And it's hard to hate someone once you understand them.

There is no need to put your heart in a bottle, then you will die. - Ty from Stolen

You smiled then, and your whole face changed with it. It kind of lit up, like there were sunbeams coming from inside you.

Everyone wanted answers I wasn't ready to give.

There were tiny stars behind my eyelids, a whole galaxy of tiny, spinning stars.

But what else can I do, other than to plead with you like this? Other than to write down my story, our story, to show you that what you've done . . . to make you realize that what you did wasn't fair, wasn't right.

I made it," you said, gruffly, "for you." You shoved it onto my finger. It was roughly carved, shaped from a lump of something colourful and cold...a ring made entirely from a gemstone. It was beautiful. It glinted emerald greens and blood reds over my skin, and had tiny flecks of gold catching the light. I couldn't stop staring at it. "Why?" I asked. You didn't answer that. Instead you touched the ring gently and looked piercingly at me, unsaid questions in your eyes.