I finally got this chapter done after spending days pondering the quality of my writing (seriously, this chapter's gone through like five different iterations before I got something I was decently proud of and even looking back at it now I'm thinking it's total trash). Updates are probably going to be significantly slower because real life sucks, but I'll try to update a few times a week, at the very least once a week. Hopefully you lovelies enjoy! ~Shaymie

Laurens hadn't stopped staring at Lorin since we left Madison and Jefferson. Actually, everyone hadn't stopped staring at her. If she noticed, she didn't say anything about it. Or maybe she was just ignoring us as she went from exhibit to exhibit, taking pictures with her phone. I noticed that it was almost constantly vibrating, and she got visibly more anxious each time, her hands trembling.

"I'm going to the bathroom." Her voice cracked slightly as she put her phone in her purse and started off towards the nearest restroom. "You guys can go on without me. I'll catch up."

"Lori-" Laurens put a hand on her shoulder and frowned when she shrugged him off.

"John. Please. I'll be fine. I just need a second to calm down-by myself," she frowned when the Schuylers took a step forward. She laughed a bit bitterly as she looked away. "I probably should have suggested somewhere a bit more quieter. I'll be back before you know it."

"She's an idiot," Angelica said after Lorin turned the corner. She sighed and rubbed her forehead. "Why did we agree to come here again? We know that Lorin's not good in public places."

"Wasn't she the one who suggested it?" I couldn't help but ask. She had seemed so happy when she said that she wanted to go. What had changed?

"She's a bit of a stubborn idiot. She thinks she can get over her anxiety by forcing herself to do things that make her uncomfortable," Laurens frowned. "And nobody can talk her out of it once she makes her mind up about it. The only thing we can do is be here for her."

We were silent as I took in the information. I thought I did some dumb things, but this definitely took the cake. I had heard of exposure therapy, but wasn't that something that a therapist was supposed to recommend? Did Lorin even have a therapist? There was so much I didn't know about her, and I had been living with her for a little bit now.

"She's not answering my texts," Peggy said after a few minutes-maybe ten-had passed. Everyone exchanged nervous glances, and before I knew it I was walking towards where she had gone. If she wasn't answering her phone, then maybe she had gotten lost? Or worse, she could have had another panic attack.

I found Madison and Jefferson hanging out near the gift shop holding hands and whispering into each other's ear. They flinched and jumped away from each other when they saw me, their faces bright red. Jefferson cleared his throat and narrowed his eyes at me.

"What do you want, Hamilton? Can't you see we're busy?"

"Have you seen Lorin? She went to the bathroom a couple minutes ago and we haven't seen her since. She's not answering our texts." Judging by the looks on their faces, they hadn't seen her. Madison grabbed his phone (to call her, I assume) and cursed as there was no answer. I couldn't waste time here with these two.

I should have picked up a map or something. I didn't know where anything was, and this place was huge. Lorin could be anywhere. She was so small, she could have probably been curled up in a corner or something.

I had been looking for maybe fifteen minutes when I heard muffled sobs coming from the turtle exhibit (which I noticed had signs announcing its closure soon). The corridor was dark except for the lights in the tanks, illuminating the gracefully swimming turtles.

"Lorin?" I asked hesitantly. My only response was another sob and a shaky breath. I felt my way around, letting out a yell when I tripped over a small lump and fell to the ground. The lighting was dim, but I found myself staring at Lorin's tearstained face, her eyes impossibly wide and panicked. Her lips parted, like she wanted to say something, but she shut her mouth and looked away.

"Are you okay? Did someone hurt you? Why haven't you been answering your phone?" She glowered at the ground and wrapped her arms around herself, shivering-from nerves or the cold, I couldn't tell. Her eyes widened as her phone vibrated in her hand, and she threw it to the ground. I raised an eyebrow at her and shrugged my jacket off, putting it over her shoulders.

"Are you giving me the silent treatment?" I sighed as she refused to look at me, instead focusing on the buttons on my jacket. Her eyes were shining with tears as she took a deep breath.

"I don't mean to…" Her voice cracked as she hugged herself even tighter. "Sometimes I have no problem talking and sometimes I just… freeze up. It's annoying."

"Why did you run off like that? We've been worried sick!"

"I got nervous. I tried texting Peggy back, but my hands were shaking too much and then I got worse and somehow ended up here. It's John's favorite place…" She trailed off as she traced circles on her leg. I picked up her phone from the floor and saw that she had dozens of texts from everyone (and hundreds from an unknown number). I sent Peggy a quick text telling her that Lorin was with me and frowned as the phone buzzed with another text from the unknown number.

"Lorin… Why don't you block this number?" She stiffened as I extended the phone to her and snatched it away, stuffing it in her purse. She sniffled as she wiped tears away and stood up, leaning on the tank for support. I stood up too, my hands hovering over her in case she fell.

"I'm stupid," she spat out, looking at me for the first time since I'd found her. She started scratching at her wrist and frowned as she looked away. "I… I should block him, right? James, I mean. I can't bring myself to do it. He's been calling and texting me for the past few days and I've been too scared to answer. I'm scared that if I answer, he'll manage to talk me into going back to him."

"Fuck that asshole," I couldn't stop myself from saying. Lorin laughed bitterly as she let her arms hang loosely at her side.

"Already have." She put a hand against the glass and watched the turtles silently for a few moments before pulling her phone from her purse and handing it to me. "Can… Can you block him for me?"

"Lorin-"

"Please, Alex. I want to try and forget him." I nodded and took the phone from her, feeling my heart drop as I scanned over a few of the texts. How could she have dated someone like this? His messages went from cruel and unforgiving to sickeningly loving and sweet, like he was trying to win her back. I blocked the number, but not before one more message popped up.

Unknown number: It's Maria, bitch