Emily is lonely. Chris has no time for her, with student council. He keeps putting off their dates, and she isn't even surprised anymore when he calls to cancel. She can't help but feel she's become a chore to him. But she clings to the tatters of their relationship anyways, because what is she without him?

Relationships are a difficult thing to put in words. There are good ones. There are bad ones. Then there are the good ones that turn bad. But Emily was dealing with none of these. She was dealing with a fading she could do nothing about. She has never been so helpless.

She tries to support Kaitlyn and The Gutter Kittens. She goes to there concerts, convinces Abbie to come to even though she's angry. It seems okay. But an elbow to the back has her sprawling, and Zig defends her. She tells Kaitlyn as much, that is wasn't their fault, but she blows up at her before stomping off. Poor Zig tries to help her, to support her and while she means to gently explain she isn't some delicate flower, the words come out sharp and cruel. He leaves angrily, and she just wants to cry, but she can't because if she can't hold it together what good is she?

She leaves Abbie and Tyler, instead choosing to go to a bar, where she runs into Becca and finds out she's not the only one with problems. She goes with Becca to the sorority, but can't even comfort her properly. She leaves and finds herself sitting outside under her home that lately feels more like a war zone.

She feels fragile, like anything more will break her. She needs help, she can't alone. She just wants thing to be the way they were. She just wants happiness again. Class' and time, so much time is wasted. She misses Professor Vasquez, so much. It seems everything is falling apart without him. She is falling apart. When did everything get so complicated?

Our Heroine looks at the blank canvas of the night sky, her face the perfect picture of despair. Her friends are gone and she her heart hurts. She cannot cry, even if she wanted, and if she did who would comfort her? She is alone, and yet she feels the weight of the world.

James tries to help, but she can tell he's wrapped up around Yasmin's finger. She flies out to save him from her, because he doesn't deserve to be treated like a piece of meat. He doesn't deserve to be used.

She flies through the stars. All her concentration is in flying and in saving her friend. If she breaks the thought for one moment, she will fall and shatter. You don't want to break, do you Emily?

But he tells her he doesn't need her, that it's his life and she have no right to meddle. She cries the whole way back, and locks herself in her room.

Cruelty, etched in her mind. She breaks down sobbing. She just wanted to help, to be the hero they all once thought she was. Why was she so useless? Still crying, she moves closer to the open window, peering at the cement below. Do broken things still fly? Emily thought with a bitter smile. Stretching her arms, she moved forward to try to be happy again.

Our story ends with a broken hero. Splayed, splintered apart and still so very alone. Where are her friends?

Chris, amerced in regulations and hope, cannot catch her. Doesn't even realize she's fallen.

James, so far away can only watch in horror as her words echo in his head.

Kaitlyn sees, tries to go but is held back by bonds newly made and resentment that is fed more and more with every comment with Natasha.

Tyler and Abbie aren't even there, one trying to calm the other down. They cry together when they find out.

Zig's at the coffee shop working, and when he here's about the girl that jumped from the dorms his heart stops. Then he shakes his head and goes back to cleaning dishes with an ache in his chest. Emily would never be so stupid. The thought doesn't stop him from counting the minutes until his shift is over so he can check on her.

Zack, dear loyal beautiful Zack finds her and tries to bring her back. He'll call Brandon 6 hours later, crying because while Kaitlyn was Emily's best friend, Emily was his.

Becca feels bad, and comfort's Madison. A few of her own tears slip out because in another world they could have been friends.

Darren and Logan inform the team that Chris' girlfriend is gone. They win their next game for her.

Twombi and Atiyah mourn the bright student who always had a smile.

Gabriella loses another person in her life. She gets married and has another baby. This time it's a girl. She names her Emily.

The Freshman is published. Emily is happy, smiling, and alive on the cover. The story ends with everyone forgiving each other. People rave about its theme of second chances, and drama. And the romance between Emily and her love has everyone entranced. No one ever sees the acclaimed author though. And Zack, her friend who stayed by her knelt beside her cold body was the only one to notice the finished manuscript in her hands. He, unseen takes it and fixes the story, erasing the bitterness with kindness. The hate with love. He covers it up, and sells her novel with the ending she deserved and should have had. The story people praise is a happy one, and has no definite end. The story they read is a lie.

A/N: Hey! Just had a crazy thought that what we're seeing as we play is the actual novel the freshman. So meta… Anyway, Emily being depressed makes a lot of sense to me. SO much happens in book three, I wish they would have explored her feelings more. Zack changed the ending as a tribute of sorts. A kind of, fix-it. Please review, I love to hear people's thoughts. PM me if you have questions.

I am, therefore I spread,

Pain