Ex-Girlfriend

"I'm not there yet!"
 This page contains ***major spoilers*** for the series. If you're not caught up, stay back! Av's not gonna be too thrilled if you react to spoilers prematurely...

## Ex-Girlfriend

### Air date

October 25th, 2020 (original)
October 1st, 2022 (re-release)

### Director

Potato Flakin

***Ex-Girlfriend*** is the fifth episode of *The Adventures of Evie and Mya* in Season 1 and the fifth episode overall.

## Synopsis

Burdened by her most vile and horrid secret, Winter struggles to hide the truth from Evie and Mya, fearing that she'll be rejected if it slips. When the pressure becomes too much for her to bear, she breaks down, and her friends learn far more than they ever expected, including the very secret which chills them to their core and leaves them with a moment they won't forget.

## Content Warning

*This episode contains gore, bood, violence, and homophobia, in addition to depicting physical abuse directed toward a child. Due to the episode's themes, it is not meant for a younger audience and viewer discretion is greatly advised.*

## Transcript

*I can't look back. I can't stop running... I have to get out of here!*

Winter was *terrified* for her life as she *ran*, ran as *far away* as she could manage, from Daniela and Pineshadow Middle School, her eyes scrunched up tight as she ran away blindly.

She was *sick* to her stomach, so sick she wanted to curl up and vomit until her organs *failed*.

Her body had been set in motion from the *violent* threats dealt to her by Daniela. Warnings that she would have her life taken. *Ruined*. *Pulverized*.

Her background *discovered* and exposed to the public.

The girl that time *forgot*.

The thought of that alone caused her stomach to hiss, its walls closing in, and Winter grew more anxious and green around the gills.

At this very *moment*, the school's infamous, toxic-to-her-core bully could be chasing after her, seeking to deliver blows she *knew* would be fatal the second they landed.

Only one thing was clear.

Winter could *never* turn back to the peaceful day she had left behind, not unless she wanted to face her former flame and her gut-wrenching, soul-crushing, sinister motives, her devilish vendetta, and a look on her face that screamed harder than Bloody Mary.

So she kept on in the daylight, the blood *roaring* in her ears, her heart *bursting* out of her chest.

Her breath was short, ragged, and from the inside, she felt like she was *choking* to death.

*Can't... stop... have... to... get... away... from... her...*

After what seemed like *hours* of running, Winter couldn't take it anymore, the pain and exhaustion ripping into her skin and the remaining vitality in her body, and she collapsed by a small creek, her chin resting in a patch of melting snow. She panted, her throat drying and her stomach convulsing in *pain*.

The cramps were *god awful* and savage demons, and she just *barely* managed to climb up to her knees, where she gagged, unable to keep herself under control. She vomited into the creek bed three times, eyes still closed and brimming with tears that streaked down her pale cheeks.

Her head throbbed with pain, and with her breath still coming out in short rasps, Winter remained on her knees.

*How could I have been so foolish? I should've known she would have been out searching for me... seeking to destroy me...*

Winter hated herself, not only for being selfish enough to walk outside on her own, but for *believing* that after dealing with Aiden, she would become invincible to any outside threat.

Daniela had *desires* to *murder her*.

*She was not safe anywhere she stood*.

With horror, Winter realized that she had let precious, consecrated time slip by, letting her body lay here by the creek bed. Gasping, she whirled around, expecting an amber-eyed *goliath* to leap out at her and rip open her throat, the blood pouring and staining the ground around her.

To her relief, there was no Daniela, but eerie silence and a flickering realization.

*The cabin! I need to get back!*

Winter immediately crawled back up to her feet and jumped across the creekbed, fleeing fast despite her gag reflex building again. This time, she managed to keep the bile down in her stomach, refusing to collapse and barf out nothing but *agony* again.

*No, I can't collapse!*

Everything in her body was *fire*. It hurt. It left scars. It ripped her to pieces. Her skin was scarring and *itching*, *burning* from her ten minutes of living in *hell*.

Finally, Winter saw the place she called her home and pulled the door open roughly, dragging herself in. Once she was safely inside, she yanked the door closed, locked it, hid the key in its hiding place, drew the drapes over the windows, *then* took off her coat and threw it in a corner.

Solitude, an uneasy one, had reached her at long last, and she took in a short gasp of air, clutching her weakened stomach.

But then Daniela's words crept right back into her head, and that solitude was quick to *die* in front of her very eyes.

*I'll find you.*

*And by then, I'll kill you FOR ALL THE PAIN YOU GAVE ME!*

*I never play the victim. I'd much rather be a stalker.*

Her secrets, as Daniela promised, would be *laid bare* to the whole of Pineshadow, and her hidden way of life, without parents or a legal guardian to protect her, would be the ultimate cause of her *downfall*.

She'd be put in police custody.

Her name would go down in *infamy* in Pineshadow.

She would spend the rest of her *life* in the never-ending *hell* that was foster care.

Winter would never find her place and would be stripped of her everlasting freedom that she had granted herself when she first traversed into the welcoming canopies of the Piney Woods. All that was, slipping through her fingertips.

That *she-demon* would be the only thing to blame.

*How is everything I've heard... real? Tell me this is just a nightmare! When will this end? She... Daniela doesn't have the power to do what she vows! She just... can't!*

Winter fell back down on her knees, her thoughts serving as a literal gut punch, and she shut her eyes, gripping the strands of the carpet on the cabin floor. Tears traveled down her face and dripped by her hands, their marks displaying all of the *pain* she could *never* contain.

*It's just a dream. It's just a dream! It has to be just a dream! I'm just DREAMING!*

But as Winter and a soft, wispy voice kept telling herself that, she didn't wake up from a magical slumber in her cabin. She wasn't tickled by sunlight, she wasn't around her two saving *graces* in Evie Ly and Mya Heartley.

She was *not dreaming*.

What Daniela had said - every single *horrid* word she had said, promised, and set in *stone* back outside of PMS - was *reality*.

*This is reality. I'm living a nightmare. The damn nightmare I'm ALWAYS in!*

Winter's grip on reality *itself* was slipping and *fast*. Daniela wanted to *murder her*, *find her*, and *kill her* until she was nothing but dust and bone.

*Only in a dream. Always in a nightmare.* Once, long ago, she told herself that, but this was no dream nor a nightmare.

Her heart rate went up to its limit, causing her to shout out in pain, and she collapsed onto the foor, hugging herself and convulsing, lacking the strength to send her ghosts and the spirits that *forever* haunted her away.

She was panicking - and *bad*.

Winter breathed rapidly, lacking the ability to cohesively function, and her vision began to spin - she was falling into vertigo now, falling from a sky she couldn't reach.

She was an angel with clipped wings.

*I... need to rest... get this out of my mind...*

Even with her vision being blurred and her head clouded with dizziness, Winter clambered over to her makeshift bed, kicking off her boots and not bothering to change clothes any further. No fever had slipped into her body, but to her, it *sure as hell* felt like she was running a high one, and a shiver went down her spinal cord.

Rest would do her good, or so she thought, and thus she curled into her blankets and shut her eyes, fighting forces and flashing colors breaking up her induced blackness.

Winter shuddered, clenching her teeth together. She wrapped herself in more blankets and buried her head firmly in her pillow, embracing the darkness once more. Slowly, her tempature went back up, and she became nice and snug.

Sleep did not come easy to the troubled girl, and for an hour, she fidgeted, attempting to get more comfortable, begging for peace and to be knocked out with a thousand words left unsaid.

Eventually, her body gave in to her efforts, and she fell asleep, undisturbed and soundly.

When Winter blinked open her eyes, she was back in a white void, one she recognized immediately, and her heartbeat increased. Her ice-blue eyes flitted back and forth, reflecting terror and rising tension within her.

This was the *same dream* she had the day she met Evie and Mya.

*No! Not again! I won't let you torture me!*

Winter tried to move, but her legs were stuck in blackness, black tendrils that gripped and squeezed and pressed down like thorny spikes against her legs. She winced in pain.

Then, she heard footsteps. *Thump. Thump. Thump*.

A *cold*, black hand felt her cheekbone, moving down to her chin and holding it up. The other hand did the same on the other side of her shaken face.

Winter squeaked, pointing her chin up.

"Welcome back, Winterlyn," a voice purred in delight, and slinking in front from behind her was her shadowy ex-girlfriend, malignant red eyes glowing and analyzing her weak, paralyzed body.

"Let me *go*!" Winter begged, leaning forward, though her restricted movement impeded her desire to flee or attack. Her ex pushed her back with a jet-black hand, holding her chin and tracing it with a sharp fingernail.

"Oooh, nah, nah. That isn't happening tonight, baby... it was about time we hung out... after a *year* of this bullcrap," she retorted, taking up Winter's hands in hers, almost expecting her to perform a dance routine by her side.

Instead, Winter refused to embrace the hauntingly familiar touch and somehow tore her hands out of her wispy ex's hands, panic in her eyes. She strained in her spot, trying to escape.

*This isn't real! I'm just dreaming and I can break this dream!*

"You *aren't real*!" she snapped back desperately. "You don't *exist*! You can't *traumatize me ever again*! I ran away from you. I'm *not here*! Here in this dream, you can't *take my soul and rip me to pieces*!"

"Always so *naive*, Winterlyn. What a *disappointment*," the ex replied resentfully, bitter. She stomped up to Winter and gripped her throat, squeezing her and choking her. Winter gasped for air, thrashing and trying to rip the blackness away with no success.

"Gah! S-stop!"

She was going to *die here*. The ex had other motives in mind.

"You constantly *believe* that you're living in some big dream and that you can run away and live happily. Well, I'm quite *jaded* from these games. Times are different now, darlin'. It's about *time* you stopped *goddamn pretending* that what *defined your measly self* never happened!"

Pain *blazed* through Winter's whole body, and her strength, along with her confidence, flooded out of her in a river she couldn't stop or hold back with a floodgate. It had been left open. She only had one final plea to choke out.

"*End* this nightmare *right now*! I *command you* to ***END IT***!" she screamed using all of the air in her lungs, falling limp afterward from her feeble endeavors.

Unfortunately, it was *nowhere close* to enough.

"*Tch*! You seriously believe I can *end* this dream *myself*? I'm not going to, because *you* need to *remember* the past you *left behind*... *Snowblind*!"

And with a single move, the ex-girlfriend snapped her fingers.

And *then*, the ground underneath Winter *split*, cracks forming and chunks flying into the air. Winter was *weightless*, suspended in mid-air for just a split second.

But gravity returned to normal, and Winter *screamed* so loud she had thought she had broken the sound barrier itself.

She shut her eyes, preparing to fall to her death... except that her fall was broken, *cushioned* by something fuzzy, warm... and *too familiar*.

Winter blinked, and she was *horrified* by everything around her.

*No... oh no, no! Don't tell me...*

The small bookshelves, the sofa she was on, the small coffee table, the fireplace with three Stars of David decorating them. The wall behind the sofa with picture frames of her family. The blare of the TV playing a chewing gum jingle.

*It was the very November night where her life was ruined forever*.

She knew this night so well it played like a cassette tape. She was here, laying beside her girlfriend, shadowy yet alluring. In the middle of the sofa was her father, who was watching late night television and snorted at the chewing gum jingle, wringing his hands and momentarily glancing at his marriage ring, placed delicately on his finger, eyes glassy.

Winter's girlfriend had asked to sleep over that night. She giddily agreed and so did her father.

The night was calm, serene, and affectionate, with Winter having snuck several cuddles and intimate nuzzles with her lover when her father was distracted. Though Winter was nothing like her past self, and she strained, trying to peel herself away and return to the world of the living. However, she was unwillingly tugged back into the grip this nightmare had on her; forces pressed down on her eyelids, trying to force her into sleeping.

*Only in a dream. Always in a nightmare. Wake me up! Please wake me up, you sick bastard!*

Just then, her ex-girlfriend arose, and Winter knew *immediately* what she was going to say.

*No! Don't tell him! Please! Not this again, don't make me-*

"Hey, Mr. McCormick? Winter would like to tell you a secret she's had for a while."

The life *drained* out of Winter's body, and face contorted in absolute, sheer *fear*, she stood up just as she had done a year ago.

Confused, Mr. McCormick faced his daughter.

"Pardon, Winterlyn? Go on."

Winter, shaky, stared at the ground, then focused her gaze on her ex. "I... I don't wanna tell him this. Please! I told you I wasn't ready!" she exclaimed in a whisper, butterflies in her stomach, and she curled her arms around herself apprensively.

"Nah, you got this! Be honest. Your dad is an *amazing guy*, Winter! He'll love you no matter what!" she reassured back, giving her a happy-go-lucky thumbs up, which she thought was the nudge her partner needed.

Winter wanted to throw up, and by that, throw up her entire *skeleton*. She *never* wanted this. Never, not *ever*, and *especially* not in a fashion like *this*, in the middle of a night and when they were going to spend it as two forces combined. And now, her ex-girlfriend had betrayed her privacy in a *heartless* move.

Her father's chestnut eyes silently prompted her to speak.

Winter, scrunching up her eyes, gripped her wrists and uttered the words she never thought she'd *ever* have to recite again.

"Dad... I'm a lesbian. She's my girlfriend."

*Intense* silence filled the entire living room of the McCormick household. Her girlfriend gave a toothy smile while her father eyed her in shock. She felt small, so pathetic, and so, utterly *hopeless*.

She was a rat in the middle of a busy New York street.

It was so quiet that a pin could drop, and Winter could hear her own heartbeat, an anxious *badum-badum-badum*.

Then, a heavy pair of shoes stepped up to her. It was her father - and flaring *embers* were in his eyes.

"Is this *true*, Winterlyn?" he demanded, crossing his arms and impatiently tapping his foot, awaiting his daughter's answer.

Winter was unsettled by the tone of his voice and too disturbed to move. She faced the ground, wishing that she could disappear and avoid the scrutinizing gaze of her father boring into her. Her mouth trembled and parted open.

"Yes, dad... I *love* her."

The next thing she realized, Winter had made a *devastating* mistake. Her father's anger turned into a steady, animalistic growl, and forming two fists, he assaulted Winter, slapping her *hard* on her cheek.

"**YOU HEATHEN**!" he screeched, pulling back his lips and revealing his teeth. Winter, *mortified*, backed into the fireplace. Out of the corner of her eye, she saw her girlfriend watching *everything* unfold, stuck in place, her mouth agape in horror.

Mr. McCormick was not done with his onslaught and hissed again.

"**Winterlyn Falin McCormick**, how **dare** you go against your family and your own **morals**! Running off with a **girl**? Keeping this a **secret** from me and *lying* that she was your *friend* the whole time?"

"Dad, *stop*, please! You don't underst-"

"***YOU'RE NOTHING BUT A SINNER***! Yahweh wanted us to be *equals*, one of each. You were *never meant* to fall in love with someone of your *gender*, Winterlyn. You are only meant to be with a *loving man* and ***no more***. The fact that *you*, the daughter I *raised* in Yahweh's *graces*, engaged in ***BLATANT TOMFOOLERLY AND ROMANCE*** with *that brat*... it is a *sin*. You are a *traitor* to this family!"

