PEGGY POV

I walked into my history class and opened my sketchbook. I don't know anyone in this class so I'm going to be invisible again. I continued to sketch for a while then I saw him. Stephen. Let me clarify something, he was abusive yes, but not like James was to Maria. It was all mental. And as a kid who already had a low self esteem, it worked, really well. Oh look he's sitting next to me now. Someone kill me please.

"That's not yours is it" Stephen pointed at John's sweatshirt. Yes I'm wearing John's sweatshirt, he doesn't know that though.

"Why does it matter" I snarled not looking up from my sketchbook.

"Well it's not that ugly yellow color you're always wearing so I figured you didn't get a better style and just stole someone else's sweatshirt." He replied. Did he just insult yellow? You know what I don't even care.

"Whatever" I just kept sketching. I was drawing a picture of me and John because I knew how much he loved that other picture. I thought it would be nice to make him another.

Stephen quickly grabbed the sketchbook and laughed at it. "Wow, drawing the boy that'll never get with you"

"Hey give that back!" I screamed. Stephen's about John's height so he's tall enough to keep me from grabbing things.

"No, let me teach you a lesson first." He leaned closer to me and talked quieter. He kept his hand with the sketchbook up in the air so I couldn't grab it. I glared at him waiting for him to keep talking. He finally continued. "You're fat, stupid, forgotten, and pitied. You're only in this school because your family's rich, and you're just a shadow of your sisters. You don't belong anywhere and you're not good at anything." He threw my sketchbook on the desk and spoke again. "And if you tell anyone about this meeting, there will be consequences. And if you don't believe me, well that won't end well for you. You are worthless, and don't you forget it." He walked away.

Class started and I tried to focus but I couldn't. Stephen's words rang in my head. Shadow of your sisters. Only here because your family is rich. Fat, stupid, worthless, forgotten. It was all true. I've never gotten something that my sisters didn't, I've never stuck out in anyway, I'm just... nothing. The boy that'll never get with you. John's perfect. Handsome, smart, has the most beautiful voice, and is just all around amazing. And I'm... worthless, a shadow of my sisters, forgotten. I mean I could at least prove that I'm supposed to be in this school. Yeah. I can work really hard and get to the top of my classes and prove that I didn't just get into this school because my dad's rich.

And with that thought in my mind I was able to pay attention to class.

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History finished and I started to pack up my stuff. I noticed a folded up note on my desk. It just said, 'Don't forget it'. I shuttered and made my way to art. It's my only other class today and Maria's in it so it'll be better than history was. Although, I can't tell her about anything. Stephen's surprisingly good at ruining people's lives.

MARIA POV

I sat next to Peggy in art. She doesn't quite seem like herself. "Hey Pegs" I smiled at her.

"Hi Maria" She looked up at me and weakly smiled before going back to writing. That's weird, first off she's writing not drawing. What is she Alex? Second, she called me Maria. She almost always calls me Mari.

"Are you ok?" I looked over at her knowing she wouldn't tell me.

She bit her lip then looked up at me and weakly smiled again. "Yeah I'm fine, don't worry!"

Ok now I'm really worried. If she's really fine she would've asked why I think that or like be more concerned about me. Like, 'Why are you asking me that? Are you ok?'

I sighed and turned back to my work.

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Class finished and Peggy barely talked. Peggy's a talkative person so this is super weird. I decided to ask her if she wanted to go to the coffee shop slightly off campus.

"Hey Pegs do you wanna-" She cut me off before I could finish.

"Sorry Mari I can't" Well at least she called me Mari this time. I sighed and waved goodbye to her.

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It's 12:00 and Peggy has been working since I got back from getting coffee. I'm super worried. I thought of the only people who she'll listen to.

JOHN POV

I was yelling at Alex for working when someone knocked on the door.

"Fine! I'll watch a movie with you!" Alex screamed. I laughed and the person at the door knocked again.

