I groaned as the pounding in my head woke me up.

Why does my head hurt so much?

I opened my eyes and the first thing I saw was the peaceful sleeping face of Liam. He looked so innocent with his mouth slightly open and his hair messily flopped onto his forehead.

I momentarily forgot about the pain in my head as I looked at the boy I was so hopelessly in love with.

Wait- did I really just think that!? Was I really in love with him? Sure, I've been a lot happier since I met him, he's really taught me how to live and have fun, but was I in love with him?

The way my heart felt when I looked at him supported the theory that I did, in fact, love him, but my brain was trying to convince me otherwise.

I haven't been with him long enough to be in love, it's only been about seven months, even though it feels like forever. We've been through so much and helped each other through a lot, but does that mean I love him?

My thoughts were cut off when he opened his stunning golden brown eyes and gave me a heart stopping smile, "Good morning beautiful."

I don't care if it's not logical, I was so in love with him.

"Morning." I replied, a goofy smile taking over my face.

"Are you in pain?" He asked, the smile leaving his face as he tucked my hair behind my ear to get a better look at the injuries.

I had completely forgotten about yesterday until he brought it up.

"Yeah, my head hurts." I answered honestly.

His expression darkened, he was angry, but it wasn't directed towards me. And I completely understood. If someone hurt Liam, I'd be livid.

"I'm going to get the doctor in so he can check you out since he didn't last night." Liam said, reaching over me to get his phone from the bedside table.

That reminds me! "How's Jenny, is she awake? Do you know what they used to make her sleep for so long?"

He nodded, "She woke up pretty much as soon as we got her into the house. She's okay. They crushed up a sleeping pill and put it in some juice, when she'd wake up they would give her more of the sleeping pill laced juice."

I cringed in disgust, how could they drug a little girl like that?

Liam tapped away at his phone for a minute before bringing his attention back to me.

"The doctor should be here in twenty minutes, he said you could take a painkiller in the meantime. I'll go get one." He told me, and then leaned over to give me a lingering peck on the lips before leaving the room in search of a painkiller.

I slowly got out of bed, my body aching in protest, and got out a pair of Liam's jogging pants, boxers, and a t-shirt so I could change into clean clothes.

Once I was in the bathroom and undressed, the sight I saw in the mirror made my heart sink. My nose was badly bruised where Garrett punched me, and so was my left cheek, stomach, and right arm where he was holding me during the 'exchange'.

I looked truly awful, the bruises contrasting my pale skin and sticking out like a sore thumb. If Liam saw all this, he'd freak.

The only upside I could see was that my ankle didn't hurt anymore, from when I jumped out my window in an attempt to avoid being kidnapped.

I sighed and looked away, disgusted with my reflection, and quickly got dressed so I wouldn't have to look at all the damage anymore.

By the time I was done in the bathroom, Liam was waiting in the living room with a glass of water, two pills, and toast all laid out on the coffee table.

I smiled at the sweet gesture, he didn't have to make me something to eat.

"You look better in my clothes than I do." He commented as I sat down beside him.

I shrugged, the smile never leaving my face, "I look like a kid trying on her parents clothes."

Liam laughed and handed me the pills and water.

"Where's Jenny?" I asked after I'd swallowed the painkillers, noticing the absence of the adorable little girl. It was around ten in the morning, she should be here.

"My grandparents got here last night while everything was going on, and they're looking after her for a little while until I can figure all of this gang stuff out." Liam explained.

I nodded just as the there was a knock at the door.

"I love a doctor who's early." Liam called over his shoulder as he went to answer the door, and I giggled his playfulness. Despite everything, Liam is in an unusually good mood.

Maybe I should be worried.

"Hello again Liam, I've been seeing you way too often lately." The doctor joked as he stepped into the house.

I instantly recognized him as the doctor from last night and the same one that helped Garrett when he was shot. I think his name is Daniel.

"This is your patient, I think you met her once a while back, Emma. and Emma, this is Daniel, the best doctor I know." Liam introduced us.

I got up and gave Daniel a polite 'hello' which he returned before leading me into the dining room so he could examine me.

• • • • • • •

By the time my examination was over and we'd swung by my house so I could change and grab some extra clothes and stuff, it was lunchtime at school.

"I really think we should just go back to my place so you can rest. It was the doctor's orders." Liam tried to persuade me for the hundredth time as he pulled up in front of the school.

