The words "for help" and "useless waste of space" felt like red-hot needles plunged directly into my heart. Shame washed over me, drowning me. She was right. It seemed like… I was always relying on his protection. I hated myself for it. "That"s not…" I tried to defend myself, but my voice was so faint I could barely hear it. As Luke started to speak, I could no longer stand being there, under Tabitha"s mocking gaze and Luke"s potential pity. Using my uninjured arm, I pushed past him, kept my head down, and fled down the corridor like my life depended on it, merging into the thinning crowd outside. "Amelia!" Luke called out anxiously behind me. But I didn"t look back. I just ran faster, using the people and buildings as cover, quickly disappearing from his sight. The throbbing pain in my sh
