Try to make me happy, I dare you.

[17]

where Millie is..." I say, tapping my chin thoughtfully. I hear a tiny giggle from behind the couch and grin.

"Millie! Where are you?" I yell playfully. Another giggle.

"Oh, I know!" I lift a blanket up from the couch. "Oh, not there...Hmm. Where could Millie be?"

Suddenly, a burst of laughter is screamed from behind the couch, obviously revealing the place in which Millie is hiding.

"Gotcha!" I scream, tickling Millie. Millie cries in laughter, tears now rolling down her pink cheeks.

"Izzy! Stop - " Millie tries regaining her breath before I start tickling her again.

"Stop. Tickling. Me!" She emphasis between laughs.

Finally, I pull my hands away from Millie, leaving her in a tiny fit of giggles on the ground. Millie and I flop onto the couch, exhausted.

"What do you want to do now?" I ask. Millie grins and runs out of the room.

"Well...I'll just wait here then..." I huff out.

Not too long after Millie had disappeared from the room, I hear tiny thuds running towards the door. I turn around and watch the seven-year-old carry a blue laptop in her hands.

I look at Millie questionably. Her eyes brighten up and she holds the laptop up above her head.

"Netflix!" She screams as if it were the most obvious thing in the world. I shake my head and laugh.

"Of course."

"Thank you, Lucy," I smile up at the mid-aged woman in front of me. Lucy shrugs and grins at me.

"Nah, it was a pleasure. Plus, it meant that I could get some stuff done without Millie interrupting me," she winks playfully at me.

I smile and shake my head in response. "She's definitely a bundle of energy..." I mutter, keeping the smile on my face.

Millie may be a little too energetic, but, she is still cute no matter what.

"Well, anyways! Thanks again, it's been hard. So, having people like you only makes my life a little bit easier, " I mumble the last part quietly under my breath.

Lucy's face beams up at me before she pulls me in for a hug. I tense up and stand there awkwardly all while being hugged by Adam's mum. Lucy pulls away and grabs onto my shoulders and smiles up at me.

"Honey, your mother would be extremely proud of you." I don't say anything, I just stare. I hate talking about my parents.

My hurt for them is like a spider-web. Intricate yet invisible. No one sees it, but I feel it. You sacrifice everything when you love. You put your heart on the edge and you just hope someone doesn't kick it off.

It isn't fair that she has to witness the more depressed side of me. I quickly glance away from Lucy and nod my head reluctantly.

"Okay...well, thanks again..." I turn on my heels and walk down the steps towards the car. Opening Adam's car, I step out of the freezing wind.

Adam looks at me questionably but I only shake my head and look away.

Throughout the entire ride, Adam kept side glancing me. It annoys the hell out of me but I know he's just doing it because he worries. Heck, I worry about me.

I'm not that dumb to know whether someone cares for you or not. I just don't like it when they do care... I'll always end up getting hurt.

Adam pulls up to my driveway and stops the engine. "You sure you're okay?" He asks again. I nod my head and smile at him.

"Positive."

I open the car door and pull my bag out with me, before closing it again. I fiddle through my bag looking for my keys. Finally finding them, I unlock the door.

"Isabelle!" Adam shouts. I turn around quickly and bump into the open door. It isn't that funny, but apparently, according to Adam, it's hilarious.

It takes a while for Adam to calm himself, but when he does, his face suddenly turns serious.

"I know that this may be a little too sudden - " Adam cuts himself off before continuing again.

"Actually, teachers apparently don't have hearts after all and only care if you're still finishing those stupid assignments that apparently mean your life - "

"Adam!" I shout, cutting him off mid-sentence. "Just get to the point."

"Right..." He mumbles. "As I was saying, Ms White is wondering when you're going to be back cause, you know? English book thingy that means the world?"

I nod my head and smile. "Yeah, I'm going back next week."

"Oh, okay." Adam stares at me for few seconds before grinning up at me. "I'll see you around, Prezioso!"

Adam leaves and I'm left home again to repeat the series of last night.

Sleep. Nightmare. Panic attack. Hate me. Then the process repeats itself.

I guess this is going to become a routine of mine. I can't have someone like Adam be there for me every single night of my life. That isn't fair. I'm going to have to start learning how to protect myself again.

I may even have to just...not be here, as in, 'She's insane and can't function properly, so let's stay away from her.'

Yes, that's an option, but, I'd prefer something less...depressing?

Something where no one will care for me but at the same time, I'll be happy.

After all, I'm not worth saving. Who really wants to save an abused, teenage girl who has parent issues?

It's not a question. I already know the answer.

No one. That's who.