For the past three weeks, I've walked into school wearing an obnoxiously wide smile and humming some happy go lucky tune I didn't know the words to. I even waved at the people I passed on the walk, excuse me I mean skip, to my locker. It's safe to say that school has been going great.

The last bad thing that's happened to me, was when Seth kept interrupting Sophia and I's big date, and that was weeks ago. Everyone at school has been extremely supportive; we were everybody's new couple. Of course, Sophia was basking in all the attention and I, for once, didn't mind all of the eyes either.

In the past, this much attention probably would've made me crawl into a hole with no plan of ever coming out. But now I have Sophia by my side, so I can conquer practically anything.

Even the fact that Chris knew about Sophia and I didn't phase me anymore. He hadn't even made a scene about it like I was expecting. He glared at me every time he saw Sophia and I holding hands, but considering everything he's done in the past, the glaring was like being smacked with a feather.

But a non-lethal Chris had nothing on how thrilled I was about being off of my crutches made me. Not having to struggle with those torture sticks was about 500 extra happiness points.

"Avery!Avery!Avery!Aver-"

"Good morning to you too Gabby." I greeted, interrupting her squealing as she ran up to me at my locker. I had to stop her early for the sake of everyone in the hallway and their ears.

She glared at me with no real heat behind it. "Whatever Leon. This is serious business. I need your help."

I sighed and shook my head. "For the last time Gabrielle, I am not helping you steal from the candy store." I insisted, and when she opened her mouth, I held up a finger. "Nor am I helping you find the golden ticket."

About a week ago, Gabby came to me with a lecture on the perils of having an avid sweet tooth without the bankroll to support her sweet tooth. And because Gabby is Gabby, she decided that the solution to her problem would be to rob a candy store and she wanted me to be her back up.

When I reminded her that such a thing was illegal, she merely switched to plan b: finding "the golden ticket". I tried to remind her that we weren't in Willy Wonka and The Chocolate Factory, but she insisted I was just being closed-minded.

"No, no, no. Not about that. But the offer still stands." She reminded me suggestively, but I immediately shot her a look. She rolled her eyes before continuing. "I need your help getting a guy."

It took me a few beats the blink all of the shock out of my eyes.

"Gabby, do you not see that there are about fifty things wrong with what you just asked me?" I asked her slowly, and for once Gabby was the confused one.

"First off, I'm a lesbian. Which means I am a girl who likes other girls. I know nothing about boys except that they're weird and kind of gross." I explained. Gabby's face scrunched up at the end, but I shrugged before continuing.

"Two, and I say this with all of the love in my heart, you're insane." I continued. Despite my warning, I still got a pretty nasty glare, but I held up my hand so that I could continue. "I just don't know who we're going to find at this school who can nurture and match all of that awesomeness you've got going on."

Gabby broke into a grin and wiggled her eyebrows at me.

"Seth Meyers." She sang.

On instinct, I gagged at the thought because Seth Meyers is a child, who does nothing but gives me headaches. But as soon as I recovered I was able to properly check Gabby for any possible illnesses. I didn't see a rash, and she didn't have a fever. She must have one of those undetectable diseases.

"Oh don't be like that Avery!" Gabby whined. "We'd be the perfect match. He's cute, I'm cute. He's fun, I'm fun. He's-"

"Insane Gabby. He's insane." I reminded her with a dull look, but she only got more excited.

"And you just said I'm insane! See we're perfect!" Gabby exclaimed very loudly, with extreme enthusiasm, in the middle of a very crowded hallway. We got a few weird looks, but of course, that didn't phase her.

I exhaled a reluctant noise. "Still Gabby, I don't know if-"

"Come on Avery, you owe me." She reminded me while using her biggest puppy eyes, and with that, she did have a point. Without Gabby, I wouldn't have been able to save Sophia from that potentially disastrous exchange with Chris. I would forever be grateful for her chaotic, yet brilliant, brain.

I playfully rolled my eyes and gave her a conceding sigh. "Okay Gabby, I'll help. Give me a few days." I agreed, and my heart warmed when her face immediately lit up.

