GABRIELA HAD THOUGHT SHE was imagining it when Mateo's voice fluttered past her in a whisper, but just a moment later Milo pointed up and she was staring right at him. For some reason he was halfway up a tree, Alina right above him as they discussed something, their voices too soft to catch the conversation. One look at the path beside them, where Jay and Sahar were nearing, was enough to tell her why he was here. She always had been able to read Mateo like an open book, so when he spotted her she already knew things were going to go wrong.

He lost his footing and started falling then, though he landed on his feet alright. Gabriela was just about to move closer to check him for injuries, when she spotted the bruises on Alina's arms. The surprise that filled her didn't last long though, because a moment later she could hear Jay confess, Milo gasping beside her.

Sahar was looking genuinely surprised, but it was while looking at Jay that Gabriela thought about how much they had changed. She remembered his scowl and scalding words when he had first arrived, but now all that was left were sincere eyes and a heart on his sleeve. Even his posture had gotten less tense, like the weight of the world had been lifted off his shoulders. She was glad for him.

"Gabriela, are you hearing this?" Milo whispered at her.

Mateo had turned in surprise towards the confession as well, but when he turned back to look at Alina a moment later she was gone. In all the chaos Gabriela hadn't even heard her leave, but she spotted her dark hair on the right as the girl ran through the trees. Just when he was about to follow her Sahar spoke, her voice hesitant.

"I don't know," she said.

Gabriela moved towards Mateo before he even froze, lips parting in shock, but Jay didn't react at all. He only stared at her, a half-smile breaking through as he shook his head. Mateo frowned, glancing at Gabriela, who had her hand on his wrist now.

"Your jokes will kill me one day," Jay said.

"Has he gone insane from the heartbreak?" Mateo whispered.

To be honest, she thought the same, but Sahar's pensive look turned into a wide smile, a bubbly laugh leaving her lips. She threw her arms around Jay's neck, his face as gentle as hers.

"You know me too well," she beamed," of course I want to go out with you, Jae-Soo, you silly goose."

"Jesus Christ," Mateo said, a hand on his heart," she almost gave me a heart attack."

"Why were you more invested than Jay?" Gabriela frowned.

Mateo chuckled, before turning around towards her and pulling her into a brief hug.

"Okay," he said," I'm going to go find Alina right now, but I just want to tell you I love you before I leave."

He pressed a kiss on the top of her head, ready to go when Gabriela stopped him. With a confused glance he turned towards her, but she just shook her head.

"I'm going after her," she said," you can stay with Jay, I'm sure he wants to talk to you after this."

Though he usually would have protested, she wasn't surprised when he nodded. If they had anything together it was trust. Besides, when Penelope was beaten into the hospital by her father Mateo had brought and picked her up in the middle of the night. He knew how close to her heart this was, his expression soft as he pressed a kiss on her forehead.

"I care for her, Nena," he said," no one deserves that, but certainly not Alina. Her life is hard enough."

"I know you're close with Levi," Gabriela said," and it'll be fine. I will make it fine."

His smile was warm, but the words he spoke had a sharper edge to them, one she knew would cut right through the person he was talking about.

"Don't forget to get the name of the fucker," he said," I'm sure he'll be just as brave in front of me."

"Mateo? Are you hiding in the bushes?"

His eyes widened and he slowly turned around, Jay peeking past the trees to where he was standing. A confused frown was on his face, Sahar behind him waving happily. Without hesitating Mateo's expression turned just a confused and he shook his head.

"I don't know how I got here," he said.

"He came to stalk you," Milo called out.

"You snitc -" Mateo began, before correcting himself," I mean, that is a lie."

"I saw you run for your life multiple times while we were walking," Sahar smiled.

"And you didn't tell me this crazy guy was following us?" Jay frowned.

"The dedication was impressive," Sahar shrugged.

"Anyway," Mateo beamed," let's ignore that and have a group hug because you two just got married."

Gabriela didn't stay to hear the rest, already off in the forest. She followed the road, already having a solid guess of where the girl would go. Even with the head start she had gotten, Gabriela knew she was faster, and soon enough she heard the breaking of twigs and saw her dark hair swish as Alina jumped up and pulled herself fluidly up by a branch.

Thankfully she hadn't spotted Gabriela yet, a small smile on her face as she watched the road. There Chase and Amelia were walking, giggling and talking. Their conversation carried along in the air, but Alina didn't seem like she cared about that. It was that dependance on Amelia Gabriela had relied on, the fact that even while running away, Alina probably only felt calmer in the proximity of her best friend.

Without announcing her arrival Gabriela jumped up to the branch too, already sitting down beside Alina before she could even run again. The girl didn't even look at her, eyes instead focused on Amelia. In the moonlight her bruises were a haunting blue, some already having darkened to a deep purple.

"I wanted to go to her," she said," but how can I pull her away when she's having so much fun?"

"You're not alone," Gabriela said," I am here."

"Everyone always says they're there until you really need them," Alina said quietly, a rare moment of soberness between her usual wildness.

"Alina," Gabriela said, eyes focused on the girl's side profile," is it a boyfriend?"

"He loves me," Alina said, her grip tightening on the branch underneath her," he does. He's the only one who actually sees me, who makes me think having a future isn't that bad after all."

"A love made of bruises is no love at all," Gabriela said.

"It is when it's the only one I've ever known," Alina said, her voice afternoon rain, tangling in the clouds in her vocal cords.

"You deserve the world," Gabriela said," please, come with me. We'll sit down somewhere and talk more, Amelia can come as well. No one will ever hit you again."

Alina finally looked her in the eyes and for a moment it was like she was looking at a stranger, one with clear eyes and a sad smile. It only took a second for that to disappear, like she had swallowed the vulnerable part of her again. When she was choking on it she put her hand in her pocket and before Gabriela could stop her, she threw a pill in her mouth.

"That sounds absolutely dreadful," she said," so no thanks, I'll decline."

"Alina -" Gabriela began.

"You can't force me to talk about anything, Gabriela," Alina said curtly," you and I are not friends and your pity won't make us so. Please leave me alone."

She knew she couldn't say anything back - pressing further than this would only result in Alina pulling back more. What would she do then? Talk to Amelia about the abuse? The principal about the increasing drug use? Why couldn't she do anything on her own?

A hand grazed her cheek and she turned towards Alina, the girl almost looking sad as she watched Gabriela.

"You always look so serious," she said," when you make yourself everyone's anchor, you will never breathe again."

With those words she left, pace normal as she headed back to the camp. Gabriela pushed the words to the back of her head as she went back to search for Mateo, knowing that he could always make sense of her thoughts when she lost herself in them. Powerlessness was a feeling foreign to her, one pressing on her heart, but she let it dissipate with a breath. After this she would talk to Alina again and she would help her. Everything would be fine.

When she went back to the camp that night, Mateo by her side, Alina was gone.