Methys' P.O.V.

I find a quiet corner, and sit down, wrapping my arms around my knees. Then, Arin comes along and finds me huddled in a corner, sobbing into my knees. But I ignore him.

I could have saved Erin. I could have listened to her father and let her have my blood. I could have prevented the tragedy of Erin's death somehow. I could have lessened the pain and burden of Erin's father through what Anselm did. Why didn't I think of that? Why was I so stupid? Now I'm left with memories of her and not her. Now I'm left all alone with my pathetic life friends whom I barely know.

Arin kneels beside me and I raise my head. I stare at him in confusion, in his hand a half-eaten drumstick. The very sight of food makes me want to throw-

I jump up as fast as I can, knocking my head into a countertop above me - it hurts oh so bad - but I can't care less. I sprint to the sink and retch up my dinner in a completely unladylike manner.

"Wha-" Arin stands behind me, his face filled with shock and jaw working. "Did you just-"

"Yes." I snatch a bottle of clean water off the countertop and rinse out my mouth, slumping over the sink. I don't dare to close my eyes anymore, or else I'll see Erin all over in my mind again, and I'll retch all over again. Instead, pain strikes my heart, and a surge of tears hit me. My eyes starts to brim with tears as they threaten to fall. Something glistening under the light catches my eye. A knife. On the spur of the moment - while feeling so weak, worthless and useless - I snatch the kitchen knife from the countertop opposite me.

Arin must have guessed what I was trying to do because the next thing he said was: "Methys, don't you dare." He pointed a finger at me and took a tentative step forward.

"Stop. Don't." I dare him with a challenging glare. He stops in his tracks.

I shut my eyes and flashbacks of the time I spent with Erin speeds through my mind, a whirlwind of activity. I make the most reckless decision I've ever done, on the spur of the moment, overwhelm by grief and rage. A packet of blood can save a life. What can a bucket of blood, or even a whole body of blood do? Especially one that's from a probable immune.

And the questions can only be answered if... I do this.

"Methys, please, don't." Arin pleads.

Doesn't he know that he's torturing me inside? I turn away from him, just as I feel a surge of tears rising. I can't bear to do this. But I must. Everything passes in a blur. My hand loosen its grip on the knife. It slips out of my hand and Arin kicks it away instinctively, making it slide across the ground, to the other end. No. The next thing I know is that my left cheek is pressed against a fabric soft and cottony. I open my eyes tentatively and see a blurry figure of an arm. My eyes shoot open and I find myself staring into the deep abyss of Arin's electric blue eyes as his arms are wrapped around me tightly. He pushes me back and stares endearingly at me. Then, he lifts my chin with one finger.

"Don't you ever do that again, no matter what the reason is."

He starts to lean in, his eyes focused on my lips. But then, i hear a few giggles and mummers. Wait what? I move away, slowly. Arin stares at me, confused. Then, someone whoops and it all clicks in place. I spin around, a blush creeping up my cheeks, staining them red. Everyone is crowded in the kitchen now, turning it alive, like some sort of party; even though just a minute ago, the moonlight streaming through the window looked deadly enough to kill.

I spot Roseline leaning against a cupboard, arms akimbo, her eyebrows raised at me, while giving me death glare. I'm suddenly feeling very self-conscious and find my worn-out shoes interesting somehow. I step out of Arin's arms just as Roseline nods subtly, before marching out the room, clearly not in a very good mood.

I duck in between people - while still keeping my head down like when caught doing something that we shouldn't do - and make it out, grabbing Roseline's arm. She turns, her long hair swooshing and flying from left to right and asks in the most irritated tone I have ever heard, "What?"

This time I can't hold it in any longer. I just lash out at her.

"Why do you have something against me?" I exclaim, frustrated.

"I don't! It's just that I don't want you anywhere around Arin."

"You have a crush on him, don't you?" I raise an eyebrow, crossing my arms. I could flee now, but I decide to stand my ground. I can't let her push me around anymore, then she'll always think she's better than me. I have to make a stand right now.

She tilts her head, analizying me for a moment before sneering nonchalently, "So what if I do. Does that have anything to do with you?" she pauses before snickering, "Don't tell me you believe that he'll fall in love with you. Pathetic."

Her words hit the right note and I start to doubt myself for a split second. Am I really not good enough for him? Will he really not fall in love with...me? Then I stop. No. I won't believe her. She must be lying to me.

"Arin didn't even tell you that he likes you, so you're not his."

"Well, at least I'm better than you; with all your flirting and nonsense! And I can also keep you away from him and show him who's really better for him! But it's definitely not you!"

"Really? I believe that I know." Arin's voice makes us both jump back in surprise, and I stagger backwards.

Silence falls upon the whole room. The tension in the room is so thick and heavy right now that I swear I'd need to knife to slice through it. Roseline stares, shellshocked at what's happening in front of her. Once again, I try to run away - like the coward I am, but Arin pulls me back, effectively stopping me from moving a step forward. I struggle against his vice-like grip and manage to break free of his grasp, but then he moves in front of me, blocking my path completely. I feel like punching him, hard, and the desire to do so is just too overwhelming that I do not hesitate further and just do it. He grabs his side just as I press my hand painfully to my chest. Yet again - not surprisingly, I forgot to untuck my thumb and my knuckles are tender again.

Emeline cracks a small smile, shaking her head in silent laughter.

"I'm fine," I say, my head down in embarrassment, but Arin doesn't seem to have heard that. I repeat myself, louder this time. Still no response. I tap his shoulders. He continues to stay silent. This is weird. I draw my brows together. Then I shake him back and forth. This time, he responds; but not in the way I wanted him to. He turns on his heels, and walks away without saying a single word.

What?

Roseline huffs, and storms away, out of the living room. I collapse onto the nearest sofa, and expect Emeline to come sit next to me, but she runs out after Arin, throwing me a small encouraging smile.

Great. Now all my friends leave me.

The sofa dips, and I make myself as small as possible. All my friends -that's what I considered them as, anyway-have left me. I lift my head up and look into the eyes of a complete stranger. What's he doing here?

"Hi, I'm Jaeden, nice to meet you. You're..." He trails off, tilting his head slightly.

"Methys."

The stranger smiles and looks surprisingly warm and friendly

Maybe everything might not turn out that bad...

We start talking about how we found out our immunity, and I feel myself loosen up a lot. Talking to Jaeden turned out not to be as bad as I expected. At least it was less pressuring as talking to Arin, Emma and Roseline.

Jaeden has me laughing and even opening up to the other immunes in just a matter of minutes, making me realise that making friends with others wasn't that bad after all.

Jaeden is enigmatic and apparently he  likes playing sports before all of this. He tells me about his family, his friends. He tells me about how he lost everyone he loved and how he wanted to save this world, to make it right again, and stop this black rain once and for all. And I feel sorry. Sorry for him. He doesn't have to live this way. His perfect life is now destroyed. I crossed my heart and vowed to myself that I would help him. I would help the other people in these world. I will try to save this world from this sick, twisted evil mastermind. I will let this world turn back to normal. I will do all these one day, somehow. And I feel this glimmer of hope rising inside of me.