Brianna leant against the tree and sunk dejectedly into a sitting position. She surveyed the area around her to make sure nobody was watching. They weren't. And then she got out her machete. Just one she mentally promised herself, knowing full well that she didn't mean it. She drew it across her exposed forearm and watched, entranced, as the tiny blood droplets began to form at the surface of her skin. Bliss. She wanted more. She wanted to slice open her arm again and again until there was no blood left to bleed. It was instinct. An escape from the harsh reality of her life.

Before she knew it, there wasn't even a square millimetre of non-bloodied skin on her arm. There were cuts, which she knew she could easily hide here in the FAYZ, with so many dangers. But the words... she couldn't pass them off as whip lashes or battle wounds. Now she could think clearly, her mind not clouded by pent up agony, she gazed at them. Fat. Ugly. Bitch. Worthless. All of these featured, written in jagged capitals. They oozed crimson. And they stung like hell. She didn't regret it.

A voice sounded not far away from her. "Brianna? Is that you?" Sam. Shit! She pulled down her sleeve as fast as she could manage and winced as it brushed against the fresh cuts. She still didn't answer, as she could sense Sam's presence behind her. She had been just in time. "Hey!" he sounded relieved, not irritated or worried thank God.

Forcing a smile, she got to her feet "Hi Sam! What brings you looking for me? Do I get to kill Drake?"

"Well, actually... I wanted company" he said sheepishly. Looking at his scuffed shoes. Company? From her? Why?

"Um, kay. What d'ya wanna do then?"

"I don't mind. Let's walk back to the lake and then we'll have a think" then, seeing the glint in Brianna's eye, added "walk. I am not going to race you Brianna."

"It wouldn't be much of a race, it would just be The Breeze totally thrashing you." she retorted, making Sam chuckle. Cute.

They set off walking, making conversation about the pre-FAYZ days and laughing about how much they actually missed school now it was gone. It made her happy. When she was with Sam she forgot her worldly problems. She wished she could be with him more. Sam made some sort of joke about how many pairs of trainers she went through and she punched him playfully, providing the starting blow for a play-fight. They shoved each other, laughing, into the undergrowth and ended up in a tangled heap on the forest floor. Brianna sat up and leaned over Sam, grinning mischievously, "you know how weird we must look right now?"

"We must look like we're about to fuck or something, when in reality you're about to torture me!" he laughed.

She brushed a lock of red hair out of her face, carelessly allowing her sleeve to fall down. Noticing this almost immediately, she had pulled it back up in less than a second; but not before Sam saw a flash of red.

"Breeze... What was that on your wrist?" asked Sam. His face could have been the dictionary definition of concern. He stood up and so did she.

"What?" Brianna's face reddened and she tried to think of a way to get out of this situation. She wished the ground could swallow her up. "Oh... I caught my arm on a branch earlier, it's fine."

"Let me take a look, from what I could see it certainly didn't look fine."

Her mind was in complete overload- Sam could not find out. No. "Seriously, it's barely a scratch! You don't need to look at it! I'm fine and you have more important things to do."

He took her arm in his strong hand "Please." His beautiful eyes gazing at her. She ceased her struggling. He carefully inched the sleeve up her arm. She looked at the floor in shame as her darkest secret was unveiled. There were tears forming in her tired eyes.

"Brianna..." Sam whispered. "Why?"