like me, I'm going to be honest. You like Vincent."

Ally's face heats up and her jaws tightened from gritted teeth.

"You and Bryan both know you only dated him to make Vincent jealous. All I did was piss Bryan off by rejecting his attempt to get back at Vincent."

"Stop lying!" Ally suddenly flares up.

"Yeah, stop saying shit," Mia defends Ally.

"I don't want to be in your business, but since I'm already dragged it, I'm going to be honest with you. If you like Vincent,  just talk to him. Don't try to make him jealous by using other people. You're only going cause trouble for Vincent."

"What do you know?" Ally spats. "You act all high and mighty, but you're a nobody. The only reason why people haven't started shit with you is because you're using Vincent to protect yourself. You talk like you're righteous, but you're using Vincent to get back at Vivian."

"Vivian was my friend. Why would I have anything against her?"

"Don't play dumb. Everyone knows you were really just jealous of her all these years," Mia says, starting to get irritated as well.

Ally scoffs. "Talk to Vincent? When you're clinging to him all the time? You really think we'll believe you'll let any other girl near him?"

"I'm only his friend. I don't own Vincent. If he wants to go out with someone, I'm not going to interfere."

"Stop acting like you're better than everyone else. You got cocky just cause you have Vincent with you. Learn your place, bitch!"

Ally slams her palm against the side of my face, whipping my head to the side. My arms stay at my side and my eyes blankly blink at the pavement. 

"What? You realized you don't have Vincent to come running and save you?" She shoves me, sending me skidding across the cement. Loose rocks scrape against my palms that try to stop my fall. I'm laying on my side, looking up at Ally as calm as possible. My indifference is only fueling her fire, making her even more enraged. Mia gets nervous and grabs Ally's arm.

"Ally, that's enough. You don't want her telling Vincent."

"She probably already told Vincent about what I said about her. No wonder he won't ask me out." Ally nudges Mia away and rams her foot into my stomach. I jolt and curl my torso.

"I didn't say anything," I say, slightly out of breath.

"Stop lying," Ally demands, lunging to grab my hair. She manages to get a fistful before she is stopped.

"Wendy!" Vincent calls from behind me. I can't see him, but I hear the pounding of his feet as he runs up to us. Ally retracts her hand as fast as she had put them on me. She gets back up on her feet, trying to regain some composure.

"Are you okay?" Vincent helps me sit up and leans be against the shoulder. I try to prop myself up, but I draw my hand back when I feel it sting. He turns to Ally. "What do you think you're doing?" he yells.

"Ask Wendy. She's the one who tried to cheat on you."

"How could she cheat when we're not dating?"

"Well-well, she was trying to flirt with Bryan on Saturday," Ally explains, completely ignoring Vincent.

"How would you know?"

"Bryan told me all about it after you guys left the diner. It's no wonder why Wendy was rushing to leave after Bryan rejected her."

"Bryan said so?" Vincent asks, his voice growing angrier.

"Forget about it, Vincent." I shift around, but a sudden pain on the side of my knee makes me wince. Vincent wraps his arms tighter around my shoulder and moves me closer towards his chest.

"See, even now she's trying to avoid it," Ally continues. Mia stays silent, distancing herself from the confrontation.

"Wendy's not like that."

"You believe her?"

"Yeah, I do."

"She's just acting. I didn't even push her that hard and she purposely fell."

"Wendy's not violent. Of course she wouldn't fight back, even if it was to defend herself!"

"It was my fault. I provoked Ally," I admit.

"Wendy, stop blaming yourself for everything." Vincent holds my wrist and examines my palm. His facial expression lightens as he blows the excess dirt off my hand.

"Why would Bryan make this up?" Ally argues.

"Why don't you go and ask him?" Vincent growls, keeping his eyes on my palm.

Ally starts to storm off and Mia follows her.

"Ally!" I call after her. She whips her head back, her fiery blue eyes piercing at me. "Bryan won't treat you right. You deserve better," I say sincerely. Ally seems caught off guard by my words, and stands frozen for while. She turns around and keeps walking, her footsteps much lighter now.

"How can you be so stupid?" Vincent groans. He looks at my other hand, which is still scraped but less severely.

"For making Ally mad?"

