Yet again, everyone is returning to school except for this time it's in the middle of December. This year I found out that private schools like this one have a longer Christmas vacation. Talk about unfair to public schools. Not only that, standing outside in the cold isn't always the most pleasant thing to endure. I hate the winter actually… For some people and I won't mention any names, Estelle, the sharp cold weather enthralls and energizes them. The pink-haired princess really works me to the bone during this time of the year, yet, for everyone else, she gives them enthusiasm. Why is it that I must be the one to suffer every day until spring?

The rich kids all huddled together with their "friends" to keep warm. Many of them complained about the cold although all of them wore thick, expensive coats. I wanted to slap them especially since they have the nerve to whine when Flynn and I are wearing thin, wool jackets. Estelle said she'd buy us real coats for Christmas because she gets her allowance a few days before the holiday break. Honestly, this is the only thing she offered that I didn't refuse. I'd kill to be warm out here. Zaphias get unnecessarily cold when the Blade Drifts of Zopheir are on the other side of the continent.

Flynn had gloves on while I had none. I lost mine as we were moving into the castle. To keep warm, I stuffed my frozen hands into my pockets.

For the four of us, well, three of us to stay warm, we huddled together like everyone else. Estelle was off playing in the snow while Flynn, Ioder, and I tried to position ourselves in a way so we'd all grow warm.

I observed the way the rich kids surrounded each other. It reminded of those old movies during winter. They must still be cold. Just watching them made me even colder.

"Yuri." Ioder said. "You look extremely cold."

"T-T-That's b-b-b-b-becaus-s-se I am." I said as my teeth chattered nonstop and my body ached from shivering.

Just as he was about to say something else, the doors opened and everyone ran to get inside first. In the end, I just so happened to be the last one to enter the building. Duke saw how frozen I was so I didn't have to write until my fingers thawed. It took almost all of the period though.

Before I left to my next class I stopped to ask Duke "So how's it going with you and Alexei?"

He gave me a crooked smile. "Let's just say I'm single now."

"Oh. I'm sorry to hear that."

In truth, I really expected it. Duke noticed it on my face. He didn't say anything about it though. Concluding our conversation at that, I went off to my next class.

Zagi didn't come again today. He hasn't been here all month actually. It's better off that way. At least I won't be tempted to kiss him and regret it later. The science teacher and I were the only ones unhappy about that though. Unfortunately the teacher still wants me to die and unfortunately I care about the psycho's grades. I wonder if he's sick or gotten himself arrested. I won't be able to find out since I can't go there without being escorted by Flynn or getting permission from him which most of the time I think Flynn will say 'no'. Who could blame him? I don't even know why he still wants me now that I'm a lip-whore and a kiss addict. Maybe I need an intervention?

My science teacher has been irritated lately. I think it's because Zagi is absent. There's no threatening today or at all this month. It's been paradise in this class which is VERY rare to say for me. The opportunity to say it again will be one chance in a million.

I had not been in class for very long when I was called down to the principal's office. For what reason, I have no idea. I haven't done anything wrong this week… not that I can remember anyway. Beside the point, I merrily left science to go there. I wasn't learning anything new so it's not a complete loss.

My teacher reluctantly signed me out of class. After grabbing my things and snatching the hall pass, I took my time walking down the long hallway. Many nosey students turned their heads to see who was walking down the hall. In return, I stuck my tongue out at them. I hate nosey people especially rich nosey people. The only talent they have is staring.

Wasting as much time as I possibly could, I entered the office without knocking. I have no idea what he wants this early in the morning. During this time of the day, I don't really care about anything. I'm too tired to think.

The deep voice demanded "Sit down."

It sounded oddly familiar. I sat in the chair in front of the desk anyway. When the man turned around in his cozy swivel chair, I realized that it was Commandant Alexei. I forgot he was coming back sometime soon. My heart jumped a little. Shouldn't he be talking to Duke or a therapist?

I raised my left eyebrow in question. "Uh… can I help you with something?" I was hoping that he wasn't going to ask me about Duke. Although, even if he was, why would he pull me out of class for an unimportant question? In many ways I doubt this is serious.

Alexei sat forward in his chair to lean on the big wooden desk. He said "I've heard some things about you on my travels, Yuri Lowell."

I raised my eyebrow in curiosity. "What kind of things?" If I'm a nobody in Zaphias, how is information getting out about me outside of the walls? Nothing interesting is happening in my life right now to catch anyone's attention. What did Alexei hear?

"I heard that you are sleeping with Zagi, the serial killer."

