The good thing about Christopher is that I can open the door of his car sobbing and he'll keep driving, comforting me without knowing exactly the cause. He's got a clue though. He always does.

"You did the right thing." He states, pulling into the driveway of my house.

I shake my head, sobbing heavily.

"He'll never forgive me for this." I cry, leaning on Chris's shoulder.

Chris shrugs. "You did the right thing. He needs to be kept safe. As far away as the Argents as possible. That's how you can do right by him."

I give my uncle a look that speaks for itself. One that changes everything.

"But I love him Chris. I love him so so much."

Then Chris repeats the same words I had said to Nina.

"If you love him, you'll let him go. At least for now."

I keep replaying the moment through my head as I enter the house, limping slightly. The moment where Liam looked at me, every inch of heartbreak across his face possible.

My mother was mad at me for leaving the house and my uncle didn't really seem to think much of it. My mother asked me what had happened exactly and I told her.

"Liam had come with some food and we were going to talk, until he heard screaming. We went to go help."

My mother thought it was sweet of him to come and so did my uncle. They'd explained the night at the hospital as 'traumatising', which it was, probably for Liam more than me.

"You could have died Jo." Was all she stated, so I explained to her exactly how my code of human conduct worked.

"And I will continue to keep putting my life in danger if it means I can save someone."

I think my parents were proud of that, so my mother decided to leave me with that and let me go to sleep.

Not that I could get even the slighted fibre of sleep. My ribs ached so much, even with the ice pack my mother had given me. The slice on my cheek was raw and painful but I could cover it with makeup easy enough.

All that went through my mind was Liam, nightmares and nightmares of the berserkers taking him. I had a decision to make. Give Ronnie to Kate or let Liam die. Both of them weren't plausible answers so I came to conclude it. Stay and fight, train Ronnie to access the power in herself and use it against Kate.

When the morning came, I got dressed for school. I was so tired and done with everything that I had decided a pair of converses, hoodie and jeans would be good for the day. Track practice in the morning would have to be given a miss.

I also decided to walk to school because the fresh cold air just seemed nicer. Mom had offered to ride me to school because of my ribs but I had kindly declined. She also offered to cover the cut across my cheekbone but I refused to. The makeup would only aggravate it and it wasn't like I was ashamed to prove a fight I had won.

At school, people must have concluded that I was in a gang. What was it? Being stabbed and coming with bruises everywhere and missing weeks on end of school. I guess so.

As soon as I walked in, I was met by Mason, who hugged me tightly without knowing about my broken ribs.

"I haven't seen you in ages. Where have you been?" He asked, walking beside me with his books held tightly in his arms.

"I've been really busy...actually." I reply, noticing Liam sitting alone at the stands.

Mason follows my eyes, looking at Liam.

"How is he?" I ask. Mason sighs.

"To be honest, I don't know. There's been something up with him lately, something that's made him really spaced out. Then there's last night, which he called me up in the middle of the night to tell me about. The break up."

I nod, frowning slightly.

"He said he loved you and that you didn't feel the same way. Poor kid." Mason says. I squeeze his shoulder gently.

"I think he's going to need a friend." I nod towards Liam.

"But hey, Jo, think you'll be coming to the bonfire tonight? There'll be loud music, drinks and a bonfire- obviously."

I shrug.

"Sounds like my kind of thing. You never know, I might just turn up."

When the bell rung, I made my way to Econ, one of the only classes I had with Liam. He sat next to Forest, looking spaced out.

"Hey." I muffle, sitting down beside Forest.

They both say a small hey and I look to Liam.

The class looks a little shocked to see me.

'Oh. It's that girl who got stabbed and danced around on the table. The one who comes to school everyday looking like she crawled out of a sewer. Pretty much.'

I copy the lesson in silence, only to be interrupted by Liam, who storms out of the classroom.

I know it's not my place to go after him, so Mason reluctantly does. Every lesson seems to last forever and I can't stop thinking about other things. No, not other things- Liam.

By the end of school, I searched the front for Ronnie. No surprise, she wasn't there. Neither was Stiles or her bike.

As I walked, someone caught up to me. a boy my age, with pretty green eyes and brown hair.

"Hey." he spoke, his voice deep and smooth. I stopped, smirking at him.

"Hi. Can I help you?" I ask. He shrugs, holding a basketball under his arm. Ah- the basketball team, always cocky.

"Actually, you can help me. I wanna take you to the bonfire tonight. It's going to be hot with the fire so I'd thought I'd square up, bring someone equally as hot."

I burst out laughing, not that I meant to- it just came out. Man, this dude was ridiculous. He rose an eyebrow.

"What's so funny?" he asked, looking down at himself. I continued to laugh, soon enough stopping myself because I didn't wanna be rude.

"Nothing. Nothing. No- sorry, I'm being really rude. Back to the point." I straighten my back, noticing Liam by the front of the school with his back to me. Huh- eavesdropper.

If I say no, Liam's going to catch onto the fact that I'm still into him (which I am). If I say yes, it might be enough to drive him away. Nothing beat the fact that I wanted his lips on mine at this very second, his hands on my waist and his body against mine. Was it weird that now I couldn't have Liam, I wanted him more?

I watch Liam's ears twitch and it breaks my heart all over again.

"Well?" the basketball player asks.

I break my trance.

"I don't even know your name." I say. He smiles, showing adorable dimples- but Liam's were more adorable.

But I was still in love with Liam.

"It's Tyler. Tyler Parker." he says, smirking. "So can I have the pleasure of taking you to the bonfire?" he asks.

I kept telling myself that saying yes would be the right thing to do but saying yes would tarnish any hope of me and Liam getting back together once this thing with Kate is over. That hope for the future was all that got me through.

"I'm sorry Tyler. You seem really kind- I'm just really up for that. I'm flattered though. Really flattered."

He nods. "I guess...that's cool."

I put my hand on his shoulder, tilting my head.

"You know, guys like you are hard to come by. Keep asking girls, so at least someone gets the blessing of going with you."

He smiles. "Take care Jolie." Tyler says, turning around. I nod, turning around myself, only to be met by Scott, who must have been waiting there awkwardly.

"Jo." he says. I straighten my back.

"Scott. How are you?" I ask. He shrugs.

"Walk with me."
I nod. As we walk, Scott pulls out a crumpled piece of paper, holding it up so I can see.

"Liam's fax wouldn't turn off last night. Kept printing these names. I guess its an updated version of the dead pool, scanning it for Liam's name.

Sure enough, it was there, worth double the amount too.

"Scott- they've upped Liam's worth." I whisper. Scott points to a name at the bottom.

"Yeah and get this, theres a new name." he points to the very bottom and printed in black is the name:

NINA LISBETH OLIVARIE worth= 2 MILLION

I bite my lip.

"I know her."

Scott nods. "Look Jo, I know you and Liam broke up but he really needs you. I'm worried about him."

I search around the area for Liam, not seeing him anywhere.

"Scott, we need to talk somewhere. Alone." I whisper.

He nods. "Sure. I'll walk you home."