"No, for not defending yourself. How can you let her push you around?"

"She thinks I fooled around with her boyfriend. Her anger is understandable."

"But still, you didn't do it. She doesn't have the right to hit you."

"You believe me?" My voice was now wavering, my strong front was getting harder to keep up.

"Of course."

"I'm glad." A tear rolls down my cheeks and trickles onto my palm. I expected the salt to burn my cuts, but it seems to cool down the stinging sensation.

"What did Bryan do to you? Did he put his hands on you? What did he say to you? That damn asshole."

"Forget it."

"No, he's the reason why you were so upset Saturday."

"He was trying to get back at you. I just pissed him off when I called him out on it."

"What did I do to him?"

"Ally likes you."

"She does?" he looks at me, surprised.

"And you call me dense," I sigh.

"Still, I can't just let him bully you."

I twist myself to look directly at Vincent. "Promise me you won't say anything to him. Don't let him know he got to you. Don't give him the satisfaction. He wants to piss you off. "

"But-"

"No buts. Or else I'll tell my dad to stop watching football with you."

"But-"

"And I won't wait for you after school."

"But-"

"And I'll hide somewhere else during lunch."

"Fine..." Vincent pouts.

"Eww, you're still sweaty. You couldn't at least wipe off your sweat before coming to my rescue?" I tease.

"Jeez, now is not the time to be joking around. Look, you're all scratched up."

"This is no big deal. I'm so clumsy this is a norm."

"Can you walk?"

"Of course. I'm not that hurt." I try to muffle my groans from the pain shooting from my knee and hip.

"Can you walk?"

"Yeah. Go get our stuff and I'll meet you out in the car."

"Alright," Vincent hesitantly agrees and slowly walks away.

I wait until he's out of sight to start limping in the opposite direction. I know its nothing serious since the pain wasn't that much, but I was probably coming home with huge bruises. I'll just have to make sure not to walk funny when I'm with Vincent. Last thing I want is to worry him anymore.

I feel an arm hook behind my knees and I fall back into another arm that supports my back. Instinctively, I use my arms to hook onto something, so I don't fall and it so happened to be Vincent's neck.

"Vincent! You scared me."

"You could've told me to help you if it hurt to walk."

"I'm fine. Let me down. People are going to see."

"I don't care. They should mind their own business."

"Jeez, why are you so stubborn?"

"I should be asking you that," Vincent sighs. "It's okay to tell me if you're hurt."

"I'm not hurt. My legs got sleepy."

"Just let me carry you to the car. It's my fault this happened to you anyways." Vincent's voice drops.

"Stop being so melodramatic. How is it your fault?"

"You got dragged into this by Bryan and Ally because of me."

"Jeez, I'm the one who pissed them off. Stop blaming yourself."

"Same goes to you."

Vincent squats down to use the hand of the arm under my legs to open the door. He places me on the seat first before placing my legs down. Our backpacks are already in the backseat. Vincent usually drives straight for food, but he stops outside of a pharmacy.

"Wait here." He in and out within five minutes, a white plastic bag swinging in his hand. Vincent walks over to my sides and opens the door. "Let me see your hand."

I show him my palms and Vincent takes out a pack of alcohol wipes.

"This is going to sting," Vincent warns. I nod and he starts to wipe my cuts. Grimacing and closing my eyes, I try to combat the pain. It subsides after some ointment is spread on it and Vincent covers my palm with a huge band-aid.

"Thanks," I whisper.

"Other hand." I show my less damaged hand and the process is repeated.

Afterwards, Vincent stops outside of a diner and comes out with my favorite burrito and waffles for himself. Instead of eating in the car, Vincent insisted on eating at the park. I could tell he was blaming himself for what happened and was trying to make it up to me. I kept reminding him I was okay, and all he responded with was that he was sorry.

The urge to hug Vincent was eating away at me. I can't help but want to rewind back to Saturday night when I was sobbing into his stomach. It's impossible to, and I can never do the same again. Not with Vivian on my conscious.

Maybe Ally was right. I know Vivian probably has lingering feelings. Still, I'm around Vincent constantly and we grown too close. Was our friendship pushing past the boundaries? Was holding hands and hanging out everyday day together too much? I didn't even hang out with my friends that often? Where do we draw the line? Do we even want to draw one?

