Sharlynn's house is similar to mine, and I land right on her threshold.

I knock on the door before opening it, trying to ignore the fact that I used to say, "Shar? You home?" before walking in. It was politer, but since Sharlynn knows what I've been through, it doesn't really matter anymore.

The interior of Sharlynn's house is comfy, with soft sofas and pillows and wooden tables.

"Hey," Sharlynn greets me, smiling. "You got my message?"

I nod. Sharlynn's fringe is dropping into her eyes again, her blue-gray eyes lively. Her lips are a bright red, and I know it's not because she used Edit, she likes to use the old-fashioned thing called 'makeup'.

I have no clue what that is, but at the sight of those tubes they keep the crayon-looking thing that Sharlynn uses on her mouth, I freak out and run away. The thing that they use to make their lashes long and dark looks like a miniature version of what a caveman would use-something long and thin with spikes sticking out of it. They call it mascara.

"Caden and Dustin are here already," Sharlynn says, then looks up the stairs, "and Troy is upstairs with Shay."

Troy's my younger brother, but I usually drop him at Sharlynn's. I rather spend my time helping to make his life less difficult, from spiraling downwards. Plus, he adores Shaylee as well.

It doesn't mean I don't love my brother, we still spend plenty of time together on the weekends. I take him to playgrounds and theme parks, keeping him away from places with people that use Edit.

Caden and Dustin are Sharlynn and my best friends. They know what I've been through too. Caden is a boy taller than I, but shorter than Dustin. He has the average player look, but he hates people who fool around, and is very protective of us, always scrutinizing Sharlynn's boyfriends before they are allowed to date her. Underneath it all, he's a great friend.

Dustin, who towers above everyone, has only his mother left in his family. He's a giant teddy bear underneath his bad boy looks, and always looks out for all of us. He has the tendency to get a little rash, however.

I nod, mouthing a 'thanks' to her before walking into the living room and plopping down on the couch. Dustin, who is glaring at Caden, smiles as I enter. Caden, however, is preoccupied with something on his phone.

"Hey," Dustin elbows Caden in the ribs, "Corinne's here."

Caden rolls his eyes. "That's what you told me a while ago, dude. You lied."

I toss a pillow at his face, then walk up to him and snatch the phone out of his grip. He looks up, eyes wide. "Hey!"

I smile amusedly at him and nod at his phone. Dustin takes the phone from me, and scrolls through the messages.

"Oh look! Caden's writing about-" Caden reaches over and slaps Dustin on the side of his head.

I read it too, my finger scrolling down the phone, revealing more words about Caden's hidden secrets, and shake my head softly, a smile unconsciously tugging at my lips. Apparently, Caden has a crush on Sharlynn, that's why he's been overprotective about her lately, refusing to let her go on dates for her. She didn't even get the chance to say 'yes' or 'no' before Caden stepped out and rejected the boy who asked her out.

"Don't tell her. We've been friends for so long, I don't want to ruin it," Caden blushes.

"Who's been friends with who?" Sharlynn walks into the room, setting down a bowl of corn chips on the table. I snatch one immediately, and wiggle my eyebrows at Dustin.

"Oh, Caden-" Dustin is cut off by Caden, who stands up and stuffs a corn chip in Dustin's mouth and glares at me.

I laugh, unable to hold it back any longer.

"What's going on?" Sharlynn stands with her arms akimbo, an eyebrow raised, looking awfully like a mother.

"Nothing, don't worry about it Shar. They're just being weird." Caden shrugs, and Sharlynn gives him a blank look before dropping down onto the opposite couch, crossing her right ankle over her left and leaning backwards.

"Anyway, we have a special guest today," Sharlynn claps her hands together.

"You cannot let that boy who asked you out today into the house, Shar. I told you, he's no good for you." Caden shoots up to his feet and says hurriedly.

Sharlynn rolls her eyes, leaning forward to grab a corn chip from the bowl before popping it into her mouth, and chewing before replying, "No, I didn't invite him over. I got a special friend."

"You're not dating are you?" Dustin asks, shooting Caden a look. Caden returns it.

"No, what's wrong with you guys?" Sharlynn presses a hand to her forehead. She turns to me, beaming.

"I invited Chance."

"What?" For the first time in many years, I speak. Everyone's head turns, but I can't see them.

My world is spinning at a million miles per hour, and I clutch the arm of the sofa tightly, to the extent where my knuckles are white.

