Naia's POV

"About what?" I asked, even though we all knew what Gabby meant.

"Naia," Gabby said gently. She tried to get me to look at her but I refused and kept my eyes staring straight ahead.

We sat like that a while, none of us speaking. The air had turned awkward and I was starting to get uncomfortable with the silence. Finally, I guess they gave up trying to get me to talk and changed the subject.

"Your principal gave us the homework your teachers assigned," Matt said, taking a folder off the coffee table and handing it to me. I took it and started to flip through it. Even though I was only suspended for two and a half days, the homework seemed like it was for more than that.

"Thank you," I mumbled and got up, "I should probably start it now."

Without looking at either Matt or Gabby, I stood up and went back into my room. Closing the door behind me, I tossed the folder onto my desk before flopping down on my bed.

I'd do my homework. Eventually. Just not right now. I had to focus on something else besides school, or whatever. Turning my head, I saw my guitar propped up against the wall.

It took a while, but I managed to convince myself to get up and get the guitar. Taking a seat on my bed, I used my knee to prop the guitar up as I strummed a few chords.

Come on Naia, think. What did you learn when you had to learn the guitar in school?

When I could only think of a few chords, I decided that there was a better way. Pulling out the laptop Gabby and Matt lent me for homework, I quickly typed in the password and searched up the chords I needed.

It felt good. To be doing something productive that is. When I had some idea of the chord pattern, I started humming again.

Counting days, counting days, since my love up and got lost on me
And every breath that I've been taken since you left feels like a waste on me
I've been holding on to hope that you'll come back when you can find some peace
Cause every word that I've heard spoken since you left feels like a hollow street

I've been told, I've been told to get you off my mind
But I hope I never lose the bruises that you left behind
Oh my lord, oh my lord, I need you by my side

There must be something in the water
Cause every day it's getting colder
And if I could hold you
You'd keep my head from going under

I froze as images of Jane dead in my arms started popping in front of me. I shook my head and blinked, trying to get rid of them, but it didn't work.

"Everything's going to be okay,"

"Naia?"

"She bled out a few moments ago, wouldn't have made it."

"You're so brave Jane, so brave,"

The blood was soaking my hands, turning them bright red.

"Naia, an ambulance is here to take you to Med."

"I'm sorry, it should have been me,"

"Jane,"

"Naia?"

"Suspect down!"

The bullet was heading straight towards the back of Jane's head.

"GSW to the back of the head,"

"Naia?"

"Are you hurt in any way?"

"Naia? Is everything okay in there?" Gabby's voice asked, breaking my thoughts. The tone in her voice made me think that she had called my name more than once.

"Yeah, yeah," I replied, quickly putting the guitar back in its original spot before opening the door to reveal a worried Gabby and Matt. "Yeah, I'm okay. I was just going to get started on homework." The last part was a lie, but a little white lie never hurt anyone. Right?

"Uh, we just got off the phone with Jane's parents actually," Matt told me, "Do you mind?" The last part was referring to if they could come in.

I opened the door wider, "Yeah, sorry, I was, I don't know."

I took a seat on my bed. Gabby sat down next to me and Matt took a seat on the chair for my desk.

"What did they say?" I asked, genuinely curious. The way that Matt and Gabby exchanged glances made my stomach flutter. I sat up a little taller, now nervous. "What's wrong?"

Gabby shook her head, "No, it's not like that. Sarah, that's Jane's mom, she said that she and her husband had a talk and they want you to be at Jane's funeral."

Jane's funeral.

Because Jane was dead.

Funerals were for dead people.

Jane was dead.

"Jane's funeral," I repeated, "Just me? Or you two as well?"

"Well, we would only go if you were going. It's about you though. They want you to be there," Matt explained.

I nodded, trying to show that I had heard even if I didn't act like it.

"Are you still going to adopt me?" I asked randomly.

Matt looked surprised at my question, "Of course, nothing's changed because of what happened."

That was untrue. Everything's changed because of what happened.

Now that I thought of about, I had to refer to what happened as something other than, well, what happened. Some might call it an accident, but I thought that word wasn't fitting. It wasn't an accident. Those people knew what they were doing when they kidnapped us.

"Naia, you still want us to adopt you. Right?" Gabby asked. I could tell she was trying to mask the worry in her voice and on her face but I saw right through that. The familiar warmth in me flared as Gabby's worriedness showed her affection.

I nodded quickly, "Of course. I love you guys and it's still my dream to be adopted by you guys."

Matt and Gabby both smiled and I took Gabby's hand into mine before giving it a little squeeze.

"Naia, I know you don't want to answer us but we need to know now," Matt said, going back to being serious again, "We need to tell Sarah is you'll go to Jane's funeral or not."

That broke the mood, let me tell you.

I was starting to shut down again but this time, I managed to control some of it. Just a little.

The tears rolled easily down my cheeks but I didn't go numb. Slowly, I nodded my head and looked into Matt's blue eyes. They were tinged with sadness, while my blue eyes were broken.

"Okay," I whispered.