Warning this chapter for blood, and a graphic description of death.

When Opposites Attract - Chapter 16

Eventually we ended up in the courtyard. It wasn't particularly busy at this time of the day, especially as the air grew more chilled the further into autumn we got. Still, a few students milled about in between the trees, some stationed at the picnic tables scattered around the area. Flippy marched past all of them, leading me towards the very tree where I spent my first lunch with him. The sturdy looking oak towered above us, and I thought Flippy was going to climb into it again, until he turned around to lean against the trunk and face me instead. I felt awkward as he looked at me, gaze expectant while the silence stretched out between us.

"Well." He began with a bit of hesitation, glancing down at his watch. "You've got a while before the first free period is over."

"U-um…"

"I'm all yours until lunch starts. Ask me anything." He lightly drummed his fingers against his arms, something I was beginning to realize was a nervous habit. "…I'll try to answer all I know."

Now that the opportunity had presented itself so perfectly, I found myself having a hard time to choose what I wanted to ask him about. Here Flippy was, being vulnerable and opening up to me, and I was drawing blanks. I forced myself to say the first thing that popped into my mind, figuring this was going to be a speed round of questioning.

"W-what's the truce you mentioned w-with Splendid?"

His expression told me he wished I had asked about something else first. He gave a quiet sigh before he responded.

"We never got along, ever since we were kids. Whenever we fight, it can get real ugly, real fast."

My thoughts flashed to the tense moment in the corridor, seeing the two of them at each other's throats like that. I could sense months, maybe even years of built up anger behind that confrontation.

"Last time it happened was… two summers ago. Things got out of hand. People got hurt. After that, we promised to stay out of each other's way as much as we could… for everyone else's sake."

A chill ran down my spine. Just how badly did others get hurt? Apparently it was severe enough to cause them to call off whatever animosity they held towards one another.

"What… what happened?"

Flippy's gaze moved to the ground as he pondered my next question. His expression grew more perplexed by the moment, before he exhaled sharply, closing his eyes and pinching the bridge of his nose.

"It's… blurry. I don't remember much, we were all kind of drunk. It was the fourth of July. I just know I woke up and saw Handy on the ground. Blood was everywhere-"

He shook his head, as if he were clearing a fog from his mind. I felt my heart skip into overtime for a moment. He didn't remember? Did he black out from anger? Or something else? Did Splendid or Handy or anyone else remember anything that happened? The extra questions that came to the forefront of my thoughts about that particular day were tucked in the back of my mind. Whatever happened then was clearly distressing- enough for Flippy to look away from me, so I decided not to travel any further down that road.

"When you said Happy Tree w-was dangerous… what did y-you mean?"

"It is and it isn't. It has a roundabout way of dealing with things, that's for sure. I'm surprised you haven't seen anything, yet."

"…what's that e-even supposed to-"

"I'd tell you, but you wouldn't believe me. Not unless you've seen it for yourself."

"But-"

"Trust me, Flaky." He said with finality. "Ask me again when you have."

I huffed quietly. Alright then. I was getting answers, sure, but they weren't the kind that I was hoping for. I had a sinking feeling I would have to do some searching on my own very soon. As for my questions, I was running out of time and options. I had to move left from the direction I was leading with.

"You don't have to answer this o-one if you don't want to, but-"

"Well now I know what this one's about." He said dryly. I grew sheepish and glanced down as I continued with my question.

"I-I'm just confused how you could be drafted when you weren't e-eighteen y-"

"Somebody told you I was drafted?"

My eyes shot back up to meet his gaze. There was an intensity in Flippy's voice that I couldn't quite place. His brows knit together, and this time he was the one to break eye contact, tipping his head back towards the sky with a heavy sigh. When he returned his attention to me, he seemed so… tired. His eyes even appeared duller. Was he upset with me? Was this too much even to bring up? I began to regret ever asking, faint hints of Cuddles' warning from months ago playing in the back of my mind. After that, the guilt that was much louder.

"Sorry… it's a valid question. You're right to be confused." Another pause. I found myself holding my breath as I waited for him to continue. "I enlisted, actually."

I was sure I couldn't mask the surprise on my face. He enlisted? Willingly? At sixteen years old? Why on earth would he do that? He seemed to know what I was thinking, because he started to speak again.

