"I... Um..." I stuttered, the girl leaning back against the thick tree trunk. "I... Don't even know your name..."

The girl forced a smile, pulling down her sleeves.

"I'm Ami."

"Ami..." I said, thinking out loud. "Is- is that short for something?"

"Yeah... Amethyst.." She huffed, kicking her foot into the grass.

"I really like that name..." I sighed, starting to braid a small strand of my hair. "It's pretty unique..."

"Well, so is Petra." The girl's smile faded, being replaced by nervousness.
"I mean, I've never met a Petra before... But then again- I've never met many people without them refusing to talk to me..."

I know that feeling.
The feeling that no matter how hard you try- things would always turn out badly.

"How is it?" Asked Ami, sarcastically. "Being in the New order of the Stone?"

I dropped the braid in my hair, bringing my knees to my chest.

"It's just wonderful..." I growled.
"Having everybody refer to you as 'that bitch' and not even being able to face your friends without being questioned."

Ami's face showed shock, and then anger.

"People hate you?" She asked, shock seeping into her voice.

"Yep... Say that I'm a lesbian who bitches about things that don't matter."

"Well... Are you a lesbian?" Asked Ami.

"I... Well... You don't just go around asking somebody you never met about their sexuality!" I snapped, my tone sharp.

"Geez. Sorry..." Sighed Ami. "I... Just thought I'd help..."

"You're doing anything but helping me." I muttered.

"I know..." Huffed Ami.

Silence.

The sun was starting to set, the people in the park leaving.

"Shouldn't you be getting home?" I asked. "It's getting dark."

Ami pulled out a beaten up stone sword, laying it in the grass next to her.

"I like the dark..." Said Ami. "Killing the monsters helps me get my mind off things."

"Oh..." I forced a smile, pulling out my golden sword and placing it next to hers. "I just... I thought you wouldn't want to stay around me anymore."
Ami's eyes widened, warmth filling them.

"Petra... I thought you'd be busy- out with the order..." Sighed Ami, picking at the grass. "But you don't seem to be around them that much... Is there a reason?"

I didn't answer, thinking about how Lukas looked at me suspiciously.
The way he did when I got wither sickness.
He knew there was something up then... Did he know about now?
I mean- I had been cutting myself since 8th grade... But I had only stopped eating a short while ago...

"No." I assured. "There's noting wrong."

Ami looked at me with the same look Lukas gave me earlier.

"That's the same thing I say when I'm trying to assure my friends that I haven't cut myself recently." Said Ami, sounding sad.

I remembered Ami pulling down her sleeves down hastily when I looked at her cuts.

"Why...why am I even talking to you?!" Muttered Ami, questioningly. "You're... You're Petra...you're famous, I shouldn't even be bothering you..."

She stood up to leave.

"W-wait!" I quickly stood up, making her turn around. "Please... Don't go... You're nice to me..."

She stopped, facing me.

"You sure?" She asked, cautiously.

"..Positive..."

She plopped on the grass, her stone sword wedged in the ground.
I stabbed the ground, the golden blade of my sword glittering in the moonlight.
I sat down, across from Ami.

"I've always looked up to you..." Sniffed Ami. "And now I'm wondering if it was a mistake..."

Her words hurt, but she looked upset- so the probably didn't mean them.

"Why didn't you look up to Jesse?" I asked. "Or Axel, or Olivia, or Lukas?"

Ami paused, not knowing what to say.

"I guess... I feel like they're trying too hard... And they really enjoy the popularity..."

The part about trying too hard definitely was true.
Axel had lost weight, Olivia trying to act like anything but a nerd, Lukas trying to gain his personality from the ocelots, and Jesse following their lead.

But I never changed.

"Yeah... So?"

"So.." Sighed Ami. "I know that you're just trying to be yourself. And all the other people are just giving you a hard time..."

She looked at me, her eyes resting on my arms.

"You cut yourself?!" She asked, taking ahold of my arm.

The arm warmers didn't cover my whole arm- and I cut a bit too high last night...

"So what?!" I snarled, taking my hand back. "It's not like you don't do it!"

Ami looked to the ground, slightly uncomfortable.

But she quickly recovered.

"But- but you're Petra the warrior!" She argued. "You're strong- you survived wither sickness, and PAMA and... And..."

I stood up, taking my sword.

"Just because people think you're strong-" I growled. "Doesn't mean that I'm not falling apart inside."