I wouldn't have been uncomfortable if Sera hadn't been staring at me so unsubtly. I could feel her bright yellow-green eyes burning into me as I furiously scribbled down the Civil War generals on my worsheet. She was trying, and failing, to be inconspicous. But after everything that had happened, everything we had gone through, her eyes were always on me. Everyone's eyes were. It was like they were assessing my strength, trying to figure out if I was going to break down. But I had endured more than they knew. I met Sera's eyes suddenly, gray on green, and raised my eyebrows. "It's alright," I whispered, my voice dry. "I'm saving my mental breakdown for after school. Got to get my homework done before I lose it, y'know?" Sera's lips twisted into a frown, and her dark eyebrows drew together. She had cut her nearly-black hair shoulder length last week, and it curled around her pale cheeks. She was the kind of beautiful that looked breakable, with porcelain skin, high cheekbones, and wide, innocent eyes. And now that she had gained a pack, she actually tried to show that beauty a bit more. Sera was so sweet; I hated to be the reason that she was frowning. "Guess I deserved that," Sera muttered. "But honestly? I'm sorry. I know I've said it a million times. I know I can't take back what I did." Her voice trembled. "But I AM sorry. So I'll stop checking on you now, if you want." Sera bit her lower lip. "We'll let you go back to how it was before, Gia." I pressed my fingers against my temples. "Nothing will ever be how it was before," I told her quietly.