"My dad was the one who got drafted. He died around eight months after he left. He wasn't even killed, is the thing. He was a surgeon."

"I-I didn't know doctors could even be drafted..."

"There's not many doctors in the army, so they're in pretty high demand and low supply. But the W.A.R was gruesome. It ate thousands of people up and spat them out, and he was supposed to stitch them all back together again. But one day a squadron under his care got ambushed, and I guess he couldn't take seeing so many people who left that morning intact come back to him in pieces. Don't get me wrong; he saw plenty fucked up things when he was a normal surgeon, too. But there's nothing normal about the injuries and death and destruction you see in war. So he just went into shock. He keeled over at his operating table and died right there."

"Oh, Flippy… I-I'm so sorry."

"It's okay. It was a while ago."

It wasn't, but I wasn't about to challenge him on that. However sad the story was, I didn't want Flippy to stop telling it; I'd never heard him- or anyone, for that matter- speak so candidly for so long. The honesty was refreshing. I wanted to hold onto it.

"…after that, I guess I couldn't take the irony of it all. He was supposed to come back, y'know? Getting drafted as a surgeon isn't supposed to be a death sentence. He didn't even believe in that stupid war. But I didn't want to deal with… whatever I was feeling back home, so I enlisted."

"Your mom let you?"

"If she were alive, I doubt she would have." Oh. "She died in labor with me. I never knew her, so you especially don't have to say sorry for that one." He added on with a soft, sad smile. It didn't meet his eyes.

It seemed as though there were a lull in the conversation, and I figured that was all Flippy had to say for now about being a soldier. I was fine with that. I didn't want to push him further than I already had. That, and his last answer surely took up a considerable chunk of the limited time we had in the courtyard. I decided to change the subject with something lighter as someone walked past.

"Favorite color?"

Flippy certainly was caught off guard by that one, confusion flitting across his features before he smiled something bright and genuine, glancing down for a moment. It was infectious, and I found myself smiling as well, face warming a little at the sight. Flippy was very handsome already, but when he smiled he was beautiful. Unarguably so. It was probably dangerous how shaken I was just from a quick grin directed my way.

"Mm. Blue, probably."

His answer prompted another question, and as soon as it came into my head it was out in the open- before I realized what I had said.

"Does Petunia hate m-me?"

Now he was laughing, a soft, nearly musical sound that made me want to reach out and snatch my question right back. My blush settled deeper into my cheeks as I looked down, suddenly finding the laces of my shoes very interesting.

"Shouldn't you be asking her that, Flakes?"

"I-I don't know… I just wanted to get a-another perspective…"

"Well, from my perspective, I think she's too straightforward to pretend to like somebody."

I wanted to believe that. I wasn't sure if I could.

"I just. I know we're supposed to be friends, but… I have a-a feeling... it won't go away. I don't know if it's just a-anxiety, or something…else." I admitted.

Flippy thought things over for another moment or so, before he sighed quietly, resting one of his hands behind himself on the tree and leaning back a little. Relaxing, from the looks of it.

"The only thing I can think of that might be relevant is that we used to date."

What. Now my heart started skipping for other reasons entirely. Flippy and Petunia? Together? Why hadn't anyone mentioned that to me before? Not even Giggles had said anything about it. I couldn't begin to imagine the two of them as a couple. It just didn't seem correct. A quiet "oh" escaped me, and I tried to force myself not to sound… disappointed. Jealous. Scared. A combination of the three. Petunia definitely didn't care about Flippy now, I was sure of it. She avoided him like the plague- or just outright ignored him if they were in the same room. That, and she had Handy now, didn't she?

"…when did you two b-break up?"

A pause.

"The fourth of July."

"Oh."

The same fourth of July from two summers ago. Long before I ever came into the picture. If there even was a picture. Petunia's reminder from the other night that Flippy wasn't even my boyfriend echoed throughout my head. Why did they break up? Who broke up with who? Do they even talk anymore? The train of thought was embarrassing, but the questions about their relationship kept swirling around my head. I wouldn't dare ask anything else about it. I couldn't seem interested. I tried to convince myself I wasn't.

"…feeling jealous?"

There was a hint of laughter behind his tone, and I shook my head stubbornly, almost automatically. No way in hell would I admit that to him now. Maybe ever.

"I-I'm feeling… something, alright-"

A ghost of a smirk at my answer.