Winter blinked back tears, the scars she knew re-opening and splitting her body apart limb by limb. *I... I never wanted this...*

Her girlfriend had done nothing to come to *her lover's* rescue, only backing away. Her refusal to help, step in, protect her girlfriend's *integrity* and fight the *evil* possessing her father *enraged her*.

Something in Winter *snapped*, and *somehow* gaining gasoline to fuel a fire, she *challenged* Edwin McCormick in a precarious position - a mouse on the low ground, a lion on the high ground.

"Well, guess *what*? I don't *believe in Yahweh*, dad! I've barely believed all of this stuff... if there really was a god, Yahweh would have wanted me to *love* who I wanted, be who I *choose* to be! I want to have my hair short! I want to wear "edgy" clothing! I wanna reveal my shoulders! don't want to be the average woman *you* want me to be! I'm a lesbian, I like girls, I'm a tomboy and *beyond* just my gender. *Please just accept it*!"

"***WINTERLYN MCCORMICK***!" her father retorted with an ear-piercing roar, pushing her up against the fireplace mantle by her throat and squeezing her, *well intending* to murder his daughter for her treason and profanity against her Jewish heritage.

Her airways closing, Winter stuttered out her last bit of defiance, succumbing to pain and the trepidation along with the images of the *devil* reflected in her father's eyes.

"Mom would have *never* wanted this... she always told me that *whatever* path I picked in life, she'd *support it*. If she were still *alive*, she would do *everything* in Yahweh's *will* to *stop you* from becoming a *monster*! I am a *lesbian*. I have *always* been fluid in my gender identity and *who* I am. I am a tomboy, I love girls, and as long as I live, ***I'LL STAND ON OWN. TWO. FEET***!"

Suddenly, Edwin *rammed* her head up against the fireplace brick, and fiery pain *shot* through the back of her head. That blow served as the equivalent of a *gunshot wound*. Edwin was not done and compressed her neck further, making Winter hack and claw for air desolately. This was a fight she was *losing*.

A fight with her *own father*.

She full well believed she was going to die and never escape the McCormick house that night.

*She was going to die in her own house*.

However, out of nowhere, Edwin began *muttering*, locking a potent, *violent* chestnut stare onto his daughter's sensitive ice-blue. The muttering turned into *words*. *Daggers*.

Not just words or daggers. *Psychological torture*.

"***HOW DARE YOU USE YOUR MOTHER AND YAHWEH'S NAMES SO WICKEDLY***! You are a **DISGUSTING, SHAMEFUL TRAITOR**! A **POISON**! A **DISGRACE**! Your *conception* was a *mistake*, Winterlyn. I see that now. Despotic, treasonous spawn of *Satan*..."

Winter gasped, breathing jagged and ice-blue eyes *wide* from all that she had heard her father say. Her pale face, broken up with freckles, had turned a ghostly white. The back of her her head ached from the malice her father had inflicted on her, and she could only scrape together enough strength to stand, leaning back against the bricks of the fireplace.

She had desired to be *herself* since a young age.

Now she was a *traitor* to her family name, a toxin, and not even her father's *daughter*.

"Dad... p-please... I'm s-sorry..." she whimpered hopelessly.

To him, she was a nobody, a disgusting sinner who committed sin and needed to be *thoroughly* dealt with. An idea crossed his mind, and licking his lips, Edwin felt for *it* in his pocket.

Winter's eyes trailed to that hand, which then pulled out a brown handle, the bottom having the faint etching of *EM*. Edwin McCormick.

He clicked the button, and a *honed*, *dangerous* silver blade popped out.

"Choose to *be* a sin, choose to be *barbaric* over accepting blessings. You were *never* my daughter, *disgusting hag*. And it's *time* you received **punishment** for the decay you ***CAUSED WITHIN YOUR FAMILY***!"

Without warning, Edwin yanked his daughter's left hand outward, exposing her wrist, and with his other hand, he brought the pocket knife's blade *down* on the delicate skin.

*Slice*.

Winter *wailed* in heartbreak, anguish, and *extreme levels* of suffocating, overwhelming *pain*. Scarlet blood *poured* from a raw, red gash on her wrist, nearly stretching to the back of her hand, dripping onto the floor. In a wild action, she slapped her father in self-defense, shoving him away and pulling his knife out of his hand. Not even considering second thoughts, she hid it in her back pocket before Edwin could react, but he was too caught up in the height of his deadly method to care. Winter sunk to her knees, gripping her wrist with her hand, though her attempt to staunch the bleeding was in vain.

Blood soaked the skin of her right hand and continued to spill onto the carpet, leaving behind a gigantic red blob.

Her girlfriend had *still done nothing* to save her, and tears leaked down her face.

*She let it happen.*

*She left me to die.*

"*This* is what happens when you're *dishonest* and *lie* to your *loved ones*. Your guardians. Yahweh will *forever* judge you for your betrayal and *sinner* ways, Winterlyn."

He stomped up to her and jabbed her on her waistline with his shoe, making contact with her ribs and startling more daylights out of her. "**Ten minutes**. Pack your things and **get out of my house**. *Sin* does not *belong* here."

Unbeknownst to him, Winter had gained his pocket knife, but it didn't make her any safer than she was now.

Time was passing by. Winter needed to move and now, or else, she'd be murdered and dismembered by the person she once believed she'd be lost without.

*Come on... fight... I must get out of here! I have to run... I have to run away!*

Seeing her small, fragile hands, she ran into the bathroom, leaving a trail of bloody splotches behind her, and turned on the cold tap water, running the cool liquid under her wrist and clearing the wound of the disturbing blood oozing from it. She grunted and clenched her teeth together as she washed the wound and her stained hands; the wound hurt like a viper bite.

When the tap was shut off, the sink was covered in bloodstains. Sniffing, Winter bandaged her slit wrist to the best of her ability, but it didn't stop the bandages from turning a shade of pale red afterward.

With time still left to spare, Winter scrambled up to her feet, her palms cleansed of the nightmarish scarlet, and went to her small room full of her childhood possessions. Her posters, blankets, beloved clothing, her Varien albums, and school backpack.

One by one, she packed everything she could away. A set of clothes, her school supplies, her precious white diamond necklace gifted to her by her mother, and any other *belonging* too sacred to leave behind - more importantly, her precious, untouchable box.

It was done. Her old life was *over*.

Her old room, decked out in old blankets, a decent-sized bed, and all the posters she could have ever collected from Hot Topic, was barren.

The life was removed and kept as an unstable memory.

Winter's presence, from rough tomboy to searching for her true orientation to having a forbidden, unwarranted relationship with a girl, was destroyed.

Assassination of what she had known for eleven years.

She grabbed her backpack - the memories she could keep - and returned to the living room, where her father - and her ice-solid girlfriend - stood.

This memory was the *definition* of dark familiarity and a *raw*, *unimaginable* spectrum of the truth in Winter's hollow bones.

Her girlfriend reached out to her, a plea in her amber eyes, but Winter shut it down and faced her bitterly.

"*Why* did you *do this* to me? When I told you not to?" she demanded accusingly, ice-blue eyes welling with volcanic *fury*.

Her girlfriend did not respond.

*Wait*.

That wasn't how Winter recalled the one November day.

"*Say it*! Say you didn't know that it was going to *escalate*!"

Winter snarled, about to pull that pocket knife and defend herself with her life.

Instead, her opponent smiled in glee, white teeth gleaming against her shadowy form and beady, *malice*-filled red eyes.

"Things don't always go to plan, do they, *Snowblind*?" she teased. "I *do* remember that day *very*, *very* well... it was the day *you ruined my life*!"

"**YOU RUINED MINE**!" Winter snapped back. "I'm *not* who you are. I *don't* want to remember what *you* did!"

"Really? You're pathetic. You're the *kid* who *ran away* from her small home, away from the last traces of her family. You can't confront *anybody* without breaking down and sobbing your tiny heart out until it's *bone dry*. You're cowardly. Nothing more than a *cowardly* and *lost fool* named **Snowblind**!"

Her girlfriend broke out into laughter, *dark* laughter, *humiliating* laughter that echoed and swirled around Winter's head. She covered her ears, but it was too late, and the laughs looped in her head *over and over*.

The broken record didn't stop there, and *finally*, the shadow's figure melted away, revealing her true form.

*Pale skin*.

*Sleek, refined black hair*.

*The amber eyes of a sociopath*.

*That infamous blue sweater*.

Winter's ex-girlfriend was *Daniela Burton Vunquist*.

And when she woke up, her half-assed attempt at a bed a mess and drenched in sweat, she let out an *ear-piercing* scream that made *everything* in the Piney Woods stand on end.

**SEASON 1, EPISODE 5 - EX-GIRLFRIEND**

"Ooooh Evie! Today is the day! A day of *awesomeness*!" Mya declared, drumming her fingers against the wood of her desk in English. Next to her sat Evie, who stared at her amusedly and rested her fingers on her English notebook.

"Why is that, O Great One?" she questioned curiously, head tilted to the side and her lips pulled in a smirk.

"It's Write-About-It Day! We get to write *freelance* from a prompt of *our choice*! I'm gonna write a whole essay on why Aether Martinez is the representation we need in *literature*!"

Evie chuckled. Of *course* Mya would have eyes on this day - Write-About-It was a time frame in their English class when their tight and short-tempered teacher. Mrs. Ikenna, would allow them to write any story based on any prompt they could choose. From fantasy to biography to a expository essay, the choices were endless.

Evie always went with the essays, mostly encouraged by her mother, who viewed them as "beyond pertinent" to her education and believed that they would be a good supplement to her English grade. Mya was the solar opposite and and consistently picked fiction and fantasy to write about, scribbling down story ideas and theories and matter-of-fact opinions at godspeed.

"Ah, alright. You do you. Get 'em, tiger."

"Aether essay, here I come!"

"Oh, *shut up*, Heartley! Nobody gives a *rat's ass* about your *cliché* book characters," Daniela spat from her place a table away, glaring at Mya with hate in her eyes.

Unfortunately, English class, besides having Mrs. Ikenna being a drag with her nature, *also* had Pineshadow Middle School's badly-behaved, disorderly, and *defiant* mean queen Daniela in it.

Mya was not going to have her train of thought derailed by Daniela today.

"Does anybody give a cat's *tail* about you becoming a tomato around girls and boys, *Dani*?" she fired back, blowing a raspberry at her.

At once, Daniela's face went from pale white to *dark red*, and growling, she buried her face in her desk, too embarrassed and hoping no one else heard Mya's clap back at her.

*That's what I thought.* Just then, Mya was prodded by Evie, who pointed to an empty seat near Daniela - the one where Winter sat.

"Winter's not here... that's a little strange, no?" she pointed out.

"Now that you mention it... where *is* Winter?"

Mya faced the clock near the smartboard in the room. Only a *minute* was left until class started.

Where in the *heck* was Winter?

Evie began to worry, curling a finger under her chin. "It's unusual that she's late... is something wrong?"

Seconds slipped by, and by, and by.

Luckily for her and Mya, their worries would soon disspiate when Winter walked in. Her sandy-brown hair was a mess and ruffled, and her eyes were outlined in purple, but overall, she seemed okay and relatively in one piece.

"Sleepless night, Winter?" Evie asked. Winter nodded and took her seat next to Daniela, who had regained her typical composure and eyed her classmate with a sneer.

Mrs. Ikenna then walked in, closing the door as the bell rang, signaling the start of class.

"Good morning, class. As some of you might have guessed, it's Write-About-It day, which means you can write from any prompt you desire to create. However, there are some rules and regulations to go over, so let's get started."

She tutted over to her desk, pulling out some papers and activating her smartboard, demonstrating her slideshow.

"First rule: if you are to write a thesis for the essay, you need to remember..."

As Ikenna addressed her class, Mya noticed that Winter was fidgeting in her seat, seeming visually uncomfortable and stressed. She frowned and showed Evie, who's dark green eyes were appalled.

*What the hell happened? I thought she was pretty normal walking in, albeit tired, and now she's shifting as if she's a sidewinder... hmm...*

Evie observed Winter more, noticing that every minute or so, she'd turn to Daniela before looking away, biting her lip and playing with her fingers. Daniela kept her eyes on her, monitoring her every movement and scouting out her weaknesses with the eyes of a manipulative eagle.

Her body was stiff. Was Winter hiding something? Did it have to do with Daniela?

"...remember your formatting when writing an essay and be descriptive. Don't deviate from your topic..."

Winter chewed on her lip, crossing her legs and following Mrs. Ikenna as she explained the Write-About-It rules, but her eyes shifted back to Daniela, making it hard for her to concentrate. Realizing she did not have her English notebook out, she reached into her backpack and retrieved it, placing it on her desk.

When she sat back up, her ear came in contact with a strand of black hair tickling it. She *tensed*, her heart skipping beats.

"You'd look so *hot* on a silver platter, McCormick."

Winter flinched and yelped, feeling an invisible hot iron drop on her lap. Evie and Mya, the entire class, and the unamused gaze of Mrs. Ikenna bore into her frightened soul.

"I would appreciate it if you could *not* interrupt my *proctoring*, Winter," Ikenna scolded. Daniela snickered, and some of her other classmates did as well, enjoying the embarrassed look on Winter's face.

Groaning, Winter buried her raw, pink cheeks in her notebook. She still had *hours* of the day to kill.

Returning to her storied cabin in the woods was *far* from her reach.

Damn it.

Mrs. Ikenna flipped her notes paper, explaining the rules of the fantasy write, but as she did so, Evie studied Winter for a second time. She was distressed, yes, that was clear. But also, the issue *causing* her awry behavior and the strange amount of *tension* building inside seemed to be Daniela.

And wait... were those *tears* in her eyes? Had Daniela hit a *nerve*?

*Having an adequate fear around Daniela isn't something unordinary or very new, she instills fear in everyone... same with having your strings played with by her. She's wry and knows where to break a person so that they bend to her will. If anything, that's probably what's making Winter sweat buckets.*

*But something is communicating to me that we're missing details, and it's far beyond what straws we're currently grasping...*

Daniela would not interact with Winter *again*, and English class went well afterward without a hitch or any sudden jolts from Winter. She improved in condition and wrote a very good fiction segment on witches who protect sacred forests.

Mya approved of it, teasing her for how much it reflected her and showing off her *Aether and the Darkness Falls* essay. Evie's was basic; that didn't need to be discussed.

Daniela threatened to bite *anyone* who questioned what her Write-About-It prompt was about. Sheesh, she was rather vampiric.

Lunchtime swung by after a few hours, and eager to dive into their cuisines, Evie and Mya entered the cafeteria and took their seat at the table nearest to the presentation stage.

Evie unpacked her lunch, a sizzling cake made by her mother, along with apple slices and some water. Damn, it actually looked tasty today.

Mya was more classic and had a PB&J with slices of fruit and a cookie for a snack afterward.

Their class joined them in the bustling cafeteria, engaging in the rampant chatter that filled the air, and Evie and Mya left a space open at their table for Winter, who was - again - running late.

