"You should've gone!"

"No, it's for the best."

"Yeah, she would've been—"

"Stop." Kim exhaled and scowled at the empty pages before slamming the notebook closed and turning away. Those voices in her mind never left her alone. Or rather, Kim couldn't let them go. Growing up, they'd been her imaginary friends. And just like everyone else, she was expected to outgrow them. But that only worked if you could find real friends, which Kim was short of.

She got up and scrutinized herself in the full-body mirror. Honestly, Kim thought it a miracle that she retained her curvaceous figure all these years. It was one of the few things she was proud of—if only a hint.

"Quit it with a self-admiration," Linda admonished her. She was the first friend that Kim had made. It was when she was six years old, and she wanted someone to talk to and give her advice. How Linda looked, Kim hadn't been able to keep straight. She just knew that she was beautiful, tall, and smart. In her childhood, Linda was supportive and kind, but as Kim got older she became disappointed and blunt.

Still, Linda was right. Kim turned away from the mirror and went over to the old dresser at the side of her bed. She picked up the family photo situated on it of herself, her mother, her father, and her brother.

"They'd understand," Lemon said. He was a boy with yellow hair. Oftentimes, he was her partner, other times, he was her protector. He was the one Kim could rely on to have her back and help her stand up for herself.

Kim returned the picture to its right place on the dresser, disappointed in her own lack of tears.

"A-are you… okay?"

Kim didn't bother with a response. Riley already knew the answer. She only asked to show her concern. Riley was a little girl, Kim's make-believe little sister. Kim first realized her at the age of ten. She was getting lonely as only child with no friends, so she desired sibling and there she was. Riley didn't ask for much, want for much, or do much. She was simply there, something Kim was immensely grateful for.

"What do I do now?"

"What do you mean, Kim?" Lemon said.

"I'm on my own now."

"No, you're not!" Riley cried.

"Yes," Linda said. "She is. She is on her own, far too late and with little preparation."

"The house is paid off," Lemon argued. "So, she doesn't have too much to worry about."

"Doesn't she?" Linda's voice was cold.

Kim tried shaking her head. She didn't want this right now.

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"You never do," Linda struck. "And look where that's gotten you."

Linda was right, as always. She avoid the difficult topics for as long as she could, and now, she had nothing to her name.

"You have us, Kim." At times, Kim found her sister's positivity and optimism to be painful. But she could also never bring herself to deny her.

"Come on, you can't quit." Lemon would always try to keep her from sulking, but how much could she really do?

"She already has. Don't you see?" And Linda never hesitated to remind Kim of her own situation, where she was, and how she got there.

But what was there to do? It was as if every day chipped away at her ability to move herself.

Her friends' voices continued arguing, and Kim could only rock back on forth on the edge of the bed.

Ding!

The arguing stopped.

Ding! Again.

"Doorbell?" Riley asked.

"Doorbell," Lemon confirmed.

"Go," Linda ordered.

Yes. That's right. She had to answer the door. Kim quickly through on her old robe over her tank top and underwear and padded her downstairs.

Slowly loosening up the front door revealed Kim's brother in a black suit with a difficult smile on his face.

"Hi."

Kim wasn't sure what to say right away. "Uh. Yeah. Hi."

Her brother nodded somewhat uncertainly. "How are you?"

How was she? How wasn't she, would be the better question. "I'm… uh…"

He looked at her sadly, then, his smile lowering. "I know," he said. "Can I come in?"

"Why didn't you invite him in from the beginning?" Linda scolded her.

Kim simply stood to the side and allowed her brother to enter. He slipped off his shoes and then headed toward the living room. Kim followed.

They sat on opposite couches, the glass coffee table between them.

And for a while, neither said anything.

"Well, why don't you say something?!" It was Linda.

"Leave her alone!" Lemon hissed.

Kim took a few breath and then swallowed. "How was the funeral?"

Her brother looked up at her as if waking from sleep. "Oh. It was…" he struggled, the sighed. "It was as funerals were, you know? Crying, well-wishing, 'It was too soon.' Lots of that."

"Yeah." Kim looked away. She didn't really want to hear about the funeral, but else could she say? She just wanted… She didn't know what she wanted.

Her brother's eyes were cast downward, unfocused, swaying, and heavy. He swallowed, then, and said, "People missed you… at the funeral."

"Of course they did," Linda said.

"Leave her alone!" Lemon cried.

"Stop being so mean!" Riley joined in.

The arguing in her head resumed and Kim crunched up against herself. She wanted it to stop. Stop-stop-stop-stop-stop-stop-stopstopstopstopstopstop! Why? Why did her mind do this to her? Why couldn't it let her be?

Then, her brother was beside her, his arm enveloping and pulling her in, warm, gentle, and safe.

Kim's felt her eyes widen, and her inner world calm. "I—"

"I'm with you, you hear?" Her brother's voice was firm and straight.

Kim looked up at him, not believing what she was hearing.

"I am with you. Do you understand? I am with you, no matter what."

Kim did not understand. Of course she didn't. How could she? It didn't make any sense to her. Why? Why would he say that?

And her brother then held her tighter, still. Why, why, why?! What was this? What was he doing? What was she doing?

Before Kim realized it, she was sobbing, tears down her face, body shaking, clinging to her brother like the larger-than-life pillar he was. It didn't matter what was happening or why. Only that it was happening.

When it finally came time for Kim's brother to leave, it was with a silent smile from siblings—like a promise.

Finally, Kim went back upstairs to her room. The room she'd slept in since she was a child. Where her friends had all been born.

"We're with you, too," Riley said.

"All the way," Lemon promised.

Kim waited for Linda to say something. She always had something to say, after all.

"Don't be afraid," Linda finally spoke.

Thank you. Kim allowed herself to smile and then put her head down to her pillow.