Gabrielle squealed loudly in response and threw her arms around my neck before planting a kiss on my cheek. Without another word, she was racing down the hallway to God knows where. God bless whoever she's going to see next.

I stood there in a partial daze, processing the past few minutes. Did I just kick-start World War III or buy the friend group some vacation days?

Eventually, I had enough brain function to return to my original task which was opening my locker. When I got the door open, a note slipped out and I grabbed it before it could hit the ground. When I unfolded it, a smile etched itself onto my face when I immediately recognized the handwriting.

Come to our spot at 9. Love, S.

She didn't need to tell me twice.

Sophia and I have denoted our spot as the section of the library where we shared our first kiss. It was where we went when we wanted to be alone or simply hide from Gabby or Seth.

Huh. Maybe they will make a cute couple.

I took out my phone and saw it was 8:58. And with that, I switched out my books in record time before racing down the hallway. I was most likely going to miss my first class, which was an all-time first for me, but experiencing first came with the territory of dating Sophia.

When I turned the corner, I saw Sophia walking towards me. In the opposite direction of the library. Her confusion mirrored mine, but nevertheless, she met me halfway and threw her arms around me.

"Not that I'm not happy to see you." She assured me pressing a kiss to my nose, before tilting her head. "But what are you doing over here? Physics is in the opposite direction."

My confusion rooted itself deeper, and my head tilted to match hers.

"I was on my way to the library because you left a note in my locker telling me to meet you there," I answered slowly, scanning her face for any form of acknowledgment, but the confusion persisted.

"No, I didn't. I can't afford to miss any Chemistry classes right now. We have a test coming up." Sophia groaned, pouting a little.

Just then the late bell rang, and anyone who was left in the hallways headed to class, so just Sophia and I were left in the hallway.

My head spun for a second from the overwhelming amount of confusion. I definitely didn't imagine the note, I could still feel it crumbled up in my back pocket. And if Sophia didn't put it there then who did? Who needed to talk to me so badly that they faked a note and put it in my locker? I know I'm a bit more popular now, but I didn't really gain any friends, just acquaintances.

My head racked for a little while longer before my brain finally comprehended the silence and complete lack of classrooms on this hallway. And then came the ice in my veins and nausea in my throat.

Whoever left that note was not looking for a conversation.

My hands began to shake, and I was instantly brought back to who I was holding. I need to get Sophia out of here.

"Maybe they put it in the wrong locker. Let's just get you to class." I said with as much urgency as I could without being suspicious. I moved to pull her down the hall, but she stood rooted in place.

"Avery, you sound weird. What's going on?" Sophia asked, holding my face in her hands as she searched my eyes.

For once, I didn't have time for Sophia to be attentive and loving. I needed her gone.

"Nothing. Just go to class Sophia." I all but begged, trying to push her again. I knew there was no use in being quiet. Wherever they were hiding, they could hear me and the only reason they hadn't come out yet, was probably because Sophia was still here.

And now Sophia was glaring at me with crossed arms.

"I'm not going anywhere until you tell me what's going on." She insisted, standing her ground.

I groaned and opened my mouth to speak again, but a voice down the hall spoke first.

"You heard the girl Avery. She wants to watch the show." Chris boomed theatrically, instantly sending a shiver down my spine.

I turned to face him, hiding Sophia behind my back. She struggled against me, but I used every ounce of will in my body to hold her there. But when four more bodies filtered into the hallway, both the will and color left my body.

"Avery! Let me go!" Sophia demanded, but if anything I held her tighter against my back.

I didn't want her to see who we were up against, because there was still a chance to save this. But the odds took a nosedive when Chris nodded at two of his guys and they began to stalk towards us.

I gave them my fiercest glare and backed Sophia and I up so that she was protected by both my body and the wall. However it did nothing to deter them, and the closer they got the further my heart wedged itself in my throat and the slicker my palms became.

"Leave Sophia out of this. She has nothing to do with it." I hissed at Chris, my eyes flickering back and forth between the two bodies who were getting dangerously closer to us.

