Caution: this chapter may have some trigger stories. Including robbery, young deaths, stupid people, and a lot of emotional problems. You have been warned.

Jerome

I was attempting to wrap Adam's new teen daughters present, when Paige, Adams little sister walked in. She saw my struggles.

"Relax, Jerome. It's not like she's royalty, she's a girl" she says. She grabs my present, a iPad mini and wraps it.

"Thanks, Paige" I say. I could hear a car pull up, Paige looks out the window.

"It's just Jessica and Amelia" She says. I get up and move my books off of my phone.

Adam had texted.

On our way. We'll be at the house in 10 minutes.

- Adam

He had sent it 7 minutes ago. "He'll bee here any minutes now" I say. As if on cue, a Grey SUV pulled into the driveway.

"Come on" Paige says. We run downstairs as a girl walked in, she was short compared to me, she had light hazel eyes with long brown hair.

"ABIGAIL!?" Paige's voice shouts. The girls face changed to shock as Paige ran at her.

"Paige!?" The girl, who I'm assuming is Abigail, shouted back. They hugged.

"You two already know each other?" I ask.

"She was one of my best friends at the orphanage" Abigail replies. "That was before she was adopted"

Soon the others began racing down. Jason tripped on the steps and stumbled into Ty, causing them to knock into Mitch, Quintin and Ian. They were in a pile. I go and lay on Jason's back.

"GET OFF!!" I hear Ian's muffled yell. I get up, followed by the other guys.

Jessica and Amelia join us. No sign of Annie though.

"Guys meet Abigail, my adopted daughter" Adam introduces her.

"And my bestie!" Paige exclaims wrapping her arms around Abigail.

"Where's Annie?" Abigail asks. If she knew Paige, she would know Annie.

Everyone fell silent. She gave us all a puzzled look. "Abby, Annie was in an accident a year ago" Paige begins. "She was paralyzed for 10 months before she began to regain strength"

"She doesn't leave her room, we usually have to bring her food" Adam continues for Paige. "She does come out of her room once in a while"

"W-what was the accident?" Abigail asks, shocked.

"A shooting at mall" Jessica says. "She was shot to the leg and abdomen. Doctors thought she wouldn't live"

"C-can I.. see h-her?" She chokes in her words. Ian agrees and we all walk to the bright red door decorated with sayings and her name.

Ian opens the door, Annie sat there, looking into almost endless space. Her red hair was fading to the black hair she has.

Abigail slowly walks up to her. Annie looked at her, her eyes tearing up at the sight of her.

Annie

I look at the girl who I was best friends with. Her hair a long straight brown, her hazel eyes staring at me full of tears, her smile begins to show. I give her a easy smile.

"Abby?" I ask. She nods, sitting next to me. "You look.. Different"

"So do you, An. Your hairs a bit red" she says. I hug her, crying. She hugs back instantly.

My muffle sobs. I never stop crying, I continuesly have tears streaming down my face.

She sat with me for 10 minutes hugging me. Not letting go, I had felt another pair of arms wrap around me, Paige.

We held each other. Crying.

Paige

The day was vivid. It was only a week after me and Annie had returned from our vacation with Adam, Ian, Maddie, Colton, and Alesa.

We decided to head to the mall to shop for our summer cloths. It was spring and school was about to end, which we were very happy about.

I had been looking at some sandals and scarfs while Annie waited by the door texting her friends. Jessica was paying for her stuff and Amelia went to the starbucks on the other side of the hall.

I began hearing a bang, so did everyone else. The store manager ran out, yelling for everyone to hide. I grab Jessica's arm and duck behind the rack of tee-shirts. I hear the window of the store smash and a scream.

Two shots. 6 shots. 8 shots. I hear the crack of glass, a whimper, and heavy footsteps.

Suddenly a hand grabs me and pulls me up. He walks over to the register, holding a gun to my head.

"Give me all the money, and no one gets hurt" His voice demanding the cashier. She jumps up, emptying the cash register.

When the money was empty from the register, he pushes me down, kicking my leg and bending it the wrong way.

I broke my leg, and couldn't move.

I didn't open my eyes until I heard more gun shots. I heard screams and yelling. None that I recognized.

But I couldn't help but remember Annie. Standing by the door, waiting for us.

I move a bit, causing me to yelp. Jessica looks at me, tears on her cheeks. "Annie, can you see Annie??"

She turns her head to peer over at the door area. She shakes her head. I begin to lift myself up, holding on to anything.

Annie layed unconscious, blood surrounding her. Jessica helps me over to her. Other costumers crawling her way. Annie, a little girl who had been playing with a doll near her mom, the girls mom, and another teen layed in blood.

I sit next to Annie with tears, I cover her wound in her leg while Jessica covered her abdomen.

I see other people lying unconscious. Smashed glass. And 4 policemen holding down the guy who was robbing.

I hear my name being called, but I was to emotional to reply to anything.

At the hospital, The little girl was pronounced dead, the mom had many internal and external injuries, and the other teen woke up and was alive.

Annie was going to be okay for a while. The doctor had said it was a 15% chance she would live to see the next month.

I had a broken leg that they have to have surgery on. And Jessica was to much in shock. Amelia was knocked out by a group of people trying to get out.

Adam and Alesa didn't leave my side as we waited for news about everything.

There was a news report about the shooting.

"8 pronounced dead at the sence, 4 died in hospital, 2 with minor injuries, 6 who have not been confirmed. The deceased includes Mia Santiago, Michelle Hadlet, Joshua Hadlet, Morgan Ell, Kelly Rush, Hailey Roy, Rachel Roy, and Quinn Roy"

A picture of the little was the first one to be shown. Mia. I couldn't move, I was shocked as the names had been called out.

I couldn't believe that I had just survived a shooting.

I sat there hugging the girls for what seemed like hours. No explanation, just hugging.