Hello! Thank you so much to everyone who stuck with me! Unfortunately, this chapter isn't too long because I have to study for my test tomorrow.. ): And, it's super rushed. After this week, I have another week before break! I'm so, so, so, so, sorry for not updating! I hope you can understand ): I feel so bad and this chapter is so terrible too, so I feel so terrible... I'm really sorry!

I don't own Shugo Chara!

X

Amu walked into school nervously, dread bleeding into her. When she finally located the classroom, she let out a sigh of relief. No one had seen her yet.

A large hand clamped down onto her shoulder and swung her around. A scream rose into Amu's throat when she saw one of her classmates bending over in laughter.

"Ahaha! You should have seen your face!"

"I-I-"

"Oh my goodness, you are SO funny!" The redhead brushed his hair back and wiped the tears from the corners of his eyes dramatically.

Amu bit her lip and ran into the classroom, her knees wobbling with each of her steps. When she finally managed to get to her desk, she dropped down and grasped her chest. Tears were threatening to spill from her eyes but she hid them quickly.

"Hey, are you okay?" the boy asked, a small frown settling on his face.

"I-I'm fine! I'm sorry!" she nervously crossed her legs and held her arms against her body, as if defending herself from an invisible attacker.

"No, I'm sorry. I guess you were a bit surprised," the redhead said, rubbing the back of his head sheepishly. He returned to his seat where his friends were, laughing.

Amu flipped her small, white notebook open and began to write furiously, her hand still slightly shaking.

I… I don't know what's wrong with me. I can't seem to stay around specific people without getting scared recently… It's probably just an irrational, stupid fear. Like me. I just wish…

A cough from above her interrupted her and she slammed her book close before looking up.

"You're coming today?" Ikuto asked, looking at his phone. His gaze lazily flicked down to her before focusing back on his phone.

"Yeah. I-"

"Okay."

Ikuto walked away without a glance.

X

Amu approached the large door apprehensively. She was wondering whether she should knock or ring the doorbell when it swung open.

"Hey. Come on in."

Ikuto lumbered in and Amu trailed behind him, trying to calm her erratic heartbeat.

"Um… I have the draft."

"Okay. Is it okay if work in my room today? Someone's moving in so the living room is crowded."

"O-okay." Amu felt sweat beginning to prick her forehead. She didn't like beds.

Amu followed Ikuto up the stairs and in front of a navy blue door. He opened it and held it open for her patiently. Amu swallowed and tried to step in but found her feet glued to the floor. She gazed at the room and tried to see all the things inside but her eyes automatically focused on the bed.

"I-I-"

"Are you going to come in?"

Amu felt a new set of tears beginning to form in her eyes and swallowed the lump in her throat and willed her legs to move, but they would not. The bed grew bigger in her vision and her head began to pound.

"Amu?"

Amu heard a steady pair of footsteps behind her getting closer and closer. The bed was on the other side, bringing back memories of Tadase. She felt her vision begin to blur.

"Um. I mean if you don't want to, I guess it's okay. It's just…"

The footsteps behind her quickened and she thought she could smell Tadase's thick cologne.

"Amu," a voice said in her ear lowly. And a pair of hands grabbed her neck. She screamed and her legs gave way and she saw the wooden floor approaching her before her vision blacked out completely.

X

Amu awoke to feel warmth surrounding her. She snuggled deeper in when she suddenly remembered that she wasn't in her own home. Amu scrambled out of the bed and wildly searched for a door before running out the door, blood rushing to her head at the sudden movement.

"Ow...," she held her head in her hands and tried to massage her temples.

"Are you okay?"

Amu turned around to see Ikuto walking toward her, papers in hand.

"Y-yeah."

"I think you're sick. You seemed to have a slight fever. How are you feeling now?"

"O-okay. What time is it?"

"It's around six. You were only out for thirty minutes. I read the draft while you were sleeping."

"I-I'm sorry."

"No, it's fine really. I'm sorry if I made you feel pressured to go in the room. It was my fault. We can work on the staircase if you'd like." Amu nodded her head, grateful that Ikuto asked nothing and simply helped her.

They settled down at the top of the staircase.

"Okay. So the story is very bland and it isn't very… sad. I mean, it's good but it doesn't really capture the emotions perfectly. So, how about you look over the revisions I made and then try to rewrite it?"

Amu nodded slowly and they began to work, a comfortable silence enveloping them.

X

Amu walked inside to see a couple of Tadase's friends cheering loudly. Tadase was in the center of them, chugging down a large glass of beer.

"T-Tadase?"

Tadase looked over at her, and smiled widely.

"You're home! Come to the kitchen, I need to talk to you for a second." She nodded and nervously followed him, ignoring the loud cat calls she got.

"Who are they?"

"My friends. Were you at that damn house again?"

"Y-yeah. For a project! I told you." Tadase glared down at her his face hardening. "Where's Yuuki? Saaya?"

"They're out and having a girl's night or some shit like that. They're coming back tomorrow morning. Anyway, go upstairs and change into a nice dress and come down okay?"

"I-" His hand came down across her face.

"Go."

Amu nodded and quickly ran upstairs to get dressed into the most modest dress she could find and went back downstairs. Tadase saw her quickly.

"Hey, hey, guys! Look at her! She's here to dance for us!"

His friends clapped wildly and one had the audacity to slap her on the butt.

"I-I don't dance."

"Aw, come on babe!" One of the men said, dangerously close to her.

"I don't dance…"

She felt something pinch her backside and she yelped.

"T-Tadase!"

"Go on. Dance."

"I don't dance!"

"Bro, she doesn't have to dance. I need to go," one said and left. The others followed suit quickly, murmuring.

"You fucking bitch! I said to dance!"

"I don't dance!"

Tadase threw his glass at her and it shattered on the floor, sprinkling her legs and feet with the shards. He approached her quickly and slapped her again.

"Bitch, you listen to me! You're nothing but a worthless fucking bitch and you don't fucking deserve me but here I am keeping you!"

He shoved her down onto her knees roughly and she cried out in pain as the shards sliced into her soft skin.

Amu could already sense what was happening before he unzipped his pants and she resigned immediately.

This was her fate.

X

Amu staggered up the staircase, dried blood sticking on her knees and feet. He had been rough with her; it pained her to walk.

When she got to the bathroom, she cleaned herself thoroughly and tried to scrape the dirtiness off but it stayed on her, no matter how much she tried.

She felt herself break once more and the power she had gained before turned on her and gnawed away her confidence and pride. Amu looked at herself in the mirror. She hated herself.

Why couldn't she stand up to him?

Why was she so weak?

Why?

She deserved everything she got. She needed to be punished.

In a frightful flurry of frenzy, she dragged her nails across her skin, trying to rid herself of the filthy feeling in her, but it was too late. The filth was already deep into her bones and no matter how much she scratched and no matter how much she bled, nothing helped.

Because nothing was deeper than the bones.

X

A/N: Again, I'm really, really sorry!
Questions?

Review! ^^