"Then what are you feeling?"

"I-I thought I was supposed to be a-asking the questions here-"

He lifted an eyebrow.

"Curious." I finally blurted out.

"…curious, huh?"

He reached out, his touch drifting down my shoulder, my arm, until his hand grasped my own and brought it to his lips. He pressed a light, teasing kiss to one of my knuckles, glancing up at me from beneath his eyelashes. My heart was thrumming in my chest. On overdrive. I thought it could burst from my ribcage at any moment.

"Curious about what?"

"I…"

I was being pulled closer, now, nearly flush against his tall frame, I realized with growing embarrassment. I had to use my free hand to keep my balance, fingers steepled on the rough surface of the tree bark while I attempted to remain composed. It was a difficult process, being this close to Flippy. I was incredibly flustered.

"Couldn't quite catch that, Flakes."

"I'm curious a-about…"

My breath hitched when the bell rang, interrupting my sentence and my resolve. Any confidence I had before dissipated as more people filed through the courtyard, entering the cafeteria and other parts of the building.

"Mmm?" he hummed.

"N-nothing. Never mind- let's go to lunch." I said brightly, too brightly, ignoring the furious blush settled into my cheeks.

Flippy regarded me with an amused expression, but he didn't press further, allowing me to pull him away from the tree and lead him towards the cafeteria. He held the door for me as we walked inside, sticking close by in line. I paid no attention to the menu, nor the glances some people shot our way, absently worrying at my bottom lip while we waited. That was close. I had no idea what I was going to ask, but I knew if I started questioning him about us, then I really wouldn't be able to take it back.

The idea of that conversation made my heart flutter pathetically. I really shouldn't have been so nervous, so doubtful while Flippy was literally holding my hand, but I found that I couldn't help it. I long resigned myself to the fact that I was shy, but when did I become so insecure? I wished I could talk to someone to reassure me about this whole situation. My eyes drifted to Giggles sitting at our usual spot. She was great with boys- she had Cuddles wrapped around her finger. Surely she could give me a magic pep talk or something, right? I had a feeling she wouldn't judge me for even asking.

I started towards the table after we paid for lunch, but paused at the sight of Petunia and Splendid, the two of them talking as they sat down. Shit. I wasn't ready to see either of them, let alone sit down for an hour and act like everything was normal between us when they so obviously weren't. Flippy seemed to sense my hesitation, glancing down at me when I stopped walking.

"You don't have to sit with them if you're not ready."

"I-I know…" I mumbled, lifting my head higher before I walked off towards an empty table instead.

I tried my best to look normal, but it was hard not to feel their eyes on me as I passed their table altogether, sitting with my back turned to them. Flippy settled in across from me, lifting an eyebrow as he took a bite of his pizza. I poked around at my salad for a few moments before I forced myself to start eating. I needed to get myself together. They should be anxious about this, not me. It's not like I did anything wrong. Right?

"Did you talk to any of them yet?"

"Just Giggles… she apologized already." I sighed, resting my cheek in my palm. "I-I'm not mad at them, either. Just. Y'know. Him."

"I figured."

I took a few more bites of my food until I couldn't take the feeling of eyes on my back any longer.

"A-are they still staring at me?"

Flippy looked up from his plate, eyes scanning right over my head. "Mm… nope. Not anymore. It looks like some of them are leaving, actually."

What? I finally chanced a glance behind my shoulder to see everyone else still seated at the table. Petunia and Splendid, however, had left their places, walking towards the stairway. They didn't seem hurried, but something about Splendid's expression made me pause. Where were they heading? I never really saw the two go off alone before. But ever since my conversation with Giggles this morning, the sight was unnerving, to say the least. I had a sinking feeling they were going to discuss me. Something told me I had to hear it. I found myself standing up, with Flippy looking up at me curiously.

"I-I'll be right back." I said, quickly adding "Bathroom." before he could ask me anything.

I didn't wait around to hear his response, to even gauge if he believed me or not, just making my way towards the stairs instead. I had no clue what had gotten into me, but I didn't want to wait by idly while something bad happened. I wasn't sure what, but my intuition was screaming, and I was tired of ignoring it. Each flight of stairs revealed an empty hallway, and it was obvious everyone was either in class or the cafeteria already. It wasn't until I reached the third floor that I heard people talking. They sounded close. My heart lurched as I frantically looked for somewhere to go, before I ducked behind the closest open door I could grab.