My heart pounds. He can't be back. He shouldn't be.

"Corinne, you-"

"Why is Chance coming back?" My voice is hoarse from misuse, and it feels weird to be talking again.

Before I get a reply, a tall figure comes through the door, and I freeze up.

In my memory, Chance has black hair and dark blue eyes. But the person who walks through the door's hair is a dark brown, but then again it's possible since he has probably spent a lot of time out in the sun, proved by his tan skin.

"C-Chance?" I stutter.

When we were younger, I had the hugest crush on Chance, but it all changed as we grew up, as he started to mix with bad company, I think. I don't know the full details, but I know that he started treating me like trash, bullying me and teasing me when I got home. He played pranks on me all the time, taking videos of them and uploading them, making me afraid of my surroundings at all times.

I hated him, and although I was slightly upset that he was leaving, and missed him a little, but I still hated him for everything he did.

And then he decides to come back. To ruin my life again, I'm sure.

"Amber," he nods. His voice is low and soothing and so Chance.

"She goes by Corinne now," Caden stands up protectively, Dustin looking over at me worriedly.

"Ah, her middle name. Amber Corinne Evans, if I'm correct." Chance replies nonchantly.

"What do you want?" I grit my teeth and force out. He has no right. No right to say my name, after all he has done. Still, I feel tears prickling my eyes at the mention of my real name.

I've been living behind closed doors, hoping no one would find me. I made people call me Corinne instead of Amber, became quiet instead of the loud talker I had always been. That one person who could make the whole house I was hiding inside crumble in an instant was gone.

Was.

He decided to come back, and open the door, leaving a tear in my heart, just like when he first left. Back then I could lock the doors, close the curtains, turn away from everyone else, just sit there and cry.

But he's back now, and the door is ajar. My tears are there for him to see, clear as day.

"Well, I believe that Sharlynn invited me here." He grins, so carefree, so alive it hurts. Right now I have to resist the urge to cry and run into his arms because he's so familiar.

What am I thinking? I hate him!

No, you don't, you miss him and you still love him the way you did. You know you've been hiding for too long. See, he's back to help break free from your fears and take off your mask, because he loves you too.

I blink back my tears, faking an angry look. I start to move towards him, my heart cracking.

He rolls his eyes. "Oh, I'm so scared," he teases, though there's something in his eyes that flash.

"Now, now, don't fight. I invited him for a reason, Corrine. Please don't pick up a fight now." Sharlynn breaks the tension.

"Fine. But why did you invite him?He doesn't belong here," Dustin crosses his arms over his chest, looking absolutely livid. At that, Chance scoffs, but says nothing.

"He was back in the Inner Cities, and I thought that Amber-Corinne, I mean -would like to see him." Sharlynn shrugs.

"I don't." I've had enough drama in my life, I don't need another problem. Not to mention the person who betrayed my trust.

Especially when he is in all of my childhood memories. Happy ones were filled with our laughter. But he turned out to be the one I despised the most. And now, all of them are bitter and sad ones. They are filled with sorrows that no one can understand. It completely changed me, just like how Mum and Dad's accident changed my whole life.

"You don't have to be jealous, Ridelink, you know that Amber has always been my girl," Chance taunts Dustin, who looks like he's ready for a fight.

I tense, not only out of worry that Dustin might punch a hole in Chance's face.

Chance just called me his girl.

He...he doesn't mean anything by it, probably, just something he'll take back later on, after a prank or something.

But that means he remembers. He remembers all the times where we used to play Hide-and-Seek while the other kids used their electronics, he remembers how I cried when I broke the skin on my kneecap after I fell down on my hoverboard the first time I tried it at the playground. He remembers how he used to kiss my injuries so that I'd feel better.
He remembers how he kissed me when we were younger, before I transformed into that spoiled brat, before I ever touched Edit, before it even existed.

"Amber! Where are you?" Chance calls.

I ignore him. I don't want to be found, not now, not when I'm crying so hard I can't breathe.

I don't want to see his face reflecting my pain.

"Amber, I know you're somewhere here, your mom told me so. Come on, where are you?" His voice calls again, so full of worry that I want to tell him where I am. "This isn't funny or a game, Amber. I'll play with you if you come out, darling."

More tears fall on my shirt. He's coming closer. A small sob escapes my lips, but I quickly press my hand to my mouth to push it back in.

I can see Chance's feet move past, but then he backtracks, and crouches down.

No, no, no!

