They all stared at her and watched her every move. Chris reached out for her and put his hand on her forehead. Brian looked at her and tried to find any injuries, and Andrea had dried up tears on her face. They all looked at her as if she was dying and their faces were too close for her to feel comfortable.

"I know you all like me but can you not be this close to my face please." Winter asked them with raised eyebrows. Andrea looked up to her friend. Confusion was written on all of their faces which made winter wonder what really happened for them to act like this.

"What's wrong?" Winter asked them while trying to find her phone.

"You passed out on us Winter." Brian told her but not in his usual self. There was no traces left of his playful self. For someone reason everyone seemed to be serious which again was very unlike them.

"Well what happened?" She asked them and was still looking for her phone.

"You walked off by yourself." Winter looked up from the ground to see the expression on Chris face. He looked pissed and balled his fist. "Than this guy was holding you and handed you to Brian as if it was completely normal to hold an unconscious girl." Chris sat next to me and closed his eyes to calm himself.

"I told you not to walk off on your own didn't I? Why can't you never listen?" He asked her with raised eyebrows and Winter felt like she was a kid again being judged by her mother.

"I'm sorry but everyone is fine, you see." She told him trying to lighten the mood.

"Just because everyone looks fine doesn't mean that we are. A lot could have gone wrong. Shit we don't even know if he did something to you." The guilt that she felt every single day was creeping up on her, running through her veins. Making an appearance in her behaviour also making her want to run away. She wanted to burry those memories, not bring them back up. "I'm sorry." She told them and looked at her hands. "I'm so sorry." She told them again too shameful too look them in the eyes.

A lot could have gone wrong.

It made her think about the time they played hide and seek as kids, and she ended up being lost. Or the time when they went to a party and she ended up being assaulted, which wasn't their fault. In fact it was hers. Or at least that was what everyone around her said, but she knew deep down it wasn't her fault.

She is always a burden to everyone one, always being the problem. Always being the cursed one instead of the blessed one. Never the girl with no worries, or the girl everyone can trust. Winter wanted to take care of everyone, she didn't want to be the one that everyone took care off.

Chris sighed and left the room. Brian followed him and she was left with Andrea alone. Winter wanted to cry but she couldn't bring herself to do so. Andrea sat down beside her and whrapped her arms around her. Kissed her forehead and told her that it was okay.

"You know they only act like this because they care. Since that accident they have grown more protective of you." Andrea told her and placed her hand on Winters face.

Winter couldn't seem to talk anymore, it reminded her of how life used to be. Or it reminded her about how life is. She wasn't so sure about it but she knew that living like this wasn't pleasing. It felt like she was trapped and every time she wanted to speak, she lost her tongue. She couldn't bring it out of her, no matter how hard she tried. Maybe some secrets are better left untold.

They went downstairs and found the guys watching tv. Winter sat down and made sure not to be too close to anyone. Andrea and Brian left the living area to make some breakfast. It was just her and Chris. She felt watched, the way a lion watches his prey. She knew he wanted her to talk. Speak her mind and share her feelings - her demons. He wanted her to talk about the shadows that seemed to only grow bigger in size, but he understood that Winter wanted to keep them in her closet. Buried under a pile of clothes, she promised not to tell an other soul about her biggest fears. Last time she tried, it went wrong - completely wrong.

Chris moved closer to her and took her in his arms. "I didn't mean to act that way." He told her truthfully. "But I just want you safe. I have failed once and I don't want to fail again." His words hit her hard, it even opened a wound that was supposed to be healing.

"I'm okay Chris, it isn't your responsibility to keep me safe. So don't worry too much about me." Winter smiled at him and tried to make him understand.

Chris never liked complicated things to be passed of as not-so-complicated. He didn't like the way she acted as if it wasn't a big deal. As if she wasn't a big deal. He knew words couldn' t make her understand her worth, so he just kissed her cheeks and smiled at the girl with shadows bigger than he could imagine.

Brian stormed in and puts his jacket on. "Guys we need to find breakfast somewhere else." He told them quiet annoyed.

"Why?" Chris took his coat and looked at Andrea.

"Princess almost burned the house down." Brian turned to look at Andrea. "You should have left the cooking to me." He told her and puts his shoes on.

Andrea rolled her eyes and looked for a jacket to wear. She glanced at Winter and Chris and a wide smile made its way on her face. "Why you smiling like that?" Chris asked her and she shook her head. "I was just thinking about how cute you both looked together." She told them and Winter rolled her eyes at Andreas words. Chris just chuckled and grabbed his keys.

