Eileen woke up the next morning with Demetri at her side. She smiled slightly before moving his arm so she could get up. When his arm didn't budge, Eileen jabbed her finger in his rib cage, causing him to retract his whole body away from her. Eileen smiled and got out of her bed.

She brewed a hot cup of decaffeinated tea and went to her porch step to see a car staying still in the middle of the road. Eileen looked curiously at it before it suddenly sped off. She shrugged it off before she saw a text notification. It was Sam, asking her if she wanted to join her, Moon, and Yasmine for brunch.

"Eileen," she heard her mom at the door. She turned to see her mom popping her head out, "Come in for a second?" The girl obliged, going to the island with her mom and setting her cup down. Kelli looked at her with a serious look.

"I just want to make sure you're okay. Are you?" She asked her, eyeing her arms for any bruises.

Eileen put a hand on her shoulder, "I'm okay."

"Did you... See your dad in Mexico?" Kelli questioned her, a troubled look in her eyes. Eileen wanted to say yes, but the look stopped her. She didn't want to make her mom more scared than she was. But her father thought they lived in San Diego, so they would be safe.

"No, no I didn't. I only had little time to look around and uh, Johnny and Robby found Miguel and I before we could look around longer. Never saw him," she told her before handing her the photo. "This is what I was going off of anyway, I was never going to find him with a photo."

She felt horrible for lying but the relief she saw her mom made it slightly worth it.

"Alright, uh, Amanda texted me, and said something about Sam wanting you to go out with her?" Kelli told her, changing the subject.

"Right, need to text her back," Eileen replied, pulling out her phone to see if Sam could pick her up.

"You're going out?" Demetri asked, walking out of her room. Kelli gave her a look, Eileen waved her off.

"Girls' day," Eileen explained to him as Demetri sat on the stool next to her.

"Maybe I should have a girls' day with Eli and Miguel," Demetri spoke up, going to his phone.

Eileen looked at him curiously, "What would you guys do?"

He shrugged, "Probably watch Eli get a new tattoo."

"Sounds fun?" She questioned herself. The boy shrugged before they heard a car honk.
Eileen smiled and kissed Demetri on the cheek before heading out.

Yasmine chuckled as Sam and Eileen sat down across from them, Sam showing them her phone with her texts from Miguel.

"Desperate," Yasmine commented. Eileen sat uncomfortably, not knowing what to do. "But cute. He knows he's in deep shit."

"I just... I feel like things have been off lately," Sam remarked. "There's so much I want to say. Maybe I should just... Lay it all out?"

"Do what you think is best," Eileen admitted to her, Sam smiling at the girl before turning to her phone.

"No!" Yasmine snatched her phone. Eileen jumped at the impact "No, less is more."

"I'm with Yas, it's better to have these conversations in person," Moon agreed.

"Mm-hm. Keep it short, not sweet." Yasmine handed her the phone, showing the text she just typed out.

"I'm okay." Sam read the text out loud. Eileen leaned over to see it, "Should I add a smiley face or something?"

"No!"

"Definitely!"

"Eileen?" Sam asked, wanting her to break the tie. All three girls stared at her. Eileen uncomfortably leaned back in the booth.

"Whatever you think is best," she stated as Sam sighed, looking back down on the phone. Eileen rubbed her arm in comfort, knowing she was no help.

"I have an idea!" Moon shouted suddenly.

"Moon, I love you. You have to stop doing that," Eileen huffed, holding her heart.

"Come on, I'll send you the place, and we'll all have a great place to chill," Moon smiled.
Sam and Eileen packed into her car, following Moon to wherever she said they were going to go. When they walked in, they were given bathing suits and robes to change into, Eileen and Sam already being cautious about it.

"Moon, this place is so you," Sam commented, Eileen, nodding in agreement.

"Very, very, you." Eileen eyed the crystals lined up against a desktop.