"What is it with Winter and being late? That's *so* uncharacteristic of her! She's here faster than you can say *Norether*, and besides, she has to be *punctual* or people are going to give her snake eyes!" Mya exclaimed, waving her sandwich around in emphasis.

"I assumed it had something to do with Daniela in English," Evie replied, taking a bite of her sizzling cake. "Daniela *seriously* got under her skin. Pretty normal when dealing with her."

"Do you remember when Dani confronted Winter outside the office?"

Evie nodded. Just shortly after they had met Winter and became acquainted with her, she and Mya witnessed Daniela *viciously* attack her in the hallway, holding her by the throat and using that Snowblind taunt without hesitation.

There was a *craving* in her amber eyes as she blazed Winter. *Hunger*. A *yearning* of darkness that only screamed pure evil.

In her clutches, Winter was *frozen* and *terrified*. She couldn't move a muscle, let alone escape.

After Daniela was apprehended by Rex, she had disappeared... out of sight and out of mind - vanishing from her new friends.

*Daniela seemed so obsessed with Winter... almost as if there's something between them... in addition to that, Winter seems to be hiding something from us...*

Evie gulped, a twinge of her nose betraying her worry, and Mya put her half-eaten sandwich down. "Evie, are you okay?"

"Not exactly, My. I've been thinking about that confrontation... something about it is... *off*."

Mya scooted closer to her, her leaf-green eyes alarmed and flaring. "I... I agree. Didn't Dani say she had "unfinished business" with Winter??"

Evie gasped. *Unfinished business!*

"Okay, this is more than just a half-hypothesis. Mya, there's something going on that we haven't picked up on..."

In their conversation, the two had failed to notice that Winter was approaching them, holding her sack lunch and only hearing the last tidbit of Evie's words.

*There's something going on that we haven't picked up on.*

Winter began to feel woozy, glancing around the cafeteria nervously. Was Daniela here? Was she about to spring up on her? Were Evie and Mya *on* to her?

The chatter in the cafeteria was immense, but there was no sign of the blue-sweatered bloodlusting *behemoth* that was Daniela.

And Evie and Mya could've been talking about *anything*. The chances of them being suspicious of her weren't high... right?

Relaxing and dropping her shoulders, Winter tapped Evie on her shoulder. "Hey Ev... can I sit here?" she asked in a low voice.

Evie gave a small nod.

"Of course you can! Come on down, the price is *right*!" Mya invited, winking at her, and warmed by her presence, Winter sat down.

"What were you guys t-talking about? Heard somethin' about g-going ons and you guys not picking up on s-something..."

Evie heard the anxious stutter in her tone and saw her ice-blue eyes had fresh insecurity in them, which only made her ponder harder. *Goddamn, Winter might know that we were talking about her... don't wanna scare her off. We're on uneven ground here.*

"Nah, it was nothing, no need to worry! Daniela was putting you through hell earlier. Unwind for a bit and get some food in your stomach. I can share my mom's sizzling cake, it's really good," Evie said, smiling at her and offering a slice of the cake.

"Thanks, Ev." She took the slice and ate it, savoring the taste and licking her lips. "Mmm."

"Hey, about English," Mya broke into her thoughts, her tone soft and careful. Out of all things right now, she didn't want to unintentionally make her friend panic.

"We happened to notice that something was stressing you... you yelped and were all wormy around Daniela. Is something the matter?"

Winter's face turned a slight shade of *pink*, her mouth curving into a frown, and her eyes seemed... *repulsed*.

*Forlorn*.

*Oh god, I might have disgusted her, crap...* Mya thought, looking away and zipping up her lunchbox.

However, she snuck a quick glance at Winter and saw that there were *still* purple lines under her eyes, parting the pale skin and dividing it. One thing was clear - Winter hadn't gotten much sleep, if *any* sleep at all, the night prior.

"What's wrong? Was it what I said? Are you... tired?" she prompted uneasily.

"N-No," Winter stated bluntly. "I... had a rough night. Couldn't sleep. Got really hot in bed, fidgeted, all that jazz... nothing's wrong, *ha*! Just sleepless... heh."

Winter laughed to herself, causing her entire table to stare at her in utter surprise. She was usually a quiet, laid-back kid and hardly *ever* let herself laugh, but today, she was talkative, excessively anxious, and trying to laugh off an *obvious* problem.

This wasn't just slightly uncharacteristic, it was *fully* uncharacteristic of the troubled teen, who was silent as death and never gave anyone solid information about her home life, not unless they wanted to be glared at to *death*.

Evie did not buy her plain-to-see lie and neither did Mya.

Winter had a *secret*, heavily implied to have ties to the school bully, that she was keeping locked under the ten thousand layers she had given herself.

It was *something* that she *didn't* want her friends to learn or know.

"Winter... you look very out of it, and you aren't acting like you typically do, with all this chuckling and dismissal and stuff. You can tell us if-"

"What are you talking about?" Winter blocked Evie before she could even complete her sentence. "I'm fine, I'm awake, I'm here at school, getting my work done, and I'm glad to be with you guys." Sighing in "content," she bit into an apple and hummed a tune to herself.

*The hell did I just witness?* Evie internally demanded, one eyebrow raised.

Mya was in full agreement with her best friend, baffled to hell's *gates* by how Winter was acting. It was unnatural, painfully forced, and *painfully* clear that Winter was *concealing* something.

*She shouldn't bottle up her issues! That isn't healthy!*

By day's end, Winter had stopped talking to Evie and Mya and kept to herself, focusing on her classwork and staying far away from any gossip regarding secrets and her bizarre behavior.

The moment the bell signaling 8th period's end rang, Winter ran out the door.

But Evie and Mya were hot on her tail.

In the crowds, they saw sandy-brown hair attempting to blend in and gave chase even with the traffic.

"Winter!" Evie shouted. "Winter, hang on for a minute!"

"We just wanna talk to ya!" Mya added.

Outside, the snow was beginning to melt, though the roads were still slick with ice and white patches clogged up the streets and sidewalks. Winter walked away from the crowd and in the direction of the Piney Woods.

"*Win*! Hold on for a *minute*!" Mya pleaded, but Winter's ears were plugged to her surroundings.

She did not hear her best friends and walked onward, transforming into a ghost that perfectly melted into the environment around her, the other minorities in her life blurring out.

Was she *ignoring* her own friends on *purpose*? That was *extremely* concerning - she'd *never* do that to them at all.

"*What's* going on, Winter?!" Evie demanded, her tone hitched with worry, her dark green eyes beginning for a reply back, a confirmation that all was well, just a *word* that would give her everything she and Mya needed to know.

Winter refused to stop and face them.

"**Slow down**!" Mya howled, and without warning, she grabbed Winter's arm, forcing her to halt.

At once, her friend *whipped* toward her, ice-blue eyes *glimmering* with irritation and *rage*.

"***BACK OFF***!" she spat, looming over her and Evie with intimidation, and hurt by her remark, Mya whimpered and backed into Evie.

Evie's instincts went into overdrive, and leaping in front of Mya protectively, she met Winter's strange animosity head-on.

"What the heck, Winter?? Mya didn't mean to be intrusive. Relax, we're not going to do anything."

Winter eyed them, suspicion clouding her icy gaze.

"But it's *clear as day* to us that something is troubling you... please tell us what's going on. We *want* to *help* you."

Upon seeing the concern and partial shock in Evie's eyes, Winter brought herself to lower her hackles and return her mindset to a calmer state. Whoa, she was definitely overreacting.

*I can't... but I could've... can't...*

Tensely, she surveyed the area. No student seemed to be interested in their business, and there was no signs of the deviant and rabid Daniela lurking nearby, and no adult ready to pry into the conversation.

Okay, no Daniela, no bullies ready to behead her and give her the Snowblind taunt.

She didn't have to tell them *everything*, only what they desired to hear. Good - they'd never know Daniela was once romantically linked with her. She gritted her teeth together just thinking about that.

"It's... nothing. Just personal matters and going through the motions," she admitted reluctantly, dragging one of her boots through the snow. "I'm sorry for acting so erratic. Emotions are different for everyone and I have my... own way of coping with them. Does that make sense?"

Mya nodded, taking a breath and gaining her bubbly energy back, grinning at Winter from ear to ear. "Of course we understand! Would you like to talk about what's happening with you? Venting's an ideal way to get everything out."

Winter replied with a brisk shake of her head. "Too personal to share... maybe in a day or two. Right now, I'm gonna focus on getting s'more sleep and touch up on myself... think I deserve it."

"Are you sure?" Evie inquired.

"Yes. I'm sure." Winter nodded to her friends, waving her farewells before spinning away from them and marching forward in the direction of the Piney Woods.

After sheltering herself within the thick trees and beautiful leaf canopies, Winter's smile faded into a grimice, and her skin was pricked with copious amounts of anxiety.

*That was way too close for comfort... I kept blowing my cover numerous times! Stop it, Winter! If Evie and Mya find out the truth, I'm gonna be on my own again!*

*They'll never accept Daniela was my ex-girlfriend, someone so violent and a monster who feeds off everyone's suffering... MY suffering.*

Winterlyn McCormick had a *deathly* secret, and this was one she *refused* to tell her own precious friends. She was on a tripwire above thin ice that prevented her from dying in a dark sea, flanked by violent sharks - her demons - that sought to consume her.

She felt *horrible* for having to pull off this level of deceit. Guilt gnawed at her bones and left her feeling hollow and fruitless. She stopped near the creekbed where she vomited, sitting down by it and letting her fingers part the stream of running water.

Around her friends, she was an open door, a rose garden learning to blossom, and she could gain the wings of the eagle, flying like the avians of the sky infinitely. However, with the *uproar* and the *threats*, her wings had been *clipped off* by the sadism-crazed Daniela, who had her eyes set on her - and she had a score to settle - a score tainted in *blood*.

"I want to tell you, Evie and Mya. About *her*. But if you find out that *Dani* was the flame that made me whole... you'll *never* forgive me for loving a *demon*. I'm sorry... but this is for your sake."

*For your sake and for mine. Whatever I do, I won't let Daniela tear this friendship I have to shreds.*

When the sun had gone down and cast the skies over the Piney Woods in blotches of pink, purple, orange, and yellow, Winter had eaten her measly dinner and had prepared for bed, changing her clothes and fluffing up her pillows as much as she could. After today, she wanted to rid herself of constantly feeling embarrassed and panicking when Daniela laid a *finger* on her.

What Evie and Mya saw and heard in English was *too close* to the truth. They had only been halted from discovering it by a hair, and Winter knew that she had to clean up her act, or else, she'd lose *everything* she had earned *again*.

*I will never have Daniela try to gauge out my heart. AND she won't destroy Evie and Mya with our secret. I'll take it down to my grave if I have to...*

Sighing, Winter collapsed back into her makeshift bed, wrapping herself in her blankets and tightly shutting her eyes. It didn't take long for her eyes to become heavy deadweights, and with the moon and stars above her, she fell asleep, curled up into a ball.

All was tranquil.

Eventually, the call of birdsong filtered through Winter's ears, and rubbing her eyes, she found herself in the Piney Woods.

*Wait a minute... is this real?*

The skies above were the colors of peaches and plums, mixing like watercolor paints on a portrait. Golden clouds dotted the sky here and there, and a flock of geese soared, honking to one another loudly.

Winter couldn't avert her eyes for a few seconds.

*So pretty!*

The Piney Woods were a natural *beauty*, but here, it was *galactic*. The trees casted beautiful, harmonious shadows that dappled and intertwined with the pine needles and grasses. The leaves rustled, passing along whispers in the mist and synchronized calls of deer, foxes, birds, and rodents.

*This is strangely enchanting...*

Everything was secluded, personal, and a treat that Winter could enjoy without anyone else. She was safe here, protected here, and *alone* here.

"Winter!"

Her head perking, Winter spun around, searching for who shouted her name.

Then, upon turning to her left, she saw who, and her eyes went *unbelievably* wide, betraying her surprise. It was a woman with light, honey-brown hair, darker roots present on the top of her head. Her eyes were a striking, oceans-deep cerulean blue, and her face was broken up by compact, sugary freckles.

Her long-sleeve blouse, along with her necklace, bracelets, and earrings, all having stars on them, made Winter's heart leap with *joy*. Relief, happiness, *excitement*.

"**MOM**!" she screamed, and running at the speed of light, she leapt into her mother's arms for the first time in forever. *Years* since they were broken apart.

"Oh, mama..."

"Winterlyn, baby!" she greeted jovially, holding her daughter in her arms and kissing her on her delicate cheeks.

"I don't want to *ever* let you go."

"Neither do I." After sharing the fond, warm embrace, she gently placed her daughter back on the ground, starry-eyed and ecstatic.

"I miss you far too much, baby... but I'm so *proud* of how far you've come. I'm still so relieved your father lost his chance to *kill you*. Yahweh isn't going to grant him a *spot* in heaven."

"He's rotting in prison now," Winter said, sitting on a log with her mother, swift to join her comforting, nurturing side. "And I want him to keep on rotting so the vultures can feast on him."

Her mother laughed, putting a hand on her back. "Well said! If I had the power to, I would have disembowled Edwin right then and center. Should I see him try clambering to the pearly gates, he'll meet his demise at the hands of Lorelei McCormick! Choose to be a sinner and hurt *my daughter*, and oh, you shall *pay*..."

Winter leaned into Lorelei, savoring how warm and welcoming she was. She felt so free, and yet, this *still* felt so unreal...

This place... it didn't even remind Winter that her mother died an *agonizing death* four years prior. She could feel her next to her, her tender frame and blue eyes gleaming with the same stars present on her jewelry.

"I... I want to stay here forever," she blurted out, burrowing into her mother more, and Lorelei pulled her in close.

"You can, honey... I'm going to protect you and raise you the way you were meant to be raised." Bending over, Lorelei plucked a flower, a pink Pacific bleeding heart, and tucked it behind Winter's ear.

Despite not being able to see her reflection, Winter could already imagine how beautiful she looked with the flower.

"Are you ready to go back home, Winterlyn?" Lorelei asked, hopping off the log and staring ahead.

"*Yes*!" Winter cheered, and her mother faced her, admiring her courageous, knife-wielding fighter that was her daughter.

"I'll love you infinitely. You are my little sunshine, my ace fighter, and my flower girl who will always be-"

Suddenly, Lorelei abruptly cut herself off mid-sentence, groaning in pain, and startled, Winter backed up. Her gaze trailed down to her mother's chest.

Lorelei's gaze followed.

*There was a knife going through her chest*.

Winter *screeched* in sheer trepidation, the shrill noise sending birds fleeing for their lives. The flower in her ear decayed as well, shriveling into ashes that blew away in the wind.

Lorelei gagged, blood spilling from her mouth, and then, she fell to the ground with a *thump*, breathing her last gasp before falling completely still.

"***MOM***!" Winter howled, anguish in her tone as she sped to Lorelei's limp side and shook her, *shook her* so hard, but her efforts were futile already.

She was dead. Dead for a *second time*. Blood gushed from the wound in her chest, staining Winter's hands, and she cried, unable to bear the misery and the gore presented in front of her.

