Violet's Pov:

I sit in my usual spot at lunch with my feet on the edge of my chair again and my notebook placed in my lap along with a few loose sheets of lined paper. I was the first one here since I was eager to continue what I'd started last night. I barely acknowledge my friend's presence when they show up, which they notice. I manage a short wave to Clem when she makes her way over, but that's it. I'm totally immersed in what I'm drawing and I guess I'm letting my emotions show more than I think because every time I switch pens I seem to slam them on the table quite angerly with an aggravated look which everyone picks up on.

"Everything okay, Vi?"

I actually look up because it's my girlfriend who says this and I feel my expression soften as I nod. I can feel everyone's eyes on me anyway as I recap my red pen and switch back to a pencil. This causes me to subconsciously grip my notebook tighter because I don't want anyone to see what's written.

"You sure everything's alright?" Louis asks from next to me.

Since I don't have any patience with Louis on good days I give a frustrated sigh as I nod, but Louis doesn't want to take no for an answer. "But..."

I quickly rip off the corner of a piece of paper and write down Everything's Fine. I shove it across the table towards him so he'll leave me alone.

The questions stop after that, but I'm lying, not only to my friends but to myself. Everything's not fine and they can clearly see this. I catch Clem's worried glance before I return back to writing and I feel guilty that I have to keep this from her, that I have to keep this from all of them. But I keep writing and I don't look back up until we have to leave.

This continues on for three days and I can tell it's starting to alarm my friends. I've gone completely mute since everything happened which worries them. I won't talk in front of everyone when were at lunch, but when I'm one on one with someone like Louis or Sophie I tend to whisper little comments and sentences, but I won't even do that now and I think it's concerning them. I haven't whispered any other little words to Clem either and though I've never actually talked to her I can tell she senses something is wrong.

I don't think my lack of a voice is what's the most concerning though. It's hard for me to focus on the page in front of me as I try to record my inner thoughts. I have a slight headache and my eyes can't concentrate on the same line for more than a few minutes. The soreness that was in my side has now graduated to a dull pain as well. Our table is much quieter than it usually is and I can feel everyone's eyes on me but I can sense that their hesitant to say anything.

Finally, I hear Ruby speak up because I know she's concerned about my behavior. "Why don't you try and eat somethin' sug."

I shake my head to decline her offer and I know this upsets everyone. It's common for me to write throughout lunch, but I'll snack on something while I do it. Only problem is I haven't been doing this. Which wouldn't really be a problem if it wasn't for the fact that I haven't eaten anything in the last three days and my friends know this. It's practically written out on my face with how pale I've become. I know Ruby noticed right away.

I'm normally very light in color, but now I look like a ghost instead of someone who never steps outside. I'm actually outside all the time, but it's not my fault that I don't tan. Well, that, and I like to walk around at night. I almost want to make a joke and say, Alright, who dumped the bleach on me? but I don't think my friends are in a laughing mood. Even Mitch and Louis are particularly quiet.

"Babe, I think you should try and eat something," Clem says from next to me. "You want an apple?" She asks as she pushes one in front of me.

"I've got some Goldfish too." I hear Brody say as she throws a snack size ziplock down in front of me.

I shake my head and push both things away. My stomach says I'm hungry, but my brain tells me not to do it. I know I'll just throw it up. I tried to eat something the other day, but I couldn't keep it down and my ribs felt like they were on fire with each heave my stomach gave. The only thing I've been able to keep down is water and coke.

The apple actually sounds kind of nice, but when I think about the Goldfish all I can imagine is thick sludge going down my throat. It only gets my stomach to churn. I wince at the thought and it shows my disgust for the snacks.

"We can get you something else, Vi. What do you want? I'll buy it for you, just name it." Louis practically begs. I know he's serious, he'll buy me whatever I want. But I can't, I'm not hungry. My body will just reject it. I will be hungry at times, but the moment I take a bite of something I lose the intrest in eating.

I shake my head and instead push my purple journal over to him. I'm actually prompting him to read it because I'm tired of the depressing mood that has settled upon our table like a layer of dust. Louis hasn't tried to swipe my journal since he accidentally spilled my crush on Clementine. I honestly don't care if he wants to read something from it, I just want him to be clear on what cover he goes to grab before he starts announcing whatever's been jotted down. But he won't take my notebook anymore, not without first getting permission and I kind of hate the fact that he does this. I miss his teasing behavior.

I can't believe I'm saying this, but I'd love for him to read one of my one-shots and act out the characters with the funny voices he'll do when he tries to impersonate one of us. Or for him to tell one of his stupid jokes that always gets annoyed sighs from the whole table. Or the card games, I'll even take the card games. Hell, I'll even participate if that's what it takes.

"When's the last time you ate somethin' hon?" Ruby asks me. I can hear the concern dripping from her voice and it kills me that I have to lie to everyone about this.

All I do is shrug my shoulders as I stare at my lap, my notebook completely forgotten for the time being.

"Well, when's the last time you've slept, Vi?" Sophie asks me this question, but all I respond with is another shoulder shrug.

The truth is I haven't, not since I've been injured. I won't allow myself to and it often shows. My eyes will turn watery because they hurt from the lack of sleep I've been getting. I already don't get a lot of sleep maybe five or four hours at the most each night, but not getting any for almost four nights in a row is weighing down on me.

