Marie is back at the orphanage and with more time on her hands since her plans for today have changed. She is feeling restless and doesn't want to sit around, doing nothing. If she does her mind will drift to thoughts of her parents. She gets up and walks out to the garden area in the back. She heads down the garden path, to the opening of the woods. She looks around for the perfect piece of wood or branches. She comes across exactly what she is looking for and takes it back to a bench in the garden. The area is empty and she welcomes the peace the garden brings. The fruit trees provide shade from the sun and the smell of the strawberry patch next to the bench is pleasant. Marie pulls out a carving knife and gets to work cutting the wood.

A couple of hours have passed and she has finished the design of her final product. Marie has carved a vintage baroque design mirror, with thick borders. Carved on each side of the borders below the scattered spirals are hearts of different sizes. In the middle of each of the four sides of the borders, hands overlap each other palm-side up. On the inside of the carved mirror is an image of a girl sitting on a bed looking outside a window with the sun setting. The wood-carved mirror is about the size of a book. Marie examines it and cleans up the mirror, smoothing the edges. She finally carves her initials in the back like she does with all her work. She wraps it up in tissue paper Mrs. Leane gives her and puts it in a bag. She places the gift near her school bag so she can remember it in the morning.

It is late in the evening after Marie eats dinner in the mess hall and she heads to bed. Marie quickly falls asleep when she closes her eyes. The mental exhaustion from the day finally catches up to her. Unfortunately for Marie, her sleep that night is anything but restful. Her dreams are plagued by a recurring nightmare. This nightmare only comes when she thinks of or is reminded of her family. It is part of the reason she doesn't like to speak about her parents. In her nightmare, she is with her parents on the side of the road and she is five years old again. Seemingly from nowhere several wolves appear and surround her parents. She watches as her parents try to fight them off but they are overcome by the wolves. The nightmare always ends when they knock her mom down. Fortunately, tonight the nightmare doesn't replay after it ends and Marie jumps out of her sleep in a cold sweat. She looks over at the clock and it's an hour before she is supposed to wake up. She decides to start her day early. The nightmare has freaked her out more than usual this time.

Marie's school day is a lot less eventful than yesterday. The unease she felt after waking up has dwelled down. The only thing that remains is an ominous aura surrounding her. The day passes by quickly and before she knows it she is sitting in the school library waiting for Kaden. Marie pulls out her notes for the history project. Kaden walks into the library and spots Marie. He walks up to the table and slides into the seat next to her.

"I thought I was going to beat you here." He says jokingly. "I will have to try harder next time."

Marie laughs and an easy smile graces her face "Good luck. I am nothing if not early." Kaden smirks and shakes his head. He pulls out his book and laptop. There is an air of calmness between the two as they look over their notes.

"I thought we could start by showing each other what we have so far and creating the PowerPoint today," Kaden says as he pushes his book aside and opens his laptop.

"Oh, before we do that there is something I want to give you." Marie reaches into her bookbag and pulls out the gift. "Well, it isn't for you exactly." She puts the gift on the table. "I made something for Bianca. As a peace offering. I was hoping you could give it to her since she is currently suspended."

"Wow, Marie that is very big of you to extend an olive branch to her after what she did." Kaden is impressed and shocked by Marie. He couldn't imagine doing something nice for someone who was clearly jealous. Especially with the things Bianca said. Kaden is still angry with her antics.

"I know it seems a bit weird but I don't like being in conflict and I just had the urge to make her something." Marie looks at the gift with a slight frown. She is unsure if this was a good idea after all. "I just hope she accepts and likes it." She looks up at Kaden for something, maybe reassurance or to tell her she is crazy. Kaden looks Marie in her eyes and smiles.

"She better." Kaden takes the gift and puts it in his bag. He turns back to Marie, talking about Bianca is bringing down the mood. He would rather do a lot of things than think about Bianca. ''Shall we get started?"

Marie nods her head and they get straight to work. Two hours pass and they have done a huge portion of their project. They started the PowerPoint and created all the slides with labels. They checked over each other's notes so they were on the same page. All that is left is to finish up the slides and practice the presentation. They pack up their stuff and walk out of the library.

"I think we should meet up again at the end of the week to practice what we are going to say," Kaden says.

"That's cool with me. How about Friday?" Marie replies.