All of a sudden, manic laughing flooded the air, a witch's cackle so familiar, so *haunting*, that Winter's hackles shot right up. She leapt back up to her feet unsteadily and met *Daniela*.

Daniela held a bloody, pointed *knife* in her right hand, still dripping red droplets. Winter was aghast and *mortified* by what had just happened, too scared to move.

Was this it? Was she about to *die* the same way as her mother?

She flinched as Daniela took two long steps right up to her. She tossed the knife in the air, and for a split second, Winter saw the brown handle and the *EM* initials on the bottom.

*Daniela had killed her mother with her own pocket knife*.

Catching it by the blade, Daniela spun it and stroked it with her hand as if it were a new pet she had acquired.

"What do you want from me, Daniela?" Winter demanded shakily, her body quaking in overwhelming fear.

It took her *everything* left in her body, the fragments keeping her sanity intact, to prevent her from crying and collapsing beside her mother's corpse.

Someone tapped their boot against the ground. Daniela.

"You'll be meeting *your* demise just like *her* soon..." she warned vaguely. She backed up, eyes analyzing her ex-girlfriend fiercely and profoundly, lapping up her *delicious* amounts of fear.

She winked at her *far* too cutely. And then, with careful precision, she *threw* Winter's knife directly at Winter's *throat*.

Winter yowled, expecting to lose her life right then and there, and the blade touched the tip of her throat...

Letting out a scream, Winter jumped up, back in a small room, laying in a makeshift bed. The walls of her cabin were flooded with darkness, shadows aiming to eat her whole and send her back to the land of dreams.

Her hands were *squeezing* her own throat, and realizing that she was suffocating herself, she retracted them at once and gulped in fresh air, giving her lungs and heart the ability to properly function. Blood pulsed through her veins.

Nervously, she reached her phone and turned on its flashlight, and the room became washed over in white light, forming blades that sliced through the dark.

In her other hand, Winter pulled her pocket knife, preparing to fight Daniela with her *life* should she have found a way to stalk her and slink into her cabin unnoticed.

Two minutes passed.

The cabin was still and silent, the storm in Winter's dream long gone.

While the peace should have made Winter relax and go back to bed, instead, she turned off her phone and threw it on her pillow. Hiding away her knife, she fell to her knees and collapsed onto the floor of her cabin, sobbing. Salty, disturbed tears cascaded down her face.

She ugly cried for an *hour* that night, no one around to hold her, no one to tell her that she was safe and loved, no one to tell her that it was going to be okay.

Winter was *stranded*, reliving every *second* of that *horrifying*, *gut-wrenching*, *despotic* nightmare.

Her mother, appearing to her and holding her in her arms. Daniela slaying her mother and *wielding* her bloody pocket knife, stroking it.

She *loved* murdering her mother. She *yearned* for Winter's death, both in fiction and in reality, and the thought crushed Winter, broke her *down* to her limit. She screamed, choked out another sob, and and sobbed into her blankets for what felt like *hours*.

*Why am I like this...? It wasn't real, and I'm sobbing, believing Daniela is going to decapitate me in the middle of the night... I can't have them find out the truth...*

*Them*.

A knife went through Winter's heart.

She had made a promise to herself to *never* inform Evie and Mya of her and Daniela's past relations, not only for her safety, but for their safety as well. If they found out, then there was a *chance* Daniela would find out, and then, all three of them would be *executed* by her.

Winter also knew that it wasn't just *that* she was worried about. She feared, feared so much that her heart clenched, that her friends would *hate her* for ever loving a monster like Daniela. She bullied them, ripped into their souls, drank their fear, and stopped at nothing to torture them.

They'd burn Winter at the *stake* for making such a foolish decision. Loving Daniela was a *mistake*.

*We should've never been a thing...*

In the night, Winter's heart tugged her to her shelf and up to the brown wood and silver etchings belonging to her box, labeled *WM* on the front. Hesitantly, she picked the box up and placed it in her lap, cradling it and brushing the palms of her hands over the wood.

She then flipped the latch up, opening the box, and reaching inside, Winter plucked a sole photo out. On the back was a sentence that made her sniff, melancholy taking hold in her blood.

*The love of my life*

As the night raged on, Winter turned the photo over and stared at it blankly, her expression jam-packed with raw, depressing emotions.

A single tear dripped onto the photo - and on the side that had a younger and sweet-as-can-be Daniela - an angel fallen from grace.

One day later, Evie sat on her sofa, clipboard in hand and a pencil in the other. Her mother had urged her to practice writing a full essay in Vietnamese, and not wanting to disappoint her, she had obeyed, no questions asked.

As Opal was in the office working out a business issue with a client, Evie put on some background music, a track with light bass mixing and a peppy feel to it. Her inspiration building, she got to work promptly.

*Đôi khi, tôi cảm thấy rất khó để truyền đạt cảm xúc của mình một cách chính xác. Một ngày nào đó, tôi hoàn hảo, người kia, tôi là một mớ hỗn độn và cảm thấy như thể tôi đang tự làm mình xấu hổ.*

*Decent start so far.*

Evie tapped her fingers against her chin, thinking of what to add to her essay. She had to go big and use as much advanced, straightforward vocabulary as she could - her mother was often very appeased with that.

Formulating some new ideas, she continued writing.

*Giống như, nó không phải là rất dễ dàng để thể hiện đấu tranh. Tôi không nên đấu tranh, nhưng khi tôi làm vậy, tôi cảm thấy tội lỗi.Đó là một gánh nặng áp lực đối với tôi và khiến tôi muốn trở thành một ẩn sĩ.*

Evie's eyes then went wide in surprise, and dropping her pencil, she re-read what she just wrote.

*Becoming a hermit... guilty... struggling...*

That wasn't her describing *herself*. She was describing *Winter*!

*Sorry mom, but I'm forgoing this.* Evie put her clipboard and essay aside, along with the pencil, and instead, she returned to her thoughts.

Winter's unusual and reclusive behavior was something she had a penchant for. The girl had a kerfuffle when it came to properly expressing her emotions; the emotion she was most accustomed to was *rage*. Making Winter become soft was almost as hard as attempting to teach a wild animal to learn a domesticated life.

Lately, Winter had been forcing herself to be more veiled, just as she was before she had met Evie and Mya. She talked less, she seemed agitated, and her body language communicated that she was in pain.

Everything she had thought about was off, even for someone so moody and unpredictable as Winter. There was *trouble*.

*I can't deny it anymore,* Evie then thought to herself. *Something is wrong, and whatever it is, Winter doesn't want us to know what's causing her to be pent up.*

She tapped her socks on the floor, locked within the depths of her mind. *Winter has to learn to be more transparent. Friends can help her. Me and Mya have to figure out a way to break her shell further, but how are we gonna do that without having a knife at our throats?*

Without warning, Evie's phone buzzed, and her train of thought knocked *far* off course, she picked it up and noticed she had a new message.

It was Winter.

*Evie, can you meet me at the intersection near Malumute Drive?*

Evie raised an eyebrow, reading the text a few times to see if she could pick up on anything that was code for an SOS.

However, she decided that Winter was being genuine - friends texted friends to ask about hanging out all the time. Winter probably just wanted to hang out with her and have an idle conversation.

*A bit random, but I don't see why not.* Evie, using her phone, checked the weather. It was sixty-one degrees outside, she'd be fine in only her sweater. She nimbly tucked her phone in her back pocket and shouted to her mother, "Mom, Winter wants to see me! I'll be back in a little bit!"

Before Opal could reply, her daughter shut the door and was on her way. She trudged through the patches of blobby snow on the sidewalk, taking shortcuts on a house's lawn if she had to swerve around the frosty white patches.

The air was chilly, but not as bad as a few days ago, and the sun was out, providing warmth that slowly began to melt the snow away. Evie relaxed in the sunlight - she thought it was about time that Pineshadow warmed up.

*The other day, Mya nearly poked herself in the eye trying to sword fight with an icicle. About time spring swung around.*

Ten minutes later, Evie encountered the intersection leading to the left and right of Malamute Drive - and there, under a black lamp post, was Winter. Like Evie, she wasn't wearing her coat and was in her long-sleeve shirt. She didn't seem to see her approach, too focused on making random gestures with her hands.

"Winter?" she called lightly, and jolted, Winter snapped upward, her ice-blue eyes stretched wide.

"Oh! Uhm, hey Evie!" she greeted, crossing her arms. Her face was rather pale, and from the look on her face and within her eyes, she seemed timorous.

*Something's up,* Evie noted internally.

"So... what do you want us to do?" she asked, intending to soothe Winter, and to add on, she said, "I'm game for whatever you want."

Forcing herself to smile, Winter opened her mouth. "I thought it would be a g-great idea if we had a c-chat one by... I mean, one-on-one. Yeah. That." Her bottom lip twitched in uncertainty.

Evie cocked her head to the side, puzzled by the behavior. *Why* was Winter slurring her words? Had something crossed her mind?

Winter *never* slurred her words or stumbled over them unless she was upset.

"Is something wrong, Winter?"

"No, no! Sorry, I'm kinda cold." Inside Winter, she was having a nuclear *breakdown*.

Having wanted to find solace and comfort in the growing, eternal nightmare she lived in, she believed that spending some of her precious time with her friend would help alleviate the disquiet residing in her soul.

But the con of that reared its ugly head too - the more she was around her friends, the more likely that they'd discover *who* and *where* her ex-girlfriend was. The truth would slip, and by then, she'd be in *grave danger*.

Ghostly hands gripped her throat and lips pressed up against her ear. "Why so *weak* and *cowardly*, *Snowblind*?" it hissed, and heart *dropping*, Winter's paranoia surged right up to the surface.

She *shrieked*, stumbling back into the light pole and gasping rapidly.

*Daniela! No! I'm a goner, I'm a goner, my life is over...*

Evie, startled, ran up to her and pulled her back up. "Winter, what happened?? Are you okay???" she asked, her dark green eyes reflecting concern. Here, she felt the overwhelming need to protect Winter, even with no visible threat.

Evie was trained to read psychological cues - and here, she could tell her friend was fighting *something* in her head.

*Inner demons can be a beast. I'm not sure if that's the problem here, though...*

Winter steadied herself uneasily, and feeling sympathy, her friend put a hand on her shoulder, relaxing her with the touch. She brought herself to speak, knowing that she had to cover up and play her game of give and take.

"I'm... fine. A bug landed on my face," she lied, hoping it was smooth enough to stop making Evie fret.

That had the opposite effect, as Evie *knew* right off the bat that she was white lying.

That's what happens when you're trained to read cues *very* well.

*You're not fine, and it's a little too cold for any sort of bug or insect to be out, but okay.* Winter did *not* need her friend excessively worrying about her for the moment - it would add too much unnecessary baggage for her to handle.

She nodded at Winter's lie, supposedly taking the bait. "Do you want to go on a walk with me? Exercise will help you de-stress and get your energy flowing."

"Mhm," Winter agreed. "And can Mya tag along? I'd think she'd like that."

"Great idea!" Evie responded brightly. *Mya can weave her way into anyone's heart. She's already served as a nightlight for Winter. Someone as fuzzy as she is will be perfect for her today.*

With everything settled and back on track, Evie and Winter began their short, uninterrupted walk to Mya's place.

Mya's front yard was a beautiful sight to Evie and Winter. Spring plants had begun their fight to bloom despite the weather, painting the yard in nearly every color of the rainbow. A beautiful oak tree with a swing was on the left while a birdbath, sculpted in marble, was on the right. When the winter weather transitioned into full spring weather, it was sure to become an enchanted garden.

Winter took to studying the layout, having not expected Mya to be into botany so much, but also seeking a way to de-stress like Evie had mentioned. The latter went up to the door and knocked three times.

A minute afterward, the door opened. "Alright, if you're *trying* to persuade us to go to Sears, the answer is *no*- *Evie*! Goodness me, I didn't expect to see ya today. Bring it in!" Mya, dropping her new on-the-spot punchline, let Evie pull her into an embrace, and her cheeks tickled with pride.

"Hey, Mya! Wanna join *us* on a walk?" Evie questioned with a smirk on her face, tilting her head and showing Mya Winter, who stared at the ground anxiously, tapping her feet back and forth.

"Winter!" Mya shouted at her, and alarmed, she looked up, her shoulders rising but quick to fall upon realizing that it was just Mya and not *her*.

Her actions were brief, but enough for Mya to see that Winter didn't look all that jovial inside.

*She looks so visibly stressed, exactly like she was at school the other day... something's fishy here.*

"Are you okay, Win?" she asked, tone gentle, and she hopped up to Winter. She gave a small nod, acknowledging her words and opting not to speak.

Her words didn't persuade Mya otherwise, but reluctantly, she moved to Evie's side and didn't pressure Winter into talking. "Alright. Where should we go on our *mighty* walk?"

"Is Pinelake Park fine with you?" Winter asked in no more than a whisper, baffling her friends considerably, and Evie scratched the back of her head.

"Sure!" Mya exclaimed, giving her a friendly whack on the back. "Forward march, let's gooo!" Just like that, the girls were on their way. Evie fell into stride next to Mya, Winter not far behind, skipping to the beat her heart desired.

"Sooo, My. What were you saying about Sears back there? They're still horrid as ever in there?" Evie wondered aloud, playfully jabbing her best friend.

"*Hell* yeah. We drove up to Tukwila last weekend to see that one. Inventory's missing everywhere. It's like a tornado hit or somethin'. And don't get me started on their dumbass clothing! Do they want me to wear this glittery, oversized black *cardigan*!? Bunch of *hooey* if you ask me!"

"Daaaamn. Sounds lameo."

"That's Sears in a nutshell, Ev. Immeasurable disapppointment!"

The two chuckled, snorting at their jabs directed at the century-old department store, which had been in a steady decline for years due to a series of poor financial decisions.

Eddie Lampert would not get off Mya's "List of People to Bonk With Shovel" list anytime soon, making Evie snort a bit harder.

Winter lacked their excitement and comedic wit, trailing behind them miserably, her boots scraping the asphault of the sidewalk. She had retreated into her mindscape, attempting to clear the aching familiarity and fear lingering within, deciding not to reply - another word out of her mouth would probably come out more slurred than before, and the two would be throwing her the short end of the stick as her punishment.

*I don't know why I longed to do this, hang out with them... I only keep proving that I'm a nuisance! Can't slip up, I can't let them know who's been holding me down, that... that hideous witch...*

Finally noticing that Winter was *far* too quiet, Evie and Mya turned to her. She was a walking, stormy rain cloud. Sadness was in her eyes, and her frame was tense and stony.

Both shared a glance. *This* was extremely, *extremely* concerning.

*The longer she conceals her secret, the more burdened she's going to feel,* Evie said internally, relating fully to her friend. She had kept secrets from those she'd loved too, even Mya, but told them eventually with encouragement and when the moment was right. Removing her burdens was a relief and built up her confidence.

But Winter was *vastly* different than she was - and if she had a secret, she would work day and night to *never* let it out.

*I thought she was learning how to vent properly too! Now we're going backwards...* Mya thought in dismay.