"Who's knocking on the door at 12:30? Herc and Laf would somehow be already in the room" I questioned. Alex shrugged and got up to get the door. I followed him and watched him open the door.

"Maria?" I pushed in front of Alex.

"Thank god you guys answered!" Maria looked worried.

"What's wrong?" Alex asked before I could.

"Peggy! She was acting odd in art and now she's pulling an Alex!"

The way she worded it would've been really funny if I wasn't really worried. Peggy is always telling Alex he's crazy for working nonstop. I quickly walked over to her dorm. Maria let us in and showed us where Peggy is. She hasn't even noticed us.

PEGGY POV (sorry I keep switching the pov around)

I didn't quite realize I've been working all day until I noticed it's dark out. Oops, I wanted to work and show my worth but I didn't mean to Alex it. I felt a hand on my shoulder, it startled me a bit. I turned to see Alex, John, and Maria all looking at me, concerned. Oh no they're gonna ask about it.

John's eyes looked the most concerned as he spoke. "Peggy are you ok?"

He called me Peggy. He's really concerned. He almost never calls me Peggy. I can't tell him I'm fine, I'm very much not fine, but if I tell him what happened who knows what Stephen'll do?

"W-What do you mean?" I fake smiled. Damn that was the worst cover up ever.

"Pegs you've been working for 12 hours, usually if you work more than 3 you whined for at least 3 more hours." Maria stepped more into the light so I could see all the worry on her face. Dang it's been 12 hours?! How- no...Why?! What am I thinking? Maybe I should just go back to being invisible. Yeah. Wait no. That's the opposite of what I'm going for here. Now that I think about it I should loose weight too, eat less. Yep. Work, eat less, prove that I'm not a shadow of my sisters or a stupid, fat, worthless, mistake. Boom.

I snapped back into reality and Alex was continuing their mini-lecture. "Peggy how many times have I told you not to be like me!"

I really wish they would let this go. I don't wanna hurt them! Only me... that's what I'm inevitably going to do at least.

"Guys I-" I tried to say something but John cut me off.

"Pegs... something is really bothering you... please let us help." He looked at me with sympathetic eyes. Those eyes... I don't want to lie to them. I don't want to lie. I don't want to tell John, Alex, or Maria 'I'm fine don't worry'. News flash, I'm not fine but Stephen could go and try to hurt one of them. That's my biggest fear. The only people who have truly cared about me, getting hurt, and it being my fault. Just like my mom. It's my fault she's dead anyway. I don't know what I'm supposed to do... if I tell them, they stop worrying. If I don't, I don't risk them getting hurt. And I can't risk them getting hurt.

"I-I can't tell you" I replied looking at the ground.

"Peggy what do you mean?" Alex asked. God damn it why do you guys have to care so much!

"I just can't tell you!" I snapped back. I didn't mean for it to sound like that bit I guess it works.

The seemed to be talking among themselves but I wasn't listening.

~A FEW DAYS LATER~

I was walking back from my agriculture science class when I was shoved against a wall.

"Did you tell?!" Stephen whisper-yelled while pinning me against the wall.

"No" I simply replied. I've learned if I say too much then it won't end well.

"Good, cause I'm in close contact with the SDR and they don't like your little group very much in the first place."

What? Who's that? Don't like the group? I'll ask Alex later.

"Also I want you to be my girlfriend" Stephen had a smug look on his face.

OH HELL NO! I AM NEVER DATING THAT HORROR SHOW AGAIN!

"Never!" I spat, trying to stay strong.

Stephen pulled me up the wall so my feet were now dangling. I felt a sharp pain in my stomach, like someone punched me, but I couldn't see what happened because my head hit the wall and my vision went hasty.

"Hey! Stop that!" Was all I heard before I was dropped and everything blacked out.

Y'all. I'm on a roll! I wrote this pretty quick so it's probably not the greatest.

Who do you think saved Peggy? I'll give you a hint, it's not someone who's shown up in the story before.

Thanks for reading and have a good day/night!