It's depressing going back to the house after a day filled with laughs and smiles. I may live here, but this house doesn't feel like home. Nowhere really does, but I will admit that being with Miriam and Dustin makes me feel a lot more a part of something than living with Melissa ever has.

I'm relieved when I realize the house is empty. Melissa isn't here and neither is Todd.

I remember the bread Suki gave me so I make my way to the kitchen to make myself dinner. I've been eating a lot more these past weeks and it makes a big difference in how I feel.

I just make simple toast, not feeling up to cooking anything more. I've always had a hard time cooking in this kitchen, scared it'll for some reason tick Melissa off.

I smear on some butter and jelly that seems like it's about to go bad before cleaning up and retreating to my room.

Faith is wide awake and bubbly, looking like she has no plans of returning to sleep.

I put down the blanket before setting her on the floor, grabbing some toys and sitting down with her. She's very amused by me shaking the reindeer with bells on it, the sound making her laugh every time.

So easily entertained.

She reaches for my toast when she sees me take a bite so I make her a bottle instead. I was running low on formula so this new can Suki gave me is right on time.

Faith seems content with her bottle so I rock her while she chugs it.

Usually this puts her to sleep but she is still wide awake, her big brown eyes widely staring up at me.

I kiss her nose making her scrunch her face and smile.

I play with Faith more, happily entertaining her with her stuffed animals and other play things. She loves anything that makes a noise so I shake the rattle, and deer with a bell, making her squeal in delight.

I play with Faith for about an hour more until she starts yawning. I gather her in my arms, rocking her as I walk to the bathroom to get ready for bed.

She loves bathtime so when I sit her in the small baby tub, she squeals from the warm water on her skin.

When she's clean and changed, I rock her while walking around the room, smiling when she dozes off, dutifully chewing on her thumb.

As usual, I'm not tired. I lay in my bed, confined to these same four walls that sometimes feel like a prison.

****

"Good morning, Blade." Dustin says, signing the words he speaks.

I smile. He's getting better. Good morning, Dustin. I sign back. I ask him how he's doing.

He grinned. "I'm doing wonderful."

He walks with me to school. We only were a couple blocks away. Usually, he has his car so I'm surprised he's walking.

"God, you actually hang out with her?" Alice sneers as she slowly drives past us.

Dustin ignores her, focusing on me. "So… are you down for another adventure?"

I nod, feeling excited for whatever he has planned. The feeling soon changes to anxiety as I see Alice's car stop a few yards in front of us

"Sup, freaks," Josh says, getting out of Alice's car.

Dustin looks put off by their disturbance, but ignores them.

"I'm talking to you punk," Josh seethes, getting in Dustin's face.

Dustin merely sighs. "Are you here for round two, punk."

Josh smirks. "Actually I am. And I brought friends." Two guys step out of the car with menacing looks on their faces, but Dustin just rolls his eyes.

"You couldn't beat me the first time so you brought friends to help you. That's pathetic."

"Fuck you."

"You're not my type."

Josh grunts before swinging, his fist catching Dustin's jaw making him stagger back. Dustin spits, his saliva red with blood but he doesn't look frightened. Just annoyed.

I make an effort to move in hopes to go find a teacher to stop this before it escalates. We're not very far from campus. I don't mind getting picked on but Dustin shouldn't put up with it because of me. I don't make it far though, since Dya and Jordan step into my path, smiling devilishly.

"Going somewhere, mute?" Dya taunts.

"Snitches get stitches." Jordan chimes in.

I back away, looking at Dustin and Josh who are squaring up. The two jocks step forward, making a grab at Dustin who evades them, upper cutting the one closest to him.

"What the fuck!" The guy growls, looking pissed.

Dustin sighs. "Look man. I don't want to fight you. Three against one? That's not a fair fight. Let's just say you won this one and move on."

Josh laughs menacingly. "You scared, pussy?"

"No. Just logical."

Josh ignores him, signalling his friends who step up to Dustin. They grab Dustin by his arms, and hold him up while Josh punches him in the stomach.