"Winter... do you want to talk about what's bothering you?" she prompted, and gasping, Winter's face contorted in an unrecognizable, *unreadable*, tight expression.

"Huh? What are you talking about??" she fired back defensively, raising her arms and hackles.

"You're very downbeat today. Is something wrong?" Mya repeated once more, her leaf-green eyes boring into her soul.

"*Nothing* is w-wrong," Winter stuttered, shaking her head. "Don't worry about me, I promise!"

The panic was *rising*, and the air around Winter suddenly got thicker. It felt like she was breathing in smoke. Frightened, her eyes darted around to scan her surroundings.

Left. Right. Left. Right. The more she stood here, the more she preemptively tensed, waiting for Daniela to claw her and taste her blood in triumph.

Her heartbeat followed her eyes in near perfect synchronization. *Thump*. *Thump*. *Thump*.

Someone cleared their throat, and hearing Evie take a step up to her, Winter balled her hands up into fists and bit on her lip.

"Winter. I'm going to be real with you, okay? There is something *wrong* with you, and no matter how many times you deny it, we *know* you're lying to us." Winter opened her mouth to protest.

"No. Don't white lie any more than you have, you're gonna make it worse," Evie stated, trying to make her voice soothing compared to unnerved. "Your body is the one that's *betraying* you. You're tense. Stressed. Refusing to talk. All are clear indicators that yes, you're not fine. You haven't been since school... so what's going on?"

Winter blushed and hobbled backwards, unable to hide her embarrassment. Just as she had feared, Evie had picked up on her mounting insecurity and figured out that she was in *crisis mode*.

And Mya knew it just as well as her friend did. She should have known that *both* were naturally perceptive.

*They can't know the truth! Daniela is going to shatter my friendship with them!*

"It's *nothing*!" Winter pleaded desperately, her voice cracking under pressure. "I *don't* want to talk about it. I can get *through this* on my own. I have *me*, *myself*, and *I*. Give me a *break*!" Shocked, her friends fell quiet.

Her surroundings were beginning to blur, and growing dizzy, in addition to being smashed by the pain and panic, Winter went to the method of escape she frequented the most.

Calling upon the darkness to take her, she shut her eyes, and a wave of blackness consumed her whole.

When Winter blinked her eyes open, she was teleported into a different place. Walls of worn, chipped dark gray brick swirled around her, forming a small room. A small window was off to the left, light filtering in through three small bars. The floor was made of concrete, and the air reeked of musty earth.

*Where in hell am I...?*

Winter tried to move her arms, but cold metal scraped her skin, chilling her. Looking down, she found that her hands had been placed in *shackles*.

"What?!" she exclaimed, pulling on the metal contraptions, but they didn't budge. She was trapped in a prison-like cell with no way *out*.

Her way to cope with her insecurity had *greatly* backfired. Now, she was in *hell*.

Surely it couldn't get any worse?

A laugh echoed throughout the cell, a clown-like laugh that *infuriated* Winter.

"Who's *there*?" she hissed. "Who *did this*? Show yourself!"

The laugh repeated, louder this time, and the sound was a blade that *sliced* into Winter's ears.

"Hmpf. Looks like the *rat* dragged herself into my quarters."

*Oh fudge no!*

*No! It can't be!*

With horror, with dread, and with *shock*, Winter craned her neck to find that *Daniela*, poised triumphantly behind her, was her captor.

A wide smirk was etched on her face.

She was *craving* her.

"Man, how I've *missed* being so *intimate* with you, Winter. It was *far* too easy to lure *you* into my trap, you being so *guillable* and all..." Daniela played with a strand of her black hair, just as black as her own heart, halfheartedly.

"Let me *go*!" Winter hissed. "You will *never interfere* with my life *again*. What we had is *gone*. I won't *drown* in your riptide!"

"Tsk, tsk, McCormick. Claim you don't want to bother with me, but we have *history* that you constantly, *constantly* choose to cover up. Have you *forgotten* what we **were**? Unstoppable? Remarkable? **One of a kind**? The **truth** runs in ***your blood*** as it does in ***mine***!"

"*What truth*? You're merely a *liar*! You always *lie*! I **promised you** that I'd *protect you*, and then you went and ***SCREWED EVERYTHING UP***! You ruined ***MY LIFE***, Daniela. We lost *everything* we had and it's *your fault*."

"*My fault*?" Daniela questioned, pointing a finger at herself and *snorting*. "*Please*. It was *because of you* that you *ruined my life*. You're a fricking *coward*, Snowblind. That's *what* you are! A blind *traitor* and **SNAKE**! If you only realized how much *I cared*, then maybe *one of us* wouldn't have crossed the line..."

She licked her lips and eyed Winter, locking her in heavy, cynical amber eyes. Winter pulled on her shackles hopelessly and desperately, but they didn't budge, and bubbling with glee, Daniela approached Winter.

"*No*!" she cried through tears as her ex-girlfriend put a hand on her cheek, softly cupping it. "I **don't want this**, Dani! You *can't* do this to me any longer!"

"Funny how the tables *turn*. I *love* you, Winter, just as much as I *hate* you. I'm going to fight *fire* with *fire*. After all... I'm a step ahead of *you*. And I *always* get ***WHAT I WANT***!"

Her hand traveled down to her chin, then to her shirt collar, and Winter's soul died from within. She became a ragdoll in Daniela's grip.

*Perfect,* Daniela thought. *She's all mine.*

"Love me *harder*. Hate me *softer*," she whispered, and then, she connected her lips to Winter's forcefully. This was the *revenge* she had sought since the day her shriveled flame reared her ugly head one too many times.

*Fractures* spread from inside Winter, tears falling from her eyes, her body convulsing. She and Daniela had never properly kissed, not once, not ever, and now she got a kiss she'd do anything to *destroy* the memory of even having.

It was ugly. Horrid. *Vile*. The warmth was *dark* and *familiar* and *too much* for her to remotely bear.

Suddenly, a rough force *slapped* her on her cheek, and yelping, Winter blinked, opening her eyes to find that she was lying on someone's snowy lawn, the wet snow soaking into her back. Evie and Mya were crouching by her, eyeing her worriedly like loyal canines. She was panting heavily, gasping for breath, and shivers went far down her spinal cord.

"*Winter*! Thank god, you *fell* and started writhing! I thought you were having a seizure..." Evie said, relieved.

"Winter, what's the matter? You were flopping willy nilly on the ground and muttering something about "not wanting this." And... did I hear you mention something about *lies*?" Mya questioned anxiously.

Winter was *mortified*, gasping loudly. The very thing she had *feared* doing, *feared* to reveal, *needed* to keep secret, was almost at the fingertips of her friends.

She hadn't just been reckless and fought an imaginary struggle with her sociopathic former flame in her head.

*She had exposed herself*.

*And now she was dangerously close to losing it all*.

"Win," Mya called out to her, kneeling down and giving her a welcoming, uplifting hand. "We know you're struggling with something, and... while we don't know *everything*, we can tell you're in obvious pain. Please, I know it may be hard... but you can tell us the *truth*. You're a tough nut to crack, but we're going to mend your heart and rise up *together*. I promise! Take my hand, it's going to be okay."

Winter's eyes remained fixated on that hand. If she took it... her life would never be the same.

As far as she knew, Daniela was getting *closer* and *closer* to her.

She wanted blood. *Winter's* blood.

She wanted a murder. *Winter* was her target.

She *yearned* for *nothing* but the gruesome death of the person that used to be her *one* and *only one*.

And knowing Daniela Burton Vunquist like the back of her hand, Winter *knew* that no matter *what*, Evie and Mya would *reject* her and shame her for ever catching feelings for a loveless wannabe killer.

The only people that cared. Gone.

Just. Like. That.

In that moment, her heart kicking violently and protection senses skyrocketing, the last thread holding the fragments of Winter together gave way, and every emotion flooded to the surface. She *snapped*.

"***LEAVE ME ALONE***!" she shrieked, her voice ringing throughout the Pineshadow neighborhood, and swatting a stunned Mya's hand away, she leapt to her feet effortlessly and *bolted*.

She had to *run away* and *never turn back*.

"**Winter**!" Evie shouted. With a small glance at Mya, she *ran* as fast as she could to keep pace with their fleeing friend. Mya was right alongside her, dead set on throwing the anchor that would stop Winter from doing something reckless out of her wild temper and deeply impulsive behavior.

Winter kept running down the sidewalk, hammering concrete, stones, grass, and lumps of snow. If she tripped, she got back up. The pain was meager compared to the *raging* desire to escape Evie and Mya.

But they were burrs that would never get off her skin.

"Winter, things *don't* have to be like this!" Evie exclaimed. "What in the *blazes* is going on with *you*!? Please *tell us*!"

"**I'll never tell you**!" Winter retorted, skidding around a corner and leading the chase in the direction of Pinelake Park. She skidded on an icy portion of the sidewalk, slowing her down in the process, and seeing her friends fast approaching, she threw another hurdle at them.

"If you know, I'll *tear my life apart*! Stay *away* from me!"

"We *don't even know what* you're talking about!" Mya pointed out, her voice raspy from exhaustion. "You're running *from us*, *we're* chasing you, and we don't even *understand* why this is happening! Can't you just tell us **something**????"

Winter bit back a stinging reply, grunting, her legs aching from being pushed so hard. She saw the road ahead - if she crossed it, she could get through Pinelake Park and back to the woods.

"Be *truthful* with us! Please! We don't want you to endure *more hardship*, Winter!" Mya pleaded.

"**Get away from me**!"

Winter knew that if she stopped now, she'd lose her never-ending battle to stay alive. Daniela would achieve her bloodthirsty hopes and dreams.

Without hesitation, not even pausing to check for oncoming cars, Winter threw herself onto the slick, somewhat icy street, sliding across on wobbly boots and and maintaining her balance shakily.

"*Winter*! *Stop*! You're going to put yourself in harm's *way* if you keep being **reckless**!" Evie screamed in desperation, but her words didn't connect with her friend, who only kept running farther and farther away.

She was at her biggest low yet - Evie and Mya were running out of time to stop Winter from self-destructing.

The troubled teenage girl was, once more, a ticking time bomb. Her fuse had been set and lit, and as she ran, cold tears dribbled down the sides of her face, falling onto the snow with a light *patter*. She sniffed, choking out a sob.

She was *far* from out of the woods. Even with exhaustion and itching chewing at her legs, she forced herself to run onwards.

If she had to run out of Washington altogether right now, Winter was going to *do it*.

In front of her, trees loomed, almost intimidating to approach, but Winter saw the comfort of her home at last.

*The Piney Woods!*

A new burst of speed exploding in her veins, Winter's adrenaline surged, and she ran *the fastest* she had ever ran in her entire *life*.

Through pants and the aching in her chest, she searched for a place to hide, but no bush was suitable and no tree easy enough to climb.

Evie and Mya were hot on her tail, and unbeknownst to Winter, she had significantly underestimated how much they valued their friendship with her. One thing was clear.

*They weren't going down without a goddamn fight*.

Winter, hearing the *thump* of their footsteps, was marred with more dread than before.

"What part of **get the hell away** do you not *understand*?!" she wailed, choking out another sob. "Chasing me is chasing *clouds*! I'm *worthless*! The only thing that I've done is ***LIVE A LIE***!"

"What do you *mean*??" Mya questioned, and Winter cringed, realizing that she had let too much slip; one more time and she'd be a *goner* for *good*.

"*Forget it*, Mya! I'm no worth to you or Evie. *None* of you will *ever* understand and it's *better* that way! I'm doing you a ***favor***! You'll just hate me anyway!"

"We don't hate you! We *never have*!" Evie begged, her tone dire. The very person who had welcomed them in, embraced how they liked her and were on the same page as her, was trying to turn them away because of a secret that was *changing* her at the very seams.

Winter needed *someone*, or else, she'd break and become the very person she *never* wanted to be.

"*Winter*, listen to us! Let your *walls fall down*. This secret is *destroying you* from the outside and inside. We don't know the truth, nor do we know why you need to abandon us! But this stress is making you someone you *don't want to become*! It *never* had to be this way. You *don't* have to run from your friends! You don't have to run from *everything*!"

Winter sprinted forward, heeding no mind to Evie, tears sailing off her face.

"You are a *survivor*, Winter!" Evie added with resoluteness. "You've *survived* the unthinkable. You've turned the tables *upside down*. There is **no one** else like you on this planet. What you're keeping in now is causing you to *deteriorate*!"

*Get away from me! I'm a halfwit and worthless!*

"We *cherish* you, Winter! And you don't have to force yourself to *run*! We will **always** listen to you, hold your hand, and give you **hugs** when you need us! Ever since we have met you, **we promised ourselves that we wouldn't let the trauma that happened to you happen AGAIN**!"

At Evie's cluster of words, Winter faltered and shut her eyes.

Before she had met Evie and Mya, her walls around her were impenetrable. She had refused to let anyone in out of *fear* that they would ruin her, take advantage of everything she had - her pride, identity, her living space, and the past she had left behind.

She had searched for answers, yet became lost in the thrum of reality and blinded by unfamiliar lights.

When she found her home, she vowed to disappear.

Out of sight. Out of mind.

But Evie and Mya were different. They hadn't sought harm, but to be her companions, friends through the storms and the ups and downs and everything else. Evie was intelligent and a voice of reason. *Rough, like I am, but soft and hilarious on the inside.* Mya was the sneaky, wry comedian who could humor anything and make it work. She was serious when she had to be. *Like me. Hidden bravery.*

She had believed for a *long* time that if she told the two she and Daniela could have been a *thing*, the two would despise her for loving the school's sadism-hungry bully and would leave her to die in the Piney Woods.

Yet... they *cared* for her. They *trusted* her. They'd supported her through her backstory, the debacle with Aiden, and now, her struggle to confide to them the *very* thing that held her in shackles, in dreams and in the real world.

Her *ex-girlfriend* and who she really was.

Winter realized that Evie and Mya were more than just her friends. They were her *best* friends.

And it was time they knew *everything*, without shame and without blame. Everything culmulated, and time slowed down, way down...

Winter crashed into the snow with a *thud*, coming to a halt in a partially melted bank, her palms buried in chilly, powdery white blobs. Evie and Mya skidded to a stop next to her.

"***I can't do this anymore***!" she exclaimed, sobbing, tears dripping into the snow, and she sniffed twice. She recoiled, gasping for air.

Evie and Mya gasped, startled and in disbelief, as she went on, managing to stay on her knees.

"I thought that I'd never have to tell you this secret. I didn't *want* to. For your safety and for mine. To keep what we had between us *forever*. But... I *can't* keep lying to you! All this remorse, all the *agony* I've been in... it's because of this... this secret, it's arcane. Evie, Mya... I'm *sorry*, for lying and covering up my struggles... it's time you *knew* the full truth about me."

"W-What do you-"

Winter silenced a confused Mya by rising to her feet and holding up a finger, and tensing, she and Evie pressed closer to each other, eyes wide and appalled.

"Cabin. Right now. Follow me," she commanded, facing Evie and Mya with dead certain ice-blue eyes.

