I Know What It’s Like

It had been weeks since Sadie had begun calling Peter and Myka her dads when Stefan called his meeting. It was there, in front of everyone, that Peter first learned that Sadie had felt the way she did. As Stefan tried to make the others understand that he was responsible for his own injuries, Sadie spoke up.

“It wasn’t Ashleigh’s fault that I got hurt,” Sadie said, her soft voice a little louder than usual.

“It’s all right, Sadie,” Axel said sweetly, turning toward the girl. “No one is trying to say that Ashleigh meant for any of you to get hurt.”

Sadie shook her head.

“No,” she said. “Stefan is right. We made our own choices. I ran toward the tree, all by myself.”

“There is no way you could have known about the treant, Sadie,” Corrine replied gently.

“No,” Sadie replied, “but I know better than to rush forward on my own in a place I’m not familiar with.”

Sadie looked up at Myka.