"Amber," he whispers, then crawls underneath the slide where I am, pulling me to him. I sob quietly into his shirt as he rubs my back gently, pulling me out from underneath the slide. I shouldn't have chosen there, I always hide there, and he knows.

Shoulders shaking, I pull away from Chance and walk to the swing set and sit on one of the swings. Chance follows me, and frowns at me, wiping away a stray tear with his thumb.

"What happened, baby girl?" He asks quietly, bending down. I shake my head, looking away.

"Amber," he whines, shaking the swing a little. A smile cracks my sad face, and I slap his arm. His face contorts with pain, and for a second I believe it, but then he gives me a playful smirk and a kiss on the forehead, before sitting down by my legs.

"Fine then," he says, "I'll just wait until you tell me."

I don't speak, but then something wet and cold hits my nose.

"Chance, it's about to rain, go inside." I shake his shoulder with my leg. I frown at it. It's so fat and ugly.

"Not without you, and plus, you haven't told me what happened yet."

"Chance-"

"Tell me first." He looks up at me, his ocean eyes pleading.

"It's nothing, really," I shrug, trying to act nonchalant. "It's just that Stella, you know, my classmate, made everyone tell me that I was ugly and fat and...stuff. She said if they did it, they'd be invited to some party."

"And how did you know about that?" Chance's eyes are angry, a blazing inferno.

"Sharlynn told me." I bite my lip.

"And you believed them? That you are fat?" Chance asks incredulously, his tone reprimanding me.

A light drizzle begins. "You should go back inside. I'll follow later." I say, looking away, because Chance is staring at me with a burning intensity.

"No." I look up at him as the rain starts to pour down heavier.

And then the next thing I know his lips are on mine, warm and comforting. His lips are playful but strong, and mine are shy and weak. I close my eyes as he pulls me closer, and I can't, I don't want to object. His lips taste slightly of chocolate and mint, and the only thing I can think of is how bad I must taste. I hesitate, but Chance pulls me even closer, and even though I should freezing, I'm so warm and happy inside.

Because I know someone loves me for who I am.

And that's no other than my best friend, my crush, my confidante.

Chance.

But back then we were only eleven. I shouldn't have thought he liked me, never should have told him all my secrets. Stupid, stupid me.

"Shaylee! Troy! Dinner's ready," Sharlynn calls, sending us a smile before disappearing into the dining area. I snap out of my stupor for the who-knows-what time. I've been thinking a lot lately, it seems.

Just as I'm about to follow, two figures emerge from the staircase.

And they are all people I don't recognize. Completely. But I know their names. I know them all too well.

Shaylee, I know, has done Edit, That's why her hair is thick and wavy, her once blue-gray eyes a vibrant green. And her freckles all gone. She really looks like that person in the poster she has in her room now. Prettier. But, I wish that she didn't. She'll never see herself in the mirror anymore. She'll always be trying to catch up with the latest trends. She'll always be doing things she shouldn't, and sooner or later she'll end up like me.

My heart stops.

Troy, has also done Edit. He looks better, more handsome, with his hair turned from black to light brown. Light brown is trending nowadays. He used to be a scrawny little boy. I sigh heavily. Now, ripples of muscles appears on his body. He's not...Troy anymore.

Why did he use it? Fear shoots up my spine. He shouldn't even touch it.

"Hey Am-Corinne," Troy waves a little. Wait. It's not even Troy. He wouldn't use Edit. The person who has my brother's voice turns to Chance. His eyes widen, and a grin spreads over his face.

"Chance! You're back!" He gives himself fist bump, happy to see his childhood 'brother'. Yes, they were that close.

"Why'd you use Edit?" I croak. Troy's head swivels.

"You can talk?" He asks, eyes wide. Shaylee stares at me with the same expression.

"Why'd you use Edit?" I repeat.

"Um, Shaylee showed me her Edit machine, and I thought it was pretty cool, and I-"

I can't hear anything anymore, waves of panic are crashing over my head, and the strong waves pull me into the deep dark sea of fear. My breaths are uneven, my body shaky, and I feel like my head's going to burst.

He's going to regret it.

He's going to use it again, and he won't stop.

Someone's going to die.

I collapse onto the sofa from the contact with the table that I'd knocked into unconsciously.

I don't even feel the pain. I can't.

I can hear my name being called, and footsteps, but that's all that makes sense.

And then I'm staring into familiar eyes, ones that are deep and blue and soothing.