My heart stopped. The words went slowly through my mind. Once I finally understood what he just said, I realized that it wasn't true, although why did it make me so nervous? We were close to having sex a few times but it never happened. Zagi has to be the one spreading the rumor around. No one else knows about what we almost did.

"No. That's not true. We don't even have a relationship."

The Commandant obviously didn't believe me. I can tell just by looking at his face.

"You pulled me out of class for this? Why does my private life concern you?" I asked with attitude.

Commandant Alexei got up from the chair angrily. He walked over to me and slammed his hand on the desk. His face was a few centimeters away from mine. "Two weeks ago twenty people were murdered in Capua Nor. A suspect we interrogated said Zagi had something to do with it. He also mentioned that he was doing it to release the frustration he had from a certain someone who didn't love him."

He heart stopped again when Alexei whispered in my ear "That certain someone is you."

"I have nothing to do with this. I haven't seen him for the past month."

"Sure you haven't."

I shouted at him. "I am not in love with Zagi! I have NOTHING to do with his crime! That's all on him!"

I got up from the chair and went for the door. "I will also NEVER sleep with Zagi willingly. Don't pester me about this crap during school again." Then I left the office.

Duke should still be teaching but I don't feel like going back there. Actually, I don't feel like being here at all today so I cut school. I went to the castle to change out of my uniform. I am so not telling Flynn.

In the end I went Zagi's manor. I knocked only a few times before the psycho pulled me inside. It was so dark. I could hardly see, although I could tell that it was the door that he pinned me against. His arm muscles have gotten a little bigger. Why is he always so rough with me? I'm getting tired of it.

He didn't do anything to me. He just stood very close to me while restraining my wrists above my head against the door. I felt his hot breath on my neck as he buried his face in to it once he moved my long hair out of the way. Zagi's hold on me was tight and I don't think it's something that I can break out of.

"Zagi." I said.

"I did something bad." He said. In a way it sounded like his voice was cracking.

"… I heard."

The psycho's presence seemed to have changed slightly. I got a little scared as he kissed my neck lightly and he made his way up to my face.

At first my body tensed up but then it shivered and I got goose bumps. I felt uncomfortable here suddenly. "Stop." I told him.

Zagi ignored me completely as if I said nothing at all. He caressed my face and ran his fingers through my hair. His lips brushed against mine gently multiple times before he actually forced a kiss on me. It hurt when he pressed hard against my lips.

He parted from my face and was breathing on my neck again. His warm hand felt up my shirt. I thought he was becoming saner but I guess I was wrong. Zagi's still psycho after all. It was a mistake hanging around him. Why don't I listen to anyone?

"Zagi, if you go any further, I won't forgive you."

He answered me full of confidence. "We both know that's not going to happen, Yuri."

The words made me shiver. I was lost in what to say to him to release me. This position wasn't the best to run away when his door opens inward.

Using all of his strength, Zagi pulled me down to the floor and got on top of me. This time he wasn't going to let me go. What has been running through his head for the past month? It's like he's a different person. He's not as crazy as when I first met him and he's not as nice as he was a month ago. Did I do this to him by letting him do what he wanted or is he simply taking his frustration out on me?

"Stop!" I yelled as he pulled my shirt up over my head. I was hitting him but it seemed as if it wasn't doing anything. Zagi kept trying to strip me down like I wasn't doing anything at all. My hands actually hurt from his hard chest. (At least that's what I think I was hitting.)

I couldn't see him. I felt everything he was doing though. It burned everywhere on my skin his hands touched. It frightened me more and more as he effortlessly pulled my jeans off my waist. After that moment, I realized that it was over for me. Zagi got what he wanted from me after all those times of trying to accomplish it. Unfortunately it wasn't sex. Instead, the psycho raped me since I resisted.

By the time I was able to get out of the manor, it was dark outside.

On the way to the castle, my mind was completely blank. I mindlessly walked home in the dark. I felt so dirty. I never felt this filthy before. Somehow I found my way to the castle without anything running through my mind. The entire way I walked unconsciously there.

Once the guards saw me approach them, one of them asked me what was wrong. I looked pale to them. I obviously didn't tell them what just happened. Instead, I passed them and went straight inside.

In this case, I won't let Flynn, Ioder, or Estelle see me for the rest of the night. Hopefully my mood will change in the morning. By the way I feel now, I most likely won't feel any different from now or maybe even worse tomorrow.

