The guys, me and Mary have planned to see a movie together today. I'm early because I'd another thing to do nearby.

With time to kill, I decide to have a cup of coffee first. When I'm near the counter, my feet come to a hasty stop. Ashley is standing there with two other girls.

She sees me.

I turn to leave when she calls me, "Dayna!"

I'm startled she knows my name. I know deep in my heart that my intuition is ringing a very loud alarm that's asking me to run, run away from her.

But I turn back and face her.

She comes near me and asks accusingly, "why? Why is it you?"

Puzzled by her out of the blue questioning, I ask, "what are you talking about?"

"Why did he chose you?"

The tube light switches on.

"You're mistaken, Ashley. I'm just his friend."

She snorts, "friend? do you know how many girls he has for friends?"

I don't answer.

"None. And there's you, always hanging around him, and he lets you. Why?"

"I told you, it's nothing like that," I tell her. I'm not sure how she even knows I hang out with Blue and the guys — and my name! — when this is only her second time seeing me.

"You're lying. You took him away from me. I saw the way he looked at you when you saw us at the front of his apartment building."

I'm thinking she's delusional now.

"He panicked seeing you there looking at us," she says.

"He was just surprised," I tell her. And who wouldn't panic when someone catches them in a compromising situation with their brother's fiancé?

As if she knew what I was thinking, she says, "No. He didn't look like he was afraid of being seen with his brother's fiancé, no, he was afraid of being seen with a girl, with another girl, in front of you."

"You're imagining things," I tell her, trying to put some sense back into her.

"I'm not. How did you do that? Tell me."

She takes a step forward and I take a step backward.

A part of me really wants to break into a run but another part of me is scared that she might chase me if I do that. Like how a predator chases its prey.

So I don't know which one is scarier: facing her like this? or her chasing me?

"Tell me, Dayna. How did you make him fall for you?"

In a blink of an eye she came closer and held my upper arms by her hands. She shakes me and yells, "Tell me, Dayna!"

I feel excruciating pain in my arms where her grip is. Honestly, at one point, when her eyes started to turn crazy, I thought I could take her if she gets physical with me. She and I are about the same build.

But now, her strength baffles me. It's as if her insanity made her body stronger. Panic sets in me.

"L-let me go, Ashley. It's nothing like that. I swear, there's nothing between us."

"Don't!" she shouts and shakes me again. "Don't lie. He loves you. Why? How did you make him love you?"

She pulls me closer to her. "Is it those green eyes? Huh? Did you get him with those green eyes?"

A cold shiver runs down my spine as she looks straight into my eyes. She won't pull my eyes out, right?

"Tell me!" she commands again.

In a flash, a hand pushes her away and she stumbles backward, letting go of my arms. I see Blue standing in front of me, facing her. "Stay away from her!" He sounds angry.

Her expression immediately turns to one of pain and for a moment I feel bad for her. But only for a moment.

She shouts at him, "why, Michael? Why her? Why can't it be me? Tell me, what do you like about her?!"

"Leave, Ashley!" says Blue with an angrier tone.

"No! I want to know. Tell me! Is it her green dreamy eyes? her nose? her lips? what do you like about her?" she bitterly asks.

"Ashley!" His voice even makes me tremble, but Ashley continues like a crazy woman. I was right, her insanity has given her superpowers.

"Tell me! What do you love about her? Her voice?! Her sweet voice! Do you like that Michael? Do you like it when she calls you Blue?"

I freeze.

"Stop it, Ashley!" His voice, although still sounding furious, broke. I guess he is as taken aback as me by what she just said.

"Tell me, Michael. Why does she call you Blue? Why is she the only one who calls you that? Why is she so special? Do you like it that much, when she calls you Blue? Is she that good? Does it feel that good to fuck her?!"

I feel warmth leaving my body. I might have stopped breathing.

"Shut up, Ashley!" shouts Blue but for some reason he sounds weaker.

"Go on, hit me if you want to! But tell me! Tell me! if she's that fucking good in bed? Do you like it that fucking much when she calls you Blue while you're fucking her?!"

I hear a loud slapping sound.

I somehow manage to lift my head and see Mary standing in front of Ashley. Ashley's crazy eyes now show fear.

"Say one more thing bitch and I'll bury you right here!" Mary sounds enraged. She looks at Ashley's friends and they quietly drag Ashley away from there and Ashley lets them.

Blue turns to me. "Dayna," he calls my name almost as a whisper as he brings his hand to my shoulder.

I push his hand away. I don't look at him. I'm angry. Angry and scared. Tears start forming in my eyes and I immediately leave for the restroom.

"Don't. I got her," I hear Mary say to Blue behind me.

I get inside the restroom and hold the sink trying to stop the tears. But they come out. Mary enters and pulls me in a hug and I cry like a child in her arms.

"Shhh, shhh. It's okay, baby. That bitch won't say anything now. She can't say anything to you. I'm here. It's okay."

After what seemed like eternity, I stop crying and wipe away my tears saying, "I'm sorry."

"Don't, honey. That bitch is insane! She wanted to hurt you. There's nothing to be sorry about, okay? What she said, it was wrong! I know it affected you, that's nothing to be embarrassed about."

I brush my hair back with my hand and wash my face. I tell Mary I don't want to go outside to the guys.

Mary nods and says, "of course. I'll ask the guys to go ahead. We both will go to the bar. Okay?"

I nod, feeling thankful to her. I'm not ready to face Blue and the others. They can't see me weak. I can't believe I let Ashley's words get to me like this. I feel so powerless.

In the bar, Mary makes me hot chocolate. I feel slightly better drinking it.

"Better?" she asks. I nod.

"You know it's okay to cry, right?" she says.

I look down at the empty mug embarrassed.

"Dayna, I know you want to be tough like those guys. But hanging out with them is not going to turn you into one. You're still a girl, and don't take this the wrong way but you're the most innocent, naive and softest girl I've ever met."

I shrink in my seat.

"Come on! why do you take that as a bad thing? It's a good thing, baby. You're good. You can't help but be good. That's who you are honey," she says stroking my hair.

"I also want to be brave," I tell her. I've always admired James and Blue for their strength, and hanging out with them made me feel like I'm strong, too.

"And what do you think being brave is honey? To be able to talk like her? to be able to talk like me? No. You're the bravest girl I know, who managed to befriend five of the most rowdiest boys I know."

I smile.

"Yeah, there it is," she says pulling my smile wider.

I feel much better after talking to her.

At home, in the evening, I get Blue's call. I hesitate for a second but take it.

"Hey, you okay?" he asks.

"Yeah, I'm fine. I'm sorry I left like that," I say.

"Don't, Dayna. Please don't. I should be the one apologising to you. It's all my fault that she hurt you. I'm sorry," he says.

"No. It's her fault. But leave it be. I'm really fine. I was just upset, that's all. I promise, I'm okay," I tell him.

There's a brief silence on his side as if he's contemplating whether to believe me or not.

"Alright. Will see you tomorrow in school then?" he says.

"Yeah, see you tomorrow."