I am never going to be like them.

  "Melissa, slow down." all of the windows were rolled down and I looked down at the speed meter which was at 120mph.

  Smash

  I don't know what's wrong. Crawling from the crash all I can hear is static, the fire is burning brighter than my eyes can handle. I look down at the car that will soon be unrecognizable once the fire goes full fme and my best friend's arm peeking out of the open window.

  Shit

  limping, I walk to the side of the road. What am I going to do now? My head is spinning, and I know I won't be able to walk for much longer. As my body is finally starting to give up on me, I fall to the floor, everything is going blurry, but I can see three tall bck figures walking right towards me.

  What is happening to me?

  ONE YEAR LATER...

  I open the window so that I can finally breathe, in this car ride that never seems to end my mind is spinning. I would say something so that we can stop the car and rest, but the slight frown on my mom's face is enough to shut me up for a while. A tiny water droplet falls onto my fingertip, and I quickly rub my index finger and thumb together. I have never been so happy to see rain in my life, especially since I grew up in Washington. I would have never imagined that I would miss it this much.

  "Can you roll up your window? it's cold" My mom always sounds slightly annoyed especially when she speaks to me but at the moment, she just sounds tired. So, I comply again. It is not the time to argue with her, I am just happy she is allowing me to come home, especially after what happened st summer.

  "So, are you ready?" she turns her head slightly to see my face which I keep neutral.

  I clichély say, "as ready as I'll ever be." faking a smile that I know she can see right through. Last year was both the best and worst year of my life, Somehow, I can sense that I have not hit my rock bottom, there is so much more that I am going to have to go through and it is inevitable.

  "I know they miss you." My mom cares, even though she doesn't want to show it. Even though she doesn't believe my side of the story, she still cares.

  "Doubt it." I say finally looking at her face. Everyone hated me and I could not bme them. My best friend is dead, and I was the only one there to witness what happened. I would hate me too.

  I walk into a bedroom that looks so unfamiliar.

  "Nothing has been moved." my mom says in the doorway. I look down at my feet to see a letter unopened. Before I could reach down at the letter to pick it up, my mom beats me to the punch.

  "I'll take that." She says pcing her hands behind her back.

  "I can handle a letter, I'm not crazy." My mom's eyes soften. The only time I truly feel like my mom gets me is when we are grieving together.

  "I know you can handle it. I just want you to get settled back in first. Focus on the good things."

  I smile as much as I can and turn around to look at my bed that is full of hopefully clean cloths.

  "I'll leave you to get settled, were having a roast dinner tonight." A roast dinner my favorite.

  My mom closes my door, and I finally take a deep breath in. I needed this.

  Finaly alone I push all of the clothes off of my bed a jump into it letting my bnket engulf me in comfort.

  My phone buzzes on my night table and I jump at the sound

  "My phone!" I haven't seen my phone in more than a year, I can't believe that I sted this long without it. It was on the charger basically on dispy for me and I was tempted, but that buzz could only mean one thing. My return home was public knowledge, and I am enemy number one. Instead of checking my phone I stood up and to look in my mirror.

  I take out the locket that I have been keeping safe in my sweatshirt jacket. Taking in a deep breath I close my eyes practicing the words I have been taught for this moment.

  "Plufairy" I say with a gentle flourish in my voice. I open one eye to see if anything has changed, but the locket sits in my hand just like before. Come on Cater! remember what they said, you need to believe.

  "Plufairy" My right fist is wrapped tightly around the locket.

  "Plufairy" I say one more time, and I know something is working because I can feel the locket heating up in my hands and I see this slight glow of red peeking through my fingers. A smile creeps up on my face as I open my fist and allow the locket to rise in the air.

  I jump at my phone buzzing again which immediately causes my locket to fall on the carpet. This time it's not just a notification but a phone call. Just ignore it, I can handle this. Although the whole time here I was telling myself that I would just avoid everyone and get through this st year of high school in silence, it the background like before. In the back of my mind, I knew this was not possible. people wanted answers.

  I walk over to my phone cautiously; I look down to see who the first person was I would talk too. my eyes slightly widen at the name.

  "Anthony" I say under my breath, he was the st person I expected to call me, and he is the st person I want to talk. I know I can't avoid this not completely. Some advice I was given before I came back was to dive headfirst into the chaos.

  "Hello." I say shyly shifting to sit on my bed

  "Carter?" Anthony says almost like he can't recognize my voice.

  "Yeah." this comes out even quieter than my hello. He hangs up and I can feel my chest heating up. My dead best friend's ex just called me