I found myself in the back of a classroom, an old science lab from what it seemed. It was cluttered, packed almost to capacity with old desks, ancient textbooks, and rusted chairs stacked in front of me. The thin layer of dust covering everything made me realize the room was probably used for storage at most, simply abandoned at the very least. I was poised to leave, until the voices from before grew even louder, and I crouched behind the forgotten furniture, holding my breath to avoid sneezing.

The door on the other side of the room opened, and from my spot behind everything, I could just make out Splendid from a gap in between two desks. He was pacing the room, obviously agitated about something.

"What the hell is your problem?"

"I know you're not blaming me for this. I did everything for you, played all my cards to set this up, and you fucking ruined it."

I blinked in surprise. That was definitely Petunia's voice. I had never heard her swear before, let alone be so curt with someone. I craned my neck as much as I dared, trying to catch a glimpse of her to confirm my thoughts. And sure enough, there she was, arms folded as she watched Splendid walk around.

"I didn't think that I-"

"Yeah, you didn't think. How inept do you have to be to mess this up? I mean you wanted to date the most unassuming girl in school."

"Don't talk about her like that-"

"What? She's pathetic. I don't know what anyone sees in her." She adopted a thoughtful look. "Except for you, maybe."

"…what're you talking about?"

"You were always into the damsel-in-distress type. You probably just wanted a girl to save 24/7."

"That isn't true."

"Then what is it, Splendid? You didn't want her to stroke your ego every time you did the bare minimum for her? Because she'd do just that. She'd probably cry if you helped her with her books-"

"God, shut up!" I jumped silently at his outburst, pressing a hand to my mouth to keep from squeaking. "How can you even say that? You don't know her at all."

I'd never heard Splendid raise his voice before- and this instance was incredibly jarring to say the least. Petunia looked unfazed by it, however, simply crossing her arms as she regarded him with a bored look. Did they usually speak to each other like this?

"I know enough. I'm the one who actually has to hang out with her all the time since Giggles cares about her or something. And for the record, she probably wouldn't be upset with you if you didn't jump the gun and try to make out with her."

"…"

"You really just had to take things too far. Don't you remember the truce? If you provoke him on purpose people are going to start talking. If you fight again, they'll start remembering. Neither of us want that."

"…I'm starting to think you want something else."

"And what the hell is that supposed to mean?" she snapped, her eyes narrowing.

"Someone else."

"Stop it, Splendid-"

"You never got over him, did you? It's been two years."

"That's not-"

"You're jealous of her."

"I am not!" Petunia shouted, slamming her hands down on a table and sending a few old papers flying. "Me. Jealous. Jealous of what? She doesn't have anything on me. I'm the class fucking president. I'm going to be valedictorian, for god's sake. Why would I be jealous of someone who's not on the dean's list? Someone who can't complete a simple lab without almost burning the science wing down? Who can't even comb out her trashy hair? Who can hardly get two words out before she butchers everything she says? That stupid bitch doesn't have a single thing going for her-"

"We both know that's not what I was talking about." He said coolly, watching as she quickly rearranged the items on the desk, placing them neatly back in their original positions that were marked by outlines of dust. Her hands were shaking a little. "Even if you are all of those things, you're still not his girlfriend. Not anymore."

"Well she isn't either." Petunia huffed, flipping her hair over her shoulder.

"How can you be so sure?"

"I just am."

"You're dating Handy now. You know. Officially?" he directed her a look that she artfully disregarded, inspecting her nails instead. "Are your control issues really so bad that you can't move on?"

"I have moved on."

"Doesn't look like it. All this effort-" he gestured vaguely to the air "-for two people you swear you don't care about?"

"As I clearly said before, I don't." she maintained, eyes cold. "I'm just doing you a favor."

"You should be happy with what you have."

"You should mind your business." She growled, jabbing a finger in his direction. "You're such a fucking hypocrite. If you were actually as high and mighty as you love to pretend, you wouldn't even be here right now. You're in no place to look down on anyone, Splendid, especially me."

A pause. A frown tugged at his lips, and he shifted his weight, like he could avoid the accusation in her tone. He was clearly uncomfortable. That didn't stop Petunia from continuing.

