Elise made her way up to the tree house for the first time that term, grateful for the fact that she didn't need to pay to access it. She just needed some space to think and the lake wasn't an option anymore, since it had become too crowded with people for her to even hear herself think. No, the tree house was the best, she decided as she climbed all the way to the top of the three floors.

The further away she was from the rest of the world, the better. Why, you might ask? It was simply because as soon as she reached the top floor, she dropped the book bag she was carrying and leaned against the wall of the treehouse, sinking slowly to the ground. Then, head meeting her knees, she started to sob.

It was probably a good thing that nobody could hear her, anyway. What would her team think of her? Weak, no doubt.