I had a concussion, I should be resting but there's something I desperately needed to do first.

"You know I can't." I told him. I'd already explained my plan to him, but he still wasn't happy with me going anywhere other than bed.

"Okay." He finally caved.

"I'll text you when I need a ride." I told him, leaning over to kiss him on the cheek before exiting the car.

"If your head starts to hurt too much, you better tell me so I can take you home!" He called after me.

"Yeah, yeah." I laughed, rolling my eyes at his worried expression.

Finally he drove off and I headed into the school, going straight towards the classroom that was always empty, no matter what time it was.

I texted the two people I wanted to meet on the way here, so I hoped they'd be waiting for me by the time I got there.

After the events of yesterday, I realized how important friends and family are. I had so much time to think when I was tied up, and I kept going back to the fact that my little friend group was in shambles, and I wanted to do something to fix it.

Once I was outside of the classroom, I checked my makeup with the front facing camera on my phone to make sure my bruises weren't showing. Thankfully full coverage foundation really came through for me, because my face didn't look discoloured at all.

Here goes nothing I thought to myself as I walked into the room, smiling slightly when I saw both of them were there, waiting for me.

"I'm sure you two are wondering why you're here, in the same room together." I began, looking between Steph and Lisa. They both looked comically uncomfortable in each other's presence.

"I want to fix this. I need both of my best friends, there's so much I want to tell you guys and I really need both of your support right now. I want things to go back to how they were before boys got involved." I continued, my voice high with desperation. I need them.

"How could I ever forgive her for sleeping with my boyfriend! And stealing him!" Steph exclaimed, throwing her arms up in exasperation.

I sighed, she's right, that would be really hard to forgive.

"I didn't mean to! I just wanted Garrett to like me and he didn't, but Leo gave me attention and I just couldn't stop. I know I'm pathetic." Lisa replied, much quieter, her blue eyes heartbroken. I could tell she really regretted what she did. But was that enough? Could that be enough?

Steph scoffed, "Real friends don't do what you did."

Lisa bowed her head in shame, "I'm sorry."

"Please." I begged Steph. It was obvious that Lisa wanted to go back to how things used to be, it was just Steph that I had to convince.

"How could you ask me to do that Emma?" She snapped, anger and hurt written all over her face.

"I just want both of my best friends back." Was my pathetic reply. I knew it was a lot to ask of Steph, but I just wanted it so badly.

"I'll try." Steph finally mumbled, causing mine and Lisa's heads to snap in her direction, completely shocked.

"Thank you so much!" I exclaimed, rushing over and engulfing her in a bear hug. I was just so happy with the possibility of having our group back together.

When the hug ended I took a second to pull my thoughts together before speaking again.

"I have a lot to tell you two. There's a lot that's happened that you don't know about, really scary things. I don't want to get into it right now, but you need to promise me that you'll both stay far away from Garrett."

They both gave me confused looks.

"Why? Garrett's a nice guy." Steph spoke up.

I shook my head sadly, "I'll explain later, but he's not a good person. He's very dangerous. Promise me you'll stay away."

They both promised and that satisfied me enough to move on to the other thing I wanted to talk about.

"Now completely changing the subject, I want to talk about the punishment for losing our game." I hesitantly told them.

It was only fair that I did the punishment, even though I really didn't want to.

"There's only a month left of school, so I want to do it the week before school ends, on the Friday so I can have the weekend to recover." I continued. I wanted to give the bruises enough time to fade, and that's the earliest I figured they'd be gone. Three weeks from now. I just wanted to get it done and over with.

They looked shocked that I was still willing to do it after all this time, they probably forgot since they were distracted by pranking each other.

But rules are rules, I didn't win the game so I had to pay the price.

"I have a confession to make." Lisa said, her voice quiet and nervous. What does this have to do with the game's punishment?

"I didn't actually win the game. I couldn't get the second kiss done." She admitted, avoiding our eyes in embarrassment.

My mouth dropped open in shock, she lied about winning the game! How could she?

Steph cleared her throat to get our attention, "I didn't win the game either. I didn't even do the first kiss, I chickened out."

I gasped, they both lied! How could they let me play the game, thinking I was the only one that was going to lose, when neither of them even won!

"I guess we all have to do the punishment then." I told them.

This just got interesting.