School at night was creepy, I could hear the wind howling through the corridors, rattling the main entrance door even though it was locked from the outside. I picked up the pace, heading towards the library because I knew that's where I left my jacket.

My heart left my body when someone grabbed me and pulled me into the gym. I tried to scream, mentally I was screaming but physically I was unable to because there was a hand plastered across my lips. After my initial meltdown I focused in on his eyes, like sun-dried sand on a tropical beach. He was fearful and on guard, still covering my mouth.

"What are you doing here? You need to leave. You need to leave right now." He whispered, seemingly mad at me, probably because of our dodgeball game earlier but somehow it wasn't just fury he dispelled. Noah was deeply unsettled.

"Mmm Mmmm" I mumbled under his hand.

He looked down at his hand and muttered "oh" and then released my lips so that I was free to talk.

"What are you doing here?" I asked. His eyes widened and he slapped his hand back over my lips again.

"Shhh" he whispered, looking around frantically. My eyes also scanned the room, looking for whatever he was looking for. I couldn't move my head because his hand was keeping it still.

"You have to go." He told me in the quietest voice that he could manage then he added "... please."

I have never heard his voice thick with emotion before. Normally he remained calm always but right now, seeing me here he was afraid and I had no idea what was scaring him.

"Why are we whispering? Nobody is here?" I whispered. His brows furrowed and he looked at the gym door.

"Mia, Please. I'll do anything if you just leave right now and don't ask any questions about this, don't mention it again. The other stuff I'll answer. I will tell you everything, anything but not this. Please I beg you, just leave." He was crumbling in front of me, hysterically looking at the doorway and then back to me like he expected someone to walk through it.

"You can trust me you know?" I held his arm in a comforting way trying to calm his raging fear.

"Trust you? How can I trust you? I don't even know you." He pulled his arm away from me and ran his fingers through his hair. His earthy coloured strands became cutely tussled on his head and I smiled at how endearing he looked. I decided to put him out of his misery.

"Okay fine, I'll leave. No questions." I started walking towards the door. "But if you find my jacket keep it safe, it's expensive and I want it back." I called out to him as I walked away.

He had already started nervously pacing the room and I just laughed at him and shook my head in amusement. I figured he was here to do something delinquent-ish. Maybe vandalism or perhaps getting back at a student - probably Joel by filling his locker with flour or some other immature prank.

"Noah I'm done." A little girl walked into the room and my head darted back to Noah. He placed his hand over his face and sighed. His forehead wrinkled with regret. The little girl first looked at me and then gazed back at Noah. "Did we get caught?" Her small voice asked with worry.

He moved his hand from his face and plastered an in-genuine smile on his face for the benefit of the little girl. He paced over to the girl and knelt down to her level.

"No Em, this is Mia. She's my... friend." He turned to face me, I was looking completely shell shocked, frozen on the spot and unable to communicate any words. "We can trust her." Noah followed up with, still looking at me with hope gleaming in his eyes. It was as if he were asking me for confirmation, without actually asking me.

The little girl smiled at me shyly and then turned back to Noah and whispered, "She knows?" Noah didn't answer her question he just looked at me, pleading with me. His eyes looked upset but he was masking it, he generally just seemed defeated.

I snapped myself out of the shock, I wasn't entirely sure what was going on here but I know I was going to be no use to the situation if I just stood there in a trance. So I walked over to the girl and knelt down to her level, offering her and Noah a reassuring smile.

"I'm Mia, I really like your doll. She's very pretty,

what's her name?" I patted her dolls dress and the girl swayed from side to side shyly.

"Roselyn" she said quietly.

The little girl was very pretty, a true likeness to Noah and I could see just by looking at them that they were related. Her eyes were golden, just like his, but her hair was much more fairer.

"That's a beautiful name, I used have a doll just like her when I was young. My doll was called jade and I loved her so much, I took her everywhere and can I tell you a secret?" She nodded her head. "I still have her and I like to brush her hair every night before bed and even now I always tell her goodnight." The little girl giggled, putting her hand over her lips to stifle the sound.

"You're too old to play with dolls." She laughed sweetly.

"I know, that's why it's a secret." I laughed too. "What's your name?" I asked her.

"Emily Alexandra Scott." She said proudly.

"Wow full title" I muttered to myself in amusement. "How about I just call you Emily?" She nodded her head.

"You like drawing Emily? We could go to the library and make some pictures together." She nodded her head again and grabbed my hand, walking me to the door confidently like she already knew the way. Noah followed somewhere behind us.

In the library we drew some pictures and I read Emily some books until she fell asleep. Noah didn't utter a single word to me, he sat on the balcony dangling his legs off the edge. I wrapped Emily's small body up in my jacket and made my way to him, sitting beside him and waiting for an explanation.

"I fucked up." Noah whispered. He turned to face me, his eyes were bloodshot and worrisome. He looked broken and frightened. He put his head in his hands and shook his head. "I fucked up so badly." He spoke almost to himself.

"Who is she?" I asked looking back at the sleeping child who lay across the sofas blissfully unaware that Noah was on the verge of a breakdown.

"My sister." He whispered.

"What are you doing here with your sister?" I wore a bewildered expression on my face and he turned to look at me, his forehead wrinkled up with worry lines and then he shook his head.

"I can't." He pleaded. "You've already seen too much." A tear fell down his cheek and he swiped it away immediately. "Fuck!" He shouted as he banged his hand against the cream iron pole that held up the balcony. "Please don't ask me any questions, I don't want to lie to you."

I turned back to face Emily, she looked so peaceful and happy. She was sweet and shy but looked well cared for and the love Noah had for her was obvious.

"You're gonna run away now, aren't you?" I felt extremely sad inside and I needed to swallow down the bile that was rising at the back of my throat. I don't know why I didn't want him to leave, I hardly knew him and on the few occasions we've spoken we've mostly argued and yet I still felt sad about him leaving.

"I don't have any other choice." He admitted softly.

"You could just trust me." I stated the obvious and he turned his head away from me, looking at his sister with love.

"She's my life." He whispered.

"I know it's scary letting me in especially when you've had your trust betrayed before. But I'm not going to do that and I will protect your sister." I placed my hand on his and he gave it a reassuring squeeze.

After a few lingering minutes he nodded his head sadly and then took a deep breath, ready to talk.