"Remember that deal we have? I suggest you don't fuck with me before I change my mind."

"…are you serious? I could turn you in right now." The incredulous delivery thinly masked the worry in his voice. What was he so scared of?

"And? So could I. All that authority you think you have would go up in smoke. Do you really think any police academy would accept you after I'm finished?"

"…whatever, Petunia."

Another beat passed between them, silent and tense as they stared each other down. Splendid broke eye contact first, only to move from his spot in the room and head for the exit. It wasn't until he brushed past her that she looked like she cared. Like she was worried.

"Wait-"

He stopped, hand poised on the doorknob.

"…I might be able to get you another chance. Just don't get mad at me if you fuck it up again."

"Fine. The deal's still on."

At his response, Petunia's expression relaxed immediately, brows once knit in worry now drawn down as she grinned to herself. Triumphant. Smug.

"By the way…" he said, glancing over his shoulder. "He took her home after the party. She's got a massive hickey on her neck."

Petunia stiffened, eyes wide as she processed what he said. Any traces of relief had been wiped off her face.

"Don't be so sure of yourself. You might've blown your chance already too."

And with that, he was gone. The door had barely shut all the way before Petunia lunged for the first thing she could find, grabbing a textbook and flinging it across the room. I harshly bit down on my lip to keep quiet when the book collided with the cabinet behind myself, shattering the glass on one of the weathered doors. There was a wild look about her that was hardly recognizable, nearly animalistic as she knocked things over, destroying what old supplies were left over in the abandoned classroom. The more things she ruined, the more terrified she looked, and eventually she ended up just standing in the middle of the mess she created.

Petunia's entire frame was shaking now. She furiously wiped her tears with the palm of her hand, smudging mascara across her face in the process. Her eyes were still watering by the time she gave up on that, sending occasional streaks of gray down her cheeks as she surveyed the area. She seemed more and more disturbed by the minute at the disarray the classroom had fallen into; it looked like a hurricane had ravaged the place in the moment it took to pass through. A frustrated sob tore at her throat as she kicked the desk over with one final burst of energy. And then she was finished. The room was eerily silent in the aftermath of the carnage, and I pressed my hand over my mouth for safe measure as I remained hidden in the back of the room. I didn't dare to shift my weight at all, not wanting to risk disturbing the broken glass behind me. Petunia took one backwards step, two, before she swiftly turned on her heel and bolted outside. As soon as I was sure she was gone, I lowered my hand, the shaky breath I was holding onto finally escaping me. Slowly I got to my feet, glass crunching under my shoes. Some stray pieces fell from my hair and joined the rest on the floor with a borderline musical sound.

"What the fuck…" I whispered, finally realizing that I was crying as my vision wavered and blurred. "W-what the fuck-"

A quiet whimper fell from me before I attempted to stifle myself once more, sniffling and rubbing at my eyes. My thoughts were racing uncontrollably, the confrontation playing in a loop through my mind. Petunia's words were sharp, although they weren't directed towards me, knowing they were intended for me anyway cut deep. I knew there was a side to her that could be cold, but this was something else entirely. She was cruel. She was calculated. She had a capacity for anger that I didn't think possible.

I wasn't sure which hurt most, the fact that I was right about my suspicions, or that the truth was worse than I imagined. Petunia hated me. She had no qualms with pretending to be my friend, nor setting me up for whatever plan she and Splendid cooked up together. I hiccupped as another thought hit me- if the two of them were faking their true feelings about me, what about everyone else? Should I trust anyone here at all? A resounding "no" was all I could think of, and nothing was calming me down. I had to get out of here.

I was moving on autopilot. One moment I was in the destroyed classroom, the next I found myself out in the hallway, advancing towards the stairs. I hardly registered the bell ringing until people began filing out of their classes, chatting by lockers, or heading to their next destinations. I had no desire to wipe the tears that I knew were spilling down my cheeks. I probably looked insane; eyes red and wild as I weaved between students milling about. The exit sign above the stairs was my north star. I could get out if I just kept following it. I could go home. Maybe I could never come back-

"Hey, Flaky."