Repede wasn't in my room tonight. So I let myself fall onto my bed. I cried silently into my pillow without noticing at first. My body was shaking as I thought of the moment. There was nothing else I could think of at the time. It kept repeating in my mind in every detail we experienced. The feeling of his hands on my skin still burn. It hasn't burned this much before. Just when I thought things couldn't get any worse, Flynn walked in my bedroom. Like an idiot, I hid my face from him. He definitely is going to know something is wrong now.

"Yuri? What's wrong?" he asked as he touched my hair.

I flinched and smacked his hand away out of fear. Flynn's blue eyes widened in surprise. I was surprised after I noticed what I just did to him too.

"I-I'm sorry." I said. I laid back down on my pillow refusing to look at him.

"Yuri." He said sternly. "What's wrong?"

"N-Nothing."

"Yuri."

"I said there's nothing wrong!" I snapped.

His eyes widened in surprise again. I felt angry but at the same time I wanted to tell him about everything that happened to me today with Zagi. I don't want any secrets but that doesn't seem to be the main reason why I don't want to tell him. Why do I feel like I should protect the psycho?

I heard the bed creek and it began to weigh down. I turned my head slightly to see Flynn lying next to me. He wrapped his arms around me. When he touched me I flinched away but he pulled me right back into his grasp. My body was shaking. Flynn is nothing like Zagi, yet, my mind went back to the memory of Zagi touching me.

"No!" I whispered as I grabbed onto Flynn's wrists tightly. Trying to pull him off wasn't working at all.

Flynn kissed me gently behind my neck. He whispered in my ear "I love you, Yuri."

"Flynn." I gasped. "I can't. Let me go."

I was panicking a little. My skin was burning again. Everywhere he touched burned badly as if I were being set on fire alive. I had to get away but I already knew Flynn wouldn't hurt me.

My lover didn't let me go either. He silently hugged me as I tried to escape. I wasn't thinking straight, yet, he refused to release me.

I felt his breath and noticed how good he smelled. I began to calm down.

"I love you, Yuri." He said again.

It took me a while to answer but I said it back. "I love you too."

Flynn stayed with me through the night. I fell asleep first in his arms. I think I fell first with his face buried in my neck and his strong arms wrapped around my body. When exactly will I tell him? If I tell him the word will get to Ioder, then to Estelle, and then to the Imperial Guards, and then they'll track Zagi down. Somehow I know the word will get out in the school too. I'm at a dead end here. I hate being in situations deep like this one… It had to be me of all people in Zaphias too.

Although, if I didn't have a person in my life like Flynn by my side, I don't know where I'd be right now. I'd either be dead or in jail. Zagi isn't going to back off of me. I'm so lost.

While these thoughts were running in my head during my slumber, suddenly my alarm went off. I groaned and didn't move an inch.

"Yuri." Flynn called as he gently shook me. "Come on. Time for school."

The bed was too warm to leave and Flynn snuggling with me didn't quite make it any better.

"I'm not going to school today." I groaned.

My lover scoffed. I felt him get up from the bed to turn off the annoying alarm. That thing would be much easier to deal with if it played music instead of beeping.

Flynn stood in front of me until I sat up, which I did. My hair was all over the place and my eyes were slightly swollen from crying last night. My body also ached from the sexual abuse that occurred yesterday.

"Why?" was all he asked.

I lowered my head.

"Why not just suck it up whatever it is? Our vacation starts in two days. You can relax all you want then."

"I just can't go, Flynn." I said. "I… I can't tell you why yet."

To my surprise, instead of yelling at me, my lover sat next to me on my bed and placed on mine. He said kindly "Then I'll stay with you."

I smiled at him. "Thanks Flynn. I…"

Before I finished my sentence, the elf prince barged in my room. He was still wearing his Irish Green pajamas. "Yuri! You're not going to school! I'm staying here too!"

Estelle came running in from behind him. "Me too!"

"Were you listening the entire time?" Flynn asked.

"I wasn't." Estelle said honestly "But Prince Ioder was. That's why I came over. Sorry that I eavesdropped."

"Estelle!" Ioder said.

The two blondes began to argue back and forth like usual. Estelle tried to stop them but of course that was never going to work.

I laughed to myself watching them go at it. It made me feel a little better seeing how they were getting along. Flynn suspects something is wrong but the other two don't know anything yet. Being here worries me that someone will find out.

My cell phone vibrated. I got a text from Zagi. I hesitated to open it up at first but I did while they were occupied.

My heart began to race faster and my body ached even more when I read it. It said: "Meet me in the public quarter."

I looked at my friends who were still having a good time and responded to the text with uncertainty. I said: "Okay."

To be continued…