My sleeve held in a vice-like grip, my eyes were focused on the girl as my chest heaved up and down. Every shuddering breath that left my mouth...it made me feel as if I was trying to expel ice from my very lungs.

 She didn’t understand- 

No, she couldn’t understand. How much pain I’ve been in since that tragic day. 

How many times I’ve cried. 

 How many times I’ve spilled blood onto my hands willingly, crying myself to sleep as all the stress and expectations in this world constantly weighed down on me, nearly crushing me flat. 

Hell, the sheer act of fucking waking up was painful. 

 This wasn’t home. 

How dare she…? How dare she try to tell me to fucking calm down?

She could be calm.

I? 

I couldn’t! 

“Listen to me-” 

“No.” I interrupted. 

“Y-You don’t get it...I have to go after him. I-I need to! He will lead me to the one who murdered me. Who stole my damn life away!” I screamed, shoving her back away from me before I pressed a finger into her shoulder. 

Scorching tears nearly burned me as they started to overflow from my eyes, the single feeling of something running down my face only making my fist clench as I continued to struggle for breath. 

“Don’t you care…? He gave me no fucking choice to be in this hellhole.” I whispered.

“This damned world...where your damned god made me take over his position ‘less I didn’t want to see my family again!” I screamed. “I’ve told you...I’m not supposed to be here. I don’t deserve this! I want to go home!”

Her eyes narrowed as she gently took hold of my wing. "Remember our promise." She said.

I groaned, trying to take my wing back. “Fuck your promises…” 

“I want to help you. I really, really, really do.” She said, her grip on my wing only tightening. 

 “But I can’t if you continue to act like this! Think!” She continued

"Don't...don’t do anything you'll regret.” 

Me? Me?!  

I've done nothing. She won't let me go. 

 "Let go then." 

"I'm trying to stop you from doing something you'll regret. I'm trying to help you as my friend-" 

Without another word, I slapped her away from me with my wing.

The violent crack I heard before she splashed into the water right behind her only made me let out a shaky sigh before I shook my head. 

I couldn’t afford to let this opportunity go to waste.