I whirled around to see Petunia, looking absolutely normal despite what I witnessed earlier. She was holding her usual set of binders and notebooks. Any traces of smudged makeup were gone, and not a hair was out of place. Her eyes weren't even red, although I was certain I'd seen her crying herself hoarse back in the classroom. Hadn't I? How could she look more put together than me right now? She gave me her usual smile, but after everything I heard, it did nothing to comfort me. Now the sight just sent chills down my spine.

"Woah, are you okay? You look like you've seen a monster."

"It feels like I-I did…" I muttered, wiping at my eyes before I regarded her fully. She didn't comment on my frazzled state any further, just continuing on like everything was normal.

"We missed you at lunch. Is our table not good enough for you anymore?"

"Ha-ha. F-funny, Petunia."

"I'm serious. I wish I could've spoken to you before I had to go." She sighed, almost whining like Giggles would have when she bemoaned our lack of class time together.

"…g-go where?"

"Student council meeting, obviously." She spoke slowly, as if I needed the extra time to process what she was saying.

"I thought y-you usually met i-in the mornings-"

"It was an emergency." She interrupted, tilting her head as she examined me curiously. "I'm sure you can understand that."

The only thing I understood was that she was lying. I knew she wasn't meeting with the other councilmembers. She was having a meltdown and destroying school property and calling me every name under the sun. I didn't even want to look at her right now. I wasn't even sure if I could. My eyes kept drifting right beyond Petunia's shoulder, towards the rest of the stairwell. I was so shaky, coiled like a rusted spring. All I could focus on was leaving, but it seemed like she was determined to get me to stay.

"Anyway, never mind that. I said I wanted to talk to you. I'm… actually pretty worried."

My eyes snapped up to meet hers. What the hell was she talking about? She sounded completely sincere, but I knew better than to trust anything she said. I wasn't sure if I could trust anyone anymore.

"…worried?"

"We all are, if I'm being honest."

"I-is that so. What a-about?"

"Between you and me, I don't like the way Flippy took you away like that. He loves sulking by himself but that doesn't mean you have to-"

"I-I wanted to." I cut her off with an exasperated sigh. Why did everyone act like I had no agency here? I was perfectly capable of making my own decisions. I was getting sick of people treating me like a helpless child.

"You wanted to?" she asked, snorting incredulously. "Why?"

Something hot sparked in the pit of my stomach. I was growing uncomfortably familiar with the anger that simmered deep inside me. It didn't feel bad, but it didn't feel good either. It seemed that the only way people took me seriously was if I spoke from an angry place, and the thought alone was enough to make fresh tears spring to my eyes. Why couldn't things be simpler?

"Because my i-idea of a peaceful lunch doesn't i-include Splendid anymore." I bit out, my voice running cold. "Or you."

Petunia's nostrils flared dangerously as our eyes locked, her shocked expression settling into a blank discontent. She almost seemed bored as she looked me over, before she reached towards my hair, and I shook my head, taking a step back.

"My hairclips a-are fine P-Petunia…" I began, trailing off to see what she plucked out of my hair. Held between her fingers was a shard of glass, glinting diamond-like under the fluorescent lights. She fixed me with an expression I still couldn't read, one that I had been seeing from her more and more often.

"How did this get here?" She asked, her voice innocent enough, but the question drove another spike of cortisol through my veins. My palms grew clammy, and I tugged nervously at the edge of my skirt. Shit. Shit shit shit. There was no probable explanation for this. And the longer I hesitated, the more guilty I was sure I seemed.

"I…"

"Was it from that monster you saw earlier?"

"I-I have to go-" I whispered brusquely, spinning back around. If she wouldn't leave me alone, I would just go around the long way. I was no longer in fight mode, I just wanted to run as far as my legs would take me.

My escape was halted, however, when I was yanked back by a surprisingly strong hold on my arm. I turned to see Petunia clutching onto me, her brows furrowed. She tugged me closer to her, her voice dropping to a venomous whisper.

"What's the hurry, Flakes? Are you gonna report back to your psycho boyfriend?"

"Wh… what? You're the psycho." I snapped, struggling to pull back against her grip. "I-I know you don't like me. Don't a-act like you do."

"Why would you say that?" she wailed, her voice suddenly growing louder. She sounded like she was about to cry. Her hold on my arm grew painfully tight. "You know I care about you. We care about you."

"No you don't! Y-you're a liar!" I tried to pull her fingers from around my arm, but she only dug her nails into my skin. It would definitely leave a mark, if it hadn't yet. The sharp feeling told me it already did.