The next day, it started to snow like crazy. I was surprised it didn't start at the beginning of November. Instead, the weather was only windy and cold until the start of this month, December.

Since Vincent met my dad, he's been driving me to school so my dad can sleep in late. Another reason why people look at me weird when I go to school. The massive bandages on my hands would only give them another reason to form more gossip about me. I can't handle being in the lunchroom and having everyone gawk at me like I'm an escaped zoo animal. Even in the snow, I go to sit outside.

Me: I'm not going to be at lunch today. I have a project to finish.

Vincent: Do you want me to help you?

Me: It's okay. It's supposed to be independent.

Vincent: Alright. Track practice is cancelled so wait for me after school next to my car.

Me: Ok.

If I'm going to freeze out here, I should make sure Vincent doesn't with me. A ring comes from my phone and I fumble around with my frozen fingers.

Evelyn: Can we talk?

Me: Yeah.

Evelyn: Where are you?

Me: Dumpsters behind the school.

Five minutes pass and Evelyn finally emerges from the white fields. Her cheeks are red and face serious. She stops a few feet in front of me, distancing herself.

"Hey." I'm the first to talk.

"Hey," Evelyn replies quietly.

"What did you want to talk about?"

"I'm sorry things turned out this way."

I blink, tears ticking the back of my eyes. "I'm sorry too."

"But you have to understand Vivian's perspective."

"I do."

"Do you really?" Evelyn counters, her voice growing upset. "If you did, you would stop being around Vincent."

"You're right. I should..." I meekly reply.

"Don't play the victim, Wendy. Vivian's the one who's in real pain. Do you know how sad she is when everyone knows how you and Vincent are dating?"

"But we're not dating."

"Then why are you always around him? You don't think Vivian notices?"

"We-we...we're just friends."

Evelyn scoffs. "Just friends?"

My head drops in shame. Evelyn is totally right. I've been so horrible to Vivian.

"I don't know why you changed so much, Wendy. You were so nice to us and now, you're flirting with the guy she likes. At least out of respect for Vivian and how nice she's been to you, you should stop being around Vincent."

"Wendy, what are you doing out here?" Vincent jogs up to us and Evelyn gives me one last look. She turns around without acknowledging Vincent and goes back inside. "What's Evelyn doing out here?"

"Nothing. I just ran into her while I was taking a walk."

"It's cold out. I thought you were doing a project."

"Yeah, I finished and wanted some fresh air." I don't look at Vincent and try to stare at my shows until my eyes dry up.

"Wendy, did something happen?"

"No."

"Did Evelyn say-"

"What are you doing out here? It's snowing?" I change the subject.

"I had a feeling you were out here."

"I'm hanging out with some friends today. You should hang out with your friends. I've been hogging you to myself."

"Wendy-"

"Don't wait for me after school. My friends are taking me somewhere."

"Wendy-"

"We should go inside. It's getting colder. Class is starting soon too." I dart inside before Vincent can try to talk to me.

I hide out in the restroom after school for twenty minutes. Afterwards, I snuck out the back doors and took the longer route home. I changed out of my clothes and flopped onto my bed, burrowing myself under layers of blanket for warmth. I decide to take Wilbur out of his tank and place his on a pillow beside me. I try to look into the opening of his shell and find his face.

"I'm so jealous of you, Wilbur." He still doesn't poke his head out. "You get to hide all day and no one says anything about it. everything would be easier if I could hide all day, sleep, and then come out for food."

I stick out my finger at the front of his shell and wiggle it. Slowly, Wilbur's head stretches out and he nibbles my finger.

"Oh my gosh. You finally let me pet you!" I go to stroke Wilbur's head a bit too excitedly, but suprisingly, he doesn't go back into hiding. "I'm glad you don't understand what I'm saying. Cause if you did, maybe you'd hate me like everyone else."

I go downstairs and return with a head of washed lettuce. I turn on our favorite food channel, well at least I think Wilbur likes it, and we both nibble on the lettuce. I lay on my stomach to face the t.v. and move Wilbur's pillow so it's beside my head. Soon, I'm bored of the lettuce and quickly fall asleep. I wake up later with Wilbur tucked between my cheek and neck, his head still poking out.