I want so badly to scream at the reflection that I don't recognize and say it's not me. But I know it is.

I keep my tears down which makes my stomach twist. I grab the first aid kit as I look into the mirror. My face is covered in bruises and blood comes from my nose, forehead, and cheek. 

I grab a small hand towel and carefully watch my bloody hands as I cover it in cold water. I carefully clean my face. I look in the mirror and wince as I go over the cuts and bruises. I continue to clean up my face until the door swings open.

I let out a small scream and jump as I quickly turn and see Leo standing there as well as the guys with shocked and sad expression.

"What happened?" Gray says.

"I'm fine," I say turning back to the mirror.

I'm lying.

He puts his hand on my shoulder, turning me around and taking the towel from my hands.

"What happened?"

"What if I was actually using the bathroom? Go away." I say taking the towel back from him and turning back to the mirror.

"Beth, where are they?" Alan says.

"I don't know what you're talking about," I say as I continue to clean the cuts on my face.

It stings so badly I end up clenching onto the counter till my knuckles turn white. They don't leave and I look at them all looking at me in the mirror. I drop the rag in my hand and turn to them sighing.

"What are you guys doing here?"

"Wanted to make sure your okay," Mason says.

"I'm good. Can I please clean up my face now?"

"Where did it happen?" Leo says.

"An alley but it's none of your guys' business. It's not you're guys' problem. It's my own, I can handle it." I say turning back to the mirror. 

I pick up the rag, cleaning off the blood revealing the burn mark that is a lot deeper then I thought.

"Really, then what's the mark from?"

"It's my thing, you guys don't need to get involved," I say as I wince through my teeth as I clean up more of the cuts, blood, and dirt.

"Beth, where are they?"

They are not gonna leave me alone. I sigh and turn to them, walking out of the bathroom and to my room, locking the door and moving the dresser in front of it which makes my arms and legs hurt.

I head over to my vanity and sit down.

"Sorry guys," I say as I continue to clean up my face.

I soon hear the lock come open and the door starts to open until meeting the dresser.

"Really?"

"It's not your guys' business, you don't need to be involved with this, it's my problem and I'm good."

I continue to clean my face as they walk away. I finally finish cleaning off the blood and dirt showing all the cuts, bruises, and the burn mark. I look in the mirror and my lip quivers as I look at myself. 

Tears surface in my eyes and the window soon opens. I jump and look over and see the guys coming in. I quickly wipe away my tears and bite my quivering lip as I look at them. I won't cry in front of them. I refuse to. Won't happen. I haven't had a tear slip since I was five, this isn't gonna break me. They won't get to me.

They all look to me as I sit on my vanity chair.

"You guys are relentless," I say looking at them as they all come in.

"Where are they?" Gray says coming next to me

"I don't know, not like it would make me feel any better if we just go beat them up anyway."

I stand up and go sit on my bed. Not being able to look at myself in the mirror anymore. The guys all come sit next to me on the bed as I sit up against the back with my knees to my chest and my head resting on top of my knees.

"Alright, what happened?"

"The normal before you all came along, nothing I'm not used to."

"Okay how about the burn mark on your cheek?"

I bite my lip. Yeah, that's new.

"Just stay with us, they won't mess with you that way. They are too scared to mess with all of us."

"I can't just be around you guys 24/7."

"Just find us after school and we'll give you a ride if Leo can't."

"Thanks for the offer but I'm good. They'll just find another way. It's not worth it."

"Beth-"

"Could I please be left alone for a bit? Please?"

"Sure," L.J. says.

"Come on guys," Gray says.

They all get up and head out the window. I wait for a moment after they are all gone and tears burst from my eyes, streaming down my cheeks. I wipe them away but they just continue to fall and I can't stop them. After everything, why am I breaking now? My cuts sting from the tears making my face hurt that much more and I am tense from what had happened making every bruise hurt that much more.

I soon see someone come back through the window through my blurry vision and I jump and tense. I continue to wipe tears away but it's useless.

"That's what I thought." Alan's voice says as he comes over and sits next to me as the rest of the guys come in.

"You guys are awful," I say in my broken voice with a smile as I try to stop the tears.

A comes over and puts an arm around my shoulders while Alan comes and sits on my other side. Gray sits in front of me as the rest of them stand.

"Yeah, we are the awful friends Miss lies-a-lot," Trever says.

I chuckle as I wipe the tears with my sleeve, choking a bunch of them back.

"I'm gonna start locking my window," I say with a broken voice as my stomach re-ties it's knots and I choke back the tears.

I finally end up stopping the tears and my throat tightens as my stomach is in knots. I bite the inside of my lip to keep it from quivering and try to open my eyes completely through the burning sensation.

"Your just as bad as a guy when it comes to not crying," A says chuckling at me.

I smile at him and wipe away the rest of my tears.