Five minutes after her command, Winter led Evie and Mya into her cabin, then shut the door and hid the key. Every window was closed off and blocked with curtains. They were safe, locked in, and no one *else* would hear her secrets *but* Evie and Mya themselves.

Taking a seat on one of her pillows, Winter hung her head in *defeat*. This was it. She was giving herself *up* to Evie and Mya - *all* of herself - and she *wasn't* ready for what was going to come of it.

"Alright, Winter. We're here now and secure. Explain, please?" Evie asked, prompting her gently.

Sighing, Winter swallowed the rock in her throat and reluctantly met her and Mya's worried, somber gazes.

"When I first met you two... I told you *everything* you needed to know about me. What I stand for, being a lesbian, my past. Pretty much the bare minimum. However... there are some very important things I *didn't* tell you. I *feared* telling you. Dreaded it with my whole life..."

She paused for a moment, taking a sharp intake of breath.

"I've covered up a lot more of myself from you than you *realize*. Truthfully, I have more secrets I didn't *want* you to learn. But times change, and I see things in a new light now..."

The butterflies and thorns in her stomach building and slicing, Winter stood up and walked over to her shelf, where she grabbed the most sacred, standout object in her cabin.

*The box*.

Evie and Mya *gasped*, utterly *shocked* at what they were seeing.

Winter's box was practically Pandora's box. It contained *things* - precious artifacts - that Winter kept *only* to herself. *No one* ever had the privilege of looking inside. Evie and Mya had tried to, but she had caught them and had nearly decapitated the two of them for it.

What was breaking Winter down emotionally and physically was *in there*. Mya felt nauseous at that thought.

Holding the box in her hands, Winter set it in her lap, brushing the top with her palm. "Every single item in here is *holy* to me. Revered. *Personal*. I've never wanted anyone to see inside except for *me*, because if anyone got a hand on this, my life would be *over* and nothing but a fading memory. I was furious when you tried to look inside, and even after that, I still refused to let you remotely *touch* my box."

Evie gripped Mya's hand nervously. "Go on..." she encouraged, unnerved by the entire situation, and Winter continued even with the fear that she was falling into a black hole forever.

"But, I've gotten to know you two better, and with today, I've realized that I can't keep *hiding* myself around you. Evie. Mya. You deserve to know what's in here, as in here... there is the *real me*."

"The real you?" Evie breathed in disbelief.

Winter nodded. "You've earned my trust, and so, it's fitting that I repay you for your kindness and what you've done for me."

Mya looked less stressed out. "So, was *that* what was bugging you?"

Winter shook her head, shivering. *Oh god... they're teetering on the edge and so am I... the truth...*

"Unfortunately, n-n-no. That's n-not the issue... it's something *else*."

Mya then became stressed out all over again, itching with trepidation, and she leaned into Evie for comfort, softening in her grace.

Winter stared at the floor, her breathing irregular just as it was before.

*How can I explain to these two that it's my ex-girlfriend? They're already suspicious enough...*

"The thing that's bothering me... well... it's, it's, it's..."

Her cheeks bloomed into a rosy red that she wanted to draw a veil over, and her eyes welled with more tears, her ears slowly beginning to turn pink.

*I... I can't get it out... I'm stuck in a nightmare!*

Evie, noticing that her friend was on the verge of another panic bout, scooted up to her and put her hand on her shoulder, much to her surprise. "Winter. Sssh. You're okay. Breathe. Slowly... take it easy..."

Following her advice, Winter breathed in and out slowly, relaxing. Finally, her airway stopped trying to choke her, and air re-entered her system normally. She rubbed away the tears and the pain.

"Better?" Evie asked.

She nodded.

"Okay. Can you tell us what's been upsetting you?"

Winter gulped. She promised herself that Evie and Mya deserved to know.

No more running, no more cover-ups. No more white lies.

*Half truth and half me, goodbye. From now on... they will see who I am.*

"It's my ex-girlfriend."

Mya gasped lightly, her leaf-green eyes betraying how alarmed she was, and while Evie was just as startled, she kept herself calm and faced Winter worriedly, concerned for her.

They now knew that it was Winter's *ex-girlfriend* that was crawling under her skin. But why? They barely knew anything about her other than her being the person that caused Winter's trauma and her father to nearly murder her in cold blood.

"Your *ex*... but *why*, Winter?" Mya questioned, almost out of breath, and Evie rubbed the back of her neck.

Winter held on to her box tightly, facing it, disturbed and filled with melancholy. "My ex is back in my life. And, well... she *blames me* for our breakup. Lately, she's been threatening me, and the threats have spiraled out of control. They've become *violent*... and it's... it's been **terrifying me**..."

Evie and Mya both gasped and clung onto each other, fearful sheep in front of another fearful sheep, and the only warmth they could share was between one another's beating hearts.

"My ex won't stop and won't ever leave me alone. I've withheld her identity for far too long, though... you two *deserve* to know her name and *what* she has done properly. Honest."

And finally, for the *first time* in her history with Evie and Mya, Winter flipped the latch of her box up, opening the top and wiping away a stray tear from her raw eyes.

She pushed the box toward her friends, and peering in, they discovered its holy contents.

*Photographs*.

Winter had stored *photographs* in this box. What kind of photographs, they didn't yet know. They only knew one type of photograph that Winter had.

Carefully and with *much* caution heeded, Winter grabbed the photos - ten of them, to be precise - and laid them face-down in front of Evie and Mya. Each had writing scrawled on the back, either in pencil or in colorful, flowing pen ink.

"You stored photographs?" Mya inquired warily.

"Yes. *Personal* memories of me that only I could see. Ten of them. I bet you recognize the pieces of me one, right?"

Both girls confirmed this with a nod.

"O-Okay. Let's go chronologically... the last will show you *everything*." She pointed to the first photo, which had a sole word written on the back:

*Snowlight*

"Snowlight? Is this photo in connection to the Snowblind bullying? Similar name..." Evie murmured, tapping her fingernail on the text.

"Oh *god* no, Ev," Winter corrected. "*Snowlight* is a song by Varien. Y'know, the artist I enjoy. I saw that title and thought that it would corrolate with this memory. Go on. Turn it over."

Obeying, Mya flipped it over. The photo contained a small baby and someone's finger pointing to a mark on her shoulder, shaped exactly like a snowflake, that was darker than her skin color.

"A snowflake birthmark!" Mya exclaimed.

"Yep, you're right. My name isn't exactly derived from the season alone. When I was born, doctors noticed I had a snowflake birthmark on my shoulder, and my parents decided to name me Winter because of it - it was also snowing that day too. They added "lyn" to the end of my name to make it prettier."

Mya's eyes reflected stars, and she stared at her friend with a precious look on her face. "Awww, that's so sweet..." Her words made Winter blush for a second.

Then, she picked up the photograph and placed it back in the box. Evie glanced at the next photograph.

*Momma's little darling*

"This is with your mom, I bet?" she asked, and Winter nodded, urging her to flip it. She did so.

The picture had a young Winter, probably at around two years old, curled up asleep in her mother's arms. She was snug and had a smile on her face.

"You're so adorable!" she cooed. "Dad says I did that a *lot* on his lap when I was younger."

"Damn, Ev, are you a daddy's girl?"

Evie chuckled. "Yeeeep. Though I still love my mom."

Winter took up the second photo and tapped on the third. It stated in swirling pen ink:

*Merry Christmas, our sweet Winterlyn*

When Mya turned it over, it had Winter wearing a scarf and a floppy red hat in front of a Christmas tree. Next to her was her father and her mother, who draped their arms over her shoulders. She had the *biggest* smile.

"That was me celebrating Christmas when I was six. I got a racecar set from my father."

"You were into racecars?"

"Hot Wheels. All that stuff. What happens when you're a tomboy."

"Pfft, what did I expect from you?" Mya stuck out her tongue at Winter, who collected the third photo and left the fourth.

This was one she seemed a little hesitant about, as she bit her lip, gaze darting to the left walls of the cabin. On the back of the photo, it said:

*To serve Him with prayer*

"Him? Who's him?" Evie questioned, her head tilted in confusion.

"Turn and find out," Winter responded. Evie did as she was told.

When the photo was turned over, it showed Winter, appearing to be around six years old, sitting with her father on a bench, a book in hand.

Around her were many other people and stained glass windows, fancy banisters, and wooden seating. In Winter's lap, the book had a star on front, but not just any star.

*Hold on. That's the Star of David!!!*

Evie was *dumbfounded*. Winter hadn't mentioned this part of her, nor had hinted to anything of this culture.

She hadn't even displayed any signs *pertaining* to this, yet thinking about it now, some things began to make more sense...

"Winter, you're *Jewish*??"

Winter confirmed this with a brisk nod. "I was raised in a Jewish family, yeah. I went to synagogue every weekend with my parents and we celebrated every Jewish holiday. Sometimes, my father was a bit too much when it came to Judaism, and my mom got into fights with him about it. I became an athiest when I was around eight. I don't believe in the Jewish god, Yahweh, and I *don't* follow most of what I read in the Hebrew Bible..."

"So you chose not to conform to your religion?" Mya suggested, poking the thought forward.

Winter nodded again. "You see how my hair is long in those pictures? Women are not supposed to cut their hair short. You couldn't wear men's clothing. That *really* infuriated me - I wanted to wear whatever I wanted, chokers, pant chains, whatever. My father told me no, my mother thought I should. Religion does not define me, what *I* do does."

"That's perfectly said. I don't let my Vietnamese heritage weigh me down," Evie revealed, chin high.

"There are some things about Judaism that I enjoyed. It wasn't all negative after negative. As you'll see in the next photo..."

The fifth photo's writing said *Happy Hanukkah, new me*. Mya flipped it to its other side, finding Winter lighting the Hanukkah candles with the help of her father, who guided her hand along precisely.

But in the photo, she looked like a whole new *person* compared to the last four. One side of her long sandy-brown hair was *shaved off*.

"Whoa! You *legit shaved your head*??" Mya's mouth was left hanging open from how astonished she was.

*Winter went through some serious evolution stages!*

"Uh-huh. You guys know who Rihanna is, right?"

"Yeah, the singer from Barbados, *very* famous."

"Well, when she was doing that photoshoot for that one album she released, she shaved the left side of her head. I saw those pics on TV and *god*... it was so damn *attractive*. I wanted to cut my hair even if my father was gonna go bonkers over it. My mother helped me shave off my left side just in time for Hanukkah, and we convinced my father that it was a blessing instead of strange. That night... was *beautiful* for me."

"Whoa," Evie breathed. "You're rather *unapologetic* in how you look, Winter."

"Always, thanks. Anyways, umm... the next five photos are *extremely* hard-hitting for me, so if you see me crying... yeah. That's why."

"Are you sure you want to proceed with this, Win? I... I don't want you breaking down and forcing yourself to seal yourself off..." Mya admitted, clutching at her light blue jacket. "If you want to stop, tell us, it's fine-"

"No, Mya. We're doing this," she affirmed back, seriousness returning to her voice. "Let's continue. I want you to learn the truth."

The sixth photo was picked up by Evie, held in her fingers. It stated in purple ink, *Hear, Smith of Heavens*

*Heavens? Oh no... I have a bad feeling about this one.*

Sure enough, Winter appeared more fragile, but she nodded at her, giving her permission to turn it.

Evie flipped it around, and there, in the photo, Winter placed a set of flowers next to a gray tombstone.

*In loving memory of Lorelei McCormick*

*Your soul was blessed and treasured. Thank you for your service and the rays of sunshine you spread to the people of Pineshadow*

The young Winter in the photo had tears in her eyes.

"This was when your mom died..." she noted, her voice low and gentle.

"I'm so sorry," Mya whispered.

Winter sniffed. "It was *never* easy getting over my mother's death. It was... unexpected, but with her autoimmune disease... she had... *no chance* to fight it... my father slept with me that night and held me in his arms. We were distraught. For months. I miss mom, and some days, I hope she's watching me from the stars..."

"Lorelei *is* watching over you," Evie stated, puffing out her chest. "She always will."

Winter nodded. "Okay. Next photo."

Photo seven had a slightly wrinkled edge on the front. Its writing was swirling in blue ink.

*Pieces of me*

*Oh god*. This was the very photo that kickstarted their friendship with Winter, who tensed up, as did Mya. Evie fiddled with her fingers nervously.

Winter rubbed at her sore eyes, and Mya flipped the photo over.

Winter held on to her father, resting at a pier out by a lake. Both stared out ahead into a forest all while the sun set, casting the land in orange and pink hues.

"After mom died, father often drove me down to a lake, and we'd sit there, think about things, have a picnic... I really bonded to him. He was the only sort of protection I had left..."

"And without your dad, you'd be lost..." Evie murmured.

"I'd be nothing if it weren't for him."

Mya pointed to the eighth photo, which had a red border and blue ink naming it.

*He guided me and in return I thank him*

That was... a bit puzzling.

"Is this about your dad?" Winter shook her head at Evie's words.

"Jewish stuff?" Winter also shook her head at Mya.

"Flip it over and find out."

Mya picked up the photo and turned it around. Winter was looking in the mirror at her reflection, scissors in her hand - and she had just cut her hair into the current hairstyle it was now. A photograph of another person with short hair was tacked to the mirror.

Almost. She hadn't dyed it yet, obviously.

"The day you cut your hair shorter!" Mya breathed. "You look like a goddess!"

"Umph. Thanks, Mya. I couldn't have done it without Varien himself."

The girls whipped toward her, decently stunned.

"Huh? I thought Varien was a *girl*..." Evie questioned, scratching her chin with a finger.

"Well, you're not wrong. Varien was originally a man, but came out as trans and started using feminine pronouns. After a few years of that, he changed back to using masculine pronouns. Vari's been my idol for years, and... I've looked up to him, his music and growth with his identity, taking the same steps he has to finding myself. I'm... actually quite fluid in my identity."

"You're fluid? What does that mean?" Mya prompted, muddled.

"I started questioning who I was at around seven or eight, my identity, more less. When I first discovered Varien, *he* was still *she*. He had this *rad* short haircut, these symbols and tattoos on himself... I really found that attractive. Then I found out he was trans, and I studied his identity. The more I did so, the more I looked at myself in the mirror, wondering if I was that way..."

"Hold the *phone*. You thought you were *trans*???" Mya asked, her mouth and eyes wide in astonishment.

"I did. For a few months. To be honest... I've always wanted to *be* more like a man. I wanted short hair, to wear blazers when going out, men's clothing, chokers, chains... lord, that stuff was so *sexy*. Sometimes, when I stared at myself... I thought I'd look good with stronger muscles, a masculine body... I didn't want to be the average girl society wanted me to be. Hell, not even the girl *father* wanted...

"But after those few months, I started to enjoy my feminine features a bit more. I like the way I sound, the way my body looks, and the other things that make me up, inside and outside. I was not trans, like Varien, but I'd still look up to him and aspired to be just as *legendary* as he was. He was a major stepping stone to me figuring out a while later that I was a lesbian."

"Wow... that's *impressive*, Winter. I'm gonna be real, hearing about you being so fluid and willing to explore your own sexual orientation is super cool. You also didn't want to live up to expectations?" Evie wondered aloud in awe.