Once I get home I head straight to my room and lock the door. I don't feel safe when I'm asleep. I'm worried somethings going to happen while I'm out like someone's going to break down my door and attack me. More importantly, like my dad's going to attack me.

When coming home from school, it's like sneaking past royal guards who stand watch at the entrance. I have to be extra careful in my battle planing or all-out war could break loose. I've legitimately thought about coming in through my window, despite how inconvenient that may seem. I'd rather avoid the sleeping dragon at all costs than being burned alive just for being in his presence.

I walk as much as I can so I'm not constantly trapped in the limited space of my bedroom. But I've been feeling so burned out lately that I don't have the will to walk as far as I used to. No one usually checks on me to see if I'm actually in my room, but I'm still terrified that someone's going to come pounding on my door. Because of that, I'd feel safer sleeping in my closet than in my bed. So I mostly sit on my bed and write until my alarm goes off at five-thirty a.m. I've been leaving for school earlier so I won't run into either of my parents.

Everyone shares knowing glances at each other. Louis and the others probably understand what's going on, but despite what I've told her, I'm pretty sure Clem doesn't know how I'm not exactly on good terms with my parents. Louis and Sophie probably know the most out of everyone, but even they aren't aware of the battle scars I possess.

Thinking about it makes me glance down at my sleeve and I can see a bit of the bandage petering out from under it. I quickly yank down my sleeve to cover it in the most nonchalant way I possibly can, hoping no one has noticed. I see Clem give me a questioning look at the action and I nervously fix my glasses hoping she doesn't ask about it. I don't think she saw any of the wrappings, but the way I forcefully tried to cover my arm sent up red flags.

I'm normally a good judge of character when it comes to other people and most of the time I can read Clem, but sometimes she just has this way of putting up the shields and I can't figure her out. But I've come to realize that Clem has a way of reading people too. I know my friends haven't picked it up, but I sure have. And the fact that she's not calling me out either means she doesn't want to bring it up in front of everyone and I'll get a talking to later, or she understands that I'm not comfortable in this situation and is deciding to drop it.

I don't have long to dwell on the fact because the bell rings, signaling the end of this, particularly painful meeting. Thank god. Even though no one wants to leave me with the way I've been treating myself they reluctantly stand from their seats.

I place the sheets of paper that I've been writing on, inside the cover of my black and white journal and close it shut. Then grabbing the purple one along with all of my markers and stuff I go to stand up, but the movement is too fast. I feel like I've been stabbed in the side because it's sensitive were I've been bruised, but the pain in my ribs isn't the problem.

My vision goes funny. It's all spotty like someone's just flashed a bright light in my eyes and I feel dizzy on my feet like I can't stand straight. I feel my body sway and I don't have a very good grasp on my reality or what's in front of me.

Clem sees this and asks if I'm okay, but I can't respond. I feel myself slipping and my footing staggers. I go to reach out for her but I can barely grip her jacket as I begin to fall. I hear Clem shout out my name before everything goes black.

Clem's Pov:

I feel a slight tug on my jacket sleeve and see my girlfriend start to fall over.

"Violet!"

I rush forward and grasp her arm before she can hit the ground, her notebooks fall out of her arms and papers fly everywhere but I don't care about that at the moment. I gently lower her to the floor as I take in that she's unconscious.

Our friends hear my yell and I can see Ruby shove past everyone as she kneels down next to the blonde. I feel tears in my eyes as I'm reluctant to let go of Violet's hand. All I can do is watch as the redhead looks over her.

I see Ruby put two of her fingers against Violet's neck to check her pulse and hear her give a sigh of relief. "It's alright sug." She tells me. "Vi just passed out, though I don't like how slow her pulse is."

I feel my heart start to pound at the words as worry and concern continue to build inside me. I don't know what's going on with Violet and it worries me that she won't tell anyone. It doesn't even need to be me, as long as she tells someone I don't care. I know she's pretty close with Louis and Sophie, but the fact that there just as worried as me tells me that they don't know why Vi's acting like this either.

"Louis, give me a hand. We need to get Violet to the nurse's office to see Ms. Martin." Ruby beckons the boy over with a hand.

I watch as Louis lifts Violet off the ground effortlessly and carries her away bridal style. I can feel a hand on my shoulder. I don't turn to see who it is, but I can tell by the country accent who's talking to me. "It's gonna be alright, hon. Vi's a fighter. Whatever's going on, will figure it out."

I nod as I clear my eyes of any tears that threaten to break through and I watch Ruby leave after them. I was about to follow when I notice all of Violet's things still lay sprawled out on the floor. I bend down and collect her two notebooks then I gather up all of the separate sheets of paper. I don't bother to see what's written as I fold them up and shove them into my pocket not knowing what else to do with them.

I see Sophie gather up all of Violet's pens that had popped out of their case and she sends me a reassuring smile, which I find myself returning even if the moment is a bit bleak. Honestly, what is it about Sophie that just puts people in such a good mood?

She was as sweet as sugar for sure, but I've seen her drip poison. I got to watch her chew out her sister after what she did to Violet and I couldn't help the smirk that formed while Minnie got the fangs. It was awesome.

Sophie hands me Violet's case of glitter pens with a smile. "Come on, you should be there when Violet wakes up."

I nod and the two of us follow in the direction Ruby and Louis have gone. I just pray to God that whatever's affecting Violet is something we can fix. I don't want to lose her, I can't lose her, and it tears me apart to see her hurting inside.