I looked inside the classroom. As I had hoped, it was empty. This was the best place to have conversations in, well, the best place you could find at school. It was one of the only classrooms with a lock on it, and it was hardly ever used.

I had sat with Emily through first and second period, which we shared, keeping my promise to never leave her. It was third period now, but instead of going to History, I pulled Emily into the empty classroom and waited for Aria and Hanna to arrive.

It was my idea to skip, which surprised everyone. I'm usually not happy about skipping classes, but I didn't have third period with Emily, and I wasn't about to leave her alone. Sure, I'd have to figure out a better way to handle the classes that we didn't have together, but until we did, this was my solution. She needed me now, and though on one else knew, I had always needed her.

Emily looked shaken. I guess it was to be expected, first day back in school after it had happened. I felt uncomfortable, not because of Emily, not really anyway. I just didn't know how to help her. I felt powerless, useless, and I wasn't used to feeling that way. A Hastings always has a solution. So why didn't I have one?

The classroom we were in was located at the end of the school. No one really came down here unless they were ditching or they had to for some reason (which wasn't often). There was a window near the door, on the adjoining wall. I sat down on a desk facing that window, so I could see the door and still look out into the nearby woods.

I pulled Emily close to me, wrapping my arms around her. She leant backwards against me, seemingly relaxing a little bit.

"How are you holding up?" I asked her quietly.

"What if he's here?" she whispered fearfully. "What if he's waiting for another chance to…" she trailed off.

I felt her tense again.

"He's not going to get one," I said through gritted teeth. I took a deep breath to calm myself. "And you know why?" I asked her.

She shook her head. She was really afraid of him now. Not that she didn't have good reason to be. But it was unsettling to see her this broken.

"Because I won't let him," I whispered softly to her. I rested my head on her shoulder, and whispered into her ear, "I won't ever leave you. And I'd sooner die than let him lay another hand on you."

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