"*Mhm*. I don't conform to those bullcrap standards. I'm me and wholly, honestly, *me*. Anywho... ninth photo."

Winter picked up the eighth photo and shoved Evie and Mya the ninth, which was dotted in deep blue ink splotches. In the middle, the photo said:

*Come get me*

"Come get you? Are you talking about your mom... did you miss her here?"

Winter shook her head at Evie's question, her face tingling again. She was going to cry.

"No... it wasn't really about mom, but something else that every night I'll see... they watch over me. Protect me. Give me solace in this bizarre world. Go ahead, flip."

Evie obliged, flipping the photo over. A young Winter, appearing to be ten years old, stared up at a *brilliant* blue night sky dotted with multiple stars, purple or white-gray in hue, vast and unique. Moonlight shone down on the young Winter, making her glimmer.

"So luminous!" Mya murmured in veneration, stars forming in her green eyes once more as she tapped each and every star in the photograph.

"Do you like staring at the stars, Winter?" Evie inquired.

"It's my passion," Winter revealed, rubbing away new tears. "Once a week, dad would let me go out and stargaze. I've been fascinated with stars and constellations since I was little. I wanted to *be* up there, with the stars, gliding with the precision of an owl... there is always *something* about those starscapes, those shining bright stars up there... that make me feel *euphoric*."

"Starscapes is a *charming* way to put it!" Mya uttered excitedly.

"Yeah... I suppose it is..." Winter picked up the ninth photo and tucked it away. Now, there was only *one* photo left.

*The* photo.

The *very* photo that acted as a line in the sand between her and her friends.

*It's time...*

Tears brimmed in her eyes, and sniffing, she took up the photo, holding it in her hands.

"Winter? That's the final photo..." Evie pointed out.

"I... I know..." she managed to murmur, the rock she swallowed earlier rising back up, lodged in her throat. She took a few, steep breaths, calming herself down, though the tears were not tamed and slipped down her face.

Somberly staring at the photo, she noticed her eleven-year old self holding two fingers up, smile curved on her face. Next to her was an eleven-year old Daniela, who wore a long-sleeve pink shirt with blue cuffs and gray sweatpants. She, too, was in the same pose as her.

*You were the love of my life... and now you're an ugly, demonic creature.*

Evie and Mya saw the look in Winter's eyes. Pain. Misery. Foreign.

What this photo had was *powerful*. And they *knew* that her ex-girlfriend was involved with it.

"Winter..." Mya gently snapped her fingers near her, and she responded, holding the photo face-down on her lap. She bit down on her lip.

*No. Stop being a coward, Winter.*

*You vowed to tell them the truth. They want the truth. This is the only way out of the hell I'm in.*

*Please, Yahweh... mom. Protect me and hush the storms away. Everything is about to transform in front of my very eyes...*

"Alright... you can start by reading the text on the back," she said, taking it slow, and she placed the face-down photo on the floor in front of Evie and Mya.

They pressed closer together, anticipating a series of events that would leave them *breathless*.

The back of the photo was written in black ink, hearts drawn in colored pencil around it. It said, in emphasized letters:

*The love of my life*

There was no doubt about it. Winter's ex-girlfriend and the truth were right at their fingertips.

They didn't know *who* she was, her *motivations*, her *reasons* for threatening Winter, or what went through her *head* the second she chose to betray Winter and destroy the life she had lived for eleven years.

But they were about to find out.

"Winter... you're *sure* you want us to know this? I see the tears in your eyes, the suffering..." Mya questioned in a whisper.

Winter faced her and Evie adamantly.

"No, Mya. I wouldn't have done all of this if what's going on wasn't so *urgent*. You... you n-need to know so you can u-understand..."

She stared at her lap and the nine photographs tucked safely back inside her box, blinking through tears. Her heart thrummed and blood pulsed in her ears.

Then, she lowered the blade and spoke out the command that sent a *shockwave* blasting through her whole body.

"Go on. Turn it over... and you will know *everything*."

The ultimate doer was Mya, who grabbed the photo and tentatively, unsteadily flipped it to show the other side, showing her and Evie the undisclosed secret she had locked away the day she met.

In the photo stood Winter, who smiled and held up two fingers. Next to her stood another girl.

She had sleek, pale skin.

Black hair tied back in a refined buntail, two strands hanging forward over her ears.

Bright amber eyes that could reflect sparks and *stars* in them.

Evie and Mya *instantly* gasped in horror, Mya dropping the photo in sheer *shock*.

"Oh... oh my god," Evie whispered.

No. It couldn't be true! They didn't just *see* what they saw. What they saw had to be *false*. A trick of the light.

But Evie's heart fell, and so did Mya, when they realized that this photo was *indeed* real.

"You have to be kidding... no... out of everyone..." Mya murmured.

Dread resignated in the two best friends clear as day. They couldn't keep denying it.

They should have *realized it* from the very first day they walked to school with Winter.

They hated themselves for not seeing it sooner.

They hated themselves for not *connecting the puzzle pieces* sooner.

As they sat there that day, Evie and Mya knew the very reason why Winter was in a panic, lost within her head, and trying to cover it up.

Her ex-girlfriend was *Daniela Burton Vunquist*.

"***DANIELA***???" both screamed at the same time, struggling to process *what* they had witnessed.

Winter shielded her face, bracing for the *absolute worst* to come of the reveal.

Evie Ly and Mya Heartley were dealing with an *explosive bombshell*, one they hadn't even *thought* of experiencing, but should have seen from a mile away.

*It was so goddamn obvious!* Evie thought. *Everything makes sense when you put the pieces together...*

When Daniela had confronted Winter that one morning, the duo had *seen* the flames in her eyes as she attacked and tormented her prey brutally. She *liked* doing that to her. *Enjoyed* it.

Daniela had already known of the Snowblind taunt and avidly used it against Winter.

Worst of all, Daniela even *said* she had "unfinished business" with Winter. Business that started *the night she chose to ruin Winter's life*.

How could someone as *sadistic* and *violent* as *Daniela* even *have* a heart in *any* existence?

In addition, Winter's father proved himself to be a violent conservative underneath the surface, and that, combined with Daniela's decision, was enough to *permanently* scar Winter - emotionally and physically.

There were red flags *everywhere*. No *wonder* Winter was horrified. This was a terrible secret, a raw one, a *powerful* one, and she was right when she said it would change things forever.

Speaking of Winter, the girls looked up at her to find her lightly crying, her face covered by her arms. She had expected them to *attack* her for her past actions and for even having *feelings* for Daniela.

"Winter...?" Evie nudged carefully.

"**I'M SO SORRY**!" she suddenly wailed, revealing her reddish, tear-stained face. "I was *always* scared to tell you... I feared that you'd *hate me* for loving *her*! You'd never see me the same, throw me in a gutter for even *loving* a heartless *monster*... I'm such a *freak*! Why did I... *why did I even fall for her*?!"

Evie and Mya stared at her, stunned and utterly *speechless*. Winter saw the look in their faces and *knew* she had screwed up. Of course, each time she opened up, her wounds re-opened as well, and she'd sit here by the end, bleeding out...

It was an endless cycle of violence.

"I'm *sorry*! I'm a *sinner* and a damn *mistake*! You're going to *reject* me for loving a heathen, I know you will... get it over with. I'm used to the pain anyway..." she put her box aside and tucked her knees into her chest, tears dribbling onto her pants, and she shut her eyes, knowing what was coming.

So much for having friends and a somewhat normal life.

"Whoa whoa whoa! Winter, you've got it wrong! We're still your friends!"

At Evie's words, Winter rocked her head upwards and glanced at her, disbelief filling her veins and warming her. "W-*What*...?"

Evie crawled up to her, green eyes fond and radiating sympathy and warmth. "Mya and I aren't angry with you, or upset, and we most certainly don't want to *abandon* you. We *don't* do that kind of malarkey. And even then, you're *not* Daniela! You don't lust for *evil* and plot to bully others in the cover of night! Winter, you're a *wonderful*, *beautiful*, fluid person, and what Daniela did - or you being romantic with her in the past - will **never change** our friendship with you."

Winter's mind was abuzz, trying to break down what Evie had just said. She and Mya weren't furious with her for lying for so long or for telling them she and Daniela were together long ago. They were supporting her. How on *earth* did she end up here, stuck in a state of limbo, lines blurred, with her most sacred truth out for good?

"But... but Daniela is a *sadist freak*! She bullies others, beats them up, savors when she wounds someone-"

"Knock that nonsense out of the *ballpark*, Win!" Mya remarked, swinging with her arms as if she was actually playing baseball. "Daniela and you are two radically different people. You're *innocent*, charming, soft underneath your exterior, and *our* best friend. *Dani Dumbquist* is a witch, a fraud, and a *smelly onion* who likes it when people *suffer*. You didn't become her or stoop as low as her. We will **never** blame you for anything relating to your past. What happened was *out of your control*. You stood tall, strong, and you're still alive today. *That* is what should matter in your heart."

Winter couldn't believe her ears. Evie and Mya didn't *loathe* her or wanted to dismember her because Daniela was her ex. They wanted to *stand* by her side, loyal to the very end, *follow her* through the dark.

Evie and Mya were the *only true ones* in her life to say that and mean it through and through. They liked her more than anyone had in a long time.

More than her crazed father and more than Daniela.

*They're the best things that have ever happened to me...*

Tears welled in her eyes again, not out of pain, but out of *joy*.

"T-Thank... *thank you so much*... for understanding," she thanked, sitting more comfortably and taking the last photo, stowing it in her box and shutting the top. "You know... back in the day, Daniela was a completely *different* person."

"Would you like to tell us about it?" Evie asked gently.

Winter nodded. "Dani was sugary-sweet and wouldn't hurt a fly even if you asked her to. She wanted to be in my space, and when we were alone, she wanted to snuggle and show the most overt affection, handholding, cheek kisses, nuzzling, you name it..."

"Stop, you're making me fawn over a witch!" Mya jokingly pleaded, rolling her eyes in amusement.

Winter giggled for the first time that day. "Dani liked pulling me into private areas just so we could be intimate. If I still loved her, I would have wished for us to actually share a kiss... would've been so mythical."

"Sounds a bit dreamy there," Evie commented.

Winter blushed. "Yeah. She was beautiful and enjoyed spoiling me as well. Father loved her until she ruined everything."

Evie, remembering another subject at hand, added on to her comment. "And... what about your dad? Did you know that he was going to turn out so strict? I haven't really studied queer themes in Jewish families."

"To be honest, my father displayed signs that he was conservative since I was young. He was against me cutting my hair or wanting to buy clothing from, like... Hot Topic. Because it was too edgy and went against the commandments. He became more lenient as I grew older. Also, a lot of Jewish households are accepting of queer topics - in our community, there wasn't actually homophobia."

"So your father turned out to be the rotten one?"

"He viewed me being queer as me betraying my entire family *and* my mom, and he hated that I "canoodled" with someone of the same sex... thinking about it now, he definitely had underlying issues that bubbled to the surface the second I came out, and they might have ties to mom's death, but at the end of the day... I'm lucky I survived his wrath and can stand here today."

Evie nodded, understanding where she was coming from. Cultures were unique in a lot of aspects, and she was relieved to hear that not a lot of Jewish families were anti-LGBT, but a part of her stomach flipped upon hearing more about Winter's father and the atrocious attempt on his own daughter's life.

"I see. Well, back on topic... never in my *life* did I imagine hearing this about *Daniela*," Evie stated. "She's the *fox* that cackles when people in her sightlines are in *pain*."

"Yeah. Her having a heart is like saying that penguins can actually *fly*!" Mya added.

Winter gave a small grin. "Daniela was the love of my life. But now, things are different, and Daniela's *nothing* but a pure tyrant. The breakup made her this way, that much is obvious. She's been threatening me, like I said - before *and* after I met you."

"She's already been giving you threats?? What kind?" Evie questioned, concern in her tone.

"Vulgar threats. Desiring to make me miserable. Desiring to make me suffer. You... pretty much get the idea."

"In *that* case... we're going to *rise up* and *bleed defiance*. Winter, we won't let Daniela touch a single inch of skin on your *body*, not until she's hauled off and gets her comeuppance for being that *vengeful*, *spawn of Satan* bully she is. From now on, we're protecting you, and we will *always* be by your side. Forever and *permamently*!" Evie proclaimed.

"Really???" Winter asked in disbelief.

"*Hell yeah*," Mya chimed in, standing beside Evie. "We *refuse* to let you fall or face any more harm. In addition to Dani, we're going to *stop* that *pathetic* Snowblind bullying once and *for all*. You are *not* Snowblind. You are Winterlyn, *fearless*, *valiant*, and *noble*. Come down on them like an endless *crescendo* and show them that you're a *warrior*!"

Winter bounced up and down at her friends' - no, *best friends*. Her best friends' words.

She'd be safe, protected in their graces, and she could explore more of the world with them at their side.

They had accepted her regardless of her past, regardless of the scars Daniela inflicted a long, *long* time prior to their first meeting.

They were *unstoppable*.

"T-Thank you! From the bottom of my heart. And... I've decided. Come over and visit whenever you like! You deserve that too."

"*Let's gooooo*!" Mya cheered, pulling Winter into a hug, and Evie did the same.

For the very first time in their history, Winter finally embraced the hug and pulled them in.

She wouldn't be brought down by her secrets for a second longer.

Hours later, the daylight had given way to night, and the bluish-black sky stretched across the lush Piney Woods. With the temperatures falling, no one had gone outside, not even the animals.

But Winter had other plans, and putting on her coat, she took a step outside her cabin, flopping down on her back in a patch of grass near the steps and gazing up at the starry sky. The starscapes were glimmering as per usual, milky white stars breaking up the blackness, and Winter's eyes shimmered.

Tonight, she had a lot to think about, but Evie and Mya, their promises, and resolution to keeping their friend safe were all on her mind.

To say that she was at peace was *dead* accurate.

"Life's becoming wonderful for me," she murmured to herself. "Still shocked I managed to confess my ex and the other things about me to Evie and Mya. A missing piece of me, clicked into place..."

She was definitely right. Winter felt whole now, more complete, the most she had ever felt complete since before the night of the breakup with Daniela.

"And with that... I love my friends more than they ever imagine. Evie's the perfect best friend, but Mya? She's... she's honestly like a sister figure. Always peppy, positive, cracking a joke and landing with the humor... we aren't related by blood, but it feels like we are."

*God, I hope that doesn't sound awfully weird. But that's just how I see Mya.*

Unbeknownst to Winter, someone was lurking in the bushes nearby.

"Not to mention... I don't feel so burdened. It's like I can do anything! I can soar! I can finally be myself..."

Suddenly, *crunch*.

Pine needles or a twig, Winter's hackles jolted, as did her body.

*Someone was here*.

She pulled her pocket knife, and with a click, the blade came out. It shone silver in the starlight. A wisp of cool air escaped her parted mouth, and her eyes scanned her surroundings, but the darkness limited her field of vision.

Silence.

Then, through the dark...

"Winter?"

*Holy fudging shrimp*. Winter recognized the voice *immediately*, and her heart stopped *beating*.