"Isn't it? When Eli and I broke up the first time, there was a lot of negative energy. This place helped cut through the most. Which is why I brought you here." Moon gushed to them, wrapping an arm around Eileen and Sam, "You gotta find yourself. Figure out who you really are."

"They also do facials so," Yasmine told them, almost suggesting it. They turned into a different room and walked toward a pod.

"What is this, exactly?" Sam asked.

"This is a self-actualization pod," Moon explained. Eileen looked at Sam in concern.

"So like a sensory deprivation pod?" Sam asked Moon, having the same look Eileen had.

"Oh, no, no, no, no, no. They don't call them that anymore. It's not about deprivation," Moon explained to them.

"So it's not one, but it's built like one?" Eileen asked her, skeptically.

"Yup!" Moon nodded, not realizing her unsureness. "This is about connection with your innermost self."

"Thanks, but I'm still going to pass. I have nightmares about drowning myself in shallow water," Sam admitted, crossing her arms.

"Wow, that's dark," Yasmine commented. Eileen elbowed her gently, knowing that wasn't what she need to hear.

"Sam, ever since the tournament, you've been off balance. It's clear there's been some tension with Miguel. The only thing you're gonna find in this pod is yourself. That's not so scary, right?" Moon communicated to her.

"And I'm here if you need a friend." Eileen beamed at the girl softly. She felt horrible for having left Sam, not knowing that she was going to struggle.

"Okay. I'll do it," she said, taking off her robe and handing it to Yasmine. Moon smiled at her as Sam handed her phone to Eileen, "I'll use the safe word if I want to get out, got it?" Eileen nodded.

Sam put her feet in gently, as Eileen and Sam took each hand, helping Sam lower herself into the tank and close her eyes. Once she was floating, Moon closed the doors shut, the three waiting for Sam to come out when she was ready.

"We just wait now?" Eileen asked. Moon nodded.

"I'm going to my pod." Yasmine smiled before walking away, texting her Australian boyfriend Nigel.

Moon eyed Eileen, "Are you okay?"

"Why wouldn't I be?" She asked back. Moon grabbed her shoulder.

"You seem tense," she commented, rubbing her shoulder.

"Yeah, riding in a car for a long time will do that," Eileen told her, looking back at the tank. Moon shrugged going to her tank, not even five minutes later rushing back to the one Sam was in. Moon opened it, Sam jumping out of the vision she had.

"Oh, my gosh. I had the most incredible vision. I was a drop of dew glistening in the moonlight." Moon told her before seeing Sam's face, "Are you okay?" Eileen and Moon helped her climb out, Yasmine bringing Sam's robe.

"Was your pod broken too? My water was freezing," Yasmine told the girls.

"Wasn't it enlightening? What did you see?" Moon asked the girl. Sam just breathed heavily.

"Want to get tacos?" Eileen whispered to Sam. That was their safe word, more like a safe question, but it still worked. Sam nodded. Eileen waved goodbye to the duo before they changed and headed out.

"I'm going to take a break with Miguel," Sam spoke up in the car, Eileen looking at her with an unhappy look. "I- I don't want him to have to deal with me not knowing who I am- I just-," Sam sighed, not knowing what to say.

"You don't want him to deal with your inner demons?" Eileen suggested. Sam nodded.

"But I don't want to though, but, I'll just make him more miserable if I don't figure out who I am, you know? I want him to be happy. But I'm happy with him." Sam spoke quietly.

"Hey." Eileen looked at Sam. "If you need to take a break so you can figure yourself out, that shouldn't be a problem. I'd rather do that than make my partner miserable."

"Thanks, Eileen. I needed that." Sam told her truthfully.

Eileen nodded, "Anytime."

Not long afterward, Sam dropped off Eileen. She saw a note in her car so she went to grab it. When she picked it up, she saw five words that felt made goosebumps crawl up her skin.

I know where you are.

She looked around but saw no one. She crumpled up the note and walked inside her house, feeling her anxiety rush through her veins.