Drake walked with me back towards the park. Kids were laughing and playing, their parents laughing with them. I looked at my feet. It hurt to see them all so happy.

Drake put his arm around my shoulder, grinning from ear to ear. I couldn't help but laugh at his goofy grin.

I heard someone calling us over. We turned to see Connor, Zack, and Lionel running towards us. I didn't know Zack all that well, we had lunch together but that's all.

Lionel was kicking a soccer ball. "And she's alive!"

Connor grinned. "What up, Iris?"

I shrugged, leaning on Drake. "Nothing much, wbu?"

He stole the ball from Lionel and kicked it up, bouncing it on his knee. "Playing soccer, you guys wanna join?"

Drake looked at me. "Sure." I love soccer, plus I'm really good at it.

I passed it to Drake, he made a kick for the goal. "No!" I stopped him. He was about to score on Lionel's right side, his left was weaker and less coordinated.

I took the ball from him, weaved it past Connor and Zack, and made a kick to the top left side of the goal.

"Score! Yes!" I did a victory dance.

Lionel had a bad temper. He grabbed the ball and dropkicked it into the back of my head.

I froze, feeling the same pain as before when I hit my head on the table. Lionel didn't have science with us, so he didn't know. I had taken my annoying bandages off on the way back through the forest.

I stumbled forward, the pain was intense. Drake steadied me, glaring at Lionel.

"Are you crazy?!" Lionel stood there, trying to act innocent.

"I barely even hit her!" Connor yelled at him, explaining what had happened earlier that day.

The sun was beginning to set and most of the people had gone home.

Drake lowered me to the ground, looking at my head.

"Lionel, I should punch you right now." Lionel stepped back further into the goal.

"Drake he didn't know!" Connor stepped between them.

My head hurt like crazy, everything was getting blurry.

"All the more reason to knock some sense into him!" I grabbed Drake's ankle.

"Drake, please." I stood, holding my head. I was too dizzy to stand, I fell forward.

"Iris!" Drake caught me in his arms.

I passed out to the sound of my name being screamed.

When I woke I realized I was in Drake's house. This was his guest bedroom.

He was sitting on his bed across the hall. The door to his room was open and so was mine.

He glanced up at me. "Iris!"

Connor and Lionel appeared into view from his room, Zack wasn't with them. Connor smiled.

"Awake at last." I sat up, confused.

"How long was I out?" Lionel shoved his hands in his pockets, trying to act like he wasn't worried about me.

"Oh, only a day and a half." I jumped out of the bed, frantic.

"What?! I have a game tonight!" I ran out of the room and down the hall. I nearly tripped over his cat.

"Sorry, Butterscotch!" I ran through his kitchen, stopping and staring at who was at the door.

"My baby!" Marci tried to run to hug me, but Drake's dad, Kevin Hankes, blocked the way.

"She is no longer yours, the Parkers have claimed her. You have showed no responsibility to keep her safe and healthy."

Marci and David sneered and left. Kevin turned, smiling at me. "You move in with Hannah tomorrow."

I hugged him, thrilled. "Oh, thank you!" He laughed and hugged me back.

Connor, Lionel, and Drake rushed in. Drake smiled widened as he moved a strand of hair out of his face.

"I told you, Iris." I looked at him, tears in my eyes. "Let me guess, Julia's pig flew?" We laughed.

Drake wrapped me in a big, warm hug. I let my head rest on his shoulder for a few moments.

"Thank you so, so much." I whispered. He smiled and spoke so only I could hear. "I would do anything for you."

I squeezed him tight, then let him go. "I owe you." He shook his head, no. "You owe me nothing."

Kevin patted me on the shoulder and left the kitchen. I stood there for a moment, trying to hold back my tears.

Lionel and Conner left us there. He held out his arms to me, giving me that, 'I know it hurts' look that I always fall for. I ran into his arms, tears streaming down my face. He hugged me tightly as I cried on him.

"It's ok." When I finally calmed down we walked up the stairs. I kept my eyes on the ground. My eyes were red and puffy from crying. I tried to hide it from Lionel and Connor. No use, they're too nosey.

Connor knelt down in front of me, peering up at my face. "I thought so, someone's been crying." He poked my nose and gave me a goofy grin. I gave him my best fake smile and poked him back. He didn't buy it, but he just went with it.

Lionel apologized, rubbing the back of his head. I smiled. "Well, technically if you hadn't done that then I wouldn't have gotten moved with Hannah. Thank you." I hugged him. I could tell he was blushing.

