Hello, my loves. I want to apologize for the delay and thank you a lot for all your support! This story would not exist without you!!

I hope your exams went/are going well!

I can't wait to hear from you, and I hope you will have a lovely reading :)

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"Georgia, are you okay?" I sweetly ask. My brow frowns with concern as I sit beside her. Nate comes to squat in front of her. I give him a brief look, wondering what he is doing, but I let this aside to focus on Georgia.

Her eyes are red, and her body is shaking with discreet sobs.

For how long has she been crying?

"You can talk to us," I encourage her as I take her hands in mine.

"Everything is fine Georgia. Tell us what is wrong, I promise no matter what this is, we're not going to judge you."

Hearing Nate talking surprises me, but his words work better than mine. Georgia sniffs, wiping her eyes before talking.

"I don't know...I think I just miss my home and...it just...I thought everything would be different here..."

"What do you mean?" asks Nate before I can process what she just said.

"I mean...I thought I would make friends since we're studying the same thing but..."

"But what Georgia?" I gently press her.

"I don't know," she shrugs, "no one talked to me today." She said and shamefully lowers her eyes.

My heart sank with her words. Georgia is the kindest soul I've ever meet, she deserves so much better.

"Hey! it's okay girl. We all been through it, I included." I uncomfortably admit. I avoid looking at Nate, thinly smiling at Georgia.

"I know it's not the same but, you...have us. For what that matter, I'm your friend," I say.

"You have me too," Nate adds. I lower my eyes on him and I never saw before the smile on his lips, full of kind and genuine intentions.

Georgia smiles a little. "And you also have Chloe and Noah and Victoria," I continue.

I know it might not be what she was expecting, but since we're here, nothing seems to turn the way we wanted.

She lets out a light chuckle, wiping her cheeks, but something in her eyes show something deeper than the only need for a friendship.

And something connects in my mind.

"Have you been bullied Georgia?"

She looks at me, I can perceive fear in them. I should have thought about it earlier. She's introvert, shy, living in her little bubble made of books. She doesn't dress properly, she isn't confident at all and her dad was afraid I would take advantage of her the second he saw me. I can't blame him. I am not pure as the driven snow. But all of this makes her a perfect target and I know what I'm talking about.

I give her a warm smile and squeeze her hand. But this is who she is, and in no case, she should change or be changed, I understand it now.

"I promise you, no one will hurt you here." And I mean it.

She gives me a weak smile and slightly nods.

"What would you think of going out of here to eat something?" I propose.

She nods again with a true smile.

"Are you coming with us?" I ask Nate.

He has been a great help, and I feel like Georgia needs to be surrounded right now.

"I'm going to let you two together," he says, but Georgia stretches out her hand to stop him before he stands up.

"Come, please. It will be fun, I promise," she says. Her voice is full of conviction. How can you say no to this?

"I'm in," he sighs back to himself, but the smile on the corner of his lips can't fool anyone.

"Plus, you're the only one who has a car," I gently tease, making Georgia laugh.

"This is why I asked him," she replies, surprising me and Nate. We both look at her before laughing.

I tell her to text Noah and Chloe. I'm not that fond of Chloe, but since they're friends, it could be good for her to have them around.

We meet at the parking. Chloe scolds at me when she notices Georgia's red eyes and I have to restrain to raise my eyes.

For the second time, I'm going out of the campus with Nate.

The boys take place in a booth and we sit in front of them. While Chloe and Noah talk with Georgia, I exchange an amused look with Nate as we listen to them. I would have never believed one day I would be sitting with all these people at this table.

I order again a milkshake, mindlessly listening to Noah talking about unsolved criminal cases that seem to passionate the two girls. I'm almost relieved when I find on my phone notifications, but I frown when I notice the multiple missing calls from my brother.

"Excuse me," I say before standing up, barely looking up from the screen.

When I pass the door, I dial his number and he immediately answers.

"Olivia, are you okay?"

His voice is so full of concerns that I'm taken aback by it.

"Yes, I'm fine why? Something is wrong?" I lean my back against the wall a bit further from the entrance, feeling an unpleasant feeling growing deep in me.

"No. I just want to see how you were doing."

"Don't lie to me, Alex." I threaten him. I know my brother enough to tell he would never call me that much for nothing.

"Dad received death threats," he finally blurts in a low and tired voice. I stiffen.

"Since when?"

"I don't know Liv'"

"Alexander, I swear if you don't tell me everything I come back home and ask in person for answers after I kicked your ass," I threaten him, and we both know I can do it.

"A month before you left home," he sighs.

I bit my tongue, hard.

"What are they about?"

"The usual, business."

The usual? He received others? I know my father isn't loved by everyone, but death threats?

"But it's nothing you have to worry about," Alex adds.

"But you were worried I was not answering your call," I point out.

I can hear his hand grabbing his hair.

"yes," he admits with a sigh.

"Why?"

"Because your name was mention," he sighs.

I suddenly feel sick. Why would someone bring out my name? Is this how low they are? Hiding behind stupid mail and threatening the family? This is a sick stupid game and for what, a couple of bucks? I know my dad will not let them do, and I'm on his side. I don't let the anger overcoming me, and push it back as far as I can and say with a calm tone:

"But we don't know who send it?"

"No. But detectives are working on it."

I sigh.

"I promise you everything is fine where I am. I even made friends. Trust me, you wouldn't believe me if I you who I'm currently hanging with," I weakly laugh, and he joins me as a try to lighten the situation.

"Do you want me to come back home?" I offer, even if I know he doesn't.

"No, you're safer there."

"Does dad know you told me this?"

"No. He would kill me"

I sigh, I know that too well.

"Please, don't hold anything from me anymore. I understand you don't want to worry me, but not knowing make things worse. I promise to keep my mouth shut if you keep me in the loop."

I hear him sighing through the phone.

"I will"

We keep chatting, but there are only useless talks. I can't find a way to think about something else than my father even if Alex asks me about my life here. I tell him I made a couple of friends and my classes are good, but that's all I can say. it is like my brain was numb. He hangs with the promise to call me soon.

I close my eyes and squeeze my hand into a fist until I feel my nails hurting my palm as I try to control my breath. Why does he tell me this only now? I don't know if I'm scared for my dad orpissed he keeps that from me for so long. Probably both. I suppose he is really worried to act behind our father's back. I'm fucking tired of all those shitty secrets and more afraid than I want to admit it.

"Are you okay?" I lift my head. Nate is standing in front of me. Lost in my thoughts, I haven't heard him getting out.

"It has been a while since you're out, and if I hear another horror case, I'm going to commit one myself," he continues to speak with clear amusement, but it doesn't last long when he scans my face.

"Are you okay?" He asks again, his voice laced with concerns this time.

"Why do you care?" I harshly ask.