I am officially starting to freak out at what she is trying to tell me. And the frantic, desperate and panicked look on her face made me all the more nervous, and not calming me, not even for a split second. Has Alex gone bonkers or something?

"Be careful of who you trust," she continued.

"Be careful of who I trust...?" I repeated after her quietly and in a daze.

"You trust people way too easily for your own good Willow. It's dangerous. Especially in sticky situations like these. You can't be too trusting. Don't judge a book by its cover."

"Don't judge a book by its cover..." I muttered incoherently.

Gosh! I sound like a parrot repeating everything its master is saying!

Back to what Alex was trying to 'lecture' me on. It's true... I do trust people easily. Too easily. But that's because I don't want to see the bad side of people. I believe that everyone has a good side that's hiding inside of them.

I trust people easily because I want to see the change in them. I believe that everyone behaves their own way for a reason. No one deserves to be distrusted and turned down by society. But... I guess it's not good to be too trusting to people. Especially strangers. And especially in our situation right now.

Or rather, especially in my situation right now.

"You have to take this advice all to heart—"

"And why should I?" I asked challengingly, cutting her off. "You told me not to trust anyone. You told me to be careful around everyone, you included. So, what makes you think I will trust you on this advice? If it's because of our previous 'best friendship', I'm sorry, but it is not going to happen. Not now, not ever."

She sighed. "Because I know, Willow."

"And what do you think you know that I don't?" I snapped at her.

"A lot of things."

Why does everyone always seem to know a lot of things that I don't? I'm always the one person who does not know anything. Why? I'm always the one who is left in the dark about every single thing.

I watched as she glanced at her watch.

"A—"

"Look Willow. I've got to go soon."

"So soon?" I blurted out without thinking.

What is wrong with her? Why in the world is she acting like so? I wonder... Is something the matter? because everyone seems to know something that I don't. I don't know anything at all. Everyone always leaves me out on everything, especially the most important things. Why? Why can they know but I can't?

"Willow, I know what you're thinking. You can't always think like this you know. It's bad for your health."

I scoffed. Oh yeah Alex. Sure you do. Just keep telling yourself that and maybe one day it'll actually come true.

"You're asking yourself why you are always left out on everything."

Okay, I take whatever I said – thought – back. She does know what I'm thinking about.

"Mind reader..." I muttered trying to sound slightly annoyed at her.

She chuckled at me. "Always have been, always will be."

That was the first thing that actually made me feel like laughing in ages.

I snorted playfully. "Yeah right."

"I know I'm right."

Darn.

"Always fell for that trick, didn't you?"

"Yeah, I did. I'll never learn."

There were some forced laughter after that, and then, it died down. Alex looked like she was deep in thought, well, thinking about something! Like how I am too. Thinking. A thousand questions started running through my head.

This is all just so confusing! Especially to me! Who is who? What is what? Who is real? What is the truth? Why is this happening? Why me?

It's all just way too much for me to understand. I was never really a fan of mysteries. Never was, never will be. And this is all a mystery to me. I'll never be able to figure this all out, will I? I doubt so...

"Willow..."

The sound of my name snapped me out of my thoughts. My head snapped up and my eyes found themselves staring straight into Alex's eyes.

"Please just listen to my advice ok?"

"I... I don't know... I really don't..." I replied honestly.

It's true. I don't know what's what anymore. There's a very limited amount of information I have stored up in my head as of right now. I just... I just don't know anything anymore.

"I know you don't know many things..."

Once again, she read my mind. I would've found this amusing, if it weren't for the tenseness of the situation.

"But please..."

I let out an exasperated sigh.

"Please Willow..."

"Don't do that."

She grabbed my hand and shook it to represent the urgency of her words. "I desperately need you to listen to me. To listen to this advice. You don't know what you are up against, Willow, you really don't."

"What if I do?"

She shook her head vigorously. "You don't. You definitely don't."

"How do you know?"

She shrugged nonchalantly. "I just do."

Her eyes were pleading for me to trust her. She was searching my face, searching it for the strong trust that we used to have in each other, the strong bond. I... I guess I should trust her. Only this once more. It told me that I should trust her this once. I guess there's just this instinct in me to trust her just this once more.

"Fine," I replied reluctantly. "But just this once."

She sighed in relief. Her shoulders sagged, while she said," Thank you."

All of a sudden, five strong built men in black suit burst out from around the corner. Panic and fear flashed in her eyes. "Oh no," she breathed.

Two of the men seized her arm. Another two seized her le and the final one punched her straight in the gut. She screamed. I could hear all the agony in her voice. I was frozen in fear. She coughed out blood and it splattered onto the men's suit. I could see that her mouth was full of crimson red blood.

The man produced something out of his pocket and flipped it open. A switchblade. He sliced her right arm slowly. She screamed throughout the whole process. I couldn't move. But I didn't want to watch what was in front of my face, but I just couldn't look away.

He pulled out a syringe with what I suppose must be knock out drugs. He injected her with the drug. And then they dragged her away, leaving me frozen in the same spot, totally stunned at the scene I had just witnessed.

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I based the last part (Alex and the beating and stuff) on the Hunger Games so... Yeah... Just so you know... Anyways, I hope you liked it! :)