"There goes whatever makeup I had on," I say tucking back strands of hair behind my head.

"You wear makeup?  You normally act more like a guy," Leo says dramatically.

I toss a small pillow at him and he catches it smiling at me.

I lean back against the head of the bed as they all look at me.

"So you don't know where there are?" A says.

I shake my head no, not about to let my voice break in front of them since I have no control over that.

"Wanna come find them with us?"

"Please don't," I say struggling to keep my voice from breaking but I slip and the last bit my voice breaks.

They all notice despite my half smile and A pulls me closer next to him. A knock soon comes at the door I quickly jump and my head shoots up. The guys notice me tense.

"Let me in!" Willow screams past the dresser.

Leo smiles and pushes the dresser out of the way and Willow comes in. She has new hospital bands around her wrist and looks at me and I smile at her but she sees right past it.

"Which one of you hurt her?" She says in an evil and dark tone.

"None of us in here."

"Out of the way boys, as much as I like seeing you all cuddled together this is a best friend job." She says coming over to the bed.

The guys quickly move and she jumps on the bed next to me, putting her arm around my shoulder and moving my head onto her shoulder, resting her head on mine.

"Who did this to you? And how many trash bags do I need?" She asks in a calm voice.

"It's fine," I say as my voice almost breaks.

"Alright, guys?"

"David's group," Gray says crossing his arms.

"Alright, Beth stay here, your best friend is gonna go kill some people. I'll be back to hide from the cops later." She says getting ready to get up.

"No your not," I say grabbing her arm.

She sighs. 

"You guys wanna go kill them while she's asleep?" Willow asks calmly.

"I'll grab the trash bags." A says.

"I'll get the shovel," Mason adds.

"You guys aren't killing anyone, alright?"

"Wait a minute, what's this?" She says pointing to the burn mark on my cheek.

I say nothing.

"It's a cigarette burn mark isn't it?" Trever asks confidently.

I slightly nod my head yes as what happened plays through my mind which sends goosebumps down my arms.

"They took a cigarette to your face?"

"Can I please be alone now?"

"No," Willow says.

"Why not?"

"Because I said so." She says calmly

"You sound like a mom."

"Shush, the big kids are talking." She says jokingly.

They all chuckle as I slap her on the shoulder. The door soon swings open and I jump a little. Rain walks in.

"Why does it look like you were crying?" She says tilting her head.

"I wasn't. What do you need?"

"I was gonna ask if you could make cookies but I think your boyfriends and Leo would eat them all."

"Come on, I'll make you some cookies," I say standing up and smiling like nothing is wrong.

"Yessss. Can you make sure your boyfriends and Leo don't eat any?"

"They aren't my boyfriends," I say walking over to her.

"Why not?"

"Cause."

"Cause why?"

"Why don't we go make those cookies?" I say walking her out of the room.

"Why don't you go out with any of them?" She says loud enough for them to hear as they follow me out of the room.

"Cause your sister is a scaredy cat and won't ask any of them out!" Willow shouts.

We make it to the kitchen and she turns to the guys as I get out the stuff to make cookies.

"So why don't you guys ask her out?" 

My knot in my stomach and tears fade as I distract myself only for blushing to replace it as I face away from them.

"Yeah guys," Willow says.

I feel like I should be included in this so I turn around and put my back to the counter as I cross my arms at them. Trying to put what happened away in a locked drawer.

"Why are you looking at us like that? What's your excuse?" Trever says looking past the girls and to me.

"Yeah princess, what's your reason for never asking us out?" Gray says smirking.

"Never thought about asking one of you guys out. You guys are my friends."

"Oh! Get friend zoned!" Leo says.

"There is our reason, we are all friends," Alan says.

"So if I hadn't friend zoned you all, what would you have said?" I ask smiling at them.

"Just hadn't thought about it," Gray says.

I turn back around and pull out some bowels and some other stuff to make cookies. The others all sit at the table talking. Once I get out everything I pull off my hoodie to keep it from becoming messy and that's when I see all the bruises up and down my arms. I look over at the others and they don't notice. 

I keep my arms in front of me as I make the cookies, blocking their view. I slide on an apron and start making the cookies.

I end up with forty-eight cookies all on one big plate. They are all distracted with talking so they don't notice till I pick up the plate and carry it over, setting it down in front of them and quickly putting my arms behind me as they look over with huge smiles.

"Cookies!" Rain screams as she grabs a handful.

I back up to the counter where my hoodie is about to put it on but continue to hide my arms.

"Don't you want one?" Mason says looking over at me.

"Yeah, I'm just gonna grab my hoodie."

He turns back and I slide off the apron and grab my hoodie.

"What's on your arms?" Rain says as they all turn to me and I quickly slide on my hoodie.

"Nothing," I say smiling at her but I see the others concerned faces.