"Friday it is." They reach the front of the school. Kaden looks down at Marie. "Would you like a ride home?"

"Thank you, but I would like to walk again," Marie answers gripping the straps of her bookbag.

"I feel you. Be safe." Kaden says. He is disappointed that he can't spend more time with her. Hanging out with her is fun, even when they are just doing schoolwork. There are no awkward pauses and they can easily joke with each other. Hanging with Marie is like hanging with his friends. Only he doesn't get the urge to hold his friend's hands when they are close.

"You keep that gift safe," Marie says jokingly and Kaden laughs breaking him from his treacherous thoughts. "And get home safe yourself." The warmth Marie radiates puts Kaden at ease.

"I will. See you tomorrow Marie." Kaden walks to the parking lot towards his car. He sits in his car and watches Marie walk out of his sight before taking off.

"See you tomorrow" Marie replies to Kaden before he walks away. She walks in the direction of the orphanage, enjoying her time to herself.

~

Kaden arrives at the pack but instead of going home, he makes a detour to the Strauss' house. He knocks on the door and Robert Strauss answers. They greet each other and Mr. Strauss lets him in. He leads Kaden to the living room. Kaden would often come with his father to speak with Mr. Strauss when he was younger. He is no stranger in their house.

"Hey, Mr. Strauss is Bianca here?" Kaden asks getting straight to the point. He doesn't want to waste any time here. He knows Bianca will piss him off and he has a thin line of patience with her right now.

"Yes let me get her for you." Mr. Strauss walks to the staircase and shouts out to the second floor. "Bianca come down Kaden is here to speak with you." Mrs. Strauss sticks her head out of the kitchen upon hearing her husband. She gives Kaden a short greeting before returning to her task in the kitchen. Kaden smiles, he has always gotten along with Mrs. Strauss. Mr. Strauss walks back to Kaden after receiving a reply from his daughter.

After a few minutes, Bianca runs down the steps and walks over to where Kaden and her father are standing. "You wanted to see me, Kaden?" She baits her eyelashes flirtatiously at him. Her hair falls into her face and she tucks the left side of her hair behind her ear and pouts. It takes every ounce of control in Kaden's body to not pluck every eyelash off her eye. The nerve she has to flirt with him after what she did to Marie and in front of her dad no less. He instead pulls out the gift bag from Marie and hands it to her.

"Oh my god! You got me something," She jumps up and down excitedly. When she takes the bag out of his hand she tries to hug him. Kaden holds her back from touching him with his hand on her forehead. She huffs and stops trying to get closer.

"No, I didn't. Marie did." Kaden is bored of this interaction and wants to go home. He fights to not roll his eyes. If it wasn't for Marie he wouldn't speak or see Bianca until her suspension is lifted.

"Isn't that the girl Bianca bullied?" Mr. Strauss asks. He looks at Kaden curiously.

"Yes. She wanted to make peace with your daughter so she made this for Bianca and asked me to give it to her." Kaden replies.

"Wow Bianca, isn't that so nice of her? You should open it." Mr. Strauss urges his daughter. His curiosity shifts to the contents of the bag.

"I don't want to Dad nor do I want this." She shakes the bag and holds it away from her. "She can have it back." Bianca tries to give it to Kaden but the look on his face tells her to open it. She pulls out the present and takes off the wrapping. She rolls her eyes at how extra this all is. She can't fully hate it since she loves getting gifts. When she uncovers the gift and looks at it she is taken aback.

"She made this?" Mr. Strauss looks up from the mirror at Kaden surprised.

"Yeah, she said she got the urge to make it." Bianca stays quiet as she stares at the mirror. Somehow looking at it makes her feel exposed. As if Marie had stepped inside her room and read her diaries. She ignores the men talking as she moves her fingers across the image inside the mirror.

"She is talented." Mr. Strauss looks back at his daughter and gives her a stern look. "When you get back to school you better thank that young lady and leave her be." Bianca nearly rolled her eyes until she saw her father's face.

"Not only will you thank her. You will also apologize to her." Kaden says with a no-nonsense tone. He faces Mr. Strauss "I should be heading out. It was nice seeing you, Mr. Strauss." He then yells out "And you Mrs. Strauss." Kaden heads out the door and makes his way home.