`` i was afraid of everything and everyone falling apart around me . he was speaking softly , as if afraid to wake the tigers . it was just before the cake fight when the boys presented him with his birthday present . i was more than a little curious to see if youd trade away more of your freedom for complete strangers . `` thank you , '' she whispers , and disappears upstairs . was the rock i knew the real one ? he could n't live in this house and not know his father had ... issues with his temper . 