I arrive to school early, my dress thankfully cleaner than it was last night. I keep my books close to me and aim for the library.

This way I can read until my actual classes start around fifth period.

I get about a third of the way there when there's a shout from behind me.

"Amaya!" Daitan grabs my shoulder as she suddenly materializes off to my left and a little behind me, "You headed for class?" I pause, looking at her.

"Uh, no?" I reply a little hesitantly, that gleam in her eye making me a little nervous.

"Great! Then you have time." She turns and starts walking back down the hall. The only problem? She still has her hand on my arm. She's dragging me down the hallway.

"Wait, Daitan, where are you-" she interrupts me before I can finish.

"-it's a surprise!" Her gleeful tone only makes my gut feeling worsen.

Then the words she said from yesterday run through my head:

"If you do not go with me to the Host Club, I will find a way to make them come to you. Promise."

Oh crap.

I glance around the hallways, making sure that what I'm about to do will be between me and her. Luckily, I don't see anyone around.

I twist my arm and rotate out of her grip, standing on my feet to face her.

"I'm not going to that Host Club." The memory of those three girls recognizing the seven guys sharp in my head, "I have better things to do."

They will probably be there. No need to give them more ammunition.

"Like what?" She questions, "Read in a library? Cuddle up with a comfy blanket? Come on, Amaya. You may like it!" She reaches to grab my arm again, "Besides, they aren't even open yet! We could be early!" I scoot back.

My heart beats a little faster.

"No, Daitan. I won't." I protest again, making sure to stay out of her reach. "Just let me go to my place and you can go to yours. Both of us happy." My offer doesn't sway her determination.

"Girl, you can't be serious. What exactly are you afraid of?" She waves her hands as she talks. I shrink down, but nothing could've prepared me for what happens next.

"Princesses, please." A hand snakes around my waist from behind and turns me to look at a familiar blonde-haired face, "Allow us to-"

I can't focus on the rest. My heart squeezes painfully and seems to grow cold in my chest. The air going down my throat feels hot, burning me from the inside. My hearing thumps loudly before all I can hear is a buzz.

Get off of me.

My vision gets a little blurry. I see the face shoved away from me and feel someone else move me back, another placing a small, soft stuffed animal into my arms. When I hit the wall, I slide down it and go into the fetal position, the animal tucked close against my chest.

I couldn't stop the tears. My ears and face basically steamed with heat, but a cold chill is running through the rest of me. The soft thing I could squeeze helps more than I thought it did. In fact, it smells like candy and reminds me of the deer plush I had when I was a kid.

When I've calmed down some more, I can hear voices.

"-you thinking?!!" The voice of the feminine male is shouting, sounding quite angry.

"I- I didn't mean... will she be...?" The voice from the blonde guy.

I'm weak.

The thought hits me too close to home as I shakily take a deep breath. It's only then I realize a couple of things.

First, somebody has grabbed my wrist and is gently wrapping it in bandages as a stinging feeling pulses from it. Second, I'm cuddling a pink bunny that now has a couple of tear drops on its head. Third, someone is keeping a group of five a distance away from me.

"Tamaki, how is she doing?" I recognize this one, it's the young voice from the maze.

"Better." The deep voice is so close to me I almost completely die right then and there.

It's him. The one from the maze!

I close my eyes and take another deep breath, my body shaking bad enough to blend a milkshake. Yet, he's still gently holding my wrist. I peek my eyes open to my other hand, startled to see blood on my nails and staining the bunny.

I got scared enough to fall into an old habit of mine: Clawing at my skin.

"Amaya?" A gentle voice calls to me from a little ways in front of me. "Amaya I'm so sorry, I didn't know-"

"You're right. You didn't." I interrupt her apology harsher than I meant to, "You didn't because you never asked. Didn't care enough to." I couldn't help the venom seeping into my tone, thankfully it only popped out on the last sentence. I bite my tongue.

How could I have let my guard down? It's stupid! I'm stupid!

There is a soft pat on my arm and I have a feeling it's this guy telling me it's okay now.

I can... this is weird. It's almost like when I communicate with Midnight.

I turn nod my head, then shift my weight to stand. Instantly, there is a person in front of me.

"You shouldn't get up yet, you might fall." I finally get my first good look at the owner of the child-like voice. He's small, has short blonde hair, and brown eyes. I look down.

"I- I'm fine. Excuse mme." My 'm' holds out longer than I meant it to, making me feel even more stupid about all this. I gently hand him his rabbit and start going.

"I'm so sorry..." The older blonde from before is looking at me, I can feel the weight of his gaze as he speaks.

It's not your fault, not like there was a way for you to know before hand.

I bite my tongue and continue walking, getting around the corner before I have to stop again and breathe. I look at my now heavily bandaged wrist.

He pulled back my sleeve before it got stained, but I imagine as soon as I roll it back down I'll find claw marks.

It has been years since I've been so blindly panicked that I got desperate to feel something besides the overwhelming darkness, the cold that blankets thick around my heart. The emptiness.

They didn't know. Don't blame them.

The small voice is barely heard as I take a deep breath and continue.

Daitan... It's getting really hard not to blame you right now.