It was *Daniela*.

She had to hide *right now*, or else, she'd be *killed without a word*.

Seeing a cluster of bushes around a pine tree, Winter dived in them, crouching and holding her knife firmly in her hand. The footsteps got closer, and then, a beam of blinding light lit up the cabin and the Piney Woods.

"*Winter*??"

Whatever Daniela was doing, she was up to no good, and that was something Winter *knew* straight off the bat.

A second later, Daniela appeared, wearing her blue sweater and holding a flashlight in her right hand. But instead of having that classic, murder-lusting look on her face, she seemed... concerned? Frightened?

Her amber eyes darted to and fro around the clearing, and Winter realized that she was searching for her.

*Why? This is a trick. Daniela wouldn't dare search for me the way she is.*

"Winter?" she called. "It's me, Daniela. Please come out, I want to talk about us... I swear!"

*In your dreams, you toxic heathen!* Winter silently retorted in her head. She didn't move a muscle. She needed to fool Daniela into believing that she wasn't here.

Unfortunately, her luck ran short, as Daniela shone the flashlight onto her bush and walked up to it, touching it with a hand.

*Do or die*.

Without warning, Winter screeched and *leapt* out of the bush, tackling Daniela and pinning her to the ground. The flashlight flew out of her hand and landed near the cabin steps.

Her bearings momentarily spiraled, but when Daniela regained them, she found an *enraged* Winterlyn McCormick glaring into her frosty soul, ice-blue eyes a double-edged sword.

And wait. She was pointing a *pocket knife* at her throat. Not just any pocket knife, but the knife that belonged to *Edwin McCormick*. She had snatched it the night they broke apart.

She was on the *edge of death*. She was *fazed*, eyes incredulous at the sight of a *knife* that wanted to rip her jugular in two.

Daniela's moment of terror lasted only for a *mere second*, however, as that classic, disgustingly-sweet *smirk* appeared on her face, revealing that she truly had sinister intentions at her disposal.

"Oh, *hey*, Winterlyn. Fancy seeing you out of your *cabin* in the middle of the night. I heard you talking to yourself, so I got curious. I wanted to pay you a visit, since you're my *baby* and- oh. Right. *We broke up*," she hissed, throwing Winter off.

Winter refused to back off, remembering Evie and Mya's determination to protect her earlier. *They rescued me once, now it's my turn to protect them.*

"Get **out** of here, Daniela," she warned, holding her pocket knife and circling her. Daniela repeated her action.

"Why should I? Not my *fault* you got *regrets*."

"**Leave**!"

"Not working on me, McCormick. We have *history*, or are you downing *forced amnesia*?"

"We *both* know how this'll end, Daniela!" Winter spat. "You ***are not welcome here***. ***Get***. ***OUT***!"

Daniela laughed. "Boy, I should offer you some salt for those *wounds* of yours. Let me make myself clear, Winter. *I am* going to *destroy* the utter hell out of you. You *took* my life from me, you *caused me* to fall, and you *caused me* to suffer. I've gone through hell and back to rise up again to become *me*. And what have you been all these years? A coward. A *freaking coward*."

Snarling, Winter leapt toward her and put the tip of her pocket knife at her throat, baring her teeth.

"You have **ONE CHANCE** to **run and don't come back**. Or I will rip open your *throat*! We're *done*. We're *nothing*."

Daniela snorted. "Psh! I *know* you live here, *Snowblind*. Think I'm stupid? I've tracked your movements into the Piney Woods. How many lies do you *truly* live under? What a **disgrace**. Wouldn't it be a shame if Pineshadow *knew* you were such a charlatan spreading *pretty little lies*?"

Winter gasped, still clutching the knife firmly, and her legs betrayed her body, carrying her a few inches away from Daniela.

Her ex-girlfriend was taking *drastic* measures to ensure she'd *pay* for her *sins*. Taunting her was *one thing*, but *stalking* was *another*.

*Just like Aiden... except this time, she's not driven mad by love.*

*She wants to kill me.*

A growl rose in her throat. That asshole. She hadn't *lost*. She was going to stand on her own two feet and show her that she wasn't going to lose.

Winter was going to *resonate*.

Eyes molten, she charged at Daniela, gripping her by the sweater collar and placing that knife precariously, *dangerously* close to the skin of her throat.

"*Don't* make me be the *bad guy*, Daniela. If you don't haul your *ass* off and **run away** from this cabin *right now*, **this INSTANT**, you'll be a **dead woman walking**. Are we *clear*?" she threatened vehemently, anger pulsing through her veins, and Daniela felt it.

Winter was too standoffish tonight.

Vengeance would wait.

She rolled her eyes, groaning in irritation. "Boo, you're *absolutely* no fun. Fine, I'll leave. Your bantering isn't *worth my time*."

Huffing, she picked up her flashlight and tucked it in her back pocket, crunching through the pine needles as she headed back into the Piney Woods.

But then, she stopped and faced Winter with *chilling* amber eyes.

"*However*... we aren't *finished* here, Winter. **Sleep** with **one eye** open tonight - I might as well tear the other out, watch it as it withers and dies in my hands..."

Shocked, Winter gasped, mouth open, pocket knife held against her chest. Her legs closed together in trepidation.

"Keep those *senses* of yours *heightened*. *Check* your surroundings over and over again. *Try* thinking twice, though it'll be of no *use* to you. I'll be back **again**. And the next time we meet, you'll be a ***rotting corpse*** at my ***feet***!"

With one, final, *piercing* stare, Daniela turned tail and fled through the Piney Woods.

Winter could only prevent herself from screaming by biting *hard* on her tongue, pain searing through her mouth cavity. She was shaking, and though her coat insulated her, she was *freezing* inside.

Fear stagnated the air, and she was *breathing it in*.

She ran back inside the cabin, slammed the door, locked it, and changed into her pajamas.

That night, Winter slept with her pocket knife by her *head*.

She was safe.

But was that really a given?

## Cast

* **Mae Whitman** as Winter
* **Eden Riegel** as Daniela
* **Jim Pirri** as Edwin
* **Peyton Elizabeth Lee** as Evie
* **Dakota Fanning** as Mya
* **Candi Milo** as Mrs. Ikenna
* **Cozi Zuehlsdorff** as Lorelei

## Songs

* Au5 & Tasha Baxter - *Stargate* (snippet)
* Conro (ft. Royal) - *City Lights* (snippet)

## Trivia

* This is the first and only episode of the rewrites to be released in October 2022.
* The episode's cold open is currently the longest in the series.
	+ It is also heavily inspired by *Snowblind*, one of Winter's main themes. There are numerous references to *Snowblind* scattered throughout the episode.
* *Ex-Girlfriend* takes place directly after the events of *Stalker*.
* As Winter runs away from Daniela, she notes again that she is "the girl that time forgot," referencing the Hellberg song *The Girl*.
* For a second time, when Winter recalls what Daniela told her, the line "I never play the victim, I'd rather be a stalker" from the Rihanna song *Rockstar 101* is referenced.
* Winter telling herself "Only in a dream, always in a nightmare" is a reference to the titles of the Au5 and Nytrix collabs *Only In A Dream* and *Always In A Nightmare*.
* When Winter struggles to sleep, she mentions that there are "a thousand words left unsaid," which is a reference to the Dodie song *Monster*.
* The shadow figure in Winter's dream stating "Oooh, nah, nah" is a nod to the Maduk song *Got Me Thinking*.
* It is revealed that:
	+ Winter has a Jewish upbringing. While she enjoys some things about her religion, she is for the most part an athiest and hasn't believed in the Jewish god, Yahweh since she was young. Her father was more conservative compared to her late biological mother, which she explains was why he hated her for being queer and attacked her so violently, as he considered it a "betrayal" to their family.
		- When Evie asks about this later in the episode, Winter clarifies that homophobia isn't really common in Judaism because LGBT+ themes are more accepted and respected - her father just ended up turning out more strict and restrictive. This is a parallel to the real world, where only few Jewish minorities have conflict with homosexuality or lesbianism.
	+ The month that Winter's life fell apart was November.
	+ Winter's middle name is Falin.
	+ Winter's ex-girlfriend is Daniela. In the process, this reveals several things about Daniela:
		- She is bisexual. Mya teases her for this in the episode.
		- She wasn't born evil and originally had a heart. Winter recalls her enjoying being intimiate with her and so soft that she "wouldn't hurt a fly."
		- Daniela wants to kill Winter in present day, claiming that she ruined her own life.
		- Prior to this episode, it was heavily implied in both *Meeting Winter* and *Stalker* that Daniela was the ex, judging by her confrontations with Winter and how violent she was when it came to her. She not only used the Snowblind name taunt, but also hinted that she knew things about Winter that Evie and Mya didn't. The girls also noticed "hellfire" burn in her eyes as she tussled with Winter in *Meeting Winter*. Because of Daniela, Winter refused to tell Evie and Mya that she was her ex-girlfriend, fearing that she'd attack them and that Evie and Mya would reject her for loving someone so vile.
	+ Winter promised Daniela that she'd always protect her in the past.
	+ The contents of Winter's box are ten photographs that are deeply revered to her, including the infamous photo of her and Daniela.
	+ Winter's name is derived from the snowflake birthmark on her shoulder and it snowing shortly after she was born.
	+ Winter's hair was originally past her shoulders. She then shaved the left side of her hair, having been inspired by Rihanna's famous hairstyle during the *Unapologetic* era, and would later cut her hair to its current length following the death of her mother.
	+ The "Pieces of me" photo from *Meeting Winter* depicted Winter and her father spending time together at a lake.
	+ Before identifying as a lesbian, Winter notes that she was extremely fluid in her gender identity, and in part due to Varien's coming out story, began to believe she was trans like him. She questioned herself, wondering if she'd be better with more masculine traits that added on to her tomboy and more masculine-centered nature. Eventually, she ruled out the possibility that she was trans, enjoying her few feminine features and citing Varien as a guide to helping her figure out she was a lesbian.
		- Her conversation also is further confirmation that she is gender non-conforming, as she explicitly says that she doesn't want to conform to society's average expectations for women - not even her father's.
	+ Winter is an avid stargazer and is enamored by stars. This was implied in *Meeting Winter*.
	+ Winter's father is a heavy conservative who didn't want Winter to break from her religion, notably by cutting her hair or wearing revealing/suggestive clothing. This explains why he was violent with her after she came out.
	+ Winter is beginning to view Mya like a sister figure.
	+ Daniela has been stalking Winter and now knows where she lives, adding on to her interest in playing the role of a stalker in *Stalker*.
* For a third time, *Ghost Assassin* is referenced, this time throughout the episode. The song is a major inspiration for *Ex-Girlfriend*.
* Mya noting that Winter will be given "snake eyes" if not punctual is an allusion to the Feint song *Snake Eyes*.
* As Winter awakens in one of her dreams, the complete opening to the Au5 and Tasha Baxter song *Stargate* plays in the background.
* When Evie begins to write her essay, she listens to the Conro song *City Lights*.
	+ With the appearance of *City Lights*, this marks the first time more than one song has appeared in an episode.
* The words in Evie's essay translate to the following:
	+ "Đôi khi, tôi cảm thấy rất khó để truyền đạt cảm xúc của mình một cách chính xác. Một ngày nào đó, tôi hoàn hảo, người kia, tôi là một mớ hỗn độn và cảm thấy như thể tôi đang tự làm mình xấu hổ." - *Sometimes, I find it very hard to communicate my emotions properly. One day, I'm flawless, the other, I'm a mess and feel as if I'm embarrassing myself*.
	+ "Giống như, nó không phải là rất dễ dàng để thể hiện đấu tranh. Tôi không nên đấu tranh, nhưng khi tôi làm vậy, tôi cảm thấy tội lỗi.Đó là một gánh nặng áp lực đối với tôi và khiến tôi muốn trở thành một ẩn sĩ." - *Like, it's not very easy to show struggle. I'm not supposed to struggle, but when I do, I feel guilty. It's a load of pressure on me and makes me want to become a hermit*.
* During their walk, Evie and Mya both reference the fall of American department store chain Sears, which Av has been closely following since 2017. Both poke fun at the chain for the stores being a mess and having lackluster inventory, a common occurance in most Sears stores leading up to their closures.
	+ Evie also notes that Mya has a disdain for Eddie Lampert, the former owner of Sears that drove the company, along with Kmart, into the ground, leaving them with almost no locations left in the mainland United States.
	+ Furthermore, Mya mentions visiting the Sears location in Tukwila - soon to be the last Sears in Washington state once the Union Gap location closes in November 2022.
	+ The girls' conversation is meant to mirror Av's own jokes and opinions on Sears.
* Winter's confronation with Daniela in her nightmare is inspired by the Vosai and Facading song *Crossed the Line*.
* In Winter's nightmare, Daniela tells her that the truth runs in their blood - a reference to the Tristam song *Truth*.
* When the nightmare version of Daniela forces Winter to kiss her, she tells her, "Love me *harder*. Hate me *softer*." This is a reference to the Camo & Krooked song *Black or White*.
* Whilst Winter attempts to run from Evie and Mya, she remarks that chasing her is like "chasing clouds," alluding to the Bad Computer and Danyka Nadeau song *Chasing Clouds*.
* Winter bidding farewell to her half-true self is a nod to the ElementD song *White Lies*.
* As noted by Winter, the first photo being titled "Snowlight" was a reference to the Varien song of the same name.
* When Winter mentions how a look from Rihanna inspired her to cut her hair, Evie alludes to the fact that the look was from the *Unapologetic* era by stating that she's "rather unapologetic" in how she looks.
* Although Winter does not state this, the sixth photo in her collection, "Hear, Smith of Heavens," is also named after a song by Varien with the same title.
* On her influence from Varien, Winter describes his real-life changes in gender identity - he came out as trans in 2020 and started using feminine pronouns before switching back to masculine pronouns in August 2022.
* The ninth photo, consisting of Winter stargazing, is heavily inspired by one of Av's favorite songs of all time - *Starscapes* by Feint and TwoThirds.
* Winter begging her mom to hush the storms away is a reference to the Varien song *Hush the Storms Away*.
* Mya reassures Winter that she's strong by encouraging her to come down on her enemies like a crescendo, which is a nod to the Muzzy song *Crescendo*.
* For the first time since meeting Evie and Mya, Winter finally embraces a hug with them without feeling uncomfortable.
* Daniela and Winter's confrontation at the end of the episode is most prominently inspired by *Don't Make Me* by Malinda Kathleen Reese, with references to the song in the episode itself.
* Daniela's comment that Winter is "downing forced amnesia" is a reference to the TwoThirds and Feint song *Epiphany*.
* When Daniela remarks that she'll tear out Winter's eye and watch it die, she alludes to the Florence + the Machine song *Girl With One Eye*.
* Daniela's parting dialogue to Winter is a noticable parallel to what Tigerclaw told Fireheart before leaving ThunderClan's camp in the *Warriors* book *Forest of Secrets*: "Keep your eyes open, Fireheart. Keep your ears pricked. Keep looking behind you. Because one day I'll find you, and then you'll be crow-food."