Brian snatched everyones menu out of their hands and Andrea send a glare his way. He rolled his eyes and waited for the waitress to show herself. "Hello did you already made a decision?" She asked them and looked more at the guys at the table and didn't pay much mind to the girls.

Andrea noticed too and she rolled her eyes. Chris had light brown hair and grey eyes that could make you fall head over heels for him. He almost had everyone on their knees. Brian on the other part had dark brown hair and brown eyes. His charms always worked on anyone. He smiled at the waitress and she blushed. "I would want some glazed donuts." He told her and grinned. "For me just a muffin." Chris told her without looking her way. Brian finally realised that we were here too. "What do you want?" He asked Andrea. "The same as you." She answered and I agreed with her.

As time pass by Winter found herself thinking about last night. She tried to recall her memories, she wanted to remember. For once forgetting something wasn't what she truly wanted. She remembered everything but everything went black at the part where she walked away alone in the forest. This was so unlike her, she doesn't faint that easily right. Winter was brought back to reality when she felt Brian looking at her with raised eyebrows.

"You going to go back home right?" He asked her carefully, not trying to bring back old stories.

"Yeah, my parents wanted me home today." She told them with a grin on her face, masking the way she really felt.

"Well before that happens, what do you want to do?" Chris took a bite from his muffin and there were some crumbs left on his cheeks. Winter brushed them off with her finger and he smiled at her.

"Making decisions aren't really my thing, you should know that." Winter told him and tried to clean up the table after everyone was done with eating.

"I wanted to buy some clothes." Andrea told the group of friends.

"Ugh why woman? You have enough clothes." Brian complained and they all stood up ready to head out after paying.

"It's going to be quick, I promise." She told them and they got inside of the car driving away.

The hours passed by with ease and the boys got annoyed at the fact that they were still there. Winter found herself smiling at the way the boys followed her behind like lost puppies. Handing them clothes she didn't want anymore after looking at it for too long. Andrea was convinced that eyes can play tricks on you. She went in and out of the changing room. Brian sat down next to me and sighed.

The green leaves that now were turning orange were dancing in circles. It was already fall witch means it gets darker outside earlier. Trees were moving left and right and small branches were flying away. There was a lot of wind today it seems.

Winter spotted her friend finally paying for her clothes. Brian grabbed her arm and dragged her out of there. Laughter filled in the car and we sang along to songs. Everyone was happy and living in the moment. Taking pictures and posting short videos on their socials. This is what teens did before turning into adults. Making fools out of themselves but no one really minded. After all we always were fools no matter what age we have. Winter smiled and looked at all of her friends having a good time. She realised that good times always came to an end. Good times were never forever, which made her upset. The girl with wild black curls and sad brown eyes wished that times like this lasted forever.

They dropped her off and watched her making her way to the front door. Growing up without her dad was never easy. Normally she would go back home to her mother and older brother Gio, but the day that man her mom fall in love with stepped inside of the house. Everything changed, even the things she thought couldn't be changed.

Cleaning the house and having to start all over again because his footprints didn't want to come off the floor. His smell didn't want to leave the air either. Always picking up the empty bottles off the floor and watching the man laying on the bed almost lifeless. Trying to open her mothers eyes by telling her what her eyes failed to see. Getting a smack across her face because it was non of her business.

Winter was tired to say the least. She didn't want to come home to this. She didn't want to be met with the reality she usually left at home. All her troubles were always left at home. She hated to step out of the door with them.

"Mom?" She called out but didn't get any respons.

"Gio?" She called out again.

Winter closed the door behind her and looked at the ground. She covered her nose because she couldn't stand the bad smells. The empty bottles again. Liquor was spilled all over the floor and she felt her lips trembling. He was laying on the couch with eyes wide open. Winter tried to just ignore the obviously drunk man, but he grabbed her arm. Pushing her against the wall, she could feel a bruise forming. The sinister smile on his face and the fact that no one els was home made her heart beat faster in her chest.

"Can you not touche me please?" She asked him and instead he took steps closer towards the poor girl.

"Stop please." The tears were making its way down her cheeks, leaving winter feel weak.

He tried kissing her but she kicked him between his legs and he felt down whimpering in pain. She tried to run upstairs but he grabbed her leg and fall over. Winter tried to kick him in the face with all of her force and he finally let lose.

As she opened the door with a blurry vision and a headache, she finally remembered. This was the story she tried to forget. This was the story she wanted to stay buried, hidden somewhere in her closet. She was the story that she tried so hard to forget. Winter has never ran so hard for her life. The tears kept falling down like waterfalls and she made the mistake of going to the wrong place. She ran into the forest with tears in her eyes and the demons she was supposed to leave at home.