We heard feet pounding up the stairs and I turned to see Hannah standing there, out of breath. "Sis!" I laughed and we wrapped each other in a hug. "I'm so happy you got away from them!"

I felt the tears coming back. "Oh, Hannah!" I hugged her tighter, letting the tears flow.

I let go of her, running from the room. I locked myself in the bathroom. I fell to my knees, crying in my hands. Drake banged on the door, calling my name. "Iris, open up! It's ok to cry!"

The tears flowed harder. "I'm too weak! Too helpless to stop them! It's not ok, it's stupid!" I cried harder, unable to stop myself. The banging stopped. "No, it doesn't show that you're weak, it shows that you have a heart, that you care. It shows that you're human, it shows that you're not a stone cold person, that you have feelings and aren't afraid to express them."

I stood, turning the lock on the door. It slowly opened, showing everyone standing there except Hannah. I wiped my eyes.

Drake couldn't help himself. He ran towards me, hugging me. I was surprised, but I just stood there, staring at the floor. He let me go.

"If anything you're not weak, you're strong. If I had been in your position, seeing what you've seen, I would've died off long ago. You're strong for living through that and becoming the person you are now."

I stared in his eyes. They sparkled with admiration and sympathy. "Drake, thank you for every-" Before I could say anything else there was a scream from down the hall. Hannah wasn't among the others.

I pushed past them, running out into the hall. "Hannah!" She was on the ground, laughing her head off. Her curly, blonde hair formed a pool around her head. Butterscotch was rested beside her, licking his paws.

I stared at them, annoyed. My nose twitched. "Are you kidding me?!" She looked at me, then laughed even harder. I couldn't help myself,  her laughter was contagious. I started laughing, too.

The others ran over to us, I had fallen on my knees I was laughing so hard. They were puzzled.

"What just happened?" Between laughter Hannah explained. "I tripped over Butterscotch." We laughed and laughed.

Drake smiled, happy to see me laughing. I stopped and looked seriously at the others. Worry clouded my eyes.

"Guys, I need to practice soccer for tonight, come with me." I stood, pulling still giggling Hannah up. We walked outside.

My head started to hurt and I got a bit dizzy. It didn't show, though. We walked towards the park.

"Wait, I forgot the soccer ball." Drake stopped. "It's fine just come on!" I started to jog, seeing the park up ahead.

When we got there I walked over to the edge of the woods. So many kids kick perfectly good soccer balls over here and never come to get them. I found a nice one that wasn't too flat.

We kicked it around for a bit, but then we got serious. I weaved it past Drake and Hannah, aiming for the goal. Connor stole it from me, but I soon got it back. No one was in my way, I had a perfect shot lined up. I got ready to take the shot, but I fell before my foot even touched it.

"Iris!" They ran over to me. There was this horrible screeching sound ringing in my ears. I held my head, screaming. People all around the park started to rush over.

I stood, my knees shaking. I put one hand out in front of me, pushing through the crowd. My eyes were huge from fright. I had to stop the sound.

I felt a warm liquid leak from my ears. I put my had on it, then yanked it away. I screamed. "Blood! Get it off me!" I broke into a run, Drake and Connor running after me.

"Iris! Iris!" Drake grabbed my arms from behind. I pulled him along with me as I tried to escape the blood and the sound. He turned me around and looked into my crying eyes. "Calm down!"

He got a rag out of his pocket and wiped the blood away. "Connor hold this." Connor held the rag on one of my ears. Drake took off his over shirt and held that on my other ear.

"It's ok, the blood's gone." I was shaking from head to toe, horrified. The sound was getting louder. Connor was frantic. "Drake, the blood won't stop." Sweat formed on Drake's brow. He gulped. I looked into his eyes, fear coming over me.

"The sound, Drake. Please make the sound stop." I realized what it was as I saw a dog running around. A man, possibly it's trainer, was blowing a whistle that no one else seemed to hear. When he stopped blowing the sound faded.

"N-no way. I can hear the dog whistle." He blew hard and loud, I screamed in pain. "Make it stop!" Drake ran over to the man. "Sir, can you please stop blowing that whistle? It's hurting my friend very badly." The man said he would stop and I didn't hear the sound. I calmed down a bit but I saw all the blood on Connor and Drake's hands. I started to tremble fiercely.

"Get the blood away, please!" I scooted back, terrified. "Iris calm down! It's going to be ok!"

Hannah and Lionel ran over, out of breath. "I got my parents! They're coming with the van!" I started to feel light-headed and faint. "D-Drake, the blood. Please get it away."

He held me closely, holding his shirt in place on my ear. "I promise I will make it stop, I promise." I passed out.