"I'm your friend. I wish you would stop pushing me away!"

"I wish I never met you!" I shrieked, stumbling backwards as Petunia abruptly released my arm.

The scene seemed to unfold in slow motion, her eyes glinting before she fell backwards with a scream that halted the activity in the hall. Petunia tumbled down the stairs, her body smacking against the wood of nearly every step. Her cries of pain were cut short when she finally reached the landing, colliding against the wall with a bone-chilling crack that left her motionless on the floor. She was perfectly still, almost posed like a doll, stiff and unnatural in the way she laid there. Her gaze fixed blankly on the ceiling as blood began to trickle from her nose and ears. The papers from her books fluttered through the air almost gracefully, some settling near her body at the foot of the stairs. It wasn't until her notes started soaking up the blood pooling by her head that I realized people were screaming, that I was screaming, my knees feeling weak as people shoved past me to get to Petunia.

A wave of nausea flooded over me while the gravity of what happened started to sink in. I fought the urge to dry heave, swallowing back bile and tearing my eyes from the chaos unfolding beneath me.

Oh god. Oh my god. That just happened. That really just happened. She isn't moving because she's dead. She's dead. She's fucking dead. She's dead and I-

"Petunia!" a hoarse voice tore me from my thoughts, and I looked down to see an inconsolable Handy kneeling next to Petunia, the bandages on his hands stained red as he checked her nonexistent pulse. There was so much blood it didn't look real, enough of it to start dripping down the next set of stairs like a macabre waterfall. Giggles and Cuddles were there too, holding each other in shock before they finally gazed up at me. The pained look they leveled me with chilled me to my core, finally sending my lunch back up. I whirled away to retch in the corner, my hand bracing myself against the wall until my stomach couldn't further empty itself onto the floor. I couldn't stop sobbing, my eyes stinging from the constant tears.

I didn't mean to kill her. I didn't even want Petunia to get hurt, let alone for all this to happen. How the hell did I end up here? My thoughts raced as I replayed the last few minutes of my life. All I wanted was to get away. Why did the worst things happen to me whenever I tried to run from my problems? Why did Petunia hate me so much? Why did she let go of me so suddenly? Why could I hear everyone talking about me?

"Is that Flaky?"

I didn't mean it. I didn't mean it. I didn't mean-

"I bet it was her. Look at how freaked out she is."

I'm sorry. I'm sorry. I'm-

"I swear I saw them arguing before…"

I'm so sorry-

"Do you think she… pushed her?"

I ran.

I couldn't take hearing any more rumors developing right in front of me. I couldn't bring myself to care about how bad it looked that I was leaving, and in such a hurry. It didn't feel as though I had any other options. The further away I got, the more I had to contend with the fact that I was trapped. I was trapped here in Happy Tree, and I was trapped with the knowledge of what happened before everything blew up in my face; there was no way anyone would believe me about Petunia now. The thought halted me in my tracks as I reached the bottom of the opposite stairwell. Was she provoking me into causing a scene? I wasn't sure if I wanted to know the answer. I'd had enough hard truths for one day.

"Flaky! There you are."

I looked up to see Flippy round the corner, and surprisingly, he seemed relieved to see me. His expression was strained as he looked me over, his face running a little pale.

"Are you okay? I heard this commotion after you left, and when I saw all the…" he trailed off, swallowing thickly before he held my shoulders. I'm sure the touch was meant to ground me, but I could see that he probably needed it for himself, too. "I'm just glad to see you in one piece."

A few moments passed in silence before it seemed to finally register that I was worse for wear. I wasn't crumpled in a bloody heap by the stairs, but I wasn't okay either. My vision kept blurring as more tears burned behind my eyes. I struggled to form a coherent sentence while he stepped back to really look at me, his gaze falling to my throbbing arm. His brows furrowed as he gingerly held my hand, closely examining where I was grabbed.

"…what happened?" he asked, his voice low.

I still couldn't find it in myself to speak.

"You have to tell me who did this to you."

A choked sob made its way out of me.

"Please," he pleaded, cupping my face in his hands. "Tell me so I can protect you."

"It was Petunia." I whispered, the last of my composure finally crumbling.

The last thing I saw was surprise flash across his face before I passed out.

Surprise!