Dustin's loud groan makes my stomach churn, and I start panicking, feeling bile rise to my throat as Josh punches him again. I stupidly rush to him, attempting to push him off but he easily knocks me down and I land on my tailbone, wincing when the pain shoots up my spine.

Tears stream down my face as Dustin gets punched relentlessly by Josh who looks like he has something to prove.

I sit there, crying pathetically as I watch my friend get beat up. We're in an area with less traffic so no one was around to help.

I get up again, looking for an exit so I can try to find help but Dya and Jordan grab my arms, holding me in place, forcing me to watch as Josh lands a punch in Dustin's face, making him crumple.

I let out a strangle sob when the guys drop Dustin to the ground. Josh kicks him a couple times in the stomach before walking away. I rush to him, trying to help him up.

"Aww… two freaks in love. It's kinda cute," Alice snickers.

I ignore her, focusing on the boy in front of me who's groaning softly. His eye is split open and his cheek is bruised. Josh landed most of the punches in his abdominal area which I imagine looks way worse.

"Don't cry," Dustin smiles at me, wincing as he does, wiping away my pathetic tears. I laugh through my crying, amused that he's worried about me. I don't deserve him and he doesn't deserve this.

Dustin woozily stands, managing to balance himself.

I wrap his arm around my shoulder and lead him away from the school. He leans on me slightly, trying not to put all his weight on my smaller body.

"Where are we going?"

I keep walking. There's a bus stop a few minutes away that he can rest in so he's not laying on the sidewalk.

When we get there, Dustin groans loudly. He lets go of me, falling on the bench. "You know… Josh has some powerful punches. Not as strong as mine, but he has potential."

I pull off my shirt, not thinking about how I only have a tank top under the long sleeve. I dab the blood from his face, making him wince.

It's not until Dustin gently grabs my wrists and runs his fingers over my marred skin that I remember why I always wear long sleeves in the first place. I don't acknowledge the gesture, focusing on his face. I grab the water from his bag and wet the cloth, wiping away blood: dry or otherwise.

I point to him then make the phone gesture with my hands to ask him where his phone is. He points at his bag so I fish the phone out and pass it to him.

Call your parents. I type into my phone to which he shakes his head.

"I have a better idea." He takes a deep breath, standing up. "Let's take the day off and go on that adventure I told you about."

I give him a pointed look. You need to rest. I sign aggressively. You just got beaten up and now you want to exert your body more. This is serious Dustin. Your parents need to know what happened.

He smiles. "You seem upset so telling you this is a bad idea… but I understood about three signs from that."

I sighed deeply, becoming agitated. I already feel myself spiralling because it's my fault he got bea in the first place.

"Okay okay," he says, seeming to pick up on my distress. "Since it's that important to you, we can head back to my place. I won't call my parents because I would rather they not worry about this."

I'm still not satisfied with that answer but it's better than him taking off somewhere random and being worse off than he thinks he is.

He hands me my shirt which I stuff in my bag. He already saw everything, no need to be modest now. Besides, the shirt is wet with his blood so that's kind of gross.

We walk back to his place, Dustin limping the whole way.

He sprawls on the couch, staring at the ceiling. He has an unreadable expression on his face. I sit on the floor beside him.

Do you want me to make you tea or something? I typed into my phone before tapping him to show the screen.

He simply nods.

I get up, putting on some water then grabbing some ice from the freezer and wrapping my shirt in it to make a makeshift ice pack. I hand it to him and he mumbles out a thanks, pressing it to his bruised face.

When the tea is finished, I bring it to him and set it on the small table by the armrest of the couch he's on.

We sit in silence as he drinks his tea. I'm not used to Dustin being so quiet. His usual charming, happy self is gone and now he's brooding and miserable.

After he finishes his tea, he lays back on the couch, closing his eyes. A few minutes later his breathing is leveled so I assume he's asleep.

I sigh, cleaning up the cup and my wet shirt before leaving.

****