"Actually Avery," He paused, allowing for the guy on my left to tackle me to the ground, and for the other one to snatch her away. Even though I was being pinned down, I couldn't help but futilely lunge after her.

"She has everything to do with it." He finished calmly. He had two guys restraining Sophia, which wasn't difficult considering how small she was, but she was fighting against them. And the more she fought, the tighter they held her wrist, I could already see her fingertips turning blue.

A desperate whimper escaped me and the thought of her being hurt.

"Soph, baby, stop fighting. It's going to be okay. Just calm down." I spoke gently, not believing a word that came out of my mouth. But it had the effect I needed, and although Sophia's fury was still painted all over her face, she stopped her thrashing and fell limp in their arms.

But it was all just the calm before the storm because as soon as she fell still, Chris let out a horrific roar before pulling me off the floor and slamming me into the wall.

Stars danced across my eyes, and I could barely process the two separate bodies that were holding me up against the wall or Chris's seething face in front of me.

"You don't get to call her 'baby'. That's my name for her." Chris growled at me before was a swift punch to my stomach that knocked all the air from my lungs. I couldn't even catch enough breath to scream.

Through the disorientation, I could hear Sophia's screams of protest start up again, and I gave her the best smile I could to get her to calm down again. I was hopeful because after years of being beaten to a pulp by Chris, I was confident that I'd be able to survive this. It was going to hurt, but he wasn't showing any desire to hurt Sophia and that was all I cared about.

But dread also set in because something told me that Chris was nowhere near being done. And he had 45 minutes worth of empty hallways to do as he pleased.

"You see Avery, I'm a little angry with you," Chris spoke both slowly and calmly, which spiked my panic.

His eyes never left my face as he reached into his back pocket, and even though my head movements were restricted the glimpse of silver metal that I caught in the corner of my eye was enough to bring bile up my throat and sting my tongue.

I could hear Sophia start kicking and screaming again, but I didn't have the heart to lie to her anymore; it was lost somewhere in the stomach acid.

"You lied to me when you told me that you didn't know why Sophia broke up with me. In fact, you lied and you were screwing her. You infected her with your sick disease." He accused with growing frustration, pressing the knife against the center of my chest.

Sophia's cries only grew louder, and maybe a few weeks ago that would've saved me. But as I searched his eyes now, I could find no trace of sanity left.

I attempted to contort my body and get as far away from the knife as possible, but whoever was holding me just tightened their grips on me, which was painful all in itself.

Eventually, Chris placed enough pressure on the knife to where I felt the sharp pain of pins and needles, and then there was a trail of blood was began to stain my clothes. My eyes watered and a desperate cry of pain fought itself out, but all I could do was watch the ceiling. The only relief I was afforded was not having to watch the knife pierce my skin.

"You know the one thing I haven't tried yet?" He asked in a sick, and genuinely inquisitory tone, and I held my breath waiting for his answer.

He kept the knife in place but leaned in close to my ear to where I could feel his breath fan my face.

"Cutting the demon out of you." He whispered quietly, to where only he and I could hear.

And that's when I started to thrash.

Once there was a time where I wanted nothing more than to die. And back then, I probably would've let Chris kill me. I would've even believed that there was a demon to be cut out.

But now I am happy, and I am happy with myself. And I am happy with the girl of my dreams. I want to fight to live more than I ever have in my entire life because I finally have the life I want.

Chris shouldn't get to take that away from me. He's already taken so much.

Even though the thrashing caused a few slashes to fan my stomach, eventually I was able to land a solid kick to Chris and send him to the ground and the knife sliding down the hall.

He yelled in frustration and raced down the hall to get it, but when he got there, there were ten, much more furious, people, waiting for him.

Three of them threw Chris to the ground, while Seth and the other six stalked down the hallway towards Sophia and I. Before Seth could reach us though, Sophia and I were dropped to the ground and our captors ran off.

Sophia recovered pretty quickly and yelled at people to follow them, but I fell onto my bloody stomach screaming in pain.

Immediately Seth rushed to my side and cradled me into his arms, and I hung on to him as my life depended on it because a few moments ago it did.

And all I could do to communicate my gratitude, was cry.