Hidden Thorn

Amelia found Willow perched on a bench outside the library, her back ramrod straight, her gaze fixed on the distant horizon. It was a scene that could have been plucked straight from a classic novel, a brooding heroine gazing out at a storm-tossed sea. Except the storm, Amelia realized, was raging within Willow, a storm that was slowly but surely tearing her apart.

Willow didn't acknowledge Amelia's presence, but she didn't need to. The tension radiating from her was thick enough to cut through the air.

Amelia took a seat on the bench beside her, her fingers tracing the worn grooves of the wood. It felt strange to be so close to Willow, so close to the source of Lily's pain. But Amelia was determined to understand her, to see beyond the facade, to find the vulnerable girl hidden beneath the tough exterior.

"Why?" Amelia asked, her voice soft but firm. "Why did you do that to Lily?"

Willow's gaze flicked to her, a flicker of surprise in her hazel eyes. "It's none of your business," she said, her voice tight and clipped.

"It is my business," Amelia insisted. "You hurt her. You made her afraid. And that's not okay."

Willow snorted, her face a mask of disdain. "You think I care? You think I'm some kind of monster?"

Amelia shook her head. "No, Willow. I don't think that. I just... I want to understand."

Willow leaned back on the bench, her arms crossed tightly over her chest. "Understand what? Understand how I'm trying to survive in this world?" She let out a bitter laugh. "This world is a jungle, Amelia. And if you want to get ahead, you have to be strong. You have to fight for what you want. You can't let anyone take advantage of you."

"But you don't need to hurt others to be strong," Amelia countered. "You can be powerful without being cruel."

"Oh, really?" Willow's voice dripped with sarcasm. "Tell that to the people who stole everything from me. Tell that to the people who threw me away like trash. They didn't care about being kind. They just wanted what they wanted. And they took it."

Amelia felt a pang of sympathy for Willow, a realization that her tough exterior was a shield, a defense mechanism against a world that had dealt her a cruel hand. She wanted to reach out to her, to offer comfort, to remind her that she wasn't alone. But the words wouldn't come.

"What happened, Willow?" Amelia asked softly, her voice barely a whisper. "What did they take from you?"

Willow remained silent for a long moment, her gaze fixed on the distant horizon. The wind ruffled her red hair, and Amelia noticed a tear tracing its way down her cheek. It was a silent tear, a tear that spoke volumes. It spoke of pain, of betrayal, of a heart that had been shattered into a million pieces.

Finally, Willow spoke, her voice barely above a whisper. "They took everything," she said. "They took my family, my home, my dreams. They left me with nothing but a broken heart and a burning desire for revenge."

Amelia's heart ached for Willow. She knew that feeling of being lost, of being stripped bare. She knew the feeling of being robbed of everything that mattered. But she also knew that the path of revenge was a dangerous one, a path that could lead to more pain and destruction.

"Willow," Amelia said gently, "I know it hurts. I know you're angry. But you can't let the pain control you. You can't let it destroy you."

Willow turned to face her, her eyes filled with a mixture of anger and sadness. "You don't understand," she said. "You've never had to fight for anything."

Amelia took a deep breath, trying to find the right words. "I may not have had to fight the same battles as you, but I've faced my own challenges. And I've learned that the best way to overcome them is not with anger, but with strength. Not with revenge, but with hope."

Willow scoffed, her face a mixture of